duncan

specifically responding to the question you ask Mike - the 20-40lb one Alun's yer man though..........

hehe so now you can tell him you had 6 knots of helping tide.... personally I think it's wrong way round for safety, but correct for wash. as PHC didn't call you up and say - are you sure you're not making too much wash covering the ground at 16knots we know where they really are on this. anyhow - back to fishing............

Firstly the Poole Harbour regulations now clearly state that it is a through the water limit - see link PHC notice to mariners 1.6.2005 For most this means that you will have to estimate the figure by adjusting your GPS speed by the tidal flow. This makes accurate prosecutions at speeds close to 10 knots difficult - but in theory should mean spotting a boat making way through the water easier. It doesn't because different hulls and hull lengths will look markedly different between the 9-12 knot range. Technically there will be times on springs when passing through the harbour entrance will be very very slow.....so slow you will probably get hit twice by the chain ferry..... even allowing him time to unload load and get you on the way back! Secondly there are camera's 'around' - certainly PHC has access to live pictures in the entrance, and I believe others. Finally they are currently having a blitz on harbour dues - and have been having it for a month now! No sign of a let up. Be nice to feel confident they are reinvesting the income......... I actually think they do a pretty god job but as said it comes over as as rather patchy and selective coverage. Biggest problem they face is that some limits are only advisory - the 6 knot areas other than in Holes Bay for example.

Thanks for your thoughts Charlie/Alun. Charlie - are you suggesting that just because it looks like a real blonde it is? In my limited experience there are more non blondes masquarading as blondes out there than the other way round........... Would have taken pictures but another rod had line running out rather quickly so I got the fish back in the water straight after weighing. Alun - everything went back. I too would rather eat the mackerel and return these fish everytime. That's what digital cameras are for anyway - so you can show the catch without dragging it back to the quay! Some shark is excellent eating - both porbeagle and thresher being examples. Mind you as someone said on here a month ago - first catch your porgy..........

Due to last weeks poor weather, and an iffy forecast, was given an opportunity to fish late Sat and Sunday. Ran down Saturday hoping for an evening session in the entrance on the flood but plans scuppered by unwelcome visitors to the boat during the previous week at some point - very complete tool kit, flare packs x 2, CD/radio and a bottle of champagne all went together with 6 packs of stormy's, mackerel traces and a 500g pirk (all nicely wrapped in the bag I had bought them in the previous weekend). A few hours sorting out and completing police forms etc saw fishing written off for the day. Damage repaired, new cockpit hasps fitted and a pretty serious headache from Saturday night trying to forget it all Dave and I set out early at 1030 Sunday - well it felt early! Saw Shelia Marie off Peveril so stopped off for a chat - mackerel scarce, a dog and a smut onboard. Picked up 4 baits and settlled in nest door. 2 dogs in a hour ut the wind was dying and the tide easing so...........we all moved! They went SE, we went West.............. As I got to the mark and was anchoring Dave pulled in a a string of bait, as the anchor bit he got another - things were looking up. Baits down on the last of the ebb in 100ft, sitting nicely on 8 and 10oz weights we settled down to a cupa..........when off screamed a reel in the manner of all the best fishing programs. To be honest we were so surprised we just looked at each other for a second before I grabbed the rod and moved the lever up a few notches...fish on! Dave hauled in the other rods and a merry old tug of war ensued. A bit of deep booring but no more long runs. Tailed mr tope at the side of the boat and gently lifted him in. As he started to writh a little in the boat I remembered Adams advice and gently knelt either side of his back. pinning him with my knees - mistake! Yes it worked great but do not do this in shorts!!! Slipped the little circle out of his mouth, photo and back as quick as possible - didn't hang around! Fish estimated at 35 - photo below. By the end of the day the scores were 7 tope - the above, 2 that took the scales stragiht over their 25lb limit but were a lot smaller than the first, 3 around 15 and one down around 10. Most were released in the water. A nice spotted ray of 15lb also turned up pretending to be a blonde but we knew better! On top of this Dave and I lost / missed 1 fish each on whole mackerel baits. On baits and hooks - mackerel cutlet/steak about 1/2" thick and cut on the angle to get them as big as possible outfished strips, tail sections and heads completely - all the others were out but it was the cutlet every time. While the tide was flowing the small circles I use were hooking beautifully but around slack a couple were being taken right down into the fishes gut so I moved up to 16/0 circles to heavy wire and was back into the mouth again - seemed bizarre fishing 7ft 12lb and 20lb class rods, 20lb braid to 6ft 250lb mono / 2ft 250lb wire and a 16/0............but it great fun and really easy to unhook. Good trip out overall - and whilst there was a bit of swell out there it was comfortable to fish.

now that's definitely a blond 'cos she's wearing beads!

that's it blame the fish - now I have heard it all! weather, tides, skipper, bait, tackle ............and now the fish. I'm comming round to spotted ........slowly.......with this being the best I can believe to be the wing ring thing. Sry for the quality but not quite NASA technologies here I am afraid.

very pretty Will, looks like loads of shelter too

Welcome Neil, Your reference to returning against the tide suggests that you might consider a displacement craft with a maximum speed around 6-7knots in which case you will find a number of those around the 16ft mark that are powered by 15-20hp engines. These are quite seaworthy craft and can travel distances but require time and tide to do so realistically! However they do suffer in that you cannot dash around to quite the same degree as these zippy Predators, wilson flyers and warriors; and these crafts speed and extra power give them extra options if the conditions change. You will pay more, and they will cost more to run but you will get more fun - and will find yourself having family days out on them too (which may or may not feature in your plans). For 4 in a boat fishing you really are looking bigger unless you are happy to sit on each other..........18 - 21ft. Personally I think a cuddy is overrated for protection from the rain - however from spray running out to fish (and back), and wind when at anchor, it is extremely valuable. All the best

these are clearly present on the fish in question so it's a spotted ray .........unless blondes have them too? It's so long since I handled a young blonde I can't remember. Could it be a hybrid/cross; or a new species even Raja PaulD?

OK to cut aerial (before fitting plug and feeding through holes usually!) - normally comes with plug detached anyhow. Various distances are attempt's to minimise interference 1. Set, speaker and mike can all interfere with your compass - easy enough to observe if this is going to be the case on installing by powering up the unit (with aerial connected) if you are unsure but a couple of feet seperation will normally do. 2. Wireing the unit direct to the battery (it has it's own inline fuse in the wire) can make a lot of sense to avoid interference to the set itself; and has a small safety factor if your isolator or other wireing fail. 3. Keep the aerial routing away from other ones if possible - in most cases it isn't! the most vunerable point is as the plug is fitted and great care to ensure the scrrening is kept complete when fitting the plug will pay dividends.

As I only have 1 reel with mainline exceeding 30lb, most are loaded with 20lb, and my snoods always seem to be stronger than the mainline I'm fishing nowadays ( ) I find I am selecting swivels to match my gear pretty much on a size basis alone and this is as much to ensure I am not trying to tie 60lb mono around a tiny wire loop on a tiny swivel with the resulting weakness! Even on the 1 heavy mainline reel I am only using 50lb line and the above principle wold seem to work for that too - although I tend to be a bit more carefull on selecting a really 'nice' swivel ........just in case!

It's this bit that I was looking for when enhancing the photo - the fact that it's listed as 'frequently' as opposed to jsut it has re opens my mind a little though! All spotted I have caught have had quite distinctive 'marks' or eyes on their uppersides, like the photo shown and this image As I said above the picture doesn't really enable defititive identification on whether the spots run to the edges or not - but on balance there is enough to again suggest blond to me. There is always a case the other way too and this picture of a spotted would seem to have the spots 'all over' and the distinctive martks arne't that distinctive! However they are there if you look closely and I can't find them on the fish being discussed.........based on the original photo though you couldn't possibly see that! Generally it shouldn't be too difficult to seperate these species at capture and I would certainly think it worthwhile pulling together the info on identification (as appearing here from many sources!) in to one section to give members confidence in thier identification. We are really fortunate that we have such a range of rays in the area; all reasonably accomadating to a range of baits and tactics. Clearly a few more home photos can be added over the coming months too.

At the risk of disagreeing with the Chairman my votes for a blonde.......messed around a bit to get into the shadows on it's back here and 1. Don't see the 4 'eyes' on it's back 2. Less defined but the spots do seem to go pretty close to the edges of the wings as said - 5 points!

but everyone thinks it more like this........

well here's what it's really like .........

hmm - I must have hit the sauce early today as my interpretation of the 2 pictures would lead me to conclude that they are the same hull but a different topside completely. if I remember right didn't these hulls get marketed for 'home build' in a number of different guises? having said that the 2 topsides could both have been commercial options as one is a lot longer in the covered area that the other.

do you ever get the impression our timing ain't great? remembered where I had a onnection and got this in the post today .............. sorry, no. i did however... well untill last weekend, have loads of old spares!.. unfortunately, they got dumped as they were taking up too much room in the shop.. [no thanks]! sorry mate, if i can locate a manual i'll give you a shout. hope you get it sorted Duncan

Sure I know someone who was playing around with one of these - it will come back to me........wareham way......

wot no dragonetts or weavers? nice haul James - now get back to the nappies!

Just come of the phone to Dave Rowell He fished too but found the conditions a little rough through the entrance for Knot Again (or Phil), ending up inside the harbour Score was 1 bass and thousands of brownie points for getting back intime to see his wife of to Spain!

then it will be getting them back out the boat again when the hook is free!

Having called your mobile to register, to be told it was off and no voice mail. Then rang Adam's to be advised he's on holiday........... Heard someone on C6 but couldn't get anyone from the wrong end of the harbour either! Anyway I fished a bit this morning but didn't get out of the harbour and had to call it a day earlier than expected I am afraid. Most embarassing result to date - 0 fish All the best to the winner -

and they looked like this

you get Big Tits Monthly too eh Dan?