Afishionado

Bring 'em round Adam I'll do them for you. Us house husbands have many talents one of which is sharpening knives. Many years ago I trained as a chef and still have the knack of getting a keen edge on a blade. Mad Mike Ps what are they? Sabatier?

Good for you Sam. It's the pleasure that you get out of it not the size or quantity of fish that matters. And don't Chish and fips tase good after a day in the fresh air Mad Mike

Looking at the way and speed Karl is moving I guess we may feel its effects early October. Mad Mike

A big thank you to Paul J who has just dropped round a bag of surplus fishing tacle for me to take to Cuba for the local fishermen out there. I am a bit P'ed off though........ The stuff Paul has so generously donated is better than the gear I use!! Mad Mike

Although spme brands have some interchangeably prop fittings it is certainly not universal. The things to consider are...... The number of splines The diameter of the prop shaft The spacing of the prop' on the hub and whether the prop outer hub is concentric with the gearbox housing. On other words you gotta try any prop on your engine to see if it really does fit proper loike me deario. Mad Mike

Duncan is absolutely right and there is very little danger of damaging the gear box as the rubber hub bush acts as a weak slipping link allowing the prop' bush joint to slip well before the shear point of the gearbox teeth. I think that more harm is done to final drives gears and bearings by out of balanced bent and chipped props than anything else. Mad Mike

FOR many years I've kept my legs warm in winter by wearing ladies' tights beneath my trousers. I've never found it embarrassing, as they make perfectly good - and economical - leg warmers. As a pensioner saving money and staying warm are my priorities. In summer I switch to wearing cooler and more hygienic stockings and suspenders Mad Mike

As far as I remember you need summat called a Rook to take prawns and then you can only do it diagonaly. There are two types white and black. Mad Mike

The natural habitat of sandeels is caorse sand and fine shingle regularly swept by tides. The fish that feed on sandeels also tend to hunt the eels for food in these tide swept sandy areas. Mud bottoms however are more the habitat of worms and shellfish so the fish that tend to feed on worms etc are more likely to be found over muddy sea beds. So if you were fishing a sandeel on a long flowing trace the ideal place would be over sand not mud. Mad Mike

Here's a long range forcast for you. If you look at the attatched picture you will see what is currently called 'Tropical Storm Karl' As the Atlantic is now 1degC higher in temperature than ever before recorded it is expected that Karl will deepen and become a full hurricane. It's expected track will be straight up the Atlantic and eventualy follow the SW maritimes towards US! Now of course it wont be a hurricane by the time it reaches here because you need a minimum sea temp' of 20degC to maintain one, but it will be bloody windy for about 12 hours. My guess is some when mid October.

I believe it is all up towed weight so the answer is yes it would include the trailer and outboard. But you are allowed to make deductions for water and fuel carried as they are consumables. Crazy really, if one was just on the limit the zealous cop could 'do you' if your tacle box was in the boat but not if it were in the back of the car. Mad mike

quote...............Harbour entrance Saturday evening/night to me at the moment 14:00 Friday Local forcast is for a blustery cold and showery Saturday but a pleasant Sunday with sunshine and warmer. Mad Mike

This weekend looks like a window of flooding large tide and dropping wind for Poole Harbour entrance Saturday evening/night to me at the moment After dusk if it's a bit too brisk to out I have fished the deep bit between the two little piers at Brownsea during the stand between full flow and second high. Thre or four times I have been smashed up by conger. Well that's what I was trying for anyway. One was quite spectacular when a corroded reel locating ring burst under pressure and the whole lot went ripping down the rod taking all the rings off and leaving me with a stick! Oh what gentile words of admonishment to rod manufacturers were uttered Mad Mike

It was more in the terms of doing DIY or work on the boat Alun. Carefully measure where a hole needs drilling through to a blind 'inside bit' (twice and then once more) and there's a 50/50 chance your right. Except for the 90% bit when you bend double, sqeeze sideways, and squint in the dark to see where the sucker came through. And don't you claim you've never done it either Mad Mike

What a nice atmospheric report Alun, it makes the reader feel that they were right there with you. Mad Mike

I find Metcheck to be the most accurate with the Met office site coming second, also the Met Office 'inshore waters' is a good guide........... http://www.met-office.gov.uk/weather/europ...alsouthern.html http://www.metcheck.com/48hrforecast.asp?l...ry=UK&Coastal=1 http://coastguard.members.beeb.net/Coastgu..._files/tide.htm But one needs to look at the wind in relation to where one could go. A force 4 to 5 easterly is 'orriblr everywhere EXCEPT Portland Harbour where one can fish in the most disgusting weather. A NW wind means that most of the Poole Patches and the shore line drifts along Bournemouth are relativly calm. For family picnics the harbour area of Christchurch is realy well sheltered from most strong winds as too is the Wareham river at the top of Poole harbour. Poole is not a bad target on a doubfull week end there are plenty of nooks and crannies to hide from the wind and if it turns out better than you thought you can always shoot out into the bay. Mad Mike

i've been told 5 weeks but I wonder if that's just a selling ploy...they appear to say anything Re delivery dates.......... If you insist that "Delivery date is the essence of the contract" is put in WRITING and the supplier agrees, then the delivery date is factual and the supplier contract between you and he is void after that time. You are also legaly entitled to your deposit back. However if the supplier will not accept this condition (which is likely) then all sugested delivery dates are phooy and you don't have a leg to stand on. Also ask the supplier what insurance you have against him going bankrupt prior to delivery and you loosing your deposit. A well run and sound company will be able to offer you (at a small charge) insurance against this eventuality. If they say they have not heard of this, doubts should enter your mind. Porpoising is a symtom of a badly set up outfit and IMO to say that "It can't be stopped" is horsefeathers. Mad Mike

What a splendid offer thank you. I've been ebaying however and got myself a couple of telescopic ones and I bought another at the boat jumble, The dear lady wife is now rumbling about the amount of fishing tackle I am taking. Women do not seem to understand that a bloke can manage with a set of T shirts and some shorts on a two week fishing holiday. She said something about going out in the evenings? Do you think she wants an invite to some night fishing sessions? Mad Mike

Hi Marc, welcome and enjoy. Mad mike

I think so as he was posting on here today. Mad Mike

Thanks for the tip Rich. I t sounds like you had a great time. I too use a shimano 4000 and what a nice little reel they are. The lady fish are jumpers too, I remember my lad who would have been about 13 at the time hooking his first one. As it tailwalked after stripping off 20 yards of line Morgan was so excited he yelled (whilst in the company of some posh Americans) F**K ME LOOK AT THAT BA****D GO!! . His mum and I quietly tried to hide on the other side of the bimini top Mad Mike

You echo my experiances Bob. Some local businesses seem to act as though they have a right to ones custom. Mad Mike

Thanks guys The handbook does not explain this ............ I need all the explination I can get Coddy I'm not to sure that the rubber tube can be the speedo pressure pipe. That type of spedo requires the pitot head to be in clear water. If it came from the gearbox area there would be some prop' vortex for sure and that would upset the reading. IMO it's a 'Ask the man in the shop' question. Mad Mike PS the Dealer was Marshals and they delivered it on a transporter all very posh and impressed the neighbours no end.

SPOIL SPORT Mad Mike

What hook size would you recommend Charlie, and should I use a pennel rig? Mad Mike