Jim from Cork

Thanks Andy and Joel, Have doe a bit of ordering of bits 'n bobs! Now down to the serious business! I was out tonight rattling some conger. I was taking some pics. I have attached two pics: both were taken in a very short space of time. The lighting was sort of mellow as it was around 1930. I took one and then tried my normal fill-in flash technique Which is the nicer photo? Be gentle with me but all constructive comments/hints for improvement are welcome!

My apologies for not being clearer! My photography mainly consists of “fishing” pictures. Nearly all are taken on board a boat (sometimes a rocking one!). To give you a flavour of a general days pictures: A couple of shots of our boat or another buddy boat under way (travelling at up to 30knts) here I usually use the multi-burst function of the DSC. A few fishing action shots, rod bent style, a few of fish on traces, fish in the water or in the landing net. A few standard trophy shots. An attempt at some sort of more obscure shots, maybe a close up fish head, a close up of a baited hook or lure or something like that! I must check out the book: Aperture Priority Mode Thanks, Jim.

Morning Lads, I have been keeping an eye on this forum for a while and am impressed with the quality of the images reproduced and the advice given out. I recently came into the possession of a Sony A100 DSLR. All my photos to date have been taken on a Sony DSC-P100. While I can still see me using my compact for many on-boat pictures as composing an image from the screen seems easier, I want to get the best out of my DSLR. Apart from the camera and the two lenses, what would be the bits of kit I should carry with me in my case? My 18-70 lens has a polarising filter fitted. I also have a 75-100 lens. Should I fit a filter to this as well for protection? Could you guys put together a bit of an “idiots guide” to having the correct basic equipment…. What type cloth for brushing off dust… etc. Usually with my DSC I use a fill-in flash (to help clear shadows and give the fish a nice vibrant feel). I have tried the same process with the DSLR and have found the picture looks too bright (is this over exposed?) is a DSLR able to capture more light?. Cheers, Jim.

Giltheads are becoming popular in this neck of the woods as well. I would agree with your opinions on the fighting qualities of the species, incredible! They first began to show up around Cork in 2003. They were listed on the Irish Specimen Fish Committee’s (IFSC) list last year. The current Irish record (3.69lb) has been broken this year already, with a long time to go yet who knows what the record will be next year. Given that the English record is over 9lbs and the French is over 16lb who knows where it’ll end up! It would appear that estuarine environments are best. It would also appear that the fish move from mark to mark with the tide often leaving a short window in which to catch them in a particular location. They seem to hang about in shoals. They bite quite savagely which would hint at competition amongst the shoal for food. Has this been your experience? The only note of concern over here is what effect (if any) the gilthead will have on native species that inhabit the same environment like bass. Hopefully the bream will thrive without squeezing out the native fish. An article on them was published in the ISFC report for 2005. You can view it here: http://www.irish-trophy-fish.com/reports/pdf/ISFC05.pdf the article is on page 59. There is an article in this months Sea Angler by Gordon Thornes about fishing for bream in Ring (Clonakilty, Co.Cork). I don’t know if you can get Irish Angler (A DHP publication, they do TSF) over where you are. I know It’s available in Anglesea, there’ll be a bream article in next months issue (August) out the first week of July. Tight lines, Jim.

I think Dave would be more into the "individual" type fishing competitions on charter boats. I think he has a boat but it is a pilot house and probably over 22' (not really in the "small boat" category). The CSBF is a team event, prizes are awarded to the boat that catches the most species rather than the angler.

Cork Small Boats Festival 2007 September 21 -- September 28 Ireland's Premier Small Boats Festival Info at: Skua Angling