petesnr

Im taking a back seat from the club at the moment but having browsed the thread I am struck by the fact that sea anglers have made no steps forward in getting unified representation in the last 40 years. The lessons gained from lets say unions is that united we have power and divided we have nothing but inter organisational squabbling. All energy is being directed inwards instead of tackling the only real problem facing the sea angler and that is are there actually going to be any fish left to make our sport worthwhile. The rest of it is just claptrap. Get stuck in behind one organisation warts and all so that we have united representation. As I understand it AT has a voice at government level and is the recognised body for funding. Seems like a no-brainer to me. If AT needs to change it aint going to come from outside--it needs to be changed by a large membership applying pressure in the right way--not via meaningless forums. Now I would just like to go fishing. PeteSnr

the argument that 'They are doing it for a living' is irrelevant. The whole crisis in fisheries is due to the influence of big business behind commercial fishing exerting pressure on governments to allow them to continue their unsustainable activities purely for profit in the short term. I am not in favour of bag limits until commercial activity is brought under proper control because as has been mentioned elsewhere it is laughable for a recreational angler to be fishing near a commercial and putting back the few fish he catches as he watches boxes being filled on the commercial boat. Our catches are a drop in the ocean compared to the miles of tangle nets inshore and the factory fishing offshore. I would be happy to accept a bag limit at the same time as restrictions to conserve and RESTORE fish stocks are implemented both inshore and offshore. Petesnr

Someone ought to take the pi$$ out of this photo!

Looking at the photos again not only did they cut out the bulkhead they also cut off the sides of the cabin. These extended downwards towards the stern and raised the height of the gunwhales considerably. I can understand that with this particular conversion one might feel a little exposed!! On mine I cut back the cabin roof, moved the bulkhead forward to retain a lockable cabin but I left the sides intact so retaining good height on the sides. I must dig out some photos..... Petesnr

Definitely looks like a Microplus 501. I used to have one myself and also moved the cabin bulkhead forward to create more cockpit space. The hull's of these boats are made of a sandwich of endgrain balsa between inner and outer skins of GRP. This makes them extremely light but also very strong as long as the balsa remains sealed and dry. The removal of the cabin bulkhead on this craft should not adversely affect the strength of the hull as the rigidity is in the deck. I had a 55HP Mariner on the back of mine and it flew at over 30knots. The hull has a tendency to slam in a short sea which can reduce speed dramatically if you want to retain the health of your kidneys! Surprisingly seaworthy and fun. I fished up to 10 miles out in mine and got home in some really snotty conditions without being too scared! Petesnr

Let's hope some of those we know in Poole read this and take note. Petesnr

Dont forget that it has taken over twenty years for the cod to START recovering on the Grand Banks and in the past they just lowered baskets over the side and pulled em out so there is some way to go. Channel codding is still just a shadow of the situation in the 60's despite a couple of seemingly good seasons offshore. Regulation of the commercial fishery is the only way to ensure catches for everyone. Inshore codding has been patchy to say the least. Petesnr

I understand that once there is a column of fuel the drop in pressure caused by the piston on suck phase is enough to keep fuel flowing through carbs and jets even if pump is knackered on many outboards. I have three filters in my fuel line. One on outlet of tank, one inline with replaceable filter element in fuel line and one disposable filter near carbs. When I was experiencing loss of power in the spring it was actually the third filter that was blocked so how the crud had got there is anyone's guess. Engine ran like new after replacement. Also find with my older 2 stroke that new plugs every six months work wonders. Petesnr

I cant agree with Duncan on this. Discards remaining in the food chain means nothing apart from well fed crabs. Bottom line is that dead fish dont grow or reproduce so any plan to make these dead fish part of quota and so limit future fishing is good. Petesnr

Fantastic! The fish of a lifetime. Petesnr

it was a gay pigeon then? petesnr

His brother runs or used to Loni's in New Milton--might be a starting point petesnr

Hope to get out if it lasts til the evening. Petesnr

You need to get out more--fishing that is!!

1) Adam F - JV 2) Alun J - JV 3) Paul F - JV 4) Tom B - Mrs Sea 5) Greg C - Mrs Sea 6) Terry B - Mrs Sea 7) Martin - AWOL 8) Dean - AWOL 9) Dave- Wight Magic 10) John W - Rosie One 11) Allan Green- Kind of Magic 12} Charlie Alfresco 13) Sam Alfresco 14) Graham Alfresco 15] Will TBC Alfresco 16, Alfie, Dream Drifter 17, Sally, Dream Drifter 18)Nigel,Wishin(inshore) 19) Simon, Island Girl 20) Colin, Boblin 21) Bobi, Boblin 22) Tony Deavin - AWOL 23) Dave S - Crew - unknown boat as yet 24) Craig Abode 25) Jackie Abode 26) Jason - Lazy Wench 27) Louisa - Lazy Wench 28) Peter Russell snr--possibly on Boblin and Whistler (not at the same time!)

As a long standing member with a relatively short range boat and having won the 48 hour comp on a couple of occasions I don't know what all the fuss is about. You pays your money and you take your choice. If you want to go to Alderney get a loan and buy a bigger boat! I've always boated on a shoestring and admired the newer larger craft from a distance and sometimes by invitation at close quarters. I enjoy being at sea in whatever sized boat I am in. As to catching specimen fish well Poole still takes some beating with undulate ray, black bream and huss as prime examples. With all due respect I don't think Mike is in a good position to argue about range and capability as I understand he spends time in the summer touring the French coast in his boat a feat us small boat owners can only dream of. He could always set off for Alderney some days in advance! When it comes to angling all I can say is that I still feel as excited now at the prospect of catching good fish every time I go out as I ever did whether it is from Poole or any other port. Don't forget our sport is humbling and often the best fish are caught by novices or in a few feet of water. You should see the mullet near my mooring! Tightlines Petesnr

A man walks into a bar and notices a piece of motorway and an A road having a pint at a table. The door of the bar opened again and suddenly they dived under the table. so the man says 'What you do that for?' at which the A road said 'Look out--its a cycle path!'

Not quite sure why Graham has to stock up on Sturgeon. Is this a 'Bring your own fish' trip? Or is it champagne and caviar all the way?. Petesnr

Two pout, one pollack one bream of 2lb at Dancing Ledge, My crew a non-member had two bream. Moved to Ballard and had 3 more bream between 1lb and 1.5lb. Bit of a grueller!! Petesnr

Sounds like a chance for a few large operators to take over the European sea fisheries and empty the stocks at will. As usual the vested interests have managed to water down the measures to restore stocks. i.e. the banning of discards. Short termism will be the death of the seas. Downsizing of vessels and fleets, technical measures and drastic reduction in effort and quotas is the only way to ensure that the sea replenishes itself--still we'll all be dead soon so why worry? Petesnr

1.) Frisky Fox - with Carol, George and Mike 2.) Joy of the Dawn - Steve and 2 non members 3.) Whistler--Petesnr and non-member

As I understand it the manufacturers offer a warranty for a period during which they consider nothing will go wrong with their engines and I thought that Yamahas were so reliable that nothing ever went wrong with them anyway? I never had to use the warranty on any of the four brand new outboards Ive bought in my time. One was a Johnson and the other three were Mariners--maybe I've just been lucky or my gentle use of the throttle has helped. In one case I was stung by a main dealer service but since then I've not been back. The complexity of modern 4 strokes means that there is more of a likelihood of trouble but the cost of the main dealer services looks like an excuse to print money. It appears to be a niche in the market for some enterprising marine engineer to get the warranty accreditation and undercut the big boys--the opportunity is there. I'll be looking for a new engine within the next few years as mine is in its 14th season so I'll be watching this thread carefully. Petesnr

There is quite a lot of evidence that fish such as bass do return to the same areas at certain times of year and so as Chris points out there is a risk of depletion of a localised stock by over fishing. He also makes a good point about the cumulative effect of a number of boats fishing the same area even if each angler only takes a few. At the moment it is down to each of us to moderate the mortality rate of the fish we catch and I for one would like it to stay that way. This will only remain if we are seen to be having little effect on fish stocks. Once we are seen as a major extractive activity then our freedom is gone. Surely no one wants the thought of a catch inspection at the end of a long day at sea even if there's nothing to hide. I am not casting stones at anyone in particular but making a general point to members about the ethos and ideals of PBSBAC. From my impression of the committee and the membership of the club we want to promote sport fishing as the major activity of the club with a few fish taken for the table if desired. Don't get me wrong--I love to take fish to eat but the frozen fillets at the back of the freezer do not compare with fish straight out of the water so I only take a few. It would be interesting to know the total tonnage of fish worldwide which is in freezers--it would be horrific if it turned out to be more than is alive and swimming and able to breed......that would be the ultimate folly. Just trying to make the point that we need to protect our own patch so that our sport continues year on year without restriction. Think once, think twice before killing--it's your and everyone elses future sport. Tight lines Petesnr

Hi All It has come to my attention that a lot of fish are being brought ashore. We have had an exceptional spring for angling with early catches of summer species but don't get carried away. For reasons only known to the fish sizeable black bream have evaded the nets over the last few years and have provided us with great sport. Some days it seems like the sea is full of them. Please remember that these fish are shoaling up to spawn and can be quite localised. The fish you bring ashore will not breed and will not be there for you or others to enjoy. Also if you kill the 2 and 3 pounders then the chances of 4 pounders in the future becomes less likely. The bream actually taste nicer later in the season when they have spawned then fed. To bring back boxes of fish to fill freezers, give away or barter for favours (or worse to sell) sits uneasily against the ideals of sportfishing and a background of hostility from the commercial sector towards anglers. If you love to eat fresh fish then by all means bring some back for the table each time you go out but avoid fish full of spawn and only keep enough for your immediate needs--you can always go out and catch some more next time. I thought that was why those of us who love fresh fish had boats? Regulation of our catches could be on the way but there is no need to bring it on quicker by displays of greed that people well enough off to afford boats do not need to show. Petesnr

Most years the bream arrive in April but often do not feed well until the water warms up a bit. Bream show up well on sounders and observations over the last week suggest that there are plenty out there on the usual marks. The average size seems quite good also, which suggests that they have escaped the nets this winter so maybe it won't be such a bad year. For the greedy--just remember that the bream come onto the reefs to breed and they are chock-a-block with eggs and milt. The old rule of thumb was not to keep bream until June when most will have bred although one or two for the pot will not affect stocks. There is some evidence that marks such as Dancing Ledge have received a hammering over the past few years with boats from Poole and Weymouth harvesting the stock. Even in the Bay popular marks tend to hold smaller fish so it could be that shoals return to the same area as the year before. If you kill them all one year dont expect the biggies the next year. On the bright side there are plenty of new marks to be discovered and most patches of rough ground will hold bream. Reefs between Durlston and St Albans often produce surprisingly good bream when the tide slackens and these marks can be several miles offshore. Petesnr