Paul Molyneux

Hi I have recently purchased a Rule 401C pump from the US. The pump is designed to work below the waterline through the hull and to draw sea water through the hull and then on through an outlet tube to the Livewell. I intend to fit the pump through the side of a portable container in the boat about 24" from the water level. My aim is to attach a tube from the inlet direct to the sea to draw water to the pump into the Livewell. Will I have trouble drawing the water up to the pump? Do you have any ideas of how I could achieve this? I look forward to hearing from anyone who may be able to help. Cheers

Steve It would appear that I might need two pairs, amber photo-chromic for low light conditions and continuous density Grey for brighter conditions. Sportfish are doing them for £95, not £99 but only advertise black frames with Key Largo Grey lenses or Tortoiseshell frames with photo-chromic copper lenses. I might need to get a pair of amber ones from the states. Thanks again for the help All the best Paul

Steve I have done some homework on the sunglasses. I can see why you are using Guides Choice. There seems to be a fair old choice with these glasses. Glass/Polycarbonite and various shade colours which include copper. I think I would favour glass photochromic lenses over the plastic as well. I have always had good quality sunglasses like Raybans etc but not polarized which would be useful for fishing. (Didn't need them in the dark). I'm pretty sure that I will go for this make! I have also seen Smiths Ocean Optics Fishbones. They seem to be of a similar quality. The only dealer that I can see that will supply the Guides Choice here is Sportfish and they are £99. Seems reasonable for a good set of shades! I have been looking through a lot of the American sites. There is a massive choice from this manufactuer an some will deliver to the UK. Are you familier with the copper type glass lense? Paul

Sorry Steve! You will get neck ache looking at the last picture. regards

Steve You are quite right on the photo. The picture was taken by a friend called Mike Millman. He is very well known down this part of the country. The Jumper was a legacy from Ted Tuckerman another fishing journlist also well known down here. He was renowned for his patterned jumpers which became all the rage, so he's to blame! Those fish were caught on 14th October 1978 on live eel at around 01:30 in the morning off a North Cornwall beach with the largest fish being 10lb 2ozs. My friend caught and lost the bigger fish in the surf. I was further out and managed to stop it going back out to sea. I have kept marks and times of all fish caught over the years. My passion in those days though was Smalleyed Ray and I fished mostly for that species. You might find the attachment below interesting. I think that an evenings catch like this would be hard to repeat now. Thanks for the info on the sunglasses! I did pop out yesterday morning first light. I did not catch a fish but had something jump at the Sandeel Aile Magnet slider. I'm not sure what it was as is all happened very quickly. It wasn't very large and looked quite thin. I know there is not much chance of picking much up at this time of the year but it beats sitting at home and there always is that small chance. Good to get used to the new gear as well. I will persevere with the plugging though tell I get some some fish, probably next spring. I will probably fish for SE Ray, Bull Huss and Conger till then regards Paul Molyneux

Steve Hope you had a nice Christmas! Will join BASS. Any ideas on a good pair of polarised sunglasses? Wishing you a happy and productive 2007 Paul

You guys have been brilliant! I have 2 of these lures in the 125mm 30gm size of that colour. I am not sure about the size though. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who uses the 125mm size I have no doubt that you are very successful Snatcher and I did clock your lure when you mailed me a picture of your Greys GRX. Any other pointers would be very welcome. Take your mind back to when you took your 1st Bass on plug and the joy you got from that. I am yet to get that feeling and it looks as if I will have to wait a while. Maybe April/May Below are some Bass that we did catch on live eel of a North Cornwall Beach. I'm the one in the "dazzling jumper"

Thanks Ken! Any feedback is useful! I am age 53 and have been a serious Shore angler for around 40 years now. I have managed to learn much over the years and have caught some decent fish. Other than fishing marks I have always shared info with other anglers. I must confess that my knowledge of plugging for Bass is zero and I start as a novice although I am learning qickly thanks to some of the more experienced pluggers who use this site. I did hook a cracking Bass many years ago on an Abu Krill which was my favourite lure only to lose the fish right at the waters edge!

Del Gone a bit mad with the Lures! You are welcome to borrow some whenever you want! Paul

Thanks for the encouragement Steve! I will let you know when I catch one on plug. Since your earlier posting I have ordered 3 X 9cm Skitter Pops in Silver Mackerel, Mullett & Blue Mullet. I know I have probably bought more lures than I need overall but will not need to buy anymore for a while.

Good Morning Steve! Oddly enough I ordered 2 9cms in Silver Mackeral and Mullet. I sent them back and exchanged them for 12's. I think they were SSP09's Saltwater but the hooks were dark. I had better get some on order! I will tell you what I have bought so far in the lure line 7 X 125mm 30g Aile Magnet SB Sliders (I have lost one already due to a knot in the braid) 2 X Large Chug Bugs 2 X 12cm Skitter Pops 1 X Maria 30cm Chase 1 X Maria Anglel Kiss 1 X Rapala J13 in Blue 1 X Rapala SL 13 Sliver in Sandeel 1 X Crystal Minnow 110mm 11gm Floating 1 X Crystal Minnow 130mm 18gm Floating 1 X Crystal Minnow 130mm Suspending 1 X Chug Bug CB08 Tenesee Shad How does this lot sound? Any advice would me most welcome. Is there anything I have missed? You know the rest of my tackle, as my earlier conversations with you played a major part in my choice. The braid is new to me. Went for the Dynon MCT in 24.3lb. Have had the odd knot I have met Delj who I have been talking to on the site. He came down to my house and brought with him the video, Still Hooked on Bass and the book with Mike Ladle & Alan Vaugn. I did notice that ML started fishing in the video 1 mile West of Plymouth but could not work out the size of the Skitter Pop I can now put a face to your name! I am very keen to be successful at plugging and am long enough in the tooth to know that I will need to be very patient. I am lucky enough to live in a very good area and have taken Bass to over 8lb on live eel from the shore within walking distance of my house, in fact the last 2 issues of TSF have featured this area. Thanks again for the help!

Superb! I hope to be successful with this type of fishing. I do need to take my 1st bass on lure to give me more confidence

Jay Thanks for the info, I guess I have decided to start plugging very late in the season although I did catch up with some anglers this week that had caught 2 Bass using normal bait, they were both good size Bass one was 6lb+ the other 5lb+. Interesting regarding your comments regarding the Bass being a bit sluggish this time of the year for surface lures. Yes I do fish in this country and live in Wembury, South Devon, but are more use to rock fishing for Smalleyed Ray locally and Bass fishing with live eel off the North Cornwall beaches. I will only feel comfortable with plugging when I take my 1st Bass this way.

Thanks Bobj I can't wait to get my 1st Bass on surface popper. I will leave the hooks on though!!!!!!

I would be interested to here from pluggers that have been successful with surface poppers. I have bought a couple of the large Chug Bugs, a few of the large Duel Aile magnet slider SB's and a couple of 12cm 40gm Skitter Pops. I was wondering if the 9cm 14gm saltwater version of the Skitter Pop was as effective. For some reason the larger Skitter Pops don't seem to have tail feathers wheras the 9cm 14gm saltwater version does. Any feedback would be most grateful