duncan

sounds like a great time Simon - wishing I had stuck it out over the weekend and paid the price later! good the fish are in numbers hope others are releaseing them too.............

Andrew, Any particular reason you haven't actually named the reel? Or how much you want for it? There is almost a suggestion in your post that you are trading rather than selling off a reel you own - not really what this area is for. If you want to trade then you should contact the web master.

finally the crew at breakfast - 0615 every day! Serious catch plans demanded committment from everyone........................

not forgetting Tom's boat

here's a piccy of the boys in action!

nice report Fred - unlucky with the fish. the run home was a lot better wasn't it - here's the conditions we had to 'put up with'

once the kids explain that I can put the camera card straight into this new fangled laptop........................ my alderney double - poor comparison to Paul's but at least I was on my own boat.....

Sorry but that slack will mean that you are effectively anchored by your cable ties .............. this is madness no method that weakens the the rode should be employed

As this seems the place to post it, and convientently keeps it in perspective given PaulJ's fantastic fish - I'll just type......... Monday saw me fly back into the UK first thing after a hard weekend earning brownie points then get int a car after a few hours kip and head to Poole. The weather gods were tantilising us with the prpspect of excellent conditions - but getting there was never going to be easy. I had a clear plan in my head that involved lots of sleep, lie in and head off at a reasonable midday hour. Discussing this with Dave, over a beer of course, got a bit of a push back with the suggestion that it was going to be a lot worse than I thought, later was daft, and that we should really consider an early one to take advantage of the overnight lull. Just as I had won the argument (and the 4th game of pool in a row) the phone goes and it's Adam ...........he's just letting me know that Chris has asked them to get to the boat for an early start - 0500h!!!!!!!! Thanks for keeping me insformed I said and idea when Tom's heading out .........close behind! When I recount this to Dave he just smiles and heads to the bar for another round leaving me to argue with myself. Inevitably I loose and compromise at 0600h with the half of screaming for sleep. This seems to fit with Dave so I head for bed and Dave sorts out the ice and what should have been mackerel but failed to materialise......... 0500 on the boat - 0600 we are off and running. Resisting the early hour to open up through the harbour and staying at 9 knots we eventually cleared the entrance and were making 18 knots comfortably. No mackerel of Peveril None on the Kyarra None a couple of miles further on Speed down to 15 knots then 13 then 11 finally 8.5 6 and a half hours for the crossing and no mackerel Cup of tea time in Alderney harbour and another shot at the mackerel saw us with a couple. Picked up a mooring, put boat to bed and, after clearing customs and paying the dues we find a bar, some cider and await the rest. Accomadation was excellent adn suited the group great, having to get up at 0600 everyday to get out fishing didn't seem to bad at the time but clearly wasn't goung to mix well with late nights adn heavy boozing - so we went to bed reasonably early. First day saw us run down to the banks below Alderney - with everyone else! More charter boats than a busy day on the patch! Thanks to Adam we had a stock of mackerel onboard, so inveitably when we tried feathers we hit mackerel and launce straight away! First drift across the bank saw a slightly out of synch movement on my rod develop into a healthy 2lb 8oz bass - and it still wasn't 0800 - this is going to be easy! Dream on...........by the end of the day both Dave and I had one flattie each at one above and one below 3lbs, and last drift a spirited fight turned out rather disappointingly to be a pollack - good fish but not what we expected. Next day was the same except we couldn't get it right - 5 dogfish saw us head of for an early bath and a few extra beers. Dave dropped what was clearly a great fish and this didn't help the mood. Final day and we decided to hang around Alderney then dash home rather than fish the wrecks. So we headed off on our own to find some different banks and play hardball with the fish. This turned out to be a good call and we fished steadily through the day. I had switched to a really light set up - St Croix 8-12lb rod, calcutta 400, 14lb braid and a 3 oz lead on the bottom of a portland rig which suited the strip baits and the live launce equally well. We saw Tiger Lilly sneak onto the back a bit later and I question where Chris thought he was going to find a wreck full of snakes he told me that his crew had had the same idea and wanted more time on the banks. At the end of the day I had a couple of turbot and a brill to add to the first days bass, pollack and brill which made it an excellent trip over all. Unfortunately Dave wasn't as fortunate and was clearly frustated as hell that I was hitting the fish and he wasn't even getting touches. I dropped one fish that day, and from the 30 secs or so we were connected it felt good. The run back took 2h 30m from Alderney harbour (we picked up a little fuel to be sure) and were tied up by 1930h. Dave then weighted the fish on good old terra firma and the brill went 6lb 10oz, the turbot 9lb 9oz. Both were taken on a tail flapper of launce. Roll on next year - we may just make it a long weekend though. Thanks to all those with helpfull hints and tips, Chris was excellent, Steve Porter & Trevor Small chipped in too - thanks guys. Finally a big thanks to Adam and all the crew for a fantastic trip - glad you got back ok too Tom. Pictures to follow whan I find a method of getting them out the camera - left the lead in the caravan.

just one point on here - 12.8v would be healthy battery at rest - ie after at least an hour off charge. 12v would be pretty discharged

dont know about organised but at least you wont be messing about with an anchor on the on hand, and on hte other you will be covering a lot of ground!

amazing that the tractor coudnt shift it I pulled a 20 ft speed boat off the beach at the haven last year using tickover in reverse - shows the power of a big duo prop and diesel! moved it no problem at all.

right then - my detailed forecast (that I trust) has it southerly 2/3 going east 2 for the rest of the week after 1900 Tuesday night. actually looks better after 1300h as the wind will drop across the channel then (honest). what is 'scary' is the area in the western approaches 'cos if that lot shifts on Tuesday it won't be fun at all. also with the winds there at the strengths prdicted there will be some swell up the channel too. overall you couldn't really expect a better forecast though.............. we remain 'committed'! As for fishing plans we are somewhat less structured that Tom (or more realistic?) and have set ourselves the objective to break the club ling record - well actually just to catch one

well I'm back from Morrocco but haven't checked the met much myself yet so bottling may be next on the list....................

nah - be on his record gobbie

fortunately I am seeing slightly better forecasts...........time will tell

If we get there and back OK, and catch even one decent flattie on the boat, I'll do one too! Hell I might even fill in one of Charlie's catch reports................

Dave and I were just past St Albans and no sign (didn't mean they weren't there!) Think San Gina and Strongbow were both off dancing ledge Saturday too - ie they are looking for them.

reg - I was quoting teh prices I have seen them in Cobbs Quay chandlers, poole. I would suggest any chandler local to you would be a similar price. Mail order will work out more expensive 'cos of postage of that weight!

I understand that you can - but if you do you cannot avoid some load going onto the connection at the end of the shank.......and before you know it you are using a shackle rather than a cable tie!

much easier to simply stick a non slip material all over the top surely Mike..........

Thanks for the response Jim tight lines

Harry, Alderney ring is a recovery method rather than a trip although many use it as trip and rip! Seperate trip line wont interfere with the operation of the AR recovery but in general I have to say they are a pain in any tide or depth of water. I would seriously consider switching to a one piece anchor for areas you might get snaggeed - unfortunately that includes gettign pot lines as well as rocky areas so I would just change anyway! Bruce copy/M/claw is only

Mike, Have fun with ZA - it needs a lot of attention in the early days as it tends to interpret a lot of network traffic as a threat - sending a document to the printer from Outlook over a network for example (as 2 days ago's incident with SWMBO).