Sinbad

Pic of Eel - for interest! 39.8 lb minus 4.4 for the Icebox, plus 2lb ofr the guts that went over the side (thanks Alun) - I'm claiming 37 1/2 lb. Paul

Had a call from Alun.. indicating there might be a small window in the weather for Saturday! We were'nt at all sure on the friday night,with most of the usual weather sites giving a strong F4-5 westerly in the morning dropping off late afternoon. So decided to take a look at first light to confirm...... Needless to say I was up 6:30 and had taken one look at it and decided it was not blowing already, so had to be OK. A quick call from Alun saying the same thing, and we shot down to Poole for 0900hrs. The run out via the harbour and swash channel against the low sun was most welcoming, and it looked pretty flat as we made our way past Old Harry at 20Kts or so, and decided we would fish the spot on the slates and if it was too much swell, would venture into Ballard down. First spot wasnt too bad with the flood still hammering in, and a westerly breeze, allowed pretty easy fishing, just holding bottom with 3/4 lb of lead. Sheltering behind the cabin made a big difference, and even when the wind increased to about a F4, and the swell built up it was still fishable. Bites were hard to come by, and we stuck it out for a few hours, before deciding to try further inshore ( it was really getting quite lumpy where we were). I had one decent bite, and fish on, for 10 minutes whilst it kited in the tide, and then just as it broke surface 30m off theback of the boat, it came off. Looked like a good Blonde Ray Second spot, a bit further in and with the easing tide, saw single whiting - small ones at first followed by larger ones in the range 1/1/2 to 2/1/2 lb. Then for few hours it was all action wih a steady stream. Then my rod goes off, with a gentle pull, and I'm into a conger, but with this time, the 8/0 to 200lb nylon, so I was feeling more confident of getting it to the surface. Sure enough it fought all the way up, and at one stage was so far under the boat, I was waiting for the line to part against the keel band... then the fun part getting it into the net... which took a number of attempts, and into the boat. It went just 32lb on the scales but I was sure it looked heavier.... We fished on into HW, and the start of the ebb, with the increasing wind - but conditions were still OK. Even after the boat had swung and we were stern into the swell, it was remarkably stable, and the whiting still giving some great sport. In the end, Alun had the most success with over a dozen 2lb whiting, I'd had a Nice battle with a ray, got my Eel, caught a few whiting, pout and dogfish, and we were ready to head back in to the marina. Was very quiet on Ch6 all day - was anyone else out ?? Thanks again to Alun for suggesting the trip, and all the able crewing, plus prime mackerel for the bait. Lets hope the whiting hang around a bit longer still!!! Paul

OK, I'll contact the Club... I've a few friends left on the house committee First I'll moot the idea, then if acceptable to the club - we'll firm up on possibles tide wise - although the slipway is pretty much OK at all states except LWS. I'm sure we can find a few pontoons for a temporary stay, for a few hours Weather - you've got to be Joking! - as long as its not too windy, we'll have to take what we can get Paul

Alun How about May - freshly caught Bream, Cod/Pollack, Pout, Wrasse, doggies... or August.. Mackerel, Bass, Gar, Pollack, Ray, Doggies..., We could see if Charlie could swing a PBSBAC Launch and Cook trailaway, sat am there'll be no one on the slip, saturday after 4.30.. no one.. Yes.. At PYC, we have an outdoor training cabin - which is used for various youth sailing and powerboat training sessions, because it suits wet sailing gear, not more than 3m from the slipway. The 'youth' section of the club often man an outdoor barbeque (gas powered) to provide refreshements in the summer for these sailors, so I'm supposing that we could borrow said machine on a sunny evening or afternoon. However, operation of such equipment and the cabin - would be subject to approval from someone like Charlie or the management. But I can certainly beg use of the gas barbeque if required... Paul

Sounds like great fun, charlie.... Just tell your wife she can have the whole garden cleaned up every weekend in February and March.... just as long as you can use Alfresco during Jan!! Paul

"Hope you have a good pan....." you must be joking?? I've just finished sorting mine, cleaned and skin removed (I was advised to do this by nailing the fish to a fence post and pulling the skin down sharply) Neighbours must have wondered what it looked like Then, using a strong knife, and a hammer to cut through the bone, sliced deftly into 2" steaks, washed off, dried on kitchen paper, and carefully bagged up for the freezer. One small piece, nearest the head, looked a bit untidy, so waste not want not, straight into a shallow dish, seasoning, a sprinkle of white wine, some herbs, and into the oven @ 200 deg for 15-20 mins. Straight out onto the plate, first time I've tasted conger, cant wait - mmm... ahhhh! the worst most palid, soft, stringy, odd flesh I've tasted yet. Straight into the bin, ontop of the uncooked head and tail. And after all that effort... Still, I have a work colleague who 'cant get enough of it' apparently... so he's in for a few pieces, and the rest, will await a proper recipe - Help!! Paul

Charlie, Sounded like you had a great day We were probably just infront of you coming back in from the Needles up the east looe channel - I thought better of trying to increase the revs more because of all the floating timber we'd seen in the water that day, and the pots over poole patch... We had opted for fishing on the end of the ledge from the off, and I'd managed two bite offs from congers, before landing a 20lber, but not on the Conger tackle and carefully prepared rig (typical !) The rest of the day was a mixture of Doggies, and jumbo pout, with a few whiting of a lb, but many much smaller and stuffed full of sprats. Was very pleased everything worked well on the boat, a good day out.... Paul

Hunter Sounds great! much better than being landlocked in relative-ville! Enjoy the whiting.. Paul

There's been a (nice?) blue trawler out in the bay every time I've been out... Alun and I wonder what he does with all the LSD......? Fishmeal???? Last time we fished just offshore of him, we couldnt even get any bites from anything, not a pout or dog... Happy Christmas to all grumpy old men... Paul

Well Done Alun A deserved prize! for all the hours you've put in over the season- looked like a cracking day in the sunshine later on - even if a bit parky at first. Sounds like you had a really close finish with many others boats fish like peas in a pod! Couldnt join you or even compete - was deep in the grips of last minute shopping and insulating a rabbit hutch for some new guests.... the things we do... Paul

I didnt get a chance to go too far out, but its an interesting spot, a rocky outcrop, and a sand/mud patch, which comes up from 25m to 17m. Top secret until after the comp... Fortunately due south of a large trawler who was working the bay from about xray towards the hook sands. At one stage, I was about to pull up the anchor and make a run for it, he was getting reasonably close. Paul

Who is fishing then? Imagine - Paul Frey / Alun J

Any Takers?? Paul

Decided that I had to wet a line, whilst this high pressure held - I'd promised a Work mate, but in the end he couldnt crew, so at the last minute I could either decide to work, or fish No contest really! Plan was to fish south of the swash a couple of marks which looked interesting, but the SE F3-4 plus the flooding tide was making the passage out on anything above 10knots awful...8... then 6.... So settled in on the last of the flood at the first mark, but it was pretty difficult fishing, getting knocked about, and staggering around the deck. The first few hours were doggies and pout, with the odd small whiting thrown in, so the hope of something bigger was a possibility. A couple of short moves to re-position the boat nearer to the bank, and just on the start of the ebb, the whiting switched on, and it was impossible to keep a bait in the water - first a few tiddlers less than a lb, which went back easily Then the odd larger one - all of them stuffed full of sprats . I was dropping quite a few due to the large baits I was using, as whiting were'nt the target surprisingly enough - but thankfully, they provided good sport on a cold day. After two hours, many had gone back, and a few of the 2lb ers were in the box, and things went quiet for a while. I was near to pulling the pick, and heading in, as I wanted to be back by 2:30pm - and in the cabin, when I saw the end of a rod as the front half tipped over and moved off over the side! - and this was on the double squid rod. Picking it up, this was no whiting, as one hand wasnt going to stop it, Yess Yess... its pulling well, staying down, taking line, I was gingerly gaining line on it, when it started to go a bit light - swimming up to the surface... perhaps ? and then ping! off it comes....nothing. Oh well, theres always next time But it was great to be out, even single handed, a quick run down some surfing waves back into the harbour, and back on the pontoon, all ready to do it again on Sunday! Lets hope the forecast isnt too bad, it might even make a short blast back there possible??

Paul As usual, it was in front of my nose, but since some kind webmaster suggested you could save the forums page as your favourites, I never look on the front page (sad I know....) I suspect others are equally inept as me Thanks again Paul

Everybody seems a bit quiet, maybe not tempting fate, to go and buy those worms too early.... If anyone needs crew, my friend Richard from work would be interested....he's a keen sea angler, and made me promise not to say he's a Jonah PM or post here and I'll put you in touch.... Paul

I picked up at the meeting, that the rescheduled event had a later start time and weigh in. Please could someone pin it here as I cant find it on the forum? Thanks Paul Fingers crossed for sunday!

I'll be cheering you on, and alternately verbally abusing other "fellow motorists", as I struggle up the M3. I'm sure you wont let Cleggy go away with the impression that the solent is stuffed with fish, even though there has been a few out recently. I suppose for me the Cod championships stats of numbers of rod hours per cod caught was a good one.. Good luck Paul. P

B##gger me, When oh when will it stop blowing and raining? I'm desparate to get out and report something, so I dont have to trawl this forum for terry's jokes as a pastime..... Whats the comp looking like? Paul

A friend of mine sold his Rinker, and has a Colour GPSMap, complete with the power loom, PC interface cable, and BlueChart Marine card for the channel. Its a compact 4" display unit with an internal aerial (an external one plugs in) He wants offers arround

True Fred, Poole harbour before lunchtime was 'white horse city', but then the sun came out, and it flattened off for a bit.... rather you than me though. Paul

That new club markee / gazebo, will sure look a strange sight in the skys, as it goes off like a kite, with Martin and Bob and others holding on to the legs.... I've sussed out my swim already, nicely backing onto pyc Shoreline, in the lee of the Marina, boat tied up front and back to the pontoon Hot Roast Sunday lunch, washed down with a few pints Fuel consumption - nil.

I'm sure I can manage to drive round to baiter, then back to parkstone, and fish the marina berth - who said you actually have to leave your mooring to qualify ???? Paul

Judging by how long it takes during flushing to see any water coming out of the telltale, it would need a fair amount pushed in via the telltale. I am using the flush connection mainly, but didnt consider trying to fill up and soak. I've been thinking about doing this - and would have to block off the water intakes and the exhaust? port - as the flush connection produces water from here and the pee hole. Or use robs plastic bag aproach to catch it and recirc it back. Using an external pump at least allows you to run for hours with a small amount of solution. Paul

This email received from jake at saltX "Hi Paul Your on the right track with using a container, you will need to run the engine to get it up to temperature so that the engine stat opens, of course the water in the container will get warm this will depend on the size of your container? To how fast this happens you should be able to run the engine for 5-10 minutes, if you let the water in the container and engine cool over night you can then run it again and all you have to do is repeat the proses there is no need to change the solution in the container as this will keep for about a week. " Food for thought... I'm either going to use a container, or rig it up to the deckwash pump, with the thermostat removed.. Paul.