lazy hooker

how big would your pennel rig have to be..... john

a swansea meet would be good. now i'm getting myself sorted out and the weather/species improving i'll move myself out of enforced hibernation on the beaches. think i've got my clothing sorted with dry cag trousers, cag top, thermal layers and boots...want to get back and wet a line on known areas if that sounds right before spreading my wings. probably best to do a meet down west 1st as there isn't that much around here at the moment. looking forward to the summer mind especially to get amongst those triggers...they fight absolutley mental..but then again anything with fins fill satisfy me. john

cheers simon for clarifying the mechanics for me...i'll still metaphorically sit on my hands so that i don't get the knee jerk reaction to strike but know and have heard about just applying the pressure by starting to retrieve. paintfly don't know about using big baits, again this is down to assumptions and lack of experience of using circles (which i will overcome). i would have thought that large baits whipped on or masking the hooks may sheild or alter the method of hooking......but then again they are using them for rays, smoothhound and tope so my theory is 99% wrong!!!! wierd things circles, it seems you have to forget everything you know or your instincts want to do until you get the get hang of them..... john

cheers for the advice guys will sit on my hands whilst drifting for bass and strike at every touch when conger fishing (just so i don't hook them!!!) can also see a better hooking rate with bream too. cheers john

just thinking about summer evenings drifting after spikey fish..................sorry back on track and the reason for posting. Has anyone on here used circle hooks whilst drifting sandeel or live prawns for bass or any other species. Just wondering if they improve the hook up rate and especially the returnable rate as most fish will be reputedly be hooked in the scissors. john

s2vto definatley incidently there are a few bass comming out at mumbles over the last week or two weeks or so. will be trying a few lures on the weekend if the wind stays west - south westerley and the waters not too cloudy. john

too right Just fitted the rod mounts and anchor trolley (this may need tightening a little mind). am planning on going out at mumbles this weekend just to wet a line after the dabs, whiting and doggies. have a couple of mates who dingy fish and they have given me plenty of marks on the gower to explore covering stuff from smooth hound, tope and rays, to bass drifts, inshore wrecks (5ooyards from the shore) which have wrasse, bream and triggers. they had them upto 5lb last year!!!! sure he won't mind me posting one of his picks...the bottom fish was just for comparision which are the normal stamp of 1 1/2 lbers but back to the ranch definatley up for trips in gods country. john

during the summer you will have loads of options.... mumbles breakwater will probably be full of dogfish, feathers for mackeral a possibility mumbles pier better mark than the breakwater but with a charge of £3.00 per rod try and get on the very end, bass can be caught here on the float with live sandeel (bought at rogers tackle), mackeral and garfish too to all sorts of methods. ledgering with small bunches of maddies cast out on very light tackle and slowl (very) retrieved can get you results with black bream and flatties (on the right hand side of the pier at low water), down the side amoungst the concrete footings is good for wrasse and triggers!! oxwich - avoid day time as there is just too many people on the beach, you can get bass and flatties off here to ledgered worm, crab or razor the point can be a walk but can be worthwhile plugging, big crab baits for bass. port eynon good low water mark off the rocks at the salthouse using a dexter/feathers for mackeral, have also had pollack off here too...never had too much luck with the bass. these are a taster of a couple of the main the main areas of the south gower with out giving away any secrets. If you want to PM me closer to the time i will let you know where is in form and methods and may be able to meet up. incidently they hire out ocean kayaks in oxwich (which i do a fair bit of kayaking fishing on the gower) if you wanted to give that a go. john

good luck josh don't want to concern or teach you to suck eggs as im sure you already know this. Some of the currents around porthcawl are a bit on the nasty side (nash, scarweather) and the inshore ones around restbay and off southerndown can also be a bit tasty...saying that a guy i know has fished regularly around newton point and ogmore river mouth with great success along with aberavon. i would concentrate on these areas too.. anyway good to see another south wales yakker joining may see you off newton, or if you fancy trips out mumbles and the gower down the road are excellent can't really advise on any of the yaks apart from the prowler which i get on fine with, as a good all rounder and first yak its a good buy john

hi guys do any of you know of any web based marine/nautical charts that you can view on your computer of your local area (mines the gower) to identify banks/wrecks/hazrdas etc preferably with gps co-ordinates john

you can't invite him over to spain on his honey moon for for good weather and 3 Some's....lol only joking congratulations s2vto hope you'll be happy,have some wicked laughs and enjoy yourselves. may have to mean a get together on the gower as a form of send off before the honeymoon in spain john

Cheers Richi as they say a picture is worth a thousand words. have fitted one of them but figured i would try it tomorrow to see if i need to alter the position of the left hand one. boy first time jitters taking a drill to my pride and joy.......done in five minutes mind.......one consideration when doing this.....use a short drill all done and off fishing tomorrow, try a local sheltered spot forthose little chinese fish...whi ting and of course the obligitory doggies, may take the 20gram spinning rod for a bit of fun.. cheers again for all of your advice very usefull. john

i was in the pub last night (yes i had had a few) and was talking with my mate about putting extra bouyancy in the yak either noodles, beach balls, polystyrene from packaging, something along those line. He suggested drilling a small hole on the rear of the yak in an area you would never want to gain access to the inside and squirt it full of expanding foam..........i didn't have an answer to this.... sounds simple and it will only move towards the front of the yak if you put too much in, won't build up an sort of presure damaging the structural integrity. i shouldn't imagine there would be a chemical reaction. any ideas on this....as i said pub conversation so not advocating you do it or that i intend to go on a spending spree in B&Q just wondered what you thought as on first impressions it seems quite plausible to me. john

Cheers guys some excellent replies, i'll get on the case with locking marine grade stainless nuts and bolts then. john

Looking at fitting the bits and bobs i've bought over the last week or two just after clarification that what i plan to do will hold. i'm looking at putting the mounting brakets on sideways so that the extension tube goes into the side of the mounting bracket which will be located on the ridge running along the edges of my prowler 13. i've got a set of taper screws from hook one are these alright to just drill straight in? or do i need to strengthen the area with a cut up chopping board? or should i get some nuts and bolts from the local chandlers instead of the taper screws john

no charges 2 scotty rod holders 2 scotty rod extenders mountings and bits and bobs helped with them marking the box as valued at $40 !!!! now all i have to do is drill holes in a perfectly water tight kayak and catch some fish.... john

hi chris may make the trip down from south wales need to check i'm not on call first but where is the meet planned for, campsite cost, fish being targeted and do i need to bring an estate for the amount of booze needed?? john ps your old prowler is going well

Panic over typical isn't it, the moment i open my trap it turns up the next day well a parcel force note was put through the door. no mention of any customs charges but i have to pick up from the local post office which have tills instead ofthe normal post office depot. does this sound like i will have charges to pay or because its from abroad i pick up from here instead.. cheers for your replies john

oh dear then hopefully turn up otherwise i've just lost a load of money.. mind you i didn't know about an insured option i was offered 2 options and went for the parcel post which they say most guys use.... fingers crossed over the next couple of days then... john

i know a lot of people order from hook one for a couple of scotty rod holders, extensions and base units i put an order in over new year, got an email back saying about increasing the postage costs due to me being in the uk which i paid got acknowledgement and notification that the order had been sent on the 3rd by the cheaper parcel post. i was wondering how long every one elses orders took and whether i'm worrying too much...haven't even had anything through to say they were in customs john

with the cable just wrap it up and stick it in the hull ...don't cut under any circumstances best of luck john