Adam F

Nice one Paul - good job. Brings back some fantastic memories!

Silly Man!

What do you mean who won it! - need you ask!

Your set up sounds perfect to me. I use a 9.5' 6-7 weight and it is fine.

I wont start talking money until 6 months time at least - the accom. and the skippers are all happy with this. As for people who wish to come. Obviously it will be first come 1st served as last time, although most people who came this time have asked me to put them down again - we may still have a handful of places though. Adam

Very common method I believe around Lymington - Simply a set of feathers with a pirk or herring attached as a weight. Theory being that under the mackeral shoals will be bass lurking to hit the macky. Stick on a pirk - voila' - dying mackeral imitation, and bobs your uncle!

Any news on the move Coddy??

Unlucky or what!!....once you get to mid May - it goes crazy again! I have just recieved emails from Chris - to confirm the booking for next year, and am waiting for a reply back from the Armoury. Cant Wait!....best get saving!

Women drivers, say no more!!!! The harbour on an ebbing tide, weekend, sunny about 5/6pm is not a plesent place to be really can be mayhem down there - not like 5am on a sat!! when everyone is still in bed - 25 knots all the way!

Let me know - may join you if you dont mind? If you want to go alone however - fine by me.

Anything apart from what I had in my box! No, seriously, the harbour is very murky at that time of day anyway, the trout flies I had just looked like pieces of weed in the water, a sandeel imitation or a big streamer fly is whats needed - must make the investment next time.

James and I canceled our planned conger trip last night, opting instead to have a bash in the harbour for the mullet. Still maybe a little early. They were there, I had several follows and a few aborted takes, and 3 school bass. James had a mullet, 2lb 20z and a few bass also. Tried fly fishing backberry island for the mullet and bass, but didnt really have the right fly - must try again though!

Same here really.....where and when? I have promised to take rach out....may go out of Poole over to Studland etc?

If anyone fancies it, I am planning to head around to St Albans on Thurs to look for the Tope, weather depending. Anyone fancy it? - Also can anyone advise one roughly on the ledge we should be aiming to fish?? (Marks by PM greatly appreciated! )

Never mind. Are you planning to go this weekend? .....We will just have to catch the tope without you!

Try Christchurch! - Its just 4 knots there. Here we have a right mixture! - The huge oversized gin palaces that cant actualy go 4 knots as they are churning mud all the way, and block the main channel regardless. We have the 3' ribs with an 8 year old driving and a 90hp OB - doing about 40 knots past everyone, outside the channel - 'young and carefree (careless?)' We also have plenty of rowers to remind us of the speed limit, lest we forget - '4 KNOTS!!!!!' They scream! Plus others, and their are many. One evening james and I are quietly mullet fishing, and we hear this roar of a huge V8 in the distance - looking over we see a 30/40' offshore powerboat almost flat out in 3' of water coming up the harbour! - 4 knots??? Hmmmm more like 50!!! - as he went past he was a greying middle aged chap - mid-life crisis???!!! Nowt so stranger folk!

Bob - Hes not going to clear much off his windscreen with a horn is he??!!

What time we coming over??!!!

Pretty good day all in all for James and I on Blue Warrior. Fortunatly we had had a bit of a recie on Thurs, so we knew exactly where we were heading. We also had an early start - just to get on the mark more than anything, as we expected it to be busy - how right we were! - I counted 32 boats fishing in about a 2 x 2 mile square at one point - add to this the idiots cruising between us at 30 knots and it was fun! Anyway, the fishing was sporadic all day really, with 2/3 fish then a quiet spell for 20 mins. Final tally was over 30 bream between James and I, with James' best going 3lb 4oz, and mine going 2lb 14oz. The majority of the fish were about 1.75lb - 2.5lb. Pretty good, and fantastic sport on the light gear. Last cast of the day for me, and I snag the bottom.....at least thats what I thought until it starts to move!!!!!.......Big fish! - Strap conger was the call, but it turned to be a new Club Record Small Eyed Ray - 11lb!! On 12lb class gear, 12lb hook lengths, 4oz lead and a bit of squid and rag as bait! We then moved out of the ledge into deeper water, where we found string fulls of mackeral every drop. Summers here!!! Then off to our old faithful mark, where we found the Sally Anne, scouring the sea bead for miles around - is it any surprise fish stocks are low inshore with boats like her? An exclusion zone of 5 miles would be a sensible idea? - But then the powers that be dont understand sensible........ James then began to walk the dogs! and finished with another ray of 6lb. What a cracking day - just got home, sun burnt, but happy! Adam

Force 1 all day Sun. Cloud and Sun! Cant wait - bring on the bream!!!!

James wouldnt know - he just goes ploughing through!!!

No Bob! - You are forgetting! - You have Cod your 40 year quota - now you have to wait another 40 years!

Not too sure on this one Mike - I dont think it will work at all. However all you need is a transformer, and youll be away! - Where to get one, well thats another question!

Worth a try - however look at how small the breams mouth is - not very big. The way they feed is very much smash and grab - steaming in at the bait and smashing it off the rock, weed, bottom, hook etc. 2 thoughts you might like to consider (giving away all my secret bream tactics for sunday here! ) 1.) James fishes his rods in the holders - he only strikes when the rod is hooped right over and the fish is very clearly hooked. Striking bream can be fruitless and very frustrating. This way the bait stays still until one hooks itself. 2.) My method is similar - but I use long shank circle hooks. These are wonderful inventions and I think seem to self hook more fish due to their shape. If you wish to try a pennel, maybe 2x size 8's or 10's (freshwater hooks) would be an idea.

Maybe.... No...just 'basic' 2 hook rigs either patenoster or running. Really rough ground so simple as poss - keep the tackle costs down! Just re-checked, and I was right 1st time - It is a Goldsinney Wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) and guess what???? It was only 4 drams off the British Record! . Caught in 1992 off Portland Bill, by Mr I Wellington - 0lb 3oz 4drms. James's fish went 3oz - but weighed on 30lb scales, would it have been bigger on smaller - more accurate scales?????