plaicemat

I was absolutely desperate to get down this weekend. Everything planned, and what happens; the head gasket has gone on my Disco. 4 days in the Landrover hospital. Can it get worse. Yes, it can! My wife wants me to go furniture shopping as I can't go fishing. I think I can hear the Usk salmon calling.......

Isn't it because only Naval vessels can fly the white ensign?

Thanx for spotting the query, Martin. I have both 20 and 30lb, it was the 40 I was going to get if necessary. You've saved me the outlay with your advise.

Thanx for all that, I knew I could rely on you all to simplify things. So I think the search is on for the best priced ABU conolon and a Daiwa TDX. I think the ABU will go very well with the ABU BG7000NLD reel I acquired recently. Matched with 40lb braid?

Right, thanx for all that, chaps, I think those last comments have made my mind up. I'll come down at the weekend and sort things out.

Access is no problem as I have a Discovery. Does that creek dry out at low water? If not, seems like a good idea to save

Thanx for that, Martin. Expensive, I know, but I think viable if it gives me more time on the water and less hassle launching.

Living a long way from Poole, I am limited as to the number of days I can get down and these seem to be limited even more by the permutation of getting weather and tides right. I have decided to eliminate one of these factors by putting my hand in my pocket and opting for a Cobbs Quay season pass. Just one point, is it suitable for launching anytime or are there limitations? I have been out from there with Martin and it seems straight forward enough.

I'm a bit confused as to the classification of rods (there's a surprise). I am looking for a rod (rods?) for bottom fishing for the heavier species, i.e., rays, tope, conger etc. What should I be looking for please. Incidently on this topic. When I was a child I used to boat fish with a friend of my father's who was considered to be a bit of an expert. So much so that he made a lot of his gear, but don't forget, this was a much less sophsticated age. His 'heavy' rod was made from a golf club handle with rings and reel fittings attached. I remember it seemed to work well for him. For those of you who fancy trying it, I believe it was a 5 iron!

Should have been more patient. I didn't realise you hadn't finished. Soz.

Very nice picture, Adam. Now, I know I'm a bit inept but, where are the others? (as in 'just a few piccies')

Sun fish are not a new phenomenon in Poole Bay. We used to see them fairly regularly, together with basking shark, 30 years ago.

Thanx for HBM, Coddy. Will try them when I come down at the weekend.

Anybody know where I can source a plastic 25ltr quicksilver fuel tank for a Warrior 165. I want a spare for those longer trips. I have tried online but to no avail. An alternative would be 65 or 95ltr but, do they fit?

I think you need to rein yourself in a little, this could get out of hand.

You big girls blouse Wait 'till the killer sprats start shoaling. They can strip a horse down to bone in 30 seconds. Mad Mike I can see me getting through a lot of bait when they do arrive. Does one use a scratching rig with the horse or just the harness?

To quote somebody, somewhere, Kam, 'Quite frankley my dear, I don't give a damn'.

Slime I can live with. Big b----y teeth I draw a line at!

Thanks for that, mate. However, at the moment I have one rule on the boat. No congers to come over the gunwhales!

They go from the compensator to the cross beam and then the cables from there to the drums are apparently sealed. I did not fit it so cannot guarantee it until I have been using it for some time. Will report further.

Just a little note on the brake bowden cables. The ones on my Warrior trailer have been changed for stainless steel rods which dispense with the cable maintenance.

On my Micro-plus, I mounted the transducer as shoot-thru-hull, i.e. fixed to the inside of the hull, and it worked fine. I used an empty plastic bottle to cut a collar that fitted around the transducer, placed the transducer in it and filled with araldite to cover the head. Move it around a bit to get rid of air bubbles and wait for it to dry. Obviously, being quite dense, this takes a little time. You will, of course, still have to cut the floor to access the inner hull. On my Warrior, I have used a transom mount transducer which is much easier to fit and this has proved equaly as effective. Hope this advise from one still learning is helpful.

O/k. Now I'm gaining in confidence, I think I'm ready to try wreck fishing for some pollock etc. Only trouble is, I don't know where the reliable, relatively local ones are! Anybody care to PM me some co-ordinates and approximate distances so I can have a try. When I get there, are shads the thing to try?

A very nice piece about the Burnham match in this month's BFM. Well done Adam for producing a professional bit of copy. And a very good placement for M. Burt Enterprises on page 46. This shows the the club in a very favourable light and will hopefully have a beneficial effect on membership.

Wow, so easy! I've just told my wife that next time I go to Poole I'm going to try and get crabs. She wasn't impressed!