duncan

?????????? 1. You can use your radio in harbours.......... 2. For CG station I assume you mean aerial - most actually have several aerials in different locations covering seperate waters. Whilst they will be listening on 16 they have others at the same locations listening and transmitting on different frequencies. You may drown out someone else on that aerial but not necessarily on others. As was said before arranging to use a calling channel away from 16, and on 1W (low power) for close by is good practice.

lets not confuse bass issues with the flat fish fishery............ with the 2005 take of bass and bream exceeding 300, 000 tonnes against less than 20,000 for brill and turbot there is absolutely no comparison at all. In addition just 2 vessels were responsible for well over 50% of this take! However the relative catches of plaice and other flats from the shambles between comercial and charter operations would proabably bear such a comparison - and be quite interesting.

have got to admire these fine snood merchants! sorry you lost the big one Alun but fishing for blondes with a 27lb trace would seem like a recipe for trusting in fate to me. It's not the overall BS it's the resistance to abrasion and nicks from the mouth area pads round to the tail spikes. whatever you cleary got the mark and tactics right from your catch - well done.

Phaeton's tail was all to predictable after folling Rich's advice re Sat night. Got heavily involved in a party and were still doing the rounds of friends boats on the pontoons at 0200h............. Inevitably this resulted in a somewhat later start than anticipated, no noticable attempt at breakfast and lunch wasn't touched until 2000h that night either! Fishing wise we had our best species hunt ever - which was of course absolutely useless. Cuttle were clearly around and causing much heartache, mackerel were extrememly thin on the ground and the huge gar we aquired didn't attract any interest as bait whatsoever. Final results Rays - 0 Flats - 1 Much to Dave's disgust (at the time) this we beastie decided to play Went only 5lb 14oz but scrapped like a much bigger fish. Maybe next time..............

Mike - good pics are the key to identification Ray are excellent eating and my preference is for thornback or small eyed around the 7-8lb mark - seem easier to skin and better texture good luck - weather could still be anywhere between great and poor Sunday!

nowt Rich - but is 0600 early enough thought it was light then...........

really sorry Paul - I do know how you feel.............

Thanks Rich - food for thought! May well be racing Maverick for that ray mark the Blonde's going to be even bigger this year! Personally I hate fishing amongst boat wakes so if the weather is good the swash is a no no for me Lets hope the weather stays as forecast last night (some chance I guess.........)

thanks Kam - probably stick to rays then forecasts looking better again today after a brief suggestion of S4 showing on many forecasts yesterday but of course a long way to go yet..........

on this subject, and related to next weekend - what is the panels view on the flatfish opportunities? as a dedicated ray man, and crap flounder fisher, I wouldn't have a clue whether there were any decent opportunities for flounder; understand I have more chace of a sole in daylight with a sand eel trawl than rod and line; am never where the plaice are when they are and wouldn't know how to target a dab any more than a weaver............... so are 'specimen' flounders on the cards?

hmmmmmmmm - inference that mine's covered in oil and coffee stains there somewhere......... Well I deny I even have coffee aboard! And I don't spill the rum so that leaves oil If you had looked towards the beach/bar ( ) and waved I would have rowed out in the tender to pick you up m8 - it was far too nice to be bobbing around in the sun that afternoon - fishing came a poor second I am afraid I regretted not having the hh vhf as soon as you came into view

Harry - I think I saw you pass behind Phaeton when it was attached to a buoy close in off Swanage beach around 1330h - you were heading from Swanage back across the bay. Well I think it was you!?

phew thougt Maverick was joining the procession of 'discarded' craft that have littered the forum this year ............ any clues where the mooring associated with this boat is situated?

well he waved at us Sam at least I think it was waving! and he was certainly indicating size............... glad you were catching Mike - I managed a big zero (duly reported) but had a great time lounging out on the terrace bar in Swanage in the sun later in the day watching the boats (including another club one passing Phaeton). Boy do these pennants stand out!

rich - remarkably similar plan to that hatched for Phaeton - in fact absolutely the same in principle ! Launch Sat, eat/drink (possibly to excess but tied up somewhere) sleep aboard then fish Sunday in the calm sunshine with fishing success a side issue ( )............ mind you I haven't discussed it with Dave yet........ hehe rang Dave and he seemed to agree the principle was excellent too - seemed more interested in what we were planning to eat and drink than the fishing just like Rich! Am I getting too old for these serious sleeping bag and headache tablet sessions I have to ask myself?...........and for some bizzarre reason I also wonder where Fred plans to be Saturday night!

solder v crimp has been an ongoing discussion for many years! I had understood that correctly crimped was considered better then soldered but no doubt one of our professionals can help out. Which ever one of the most under emphasised elements is properly supporting the wiring - it's not just neater it will avoid thepotential for broken wires leading to failures at best and fires at worst.

Mike, The Swanage Bay area can produce excellent flats and specimen sized blondes, undulates, thornbacks, small eyed or even spotted are there so theres no real excuse! That weekend will see next to no tide inshore for much of the time but you should realistically be ready to anchor in up to 90ft for some of the marks.

it's all going to be about the 'breeze' - really light winds and I would suggest drifting around off Winspit / Dancing ledge for bass in the tide and anchoring the slack for rays or whatever. Even heading onto the reef at the outer edge of Chapmans pool if you are sure your return via St Albans ledge wont be a problem. else head east into the bay for the mixed sport that offers - loads of species will be available. if the breeze kicks up do do beware the possible conditions around headlands and ledges that a really fast tide can create.

make a nice solid 8 wheeler out of it easy I thought you were planning to keep the Cyclone for trailaways?

Ta - sexy's no good, and twins are a pain as well on servicing costs and space on 9m boat...........if it can't make it's mind up about hard or soft I guess it won't have 6ft 6in headroom under the HT either. If this sounds like knocking it I apologise! Just my thoughts............ I will certainly look out for it but probably not at the show.

dreaming again Mike? mhr

I won't be launching at Cobbs ( ) but expect to be heading out of the harbour in the direction of Swanage about the same time as Pride of M....... - will be flying the club burgee and listening out on 16...............

lol @ Tom! I wasn't going to go to the show but a 30ft Hard top is tempting - can you let me have a heads up on spec etc via pm or whatever? Might change my mind. Ta

cripes Fred - drop dead georgous................when in January???? real shame she's to big for a club boat but you can't have everything!

got to say Sunday looks like light cyclonic winds which might just make for a decent trip.........for a change. m,ay just look th rods out after a long period of abstinance!