Adam F

Kam - Id love some cuttle. Im happy to come and collect them?? Could you get me some?

Hi Plaicemat, welcome to the club. I fish from Christchurch about 80% of the time and have been for a few years now. I find that the variety of fishing available outweighs other areas. Wick slipway (Chistchurch): This would be a lovely slip if they repaired the lower section, therefore launching with at least an hour of water either side of low is v. advisable, although as Alun J says, it depends on your type of boat. A 12' open dingy is no probs at all stats, whereas a 21' vabin cruiser would need most of the high tide. This is a river slip and therefore is tidal. I have a Warrior 165 and use an Astra to launch and retreave no probs except when really low water. The entrance to the sea is about 1 mile from the slip through the Harbour which is v.shallow and you MUST follow the channel. Muddiford is a slip I use rarely. It is very close to the entrance so it saves a long slow (4 knots speed limit) run through the harbour, but the slip itself is very shallow and requires most boats to me unhitched and waded out to deeper water. The Car Park here can also get dredfully busy making parking and manouvering a boat a little tricky. Probably a better winter slip when the tides are right - you need high water here. If you want help any day Im happy to assist, or you could tag along with me one day - let me know. Adam

Ill miss Spooks!....

Was a little dissapointed on Sunday when I got my lifejacket out to get in the pool. I used a new one as the one I use each trip is a little grubby. I bought it from an online trader about 6 months ago, and although I got it a little cheaper - it was still

Well I was at the Sea Survivor Course all day, but sitting in Parkstone Yacht Club starring out the window at a glassy sea - I bet all of you were out hauling cod?? So where's the reports??!!!

I have - and Im just about to throw the diagram away - PM me if you want it. Adam

Charlie - See if you can collar Paul D, for a pint Im sure he will sort out the gremelins - he has done for me twice - all from the comfort of his living room. If you have MSM Messenger, he can remotely take control of your system and have a look. The guy is a genius and better than any download....

Hi Dan, Its funny really - Xray seems to now have somewhat a 'cult' following!....it is nothing more than a slight depression in the seabed, about 2 NM SSW of Hengistbury Head, although it is an obvious feature in miles of otherwise pretty featureless bottom. James and I discovered the mark about 2 years ago, and have had numerous big bass, rays, conger etc.... I would also hasten to add that Im pretty sure that if you fished anywhere in the vicinity for a length of time, catches would also be good - I think it is more a case of a concerted effort in one place makes it seem like a super mark! Adam

Kam - something is obviously not right. I leave my batts in the 'ON' position all the time, and leave the Solar Panel plugged in - I dont know whether the panel has much effect or not, but I have never had a problem with low batts. The 100hp on Sweet Honey is a big old girl though - I suspect that she draws a lot when turning over from cold. My old 50hp did, and occasionally I would struggle - the new one however has no probs. My panel is mounted in a clear PVC sleeve on the Tonneau cover, which means is is always facing more or less towards the sun. Adam

'Xray' would be great - It has produced some cracking fish for james and I over the last 2 years, but everytime we look around the area all we find is a slight depression of about 5'....I would like to see that.

Bit tricky if you are using dead hermits - I dont think they will move far!! Seriously - I find no need to smash the shells on dead ones, just tug gently and they will slide out. Live ones are a different matter and I would suggest that Duncans method would work. Adam

Billy - Im happy to bring BW down, so if you want a trip out, no problem. As I said next friday is a possible, failing that the week after, any day except Thurs....

Nice one billy - I just need to find a spare day to come and have a bash! When are you thinking of going next? Also, do I need velvet swimmers or will any hard backs do? I might be able to do a trip next friday??

Yep - very similar to our clubs list. I read somewhere that in SA these things are taken far more seriously - they do stuff like we faced at Kimmeridge as a matter of course most days, they have little choice! Launching and returning from open beaches in heavy surf conditions. I think I read that certian sized vessels (6m and over I think) has to have 2 engines of the same size.

Ok Ill bring it all on the 28th... In the meantime Ill get a 25kg for Steve.

Good luck Coddy! - Welcome to Dorset! If you need any help with anything - just ask....

It is a method I really enjoy, but dont use much in the bay... Our annual trip to the Solent after Smoothies always proves the method - it outfishes downtiders almost everytime - however the washing line across the tide can effect the weed. James seems to pratise uptiding alot, or at least I think he does - he is often seem to be pendulum casting a 2lb lead, 8 squid and half a mackeral mounted on pennel 8/0's 40 yards uptide when fishing the ledge....I know as Ive been inches away from his end tackle on more than one occasion! - Charlie is right, take GREAT care uptiding in small boats.

Looks at fantastic mark Duncan - its also amazing how clear a picture you get when using a colour sounder....I really am tempted, but Ill wait until they drop down to the 200/300 quid mark (for a decent unit) before I get one... In a way similar to parts of the ledge. I am intreguied to learn more about this software Duncan - do tell? I suppose bank fishing is a little like anchoring a wreck, position of the boat, amount of rope and all that has a big impact on how sucessful one is. Now if I only had the numbers for these 'banks'......

Right, Billy and Alan - 25kg Bob & Paul - 12.5kg Lookfar - Ill let you have the 1st of the next batch. Ill pick them up in the next few days and post them off to you all. I have your addresses from the new member listing. Dont worry about the P+P...just

Right - The wire is in, I only got 4 spools though, I will have some more at a later date. It isnt cheap, at

Cheers Billy! - Who fancies a trip then??

Bob - See if you can find 'The Knotless Knot' widley used in 99% of all carp fishing rigs, it is THE knot to use when using Circle hooks, gives superior bait presentation. It is also a knot, not widley known by sea anglers.....

A tricky one to decide!... As Duncan says Dogs and Smoothies also come under to same banner, and I seem to remember a doggie taking a top prize last year?? So where do you draw the line? I certianly wouldnt kill a smoothy or spur just for a prize, but I would consider for a doggie?? IMHO we should say no Sharks, Ie. Porgies, Blues and Threasher and no Tope. Anything else is to the anglers discretion.

Maybe Newboy - Ill have to see how things are at work 2moro - Ill let you know. Adam

Billy - I fancy catching (eating!) some of these huge squid...tell me more about catching them? Adam