Adam F

Bargin Id say, Most of the reels mentioned above are coarse reels used for the sea - the penn is a dedicted sea reel. Crazy uses these for bass and swears by them. Simple, smooth and reliable. Adam

Growler, Lets have Pt. 2 - even I enjoyed reading the 1st bit!! Tin Tin PS: I was wondering what you were going to find to mock me about, and the blanket seemed such an innocent item.....

Im sure Crazy will post a slightly more colourful report than mine, but for the record here's what Crazy and I got up to this w/e.... With Rach on hols in Spain it gave me a whole week of fishing time (apart from work!) and with the weather so good, we decided that Alderney looked a good bet. With Friday secured as a day off, and early start was in store - 4am to be precise! Macky were a nightmare and it took 45 miles before we found them! Plan A executed, off to plan B.... Once I removed the blindfold, we settled in the tropical conditions for some codding over the secret wreck...I decided on my 25 grm spinning rod - crazy a little heavier on 12lb gear - cod hooked first drop, and what a fight on such light gear - unfortunatly mine become wrapped in crazy's and mine escaped..... By lunctime we were drifting the tide swept banks of Alderney. After how slow it was earlier in the year and by how few boats were over there I was worried about the fishing - but needent have been, as 2nd drift and I'm in....a superb 9lb 8oz Turbot! That was it for the day as it slowed, Crazy lost 2 fish and I another - and by 4pm we were shattered. Moored up, quick shower and into the Maris - 1/2 a cow and several guinesses latter we collapsed into the bunks with crazy earning his new nickname.....Growler!! The 2nd day went superb, glass like conditions and the flatties came out ot play with half a dozen or so landed - best fish to me, a brill of 6lb 8oz Spoke to a few other anglers on the eve, and it sounded like we did very well compared. Dinner tonight was fresh cod, mash and veg with cold stella's cooked by chef crazy, and eaten in the Cyclone resturant watching the footy! Superb! Day three and onto the banks again for some fresh 'larries' (Launce) for the pollock on the way home - a couple of sly flatty rods also wanged over....20 mins later and I have a screaming take - this is the mother of all turbot we both remark and a wicked fight of some 20 mins ensures - heart pounding, it with slightly mixed reactions when a big high 20lber hits the surface!!! - unfortunatly its a tope ...never mind a good fish none the less. Crazy then proceedes to show of and bangs 2 turbs on the same drift! We arrive late afternoon at a wreck off the french coast and proceed to haul pollock and ling into specimen sizes before we check the clock and its 6pm already! 50 miles from home Back in the dock at 9.30pm, shattered and struggling to stand but very happy. Struggling a little today, but a superb trip in good company - cheers Crazy. Adam

KK, I have never had this - I frequently fill up my two tanks with up to 50 ltrs and my local garage never bats and eyelid - however, officially I think she is correct. Somehting to do with explosive risks etc - apparently you can also only carry 10 ltrs spare in the boot of your car. Just find another garage....

Who's zat then?? Surely you cant still be talking about the one you had 4 years ago, that was 12lb...

DPB, Welcome to the forum. If you use the search function at the top of the page you will find plenty of info on this very subject. For the record I run mine on maximum angle and minimum thrust. Others get good results with a slightly less angle and slightly more pressure. They are great though once set-up. Good luck! Adam

Dom, Check the worm drive in the casing that guides the level wind - on my Abu 6500 they have both become worn where they cross to return the guide, and thus the line tends to build up on one side. I replaced these and they work fine. Adam

May be out in the PM - not sure yet. Church in the morning... things I do for a wedding!! Anyway - Rach is of to Spain for 7 days on Monday and I have most of the week off!! BRING ON THE FISHING!!!!

Seen it Trev - what a beauty! Was half tempted, a reasonable price and what a craft! Unfortunatly this year's share dividend is already allocated to the wedding Maybe next year My main consideration would be whether to trail or to moor - if I moor,

Steve, What are the trim and handling issues? Adam

Kam - that is not true. Might is right, is a fair assumption, but according to the law of the sea, the size of the ship doesnt have a bearing - only last year did Duncan hold his course to the Condor - sure Pheaton is a large vessel in our terms, but they dont come much bigger and faster than the Condor! - The Condor realised Duncan was stand on and altered course. The RNLI training site also does not mention size.

Just seen Simon's link! - Much easier. This was just the way CC explained it to me last month.

Hopefully this may explain it better. If I have it wrong Im sure one of the others with correct me!

OK.... As I understand it - If you imagine sitting in the wheelhouse. Looking straight ahead, divide the boat into 4 segments, or quarters. The first starting at the bow roller and finishing on the s/brd beam, the second from the s/brd beam to the mid of the stern, the third from the mid stern to the mid of the port side beam and the forth and final from the mid of the port beam to the bow roller again. Basically, when underway, any boat approaching you from the last (4th) quarter means you have right of way - you are the STAND ON VESSEL (and visa, versa - if you are approaching another vessel in this position). Anything other than this, means you do not have right of way. You are then either subject to another stand on vessel or you need to pass - port to port if you can. Of course this time of year means that their are lots of boats on the water and it is not a very commonly known rule to weekend boaters - therfore I would advise that if in doubt, slow down and / or be the first to move and change course. Adam

Only have I now had enough time to post this!...my report for the 48 hr / weekend: Friday: Took the day off work and started about lunchtime, slipping BW into the Stour at Wick on a sunny warm afternoon. We were eager to get out to the ledge where Jimbo had been hauling bream all morning. Settled alongisde DR, bream were quick to come - to my rods anyway - poor bob's remained motionless All good fish with the best at 3lb 4oz At 4pm we decided to stock up on bait for the nigh ahead, but after feathering for 2 hours into the start of the comp, we had just 3 baits! Back on the bream mark we took another few, but it had slowed up a little. We then moved to the evening mark for a few eels. The macky also came on the feed at dusk and we took 20 odd at anchor in a matter of minutes. The first conger take took about 30 mins and was a reasonable fish t-barred off, and estimated about 30lb. I then proceeded to loose another 2 fish, before hooking a lump at about 11pm -- this beast broke me net in the process, but went 42lb on the scales - just over the 100% mark it was then speedlily home and in bed for 2am before.... Sat:....getting up at 5am and driving to baiter to head out west for some tope. A lovely cruise around with a following tide make it easy in my sleep deprived state. Macky were again scarce, and with the slack rapidly approaching we decided to whack the hook in and use last night's bait. It all looked perfect for a big tope, but they failed to oblige. I managed a 12.5lb undulate and bob had a 35lb conger. we tried Dancing ledge but that we dead and then offshore again for another crack at the tope - 5 dropped runs was all... Sun A proper night's kip and a late start (?) at 7am saw Bw off Christchurch with my brother and Rach as crew for a change. The bream were in a feeding mood and we enjoyed a fabulous day on oily seas catching hard fighting bream - the best - a new PB to me was a stonking female of 4lb 2oz! Off to the mariner in the eve for a few cold ciders and the presentation - phew! A long weeekend. Mon Back at work today ....but an early finish and off the ledge again with a mate and my old fella to repeat yesterday's haul......no such luck!! Begining to feel like a charter skipper having been out the last 3 days on the bounce, I even came out with the old classic - ' you should have been here yesterday!' We had a good mixed bag, including goldsinny wrasse and the first bass of the year. Thats it for 4 days - roll on the weekend and dampen down the wind! Adam

No Jimbo - unusally for a change - I have too as well! Gutted to have such a busy week when the weather is this good - multiple catches of cod, double figure bass and trips to Alderney all missed!!

Trev, Ill have a few of the big blocks for the sharkies in August! 2 or 3 should do it. Let me know how much and when and Il pop over for them. PS> saw you from the mariner club on Sunday coming back in - how did the first run out go? Adam

When he approached I was the stand on - the picture shows me having moved. But as Simon says - might is right. The crew could even be clearly seen on the bridge and the boat was empty of containers... On the way back Mon eve travelling at 20 knots + back into Christchurch I saw 2 marine personell carriers heading east across the ledge from Poole...the two crew commented that they we on a collision course - they were much bigger (40'+) and doing a similar speed - I calmly (??) commented that I was the stand on vessel and that they would move - the crew didnt seem convinced, but sure enough when the second vessel was sure it was too close he altered course by 20 odd degs. this was my first experinace of holding a course having only learnt the rules from CC on our Alderney trip and it was good to see them observed for once.

Sorry Crazy - would have loved too but work a little hectic. Could maybe do next week or even better the weekend of 17/18th? Adam

Nice one Al. The conditions were A1. We were in two minds whether to have a look offshore or not. Fingers crossed next weekend will be OK - we'll give it a bash then. Good to see a few summer cod around!

Me too Just now leaving for the slipway for the start at 5pm. If anyone wants to log in for the comp and / or report a catch to me or Bob it would be better if you could phone it through on: Adam Franklin - 07957 829902 Bob Fuller - 07802 879073 Failing that you can email, but it will be late Sunday before we get them. Finally if all else fails call another of the committe to pass it on. Good luck everyone! Adam

You would be suprised Kam - I have had many rays of the ledge on horendously rocky ground - 3 years ago in the May bream comp I had a small eye equaling the club record on bream gear!

Les, Thats fine. Have a good weekend and see you Sunday. That brings to tally to 15 anglers. We had 35 last year and we have 20% extra members this year! Come on you lot - with weather like they have forecast this weekend we were expecting (and have food for!) over 50! Adam

My guess goes to a ray or maybe a bull huss. I have had both fairly frequently whilst breaming on the ledge. We will never know kam!

Superb report Kam - nice one. Sounds like a fantastic place. Where's the next destination?