fritchy

A mixed weekend..great to be out but not very productive...On Saturday we were out in the spoil grounds...not an early start, but a fairly early finish. A couple of pout and a crab. This morning (Sun) we went out to Wareham channel and caught some crabs. We also caught the bottom in the channel between Cobbs Quay and the RNLI buliding (i.e. in Holes Bay) . There are lots of notices around the marina about dredging, and the need for caution. I guess I found out why. Luckily I was only doing about 4kts so the only damage was to the prop. No fish at all today, but it really was a fantastic day with blue skies, fresh breeze etc.. Fish would have iced the cake. All the best, Mike F

Sorry I missed you Martin, I didn't see your post before I left. I got out to the spoil grounds off Old Harry, along with quite a few other boats. Got a couple of nice Pollack and some dogfish...and a large spider crab which confused me a bit since it had walked quite a long way up tide with my line. I thought my anchor must have dragged. What a beautiful day to be out! Mike F

I am hoping to get out tomorrow. Will keep my ears and eyes peeled for other boats... Heading out from Cobbs around 9 - 9:30ish I hope. Hope to see you... Mike F

As a relative newcomer, I would certainly find it very helpful... Mike F

When I got my boat I did the course on my own boat - which worked well for me. As well as the important safety info etc which the instructor would give you irrespective of what boat you are on, it gave me rapidly build confidence when mooring in a wind/tidal situation. Having a few thousand pounds worth of boat under my control approaching a berth is pretty stressful at first. Maybe it would be less stressful in a rib, but having the expensive GRP hull at risk focussed the mind wonderfully! Also, when doing 'three point turns' in a marina with some seriously expensive boats around it was also good to get some practise under scrutiny of someone who appeared to know what they were doing. Because it was just me (and my wife) on the boat, we could spend proportionally more time on the things which are relevent to what we will use the boat for. (e.g. safely getting close enough to the beach to let my wife and kids off the boat so I can go fishing!). It was also very easy to ask all the dumb questions... I was starting from a pretty low level of experience....it might be different for someone who already 'knows the ropes'. Mike F

I had a great time with the kids just walking round Durlston Head that day...I just wish we had more days with weather like that so we could do ALL the things we want to do in the limited amount of leasure time available, in nice weather. I must admit to a touch of envy watching those few small boats out there. My eldest (4) thoroughly enjoyed watching the warship manouvring, but he was a little concerned that its gun was pointing at us at one stage! Mike F

Thanks again for the advice....I was out again on Saturday afternoon, and this time we had a few nice bream from Poole Patch, closer to Bournemouth... All the best, Mike F

Many thanks...I was fishing under the boat. I will try heading further towards Bournemouth next time. Much appreciated!...Mike F

Hi, I was out on Poole Patch on Saturday late afternoon and evening. I got some Makerel, then got plenty of wrasse, and some pouting (nothing big, but a couple of very pretty cookoo wrasse) on rag and squid. One thing I didn't see was any bream. Any suggestions on what I am doing wrong? Am I fishing in the wrong part of the patch? (I was at the poole-end of the patch, fairly well out...plenty of pot bouys around me). Cheers, Mike F

OK - I will change it again... Does this help? Mike F

Sorry about the name - you can blame my parents for that! I have had to answer to various names over the years, especially from my older brother....but the moderator would have to remove posts that included his names for me! I still remember them...Probably explains a lot. Cheers!

Many thanks for the warm welcome, much appreciated. The boat is called Arctic Turn... All the best, Mike