Coddy

My son Matthew is trying to start up his own business in the welding/fabrication industry. If anyone in the club needs a trailer repairing or something made up in stainless or steel give me a call or PM and I will put you in contact. Needless to say I think he is very good as he has made bits for me for both work and the boat Dave

I was on the Cox & Rawle web site and they had an interesting article from the Sea Angler Jan 1984 written by Bob Cox. Those who are a few years old may know that Bob & Cox and John Rawle pioneered uptiding from a boat. They hail from Essex and I even managed to get a trip out on their charter boat once and it was like a masterclass in how to catch fish, just wish I could recall all that they talked about now! Anyway I have attached the article below for those interested. Dave Bob Cox - Sea Angler January 1984.pdf

If it was a Corkwing it would smash the UK record - 12ozs 11drms UK record in 2005 off Portland Ballan wrasse I am afraid Nice picture however Dave

Rob/Neal or anyone Can someone please advise of format/rules whatever for this FUN event? It's getting a bit close to advise everyone at the last moment

I would suggest a compression test before anything else Could save you £££'s in swapping bits Dave

18/6/15 Well I finished work at a reasonable time and having called into Force 4 for some primer and top coat to re-paint the inside of the cabin I looked at the wooden hand rails on the cabin which looked a bit shabby so I unscrewed them and after a quick sand down gave them all a coat of stain. Just got to let them dry and they may even get a second coat! Hope to start the prime coat on the inside this week-end if the weather holds

I was invited out with Allan, Frank & John on Fisheagle last Sunday. The aim was to try the Rips/Brittle Star area as neither Alan, John or I had fished there and it seems now is a good time to try. Having helped Alan top the tank up on Saturday we all meet down at Cobbs for some unearthly hour of about 6AM!!! I didn't know that this time still existed! Anyway we soon all aboard and ready to cruise down to the bridges for the 6.30 lifts. It seemed there were a number of others who also got up early to get the bridge lift, mainly the rag & stick brigade (sorry Mike) Once out of the harbour speed limits Alan opened her up a bit but there was a short chop which made us drop the speed to make things more comfortable at around 16kts. Dave Lynes and others had given us quite a bit of advice about fishing this area and he said he would be out there, so when we nearly reached a suggested mark there was Wessex Lady with Dave on board. A quick chat and we headed onwards to check out the Rips firsts. Going out we had a slight problem in that the fishfinder would not show any depth or contours so we were fishing blind, not good. We all agreed we needed to buddy up with Wessex Lady if we could to see if we come up any fish by following there drifts. So nipped back to where they were and explained our problem and would they mind if we followed, that seemed no problem and that's what we did for most of the day. I was the first to catch a cod (well codling) which really pleased me as I have at last caught one after a 10 years of living down here. They seemed so easy to catch when I fished on the East Coast but down here I always seemed to be unavailable when they were in and free when they had gone! Frank was next to catch one unfortunately Alan seemed to keep loosing gear and John was having problems as well. At the end of the day I managed 3 the biggest was 61/4lb not huge but fish at the end of the day. While we were drifting I kept think why the sounder was not working as it worked fine on previous trips out, everything seemed to point to an electrical connection fault, so I persuaded Alan to see if I could see have a look at the transducer position, which is a in the hull Airmar unit which had been moved from the original location as it was discovered there was a double skin at the back of the boat and moved to a more central location. I undid the fixing screw and undid the lid to find that there was no fluid in the mounting! I could see some light oil stain in the bilge so guessed it had leaked out over time. Alan had some oil on board so I topped it up and screwed everything back, switched on the sounder and hurray we had depth and contours. :lol: Alan could now see why he lost gear. By this time we decided to head in a bit a try a couple of other marks to see if anything was about, we managed a few different fish to top up Alan's species list but nothing of special interest apart from a couple of mackerel, where have they all gone? Soon it was time to head in to catch the 6.30pm bridges, in all we travelled almost 70 nMiles, caught some fish and learnt a lot about an area that we had never fished before. We also fixed the sounder, albeit a temporary fix until it can be sealed correctly but we did notice that it was missing a seal/O ring which Alan is now trying to source. Thanks to all the crew and Alan for the trip out and to Dave Lynes & Wessex Lady in allowing us to follow your drifts.

A report of the champs has been posted on Wessex AT web site http://anglingtrustwessex.com/angling-trust-wessex-boat-championship-2015/ for those interested. Dave

Hi Hooky If I recall Adam has caught a Stingray but this was a few years ago Dave

Well done Mike Great report and great result for you, I can see you and George will be the ones to beat in the future

Hi Jim I will pinch the 90 off you please Dave

Was invited out with Alan on Fisheagle and we had decided to try a new area to see what was about. Left Cobbs at about 9.30 and we were able to get under the twin sails bridge but timed it just right to get out on the old Poole bridge opening. Noticed Frisky Fox in the holding pound and gave them a wave. He had decided to head East for a change, we passed the Patch which had a few boats on it and headed for Southbourne Rough, had a couple of drifts but nothing connected to me but Alan had a couple of nice Pollock and a poor cod & pout so onwards to try Christchurch Ledge. As we were not interested in going just for bream we dropped the pick just behind the ledge in what looked an interesting area. There were quite a few boats around so hopes were high for a good day. Within minutes I started to get bites, true they turned out to be doggies but with each of us with two rods out there was many times all four rods were banging away. Not only did we land in the kennels but we also picked up some nice sized bream, most went back but a couple were kept for Alan's tea It has been a long time since we both enjoyed constant fish coming aboard, we even managed some mackerel!!! As the tide dropped so did the fishing so we moved back West a bit to try another mark that looked interesting some time ago but nothing there and by this time the sea state was getting sloppy so we headed inshore a bit for a drift on the Saddler bank but only managed a single doggy so I suspect the trawlers have been sweeping the area again. Headed in for the 5.30 bridges, many others had the same idea and the holding pound was quite crowded but we managed to get under the twin sails bridge without waiting for it to lift so we did not have to put up with all the boat traffic getting back into the berth. Thanks for a good trip Alan, shame we did not increase your species this time but it was good to try Christchurch as it has been a number of years since I have been down there for one reason or another. Dave

Don't give it away they are fetching good money on EBay

What are you running on Brian, 10:1 or 20:1 fuel mix? Converted all mine to 20:1 a long time ago Great reliable engines but noisy & smokey

At the last PDSSA meeting a question was asked about the taking of rays & tope and is there any commercial restrictions and a recommendation for anglers? The Southern IFCA team have responded [quote} I managed to speak to the MMO today and have confirmed the following: The taking of undulate rays and tope is still prohibited but anglers may retain plaice and thornback rays. The current monthly commercial vessel limit in ICES area VIID is 275kg for plaice and 175kg for skates and rays. Commercial quotas for both of these species were reduced/stopped at the end of last year which may be where the confusion arose. [end quote] I think this was also raised at a club meeting a month or two ago Dave

Belated Birthday greetings Hope you had a great day Dave

Your too young to retire Mike Keep working like the rest of us so we get a chance at some of those fish

Not wishing to upset anyone but I hope that those who buy them also purchase some crotch straps They could save your life!

Well looking at my last post on this blog, August 2014, I still haven't managed to get Sammy 2 afloat! After a trip up to the NEC on Saturday to see Mark Knopfler, Monday seemed a good day for rest however I was looking at the boat and thought she could do with a good clean. Off came the cover and I climbed aboard and opened the cabin door, to my horror I could see the paint had started to peel away from the sides and that black mould from condensation and lack of use had started to appear. So without more ado out came every thing from the cabin. I gave the sides a wipe with my hand and more paint flaked off so out came the scrapper and away we went. After a few hours the majority of paint had been removed so then came the sander, hmm better get a dustpan and brush and clear this mess up! Well she is well stripped down internally now ready for a coat of primer and then top coat. Decided not to go white again as the reflection in the sun is quite bright so I am thinking of a light grey. As I still can't get my boat out of the drive due to race cars and trailer, plus I need to get a tow-bar fitted to the new van so this is a good time to spruce the old girl up. One day soon I WILL get her out, just don't hold your breath for the moment

The free mag for motorboat owners is now available to download Link here motorboatowner.co.uk. You just have to give a valid email address and supply your own password to receive future editions There is an detailed article about buying the Targa 31 - just need 6 numbers to come up

Out of interest if they are sealed batteries do they still vent? Otherwise a small blower may give piece of mind

I am sure a Century Seagull would work ok on your boat, simple to fix and they keep going for ever and spares available If you went for one go for the clutch model as it would make life easier. You can even upgrade the jet to run on 25:1 mix instead of 10:1 2-stroke mix

I am sure if we as a club approached Quay Haven during the winter months we could get a good deal for an overnight stop for an early start or late arrival. Then it is just a matter of dropping the boat off and come back to collect it when it suits, don't have to worry about bridges when you are in a hurry to get out. Just got to get a lift down to the quay and away you go.

I am up for it Rob but it is finding the best location and someone willing to try it as well may be difficult. I know Davy Holt used to catch and land them in his Shetland 535 before he had his current craft. Could be a very slow day/week/month/year hunting one down Would make a great club record even through it is not listed as a species on the club's listing!

Taken from the guru of Common Skate fishing Davy Holt ........................... Tackle When angling for Skate use appropriate tackle IGFA 30lb Class gear should be regarded as the absolute minimum to use. Ideally 50-80lb Class should be used. This is as much to combat the 'inhospitable' conditions in the areas where skate are targeted. i.e. deep water, strong tides. The use of heavier gear allows the skate to be landed more quickly, i.e. not exhausted, allowing it to be released in better condition. You can land Skate on lighter gear but you are not doing yourself or more importantly the fish any favours. Personally when Skate fishing I don't use anything less than 50lb class, with 80lb being the norm. This way when I hook a fish I know the odds are on my side and the fish will be boated with the minimal chance of a hook being left in the fish Terminal tackle needs to be strong and is best kept simple. A single 12/0 bronzed hook (e.g. Mustad 3406), preferably with the barb crushed down is best. Never use stainless or plated hooks, as these will not biodegrade if they have to be left in a skate. Keep hook links short (maximum of 24"/60cm). Short hook links are necessary to minimise the chances of deep hooking your skate. These should be made up of 150lb (minimum) breaking strain monofilament, (there is absolutely no need for wire) crimped to a quality 200lb rated swivel. This hook link should then be attached to an 8' (2.4m) rubbing leader or 'wind on leader' made of 150lb b.s. monofilament. This is to protect the mainline from the sharp thorns on the skate's tail. This leader also helps when bringing the skate to the side of the boat. The weight boom runs on the heavy mono of the rubbing leader / wind on leader, the main reason for this is to avoid it damaging the mainline and also to assist in keeping the mainline well away from the Skate's sharp tail thorns. Bait Common Skate are not fussy eaters and have a very varied menu; this covers most shellfish and fish species. As an apex predator, Common Skate are deceivably agile when it comes to hunting and can easily catch fast swimming species like Herring & Mackerel. More common fodder fish species are Spurdog, Rays, Dogfish and Whiting with Edible Crabs, Prawns, Squat Lobsters and Scallops making up the bulk of the shellfish fodder species. The most commonly used baits are Mackerel and Coalfish around the 1lb to 1.5lb mark Striking a take Always 'hit' a take as quickly as possible - never wait for a run to develop as this will almost always result in a deep-hooked fish. Don't worry about missing a bite; Skate can and do, swallow very big baits in seconds and if you do miss one, they almost always come back for a second, third or even fourth attempt at a bait. A lot has been said about the “lack of” fight from Common Skate, this usually comes from people that have either never caught one or have been using mono rather than braid as a the main line. With mono the stretch takes most of the fight out of the encounter, giving the angler very little “feel” as to what is happening at the other end of his line. However with braid you are in full contact with the fish at all times, making the fight rather more interesting. Handling When a Skate is brought to the side of the boat, it can be held quite easily by holding the trace and then getting a firm handhold at the cheek area of the skate. Large specimens may require to be gaffed to aid holding the fish. This needs to be done with great care. The gaff should be used only in the area outside the halfway point of the leading edge of the wing and no more than 3" from the leading edge. This gives a secure hold and poses no danger to internal organs. If and when you bring a Skate into the boat, due to their size and shape they can be very difficult to move about : mother nature forgot to fit a set of handles to them. The easiest solution I have found is lump of old trawler netting, simply manoeuvre the fish over the net then you can use it to easily lift the fish back over the side. keep the amount of time you have the fish out the water to a bare minimum, Skate show stress by taking on a pink tinge around the wing edges and tail. Providing the fish is returned before it gets any worse then it should recover OK. However the worse the pink tinge gets the less chance of survival the fish has so it is worth making sure you have everything ready before you take the fish out the water. When taking photographs keep the fish as low as you can, holding the fish almost vertical with all it's weight on the tail does it no good at all and probably does internal damage to the root of the tail. Probably the best pose for the skates benefit and to show off the size of the fish is to hold the nose whilst its flat on the floor. While on the subject of handling the Skate, be very wary of the tail. The large thorns on the tail are razor sharp and the Skate have a habit of putting the tail where you don't want it to be. Another danger area is only found on male Skate, it's a rough patch or razor sharp thorns on the leading outer edge of the wings. Lastly is the mouth, a Common can easily crush a wayward hand to a pulp, so it pays to be very careful when unhooking the fish. If the fish is deep hooked, DO NOT attempt to remove the bronzed hook. Simply cut the hook link as near to the hook as possible and release the fish. You can do more damage by trying to retrieve the hook and a living Skate returned is worth more than the cost of a hook! Deep hooking can and does cause fatal injuries to skate. TRY TO AVOID IT AT ALL COSTS! If you can, try to avoid bringing the skate into the boat, they can be measured and the tag (if any) checked at the side of the boat. If the skate has to be brought on board, for whatever reason, have everything to hand before doing so in order to release the fish back into the water as quickly as possible. Measure the wingspan and the length, check the sex and then obtain the weight from charts available from Glasgow Museum. If the fish is tagged, note the tag number before releasing the Skate DO NOT REMOVE THE TAG. First catch your bait!!!!!!!! :o