great white

Thanks Paul, for organising the event and results And Thanks to Paul Frey's very generous loan of a boat, we managed not only to get out and have a good trip but also get on the results sheet. Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter and I hope you enjoyed your fishing as much as we did Charlie

Nice report Paul Where are all the big Tope?? Its getting worrying that they are not at the usual spots Glad you had a good weekend, I hope you are not as knackered as I am Charlie

Nothing like long range planning Gordon

Hi where abouts are you Mark Charlie

Oh stop it My Offshore is still in the Garden, and it may be the weekend that the engine goes in The other option is not available this weekend and the weather is looking good B****R it. Still if the sun shines the boat will look good when the scaffold comes down Charlie

As I said before Time to let someone make a decision I have no problem with anyone claiming a vacant record or any other record for that matter. In fact if one of mine gets broken I am one of the first to congratulate the angler who did so, and it may spur me on to try to get it back. I am amazed that some have lasted so long. In the past Members who have broken records have not claimed them because they are not 100% sure what the records were, but if they have recorded a fish above the record size the fish recorder has picked up the fact and the record has been changed. At other times Members know that they have set a new record and included that info on the report. We average about 9 per year. It just seems strange to ask a record list to be changed to accomadate a fish that we all know is smaller than several others that were not asked to be recorded specifically as a starry. as I said and Paul says how do we know that the current record fish was not a starry?? Thanks for the picture upgrade Duncan Can I now claim for a 40lb starry tope???? Charlie

Would love to Gary But I better not put anything else in the garage until I clear some of the boatbuilding gear out Charlie

I have lost my avitar of the boat arriving better wait for one of it leaving the garden

Over to the Committee on that one then. Using your point Mike you could say the current fish was a starry and open the record for a smoothy I am afraid, I still believe that we can not back date records to put smiles on faces. I am sure a search on the fish pictures records would throw up some good fish with stars. Especially if Duncan took the photo's If we want to adopt changes the committee must decide 1. Do we need and want to change things. 2. Do the Old records stand? and if so as which of the new species, [hard one when the two grow to identical sizes] 3. How many and which species to choose to change 4. Can we pre date the changes by accepting fish already caught and if so how far back should we go. Now I am no longer on the Committee and digging my heals in, you may even want to count mini species [ that will never get my vote BTW] Still a good topic though Charlie Ps Duncan Can you change the colour and add a few spots mate, Cheers

I do not believe this damn PC has just lost a long elaberate reply again Basically the Records were generated a few years ago after I checked over 10 years of catch reports, if the catch reports are not detailed nor are the records. [i am sure latin was the last thing on my mind by the time i finished the list] I may have been mixed up on smoothounds as the NFSA list the specimen sizes as "Smoothound all" at 15lb They do have two records though both for fish of Starry 28lb 2 oz 1998 Smoothound 28lb 00 1969 However we have always just listed one to be 100% sure of identification and following a policy I believe that the NFSA also adopted for a while To say they are easy to identify is one thing being 100% sure is another, recent catch reports getting rays wrong are a good example of how easy it is to get mixed up. Somone phoned me a week ago saying he had a 16lb spotted ray onboard, nice one about twice the British Record. Back to the thread IMHO if it is decided to increase the Club record list by sub dividing any of the species, surely only fish caught after the agreement to do so would be valied. and old records would have to be cancelled [is that fair] If you do the smoothound who is to say which one the current record fish was? and the same would go for other species as well I know plenty of anglers who have landed large smoothounds [with or without spots] and it would be unfair on them to suddenly count a 6lb fish as a record [40% specimen] of either species. An interesting thread that needs a little consideration IMHO before the committee and members decide to change things Charlie

A good selection to chose from I agree with the principle to save money on rods and spend on the reels My Shimano's have been going years and even with two growing sons using them are going to go on for years yet. as are the ugly stick rods they both have. as for the uptider, if you are new to the sport a large fixed spool would make the casting [which is essential to uptiding] easier., Charlie

Thanks paul I thought it was just me doing something wrong again Charlie

Paul I am not sure if we have a Competition Sub Committee for this event But you do need to pre book with Paul [Fish recorder] or Adam [Competition organiser] so that they know who is entered and how much prize money is at stake. We also need confirmation regarding a gathering afterwards for a prize giving, has anyone organised that in Adam's absence in the Caymans? New boat not finished yet so I may be after crewing with someone to wet a line during what has always been my favorite comp. Fish anywhere at any time over most of a weekend for specimen fish. In my book that is an excellent opportunity and I can not really understand why more Members do not partake. If you are going out that weekend please support the event by entering Charlie

I have a recent Motor Boat magazine with a survey/report of these small plotters To late to help Mike but if others are interested I could scan it and email accross I would not like to upset anyone by adding it to a forum From Memory Mike I think that the set you selected scored well Charlie

Thanks Guys I had thought that these answers would tend to be what I would get The Icom 421 was the one until I started to look at the excellent write up the Standard unit gets For the same cost as Icom it comes with the alpha keys and a longer warranty Charlie

Hi I am about to order the elctronics foer the new boat Those of you that have DSC Radios do you find that you use them mainly like the old sets for voice messages or do you use the other features? and if you had the choice would you get a set with the alpha numerick keys? I have never had a set with DSC and do not know if it is worth getting a set that is fitted with these Alpha Numerick keys Your thoughts and views will be appreciated, Thanks Charlie

Happy Birthday son He has now started on the road with car driving lessons. Once he passes his test he will be even more willing and able to crew.

Nice one Paul very good advice. Charlie

Oops I had better check that you will do it all in lower case I am sure you were going to anyway Thanks Charlie

Greatwhite@pbsbac.co.uk for me please Paul Thanks Charlie

Nice one Tom The fun of small boat fishing can be great and that's without fish of the stamp that you landed. Has anyone seen the Fishing advenbturer on cable/sky. He takes a small inflatable and elec outboard on his travels and gets towed around by the fish he catches. He looks to have great fun But he does seem to be as mad as a hatter. Charlie

Nice fish Jason Well done Mate Charlie

Had a busy Day Matt Its a great shame I missed it Thanks for the invite Charlie

Thanks Paul I hope so too Charlie

Nice one Dan an excellent inshore eel from a small boat Great to catch them and put them back, but don't they get excitable when in the daylight Incidently it is bigger than the trophy winning fish from 2006 and stands a good chance for the fish of the month at 130% SPECIMEN WELL DONE Charlie