Overrun

Hi Derek, yes I'm not keen on bringing them aboard for that reason, there's a risk to the fish as well. We normally have them aboard upside down, which seems to quieten them down. It's always nice to have trophy shot so I'll risk it with a docile one, otherwise only if the hook is inaccessible, barbless/crushed barb. Also have a first aid kit if the worst happens.

Tywyn 2nd - 4th June 2011 This is the time that keeps me sane through the long winter months. After several false starts during April and May, Lozz PMed early in the week, we'd both been watching the pressure charts and Thursday - Friday looked doable. With Marcj's words ringing in my ears,

All good experience Lofty, do love that coastline. There's usually firing on the range during the week, it's announced on the VHF with weather reports. If you stray into the restricted area when firing the range warden boat may intercept you unless very close-in. Left is OK towards Chapmans Pool but the slightest southerly wind will put a surf over the ledges.

Thursday night and parked-up at 18:00, wind gusting to 25kn, didn't look pleasant but doable. Phoned Milo as we'd previously arranged to meet and advised him of the less-than-perfect conditions, said he'd come-on down anyway. 15 minutes later phoned back with car problems and decided to abort. I hung around for another hour then gave it best, not much much fun on your own in a blow. Wind would probably drop out later but then there was work on Friday. Bit cheesed-off after abandoning the Wales Tope meet at the weekend due to weather, but that's fishing . Friday evening and PM from Richie, inquiring as to if I'd been chasing Smut's, said "nearly" , and might try overnight if the wind dropped out. He and Lozz were going down for 22:00, couldn't miss out on that, even if it was windy. Wind obligingly eased after 21:00, sat about in Lozz's camper and caught-up on the recent fishy stories before launching in the last half of the tide, around 23:00. Didn't go far, Lozz getting bites straight-off and Richie seeing the first fish of the night, much chuckling and splashing in the darkness behind . Weed bordering unfishable, Lozz cursing a couple of missed bites, nothing much doing where I was. Richie into a second, followed by Lozz's first, large female by all accounts, as "pigtails hanging from it's bum" . Finally some action at my end, *

Nothing much to post Dave, it's been a bit windy, don't know about the others? Cheers James

Windy day plan, try and catch a decent Mullet. Didn't start well, late away due to dithering. Met a couple of nice chaps at Moody's slip, Mullet club members. Bit of banter,

Thanks all, was supposed to be a range day, checked with Solent CG in the morning and all clear, otherwise would have gone east.

Hi Mike, yes saw a few boats, I was out off Broadbench, how did you get on?

On the water for 10:00, light breeze off the land, conditions flat. Couple of boats over the mark, including a charter. Approx. 1 mile paddle, tide running eastwards and building. Buoyed off on a disused pot, fishfinder indicating 70ft, not really where I wanted to be but close enough. An hour passed, moved to another buoy 100 yards south, 30 minutes there and went on the drift. Easterly wind all but gone, drifted a trifle quick with the tide. Something on the Hokkai, saved a blank with a pound Pollock. Anchored right in the middle of my preferred spot, tide around 1.5 knots in 60ft, 6ozs on both rods. Couple of good bites on the big baits, nothing on baited hokkai. Few more bites and bearing more than a passing resemblance to Bream, again on big baits. The Squid was being nicked and Mackerel left, changed the Squid hook to size 1, Mackerel on a 3/0. Cut one of the hokkai green bodies off, leaving only a red tuft, in case the Bream were being put-off in the gin clear conditions. Tide easing slightly, few more plucking bites on big baits, again definitely Bream. Switched on the fishfinder, shoal of something at mid water, probably Launce. Set the hokkai in the middle and fish on: Which I'm guessing is Herring? Boated two more and dropped a couple before they moved on. Other rod nodded into action, had to be Bream by the feel of it and sure enough, delighted to see this feller: Male, 2 and half, caught on the bottom hook, a 3/0! Meanwhile, bounced the hokkai near the bottom and thought I'd snagged, then it took off, pulling hard. Began to give-up at mid water, suspected another Pollock, but no, a good sized Ballan: Next drop and a repeat performance, only it was a Pollock, reasonable size for Kimmeridge: A few more minutes and another shoal at mid-water, connected straight away, Mackerel! Back on the bottom and something smaller, a pair of Launce. Tide all but gone, still the odd Bream bite on the other rod, then bang on the hokkai again, and finally a Bream there too, another male and slightly bigger. Time getting on packed-up the big rod and went on the drift with hokkai, yet another Pollock of around 2lb and one more Mackerel 6 species, and fish for tea, can't be bad for mid April.

Not sure about the Trident but used a Tesco collapsible crate in my P13's tankwell, plenty strong enough if you cable tie the sides open and well drained. Otherwise use a plastic box with plenty of holes in the bottom, open top with net or bungies to retain contents. Basically, any crate needs to be well drained or fully sealed. Partially sealed or poorly drained isn't really practical, the last thing you want is a top heavy crate full of water after a wave breaks over the Kayak. Also keep the profile as low as possible otherwise susceptable to windage.

One for the list Mark!

....Zummerzet it is Nige ...thanks guys...off to a faltering start for the year

Bit of a mini-meet and a good turn-out, unsurprising given the recent reports. Did wonder what to expect from the tides which usually are quite strong at BA, particularly the ebb. The plan was to use the last part of the flood to ferry east and north of the charter's usual spot off Watchet, fish across HW and make for the mark on the reef if the ebb became too strong. Headed out early with Dave, Steve and Mark, not sure where Nick was but hopefully Stuart could operate the GPS . Andy and Shaun launching later to fish over the reef. Lovely sunny day with little wind and a small swell. Copped a breaking wave in the chest on the launch , which apart from a refreshing face wash, also dislodged the FF plug slightly, problems later. Measured the tide speed at the reef, less than 1 knot with 2.5 hours to HW. Easy paddle out, approx 2 miles, we anchored ourselves over relatively clean ground to the north of the many private boats. Mark picked-up fish from the off, Thornbacks and Codling. Dave, Steve and myself watched in anticipation. Tide dribbled away to nothing, after an hour voices behind, in the distance Nick and Stu approaching from the west. Stu set-up alongside, while Nick set-off north in search of rough ground after dispensing bait to me and Dave. Shrewd move, as pretty soon we could hear him into something, didn't need the radio, which was just as well as mine had died anyway, doh! Held my ground for while longer, would need to reset the anchor over the tide change, so move then. Stu hooked into a nice Conger, quite a fight on a tiny rod. Steve then hooked a real lunker, 30lb plus, by the time I got to him it was dragging the Kayak around, had the anchor warp in it's mouth and proving a little feisty! Camera readied and it bit through the trace, gone, ....doh! Back at anchor, there was a bleep and my FF sprang into life spontaneously, followed by another and off. The cycle repeated, until a good kick left it on and refusing to switch-off. Dave headed across to Nick, short while later the rest of us followed, caught my one and only fish of the day, small Thornback: Nick still banging out Eels and Thornies behind me, bitten off a few times too. HW and a squall came through, wind rose from 0 to +20mph in minutes, Hinkley point beckoned didn't last, within 30 minutes we were back to a pleasant day. The ebb feeble, even this far out, we moved back towards the reef. I actually went right into the reef although the others parked 800 yards further off. Didn't stay long, as out in the evening and needed to be on the road by 16:00. Enjoyed the day, and great to see all again, plenty caught including large Eels, Thornback to 10lb and Codling to 4lb, sadly no monsters as during last week. Thanks to Nick for the bait, Andy and Shaun for helping with the unloading and loading, back again soon. Cheers James

You nutters , gusty and choppy, just staying upright is great achievement.

Cameraman wasn't too shabby either, at least the fish was running away from the angler. Fantastic stuff.

....it was

Fine paddle in less than ideal conditions and far from ideal craft, well done

Just been trying to piece this trip together, closest I've been is Grove point which is short of the race. Assuming proceeding west to east, then they really needed to clear the most southerly point of the Bill, by Weymouth HW - 3hours, approx 15:00. By 16:00 the southerly west to east flow is picking-up and back eddies starting on the eastern side. (by my reckoning)

I've discarded my bait bucket now, doesn't seem quite the same No room onboard, have to tow them in There's a few about, we like to be seen. Cheers James

With the reports coming from the area over the last couple of weeks, would be rude to miss an opportunity for a decent Cod. Planned for the Saturday window from mid-week only to be reminded by 'her in doors' that Friday night would be out late, so that was that, maybe Sunday. Richi phoned Friday evening and said how about it? Knew it was to be an early launch, but 4:00! Said I was a no-go due to late night, ..but never say never, so after a couple of hours sleep, up at 4.00 and 30 minutes to the launch. Paintfly (Kevin) and Richi both close to launch as I arrived, hastily set-up and we were away. Bit too hasty as they'd both packed sails. Got to Hurst Castle and had to make a stop on the beach (no log pod) said I'd catch them-up. Paddled to catch-up, plus the ebb wasn't strong as approaching LW. Finally caught-up around two thirds of the way there, and they they were, laid back sailing. Arrived at the Needles around 07:15, still dark and quite spooky. Stuck to my original plan which was fish about a mile south, Kevin and Richi went on another mile. Sunrise: The flood began and with it a procession of Whiting and Daddy Pout coming to the baited giant Hokkai, nothing huge. Whiting live bait was alternated for 4 Squid and Lug wrap. Feet were getting cold. Had a visit from one of the boat fisherman, very friendly, wondered if I was Richi, pointed him in the general direction. Just after 10:00, too cold to just sit there, started getting ready for the journey back. The plan was to meet at the Needles for 11:00. Thought something was not right with the anchor, and sure enough, dragged over the last hour or so, at around 1knot, so now a mile south and east of the Needles. Retrieved the anchor and noted a drift speed of 1.5 knots, bugger, a 45 minute paddle back to the Needles followed. Kevin was heading back too, paused at the Needles while he and Richi caught-up. The journey back wasn't quick (unless you had a sail) late in the flood so only 2.5 knots drifting. Paddled all the way, plus the wind sending me towards the IOW, so paddled at right angles to the current. Trap quiet, only one sloppy brace required. Stopped off at Hurst Castle for a break before the final leg along the back bars and up to Keyhaven. The Lads: Another epic trip in great company, really enjoyed it, paddled pretty much all of 12 miles and landed back fit and warmed nicely. Shame not one of us managed a Cod, from the anglers we spoke to and the VHF traffic, it seemed many were experiencing a slow day, but that's fishing. Take the sail next time, it was in the Van!

Lovely day out guys and a jolly good read. Hindsight certainly is! Had a similar incident earlier this year with a boat tangled in it's own anchor rope, offered to assist with the rope but they assured me they'd be OK once the tide eased. Never occurred to me to inform the CG, although checked if they had a VHF and they said not but did have a working mobile.

Thanks Paul, can't pretend that I'm not totally naive of these organisations and what they stand for & achieve, hence the question. As for the training courses, 100 % behind Darnsarf and fully understand the reasons for seeking this alliance. Your reference to Assassin's Afloat is quite accurate, extended discussion & debate may well have ended in a bun fight. Reference Chris's post and the announcement concerning the AT & 'working closely with the AnglersAfloat team', clearly most of the team were not involved, hence the ructions at team level. Thanks again for your reply.

Thanks Chris, many important issues there affecting us/me and given the AT's wide brief, certainly appears they could do with the support. Am, however, worried that this may be the thin end of the wedge regarding regulation & restriction, particularly relating to Kayak fishing. Up to now we've existed quite happilly 'below the radar' Can't influence these things from the outside though Cheers James

Greatful for your comments here Chris, or anyone else who is a member.