Adam F

.....did you brine the fish first? Basically you need to cover the mackerel in a suger and salt mixture for a few hours first to draw out the water - the smoke then flouvers the flesh and not the water in it. Do a search on the site for more details - or give me a call tomorrow - I dont have the inclination tonight to write a full run down on smoking - a bottle of red hasnt helped!! Also - use meths not parafin - and you should aim for a smallish constant flame The chips should smoulder gently, it is a balance of not too much smoke or you end up with raw fish that tasted too strong, or too little smoke and plain baked fish. Hugh Fernley Witingstalls book has loads of fantastic advice in getting started. I also have the same smoker have have produced hunderds of top quality fillets this summer - so dont give up - it is a very rewarding hobby. AF

One of the guys I often see launching at Wick uses boilies for cod...he said he tried it last year on a spare rod, just whacked on a string of 8+ 32mm fishy boilies and wedged the rod up near the wheel house....they forgot about it all day and after using countless pounds of fresh squid and cuttle were astounded when just before they left for home, they hear a screaming drag...look round to see the spare rod doubled over - 20lb plus cod! Never got round to trying it myself though....

Try also Tony @ Select Marine in Poole - Mariner dealer, he has lots of broken engines and may be able to help, tell him PBSBAC sent you...

NICE ONE!! Great result Paul - and as others have said, what a time to do it! - It only takes the one!

1st day back at work for me, but I did here of 5 cod caught - between 180 + anglers, I also understand that 2 of these were caught on club boats! ...Im sure we will get a full run down later!

Dan did you have a recovery buoy on the anchor warp, or where you just motoring it out?

Nice one Alun! A great early xmas prezzie! Merry Xmas to you all! Adam

Cheers Alun, Never mind - it seems the IOW cod fishing has really taken a nose dive - wasnt one charter boat out today - and the radio was silent! Maybe BW has taken her share this year! Anyway as you say - company was good and it was a lovely relaxing day...yep out again tomorrow - congering I think! Merry Christmas also!

But what did it say??? Give us the goss!

Martin, My last one came from Towsure in Southampton - www.towsure.co.uk It was one of the Orange lesuire batts...cheap as chips AF

Doesnt surprise me - I too havent purchased SA for over a year now - yes, loads of adverts, but also - guess the headline every Nov - ' Top 10 Tips to Catch a winter cod' etc, etc.....its the same inane drivel every month, at least BFM rings the changes and listens to its readers.

Where did you get if from Terry? My main use would be to cover the trailer in it? How you you do this? AF

Off all this week so going out every day the weather allows! NICE!! Bob F and I launched BW at 7am this morning with the aim being 4 cod in 4 trips - odds stacked against us with the current catch reports!, Fast run out to the mark (22 knots) - 20 mins, but HUGE swell and stiffening NW breeze All perfect as the hook went in...morning flood, plenty of flow, sun just breaking the horizon, warm(ish) and a 12 squid pennel dropped to the bottom! ....and that we how it stayed!...we fished the whole of the flood with nothing more than 1 doggy, on the slack we managed 3 decent sized whiting (1.5lb plus) and then the ebb bought a couple of pout and another dog. Anway - the wind dropped and it was an idlyic day to be afloat (again!) Back out again tomorrow and Thursday weather permitting.... AF

Hi Fugazi, Good news that you have joined the club - look forward to meeting you. Interesting that you seem to have done the research also, and would love the chance to have a ride in the R 18 ? At the moment I am still looking for a 175, unless something changes my mind! Where are you based? Adam

Interesting thread chaps - lots of these at this time of year!! Paul: I dont think you will go wrong with any outboard to put it simply. I went with a Mariner when I changed as I was in a rush, knew loads of people with them and got a good deal - BUT it is louder than the Susuki and larger than the Etec, but is has good fuel economy and starts at thr touch of the key everytime. If I did it again I would go for the Susuki having used James' ....Warrior also claim that they are the only 60hp (4 stke) that they fit to a 165 that will plane with 4 up. If I was in your shoes then quite simply I would go for the best deal I could fine with either Suzuki, Yamahar or Evinrude...etc, etc - the technology is so goo nowadays you will be chuffed with whatever you choose. Adam

Bob, Sorry - it was a bit last minute. Thye are doing another session next tues, again FOC or can arrange them to suit. They run courses to suit - I say next summer as that is when we are likey to do ours - plus the water is warmer. The course is the PADI Open Water, and costs about

It has been one of the things I have always wanted to do in life, and when a mate of mine did it this summer it made me want to take the plunge even more....the oppertunity came last night....when I spent an hour at the bottom of Canford School Pool....yep, thats right Scuba diving! It was a 'Try-Dive' night and FOC it gave you the chance to experiance it before taking the plunge with your PADI course, rach and I went along, and as no-one else turned up we had 2 hours of 1-2-1 tuition! I have snorkelled loads in the past but this was much, mcuh better - even in a pool, it is just a sureal experinace. Anyway both of us will be doing the course this summer with a view to having a joint hobby and something to do aboard - I may even do a few dives in the UK. .....So when you see BW anchored on your favourite wreck next year minus the rods - you know whats happening!!

The obvious one - look at the size of the rod in her hand!

Unfortunatly I will be giving this one a miss - although I will be coming down for the weigh in - what time is it? We have a Xmas party tonight and the thought of chasing flounders around the harbour with a sore head doesnt appeal, and Im off all next week so will be fishing Monday, Tues and Weds! Good luck lads!

Very nice! - Better effort than last year Paul...well done! Seasons Greetings to you all! May 2006 bring the fish of your dreams!

I have just remembered a little experiment I tried last year. On every cod trip last winter (about 10) I fished one rod with flouro muppets and blooby beads, the other rod was just a straight pair of 8/0 pennels - no attractors. Ok, this was only one season, a relitively small number of trips and a total of 6 cod caught - BUT.....all came to the plain rod - the attractor rod didnt even have a touch from mr cod - draw whatever conclusion you wish. Kam - the cod I have caught over the past three years have mainly had eithe sprats, crab or pout inside them. This year it has been either pout or crab, the one from Sunday was stuffed with shellfish and crab. I also think that the cod we are fishing for (off Poole and the IOW) are a different 'class' of fish than the ones from other parts of the UK. I have always understood that basically you get the shoal fish - smaller in size and hunt in packs - like the fish we get on the ripps and wrecks offshore etc. The second type of fish are more solitary and are scavengers - they do not move in large shoals often on their own, dont haunt features, just roam and are more into picking up easy meals than chasing shoals of bait fish around. This theory was explained to me my more than one local skipper and its a theory I suscribe to, and also the main reason I think we stick to mutiple squid baits. Adam

Bob, Sounds good in theory - and worth a go - you never know. My take on it would be - the water is awefully coloured esp. S of the Needles at this time of year, visability is down to about a foot or so. People have tried fishing with herring and sprat for the cod without much succes, although your method is slightly different. For the amount of cod down their ( I suspect relativly few) and the fact you are hunting them not drawing them in - the drift method would be more hit and miss. Whereas the scent trail draws in fish and is a constant - it is just a matter of time to when Mr Cod comes along! Thats my sceptical view anyway! On the plus side trying new methods is always worth a try, and when they come off itsa great feeling! Finally - the mark you pinged wasnt where the cod came from - we moved on the flood! Good luck. Adam

Just been reading Steve Porter's latest catch report - http://www.boat-fishing-reports.co.uk/ Makes great reading and finishes with a real mystery!.....

3rd cod in 3 trips on BW...nicely proportioned fish of 14lb 10oz

Splash-Out with Gordons mate - Shaun and BW with Gordon launched at a very reasonable 9.30am this morning from Muddiford. The weather, tides and personal reasons all lead to this decision, and how wonderful it was! A lie in...and a days fishing! In all seriousness, we wanted to fish the afteroon flood and so an early start wasnt needed. The fog was a real pea-souper, but as we rounded the needles it suddenly broke to reveal a wonder summer-like day! Bright sunshine and clear blue skies! Off came the floatation suit. We joined the other 50 odd boats and out came the cuttle and squid. I opted for my old trusty marks, Bob headed offshore to fish some deeper water. The day was pretty slow with just hoards of doggies and the odd big channel whiting (2lb plus) to keep us winding in...this was typical of most of the boats from what we heard on the radio... With the flood came re-newed enthusiam....down went a HUGE block of wedger on the anchor chain, only for it to rip free of the bag anf float to the top 10 mins later! oh well! It fed the gulls! The tide seemed to take for ever to get going, and the clock was ticking away as the sun quickly swept its low path across the winter sky. Gordon bagged another couple of fat Whiting, but the cod baits were now going back untouched, not even pout nibbles.... As we sat chatting I said to Gordon that the end of the flood combined with the fading light offered the best chance of a golden beast....the hum of charter boat engines soon started up as the Lymington fleet all headed for home...the sun was nearly set now, and a chat to Bob confirmed that we would be leaving for home at 4pm sharp.... ......at 3.56pm my left hand rod nods twice...then slowly pulls over....I look at Gordon who gives me a filthy look as if to say 'dont even think of it pal'.....is this an eel....could it be a cod?....half of me wants it to be an eel as Gordon is not happy, the other half wants it to be the big prize....then a golden and white belly breaks the surface and is scooped into the net 14lb 10oz....3 trips, 3 cod!!! Bring it on!! Sorry Gordon - your go next time. On filleting the fish back home, some unlucky angler missed out as the cod had a broken set of hokkies in its belly.... Anyway, cod was the icing on the cake. Another good day out, enjoyable company and bacon rolls made the day. Adam