corky

Stuart - in my limited experience fake is not great, unless your trying to invoke a predatory response(ie with lure or feather etc) you also need a good sent trail as this is what will allow the fish to find and identify your bait. I may well stand to be corected by others with more experience but I have tried sented gulp type baits against the real thing whilst in Florida keys last year and the real thing caught more fish...end of However if its convenience your after one thing ive used a couple of times this year and definatley works is "seabag". Attach to your anchor or even better sink with 1lb lead directly under the boat, give it ten minutes and you'll be in K9 heaven(also attracts other species - you just gotta get through the dogs). Not a cheap way to go though at

Nice write up Rob, helps show people how easy a bit of self-service (phnar phnar) can be ! Nothing like messing around in your shed for hours and hours with various bits of metal - great fun.... I had the same problem with the viscosity of gear oil last season and used a large plastic syringe to inject it into the gearbox , you can buy one for

I think I saw the same pod you did on saturday Jack, consisting of two adults and a juvenile ? Its the third time this season ive seen them and im sure its the same group thats been hanging round for a good couple of months. They are incredible to see and a good sign that fish stocks must be at a reasonable level in the area. We were trying to work out what they were feeding on ? Anybody got any idea ? One things for sure we couldnt even catch wrasse while they were about !!

Lovely fish Andy, well done Just to play devils advocate (and maybe open up discussion) was wondering how many club members would return such a fish..? You could argue Cod stocks are far more seriously threatened than our beloved Bass. There is no doubt they are under heavier comercial pressure. My argument would be simple and relates directly to the commercial value of Cod v Bass. The fact is that over the last 6 or so years prices of wild large cod (the comercials consider over 5kg to be large grade) have more than doubled whilst large Bass have only increased by around 30%. The only reason for this extra increase in cod prices has been the steady decline in landings..... Ahh but what about the effect of reductions in Cod quoters I hear you shout ? Well fact is even the Icelandic Cod fishery has admited their stringent quoters havent had the effect they had hoped for and have closed large areas this year ( some 30% i believe) , as recovery is not as strong as predicted. Personaly I try on an almost daily basis to discourage chefs and restaraunts from selling wild cod (farmed is now almost the same price - and most farms now us sustainable feed sources approved by the MSC). The good news for Bass is that most will no longer pay the premium for wild as farmed is cheaper and consistantly available..........

My heart was in my mouth this morning listening to the search - thankfully all is well http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-newsroom...9F2&m=10&y=2007

Dan I may have said too much already I get the feeling Mike may be salting his rusty pen knife as we speak for that extra zing when he makes the first cut You have a pm Mike - appologies for the "old foxy" line, im sure your younger than you look

This sundays comp has had some nice prizes donated by local buisness - I should know, sat here staring at the Hall and Woodhouse donation wondering if it will make it out of my lounge !! Nice printer/scanner thingy here too from pc world, voucher for ferry tickets and even P.H.Comissioners have chipped in a prize (no its not a free 12 month mooring ) Loads of stuff to win and all proceeds from entry fees go the poppy appeal so save yourselves some fuel money and be at Hamworthy car park to book in at 6.45am (open to all !). Adults

Dan, I think the cod must definatley have arrived as we caught a couple around the 2lb mark in the harbour last week. They were caught just off ~~!@*** *!*!* in a spot old foxy had showed me the week before ! Also pulled out a nice pollack at the same mark.

nearly peed myself...

it was 2lb 8 oz Paul - but to be fair it fell to darrens rod (soon to be a club member but not yet) and i hadnt booked in for the comp , we were just out there enjoying the day I will be booking in for the open in december !!! thanks

well done mike, glad to hear you got to see a small eye even if the boy did show you how Had a good day today messing around trying to get to know some of the marks you showed me on sat - we caught the following Good size plaice (at that first mark you pointed out and said it held plaice !) several small bream a few school bass a red mullet 2 gurnard dozen or so mackerel poor cod and pout 2 species of wrasse some kind of ugly bleny type thing a cuttle fish (poole patch) that made ell of a mess! all in all a really good selection and some nice fish. Had to spend best part of an hour trying to get rid of all the cuttle ink, never again will one of those little sods get aboard my boat !

grant , will give you a ring early week to arrange a quick strip

be glad to have a look for you - no charge if theres nothing i can do. If it seized hard at high revs there could be quite a bit of damage so dont get yr hopes up

coddy, i had mine fited last year at the Towbar Centre at cortry close, branksome buisness centre 01202 738575. They seem to have done a nice neat job.. Supply and fit with all the electric work was

Mike , would be glad to take out "stargazer" tomorow if you provide the knowledge and bait give me a call

grant - sorry to hear of your troubles, let me know if you decide to source another engine and I may buy yours for spares ! Or alternativley i could look at it for you, not a qualified mechanic but have had sucsess striping/rebuilding 2 strokes of all kinds... What does your mechanic think is wrong ??

Martin , joined and payed up at september meeting. Have had confirmation and members pack via email. many thanks chris corkhill

Martin, please could you also update my member status on the forum chris

dont worry most people seem to "lurk" about before joining ! I did for ages but I have to say this is a really friendly and helpfull forum without any members who are too far up there own ar@@. to help with the silly questions we all have to ask at some point. So get stuck in and ask if you dont know. A very warm welcome ! chris

Flew past a small kayak on southborne rough as we headed to the ledge yesterday, waved to him and thought- brave fella, even on a day like today I need something more substancial to feel safe.. Must be a great way to sneak up on fish, cheap on fuel as you just buy mars bars and talk about mobility - you could almost carry that on the train Fishing on the ledge was slow but weather more than made up for it, had a good size garfish chase in my lure but no bass as we had hoped for. Headed to xray for the last two hours of flood and hammered the old dogies, half a dozen black bream showed, a smoothound and the usual pout or "flubbers" as the old man calls em. No more bass today ( had one here tuesday) but did have a couple of mackerel grab bare bream rig hooks.. Stopped to use the last of our worm at poole rocks on the way back and caught a super male cuckoo wrasse, just under a lb but colours as vivid as i have seen. Not as suprising as yesterday though when we stopped mid harbour channel at "aunt betty" again just to use up last few worms and dad pulled in a decent size gurnard ! Funny what the harbour can throw up..

Will be out tuesday Paul but have yet to decide what and where to fish so let me know your plans...

Many happy returns Paul, hope the birthday fairy brought you something nice - if not sod it and give the c.card a bashing !

paul , will probably not be able to do monday though we will see how the old fella gets on. Plan is to be out fairly early monday as he wants to catch a ray or two so he may well be knackered come t time ! If hes up for it will give you a shout on the way out, but I suspect we will have a try on tuesday. Good luck , hope you get another fat snake...

Paul, my dad is comming down from the Lakes this week and is keen to get out on the boat (as long as its calm ) so we might well join you out there. Was wondering what people think the chances of catching eels are as the tide looks big ? Will they still be roaming about as I have been told they dont like big flow and tend to stay in their holes ? Also would it be helpfull to put down a bag of mackerel chunks with the anchor or is that likley to attract them away from the bait ? The old chap is a keen beach fisherman at home, can anyone recomend a couple of good spots he might be able to catch bass from the beach? chris

yes definatley Pagrus pagrus (was Sparus pagrus) or Couches bream. Also often just called common bream, caught regularly in the channel isles and abundant in the Bay of Biscay and mediteranian. What a treat to catch one here - well done. see attached link. http://www.glaucus.org.uk/Pagrus.htm