Adam F

The forecast has improved somewhat overnight - so the comp is ON Take care out there, and have a great day - I'll be in bed with a hangover no doubt!

The sun popped out for a few minutes this afternoon so I grabbed the DSLR and managed a few nice shots... and my favourite..

I'll make a call on the weather on Sat morning if that's OK? Forecast looks bordline at the moment?

Cant we just postpone it a week and have it next Thurs?

Sorry guys - the wind didnt really materialise did it? Always hard to make the call - this time it eered on the side of caution. Mind you it must have been FREEZING out there??

Comp POSTPONED due to poor weather - we will try again on Sunday 5th November

Here I am... battled the snow and ice and rush hour traffic and just walked int he door at 7pm... The verdict is predictably easy.... Sunday is POSTPONED - the forecast is looking rather poo - so lets move it 1 week to next Sunday and hope for the best. Adam

Or is that Infamous!! 34 mins in... http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00w6...Farm_Episode_3/ Well done Trev!

I going to buck the trend here... I havent carried a spare on JV all year. My main set up is a 7.5kg, the spare was a 5kg - which I have used and can hold the boat reasonably well. My issue was one of weight - yes even on a bigger boat like JV, I found that I'd started doubling up on everything and it was getting silly. I took the spare off when we went to Alderney as I thought one of the others who have a spare worst case scenario. If I ever lost an anchor I'd just come home, pick up a pot buoy or fish on the drift. If I was going specifically for a day's anchor fishing I'll pop the spare back on (eg congering) What I do carry, and a few of you have said you dont bother - is a fully working spare Alderney ring set-up - I have needed it and leant it to others several times over the years. Just my thoughts on it.

Book in here please for Sunday's comp. I'll post up nearer the weekend re. the weather which as we all know is very changeable at the moment! 1) Adam F - JV

Sorry to hear that Oli. I'll be keeping 2 weeks after this date clear - when / if the weather allows and we can get a friendly boat to come along JV will go!

Charlie, Youre not stealing my thunder mate! With the free time I have at the moment, youre help is welcome! Ive decided on the 22nd for the Bream comp, so the 12-15th works fine, a nice mix of tides to suit all..... all we need now is the weather - as always! Re. Cherbourg - Dave (wight magic) and I were chatting earlier this year and discussing how it is always tight on time to hit the wrecks off Alderney / French coast properly on a 3/4 day Alderney trip as we have so many other things to do. Getting out to them on a day trip from Poole is simply too far - hence the Cherbourg trip was born. A little different from Alderney, a bit of french culture, broadening our horizons etc. The trip could just be a 2 dayer with an overnight in France, but as we've made the effort why not make it 3 days if the weather allows?? Cant wait! 2011 is gunna we a good year!

Craig, I'll text you Craig Willis's number - he is a local and a nice guy, give him a call, tell him you spoke to me and he'll help you out. Adam

Done, done and done. PJ and Nige - I'll bring them to the next meeting. Duncan - I'll hold for you, let me know when your down and I'll meet you. Cheers

Anyone interested in any of the following: As new 13kg Calor Propane Cylinder - about 3/4 full - FREE McMurdo Waterproof Grab Bag Yellow - FREE 2 x 7.5L Cuprinol Green Fence Stain - Token gesture Big heavy bench mounted engineers vice - small offer? 5kg Bruce Claw anchor -

Done! Just need to get them to you now mate?

Ah yes! As Duncan suggests, I can throughly recommend closing all front hatches and not leaving your sleeping bag underneath before hitting the swinge in wind against tide and playing submarines!

Ive got a pair of these - brand new, never used. http://www.harrissportsmail.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14919

Bigger tides also mean more fuel and less time. We fished a larger tide on the 2nd trip this year - going back up for a drift over Blanchard we were doing 3000rpm and getting 11 knots.... we usually get over 20! Over 3 or 4 days a big tide really eats into fuel and time.

Ditto Alun, Ive got several boxes of O'Shaunesseys here if you want them! With the hook technology we have now, I cant see a place for these. I use Varivas Big Mouth and Big Mouth eXtra, in 6/7&8/0 for Cod. They arent huge hooks but they done need to be - they are super sharp and super strong. For conger I use the 8/0 - it's much smaller than an O'Shaunessey but works so much better - once they go in - they rarely come out!

Looking over last years catch reports it seems the breasm were late anyway - if we fish the bream comp on the 22nd May it is a slightly bigger tide (better for the bream?) and it leaves 12-15th free?

Im really struggling with this. Im looking at a club trip to Cherbourg in July - possibly 8,9 and 10th which should be prime wrecking time June has the 48hr - which for me has become a traditional excuse to get back over to Alderney again, I'm looking at 10,11 and 12th June for this. So, leaving the first trip to late in May squeezes the dates somewhat. My conclusion is that we either accept that the Alderney trip and bream trip will clash and have it on the 13-16th or go over the 1st May weekend 29th -2nd??

My other issue as I sit here planning the 2011 comp dates is that the 15th is the prime tide in May for the bream comp.... It's not fair to the other members to schedule Alderney around the Bream comp - but the tides for 2011 are very awkward - most weekends are all or nothing tide wise!

Blimey - you boys are keen! This is usually my traditional Jan 2nd 'ward away the new year blues' post... I'll have a rest and let Charlie plan it this year... I'm putting the dates together for next years events this weekend so this is helpful. My 2p worth.... Going late in May is risky from a planning perspective - bearing in mind I'm planning a June Alderney trip and a 2/3 day wrecking trip to Cherbourg - if this gets blown out we are struggling for free weekends. The flatty fishing is usually better earlier. A medium tide would suit all comers - appreciate not all want to fish for the turbos, but many of us do - some something in the middle suits. My choice would be to stick to the BH w/e - 29th April - Mon 2nd - Fri is a smallish tide but grows alot over the weekend. Although the suggestion of 12-15th is a similar set of tides and works OK too....

Initial thoughts for 2011 are to aim for the May bank holiday at the begining of the month, and then another wrecking trip in June to Cherbourg 1 or 2 night trip. So if you bought her down end of April and took her back mid June, you get all the bream fishing this side of the channel, Alderney, mid channel wrecks etc Adam