Adam F

Ditto here Charlie - count JV in too. Just need the weather to hold.

Not looking too good is it? The best I can see at the moment is Thurs, Fri, come home Sat - fish bream comp Sun! Same here, decision to be made tomorrow afternoon. Basically I'm happy to fish Thurs and Fri as long as I can get a window for the weather home on Sat / Sun / Mon. Its as simple as that for me, if I cant, I'll try again in 2 weeks. Off to have a scotch to calm my nerves!

It's an option if we couldnt get out... or add a species or three to the species list in the harbour - or a mini species comp.... plenty to do! I too am fed up with checking, Ive been in the office all day today and have met office, metcheck, windguru x 2, windfinder, XC weather and the synpotpic charts all open... desperatly looking for somthing to make this an easy decision! It doesnt help that the forecast for today in Poole is OK, yet it's blowing hard up here in Wallisdown!

This Sunday is our Bream Comp usual rules apply - best specimen per angler. There are plenty around at the moment so we should see some good fish recorded. Book in here please if you intend to fish. At the moment the weather for Sunday is looking pretty breezy - if we do go to Alderney Ive asked Bob Fuller to make the call on whether the comp goes ahead, if I dont go then I'll be around to make a call - we will try and make this decision by Sat morning latest. Sunday is also the Poole SAC Bream comp - this comp has prizes so you may want to fish both! 1.) Adam F - JV (only if Alderney is cancelled!)

Now if that High over the Bay of Biscay could move North a few miles we'd be in business!

All this discussion is only a good things and helps to keep the issues at the front of people's minds. As Pete says it's down to each individual to make the call, there is no 'right' number of fish to take - which is better / worse - the angler who goes fishing 3 times a week and takes 3 fish everytime or the angler that goes once a month and takes a dozen fish. Whilst we are all thinking about this issue and putting it into practise we all stand a chance of having fish to catch in years to come.

Looks marginally better this morning. Thurs and Friday OK with a bit of wind on Sat and Sun - dropping again Monday. It still remains 50/50, last night I was on the verge of no, this morning it's swung me back the other way! If it stays as is (fat chance of that!) I'll be looking to leave Poole early on Thurs, run the 80 odd miles straight down to the Shoale Bank for the day, same again on Fri and then see what Sat and Sun bring - if I have to play hide and seek with a bit of wind at least I'll have had a few days on the banks. As it seems not that many can make the next date in 2 weeks time I'll do my damndest to get over this week Lets see what the forecast brings today.... just need to concerntrate enough at work not to keep looking at the forecast every 30 mins!

Oli, As the first trip this week is looking a bit dodgy I'll be looking at this date to try again. Our plan however will be a 4 day trip so we will either aim to leave Thurs and back Sun or leave Fri and back Mon (using the bank holiday) So count JV and crew in if the wind doesnt let up! Adam

The forecasts seem to roughly agree but are still varible and have changed more than a few times today. I'd like to see at least a few knots off the forecasts to make it an easy decision. Lets see what the next few days bring - I'm happy to leave making a call until around Weds lunchtime if needed.

Agree 100% Peter. I opperate a Male only policy on JV for bream - as do most club members I think, at least this leaves the egg carrying females alone. We also had between 60 and 80 fish the day we were alongside you, and whilst we did keep more than you guys we took 8 fish each - all of which were eaten fresh. We agreed what we wanted and all fish went back after that. Re. WSF - agree, I very rarely get on there anymore, for that and other reasons.

Turn the wind down boys - it's very, very borderline at the moment. Most sites seem to agree on N / W winds F4 occasionally 5 - it's just about do-able, but will be bouncy... if it clams down a few knots it'll be quite nice. The upside is the sun is due to shine - but really we do need less wind.

Unless you go for the Shimano Antares, you'll find all Shimano boat rods with a soft through action. I agree a longer rod is an advantage for working lures. You really want a medium - fast action. Take a look at: Diawa Kenzaki or the Abu Conolon / Suveran. There are plenty of others but these will give you a feel for what I recommend. It also depends on your budget. Adam

a bottle more like!!

Linking into a few recent threads on here, who has or is planning to adopt the self imposed size limit alot of the charter skippers and a few individuals are now using for turbot of 18 inches or 450mm? I havent in the past as it's so rare that I fish or catch them, but it's somthing I'll be considering and discussing with the crew this year. Whilst in the short term I love catching, cooking and eating turbot - I also love going to Alderney to catch them and looking forward 5/10/15 years I hope to still be doing it and catching good fish... this may change my mind. Interested in others thoughts....

Nothing like cutting it fine Greg! Are you still coming down to Poole first, or are you leaving from Eastbourne?

UPDATE: The skippers of AWOL, Alfresco, JV, Rosie One, Wight Magic and Serenity met after the club meeting on Thurs evening to discuss plans for the trip. I dont think we now need to meet on Sunday eve? It was roughly agreed that JV, Wight Magic, Abode and Alfresco would leave at similar times around 6.30/7am and cross the channel in a rough group with a short stop mid channel and aiming to be in the Channel Islands by late morning. AWOL, Serenity and Rosie One will leave a little later and spend a bit more time wreck hopping in the channel. It was suggested that Pheaton may not be able to make the trip? I understand that Mrs Sea (greg) is still without an engine so her plans are not yet confirmed? Peter - Free Boys, we will have boats mid channel from about 10am until 2pm maybe best you use Ch6 to call 'All Poole Bay Small Boats' to arrange a Rendezvous? The current forecast is showing OK until Sat when it looks to be blowing up, plenty of time yet to make a call, but if it stays the same I'll be looking to either leave on Tue/Wed or make it a shorter 3 day trip.

I live in Shaftesbury. If he wants it I'm happy to collect?

Is it as wide as you as well?!

Does anyone want a new set of mooring ropes? Ive got a spare quantity of 14mm multiplat rope in white that I'm willing to splice up for members. Any length you want, any size loop. Looking on ebay these are about

I think Alderney will get heavily discussed on Thurs. Shall I bring it down for you then?

Can I bump this - I havent managed to get this to those who asked and have a load more stuff. I'll bring to the Thurs meeting if anyone want this. As new 13kg Calor Propane Cylinder - about 3/4 full - Duncan dibs - Still want? McMurdo Waterproof Grab Bag Yellow - PJ - still want? 2 x 7.5L Cuprinol Green Fence Stain - Token gesture Big heavy bench mounted engineers vice - Duncan - still want? 240v Electric Bosch strimmer -

Wars have been fought with less planning than this trip - lets just hope it's not all in vain!!

Thats right Dave - although we do have a club meeting on Thurs so if we get enough discussed then we may not need to meet on Sun.

Have a look at Lectro Tabs - no faffing with hydraulics - simple and they work.

Big subject... no simple answer. Yes Ive used them - on my Warrior 165 I used to have. They were good but had limitations. The main one being that you cant adjust them underway like electric / hydraulic tabs. Most boats will lean or heel in a beam on sea to an extent, trim tabs wont solve this. If you have a perminant list to one side then these could be useful - for example if you have an offset wheelhouse, however I'd be very surpirised if a mainstream boat builder let a boat out that had a design fault list. If it's down to kit and weight distribution then have a play around - move a bucket of leads etc. I'd say that on a 6m boat with wheelhouse youre at the top end of the boat size these simple little tabs will work on. My advice would be to swallow the extra expense and go for a fully adjustable set for a boat like yours - they will be worth the extra in the long run. Adam