Martyn

You could start off at Ladye Bay (just round the corner from the pier) and see how you get on and go to the pier later. Good fishing there. A Dover Sole of 4lb caught from the pier in 1943 held the record for many years. Maybe there is another there by now! Martyn

When I used to go on charters I was sick 50% of the trips, rough or calm didn't seem to make any difference.I knew on the drive down whether it was going to be a good day or a pig. (All in the mind!) Since I have had my own boat for the last 6 years, never (touch wood!) been sick although have often felt queezy and been near to it. My "cures": - Never sit down - Eat non greasy food early and regularly - and recently, having seen it mentioned a few times, eat ginger. I love the stuff so didn't need persuading. I buy bags of sugar coated crystalised ginger, and keep dipping into it - lovely! I have never felt even slightly queezy since I started using it. I don't care if it is psychological or not. It works for me and I love it! Give it a try - nothing to lose except maybe your teeth with all that sugar :-) Martyn

Try Freshwater ridge. A big sand bank a couple of miles due south of Freswater Bay on the South side of the Island. Easily spotted on a chart. Occasional Turbot and Brill (the one and only ever on my boat, 2.5lb last year )and some good bass. Good luck but be careful going round the Needles if you don't know the area. Ask the locals first. Good luck! Martyn

Elton What exactly are those rods doing? Mine never do that! :-) Matyn

Now now Davy, don't start that off again. You know you can't uptide in 400 ft, only cast forward from where the boat sits and let the weight grip up tide of the boat!! Hold tight! Martyn

Steve said "I'd also ike to apologise on behalf of my ancestors for Musselini, AC Milan, Parmesan cheese and Fiat cars!" I don't think you should be quite so apologetic Steve. I like Parmesan cheese! :-) Martyn

Try Chappel Point, just West of Portmelon. Long spit of reef with a fair tide running over it flanking a sandy bay. Bit of a walk but might be worth it! Good luck

Congratulations Elton! Excellent site that continues to flourish. Keep up the good work. Martyn

I stand corrected Jaffa! and thanks for the info. Obviously I am out of date and the data you give is fascinating. Scotland certainly dominates and I was surprised the Libs have such a presence in those areas, but what chance have they got of changing anything. Blair will continue to bow to pressure from Europe and to our own commercial fleet to try to win back their vote. The basic point is that they don't understand how people that fish and shoot can do it for pleasure. I also respect your views on "heads in the sand" and I am sure there are some responsible ones out there but I am still convinced there are many that take the short term "grab it now" attitude. Still, that's another issue that we could debate for hours :-)

Here's another one in the real world Steve. The Tories may have their faults, after all they are politicians, but at least they have a background of supporting blood sports (and don't let's kid ourselves, that is what we do), whereas New Labour are mostly townies who simply cannot understand us. An even bigger danger is the Labour practice of selling support to the highest bidder. F1 and tobacco ads, the anti hunting brigade etc. PETA is very rich. Ignore this at our peril! Most of the the Commercial fleet that are destroying stocks, with their heads in the sand, are in Labour heartland. If they stay in power we (and the fish) don't stand a chance.

You could use the 1 ton bag to put your yak and tackle in to carry it home :-)

Maximus. I'm a "just in case" case. However I did get caught out once. Walked along to the end of Bossington (1 mile of pebbles) loaded up to the gunnels as normal except I couldn't understand why I was on my knees when I got there. I found out when I opened up the box and found a bucket full of boat leads that I had forgotten to take out. Next tester- should I sling them before the treck back? No. I humped them all the way back!

I used to use one of those release button thingies. I works ok but the plastic was a bit soft and after a good few casts the line cut in making a groove and then it didn't work. Principle was sound though. You strap it onto the butt (foot facing down) behind the fixed spool reel and trap the line behind the button. Hold the button down and cast, releasing the button allowing the line to go at the "right" moment. Basically you are using it instead of your finger. Go on - try it!

I'll probably get a load of hate mail for saying it but I do have sympathy for the commercial guys. I accept that fish is an important source of food and that it is getting more difficult for you guys to make a living. The problem is that there are quite a number of your brethren who adopt the ostrich position with regard to conservation. They just keep scraping every living thing out of the sea and complain that there is nothing left. As always the difficult bit is finding the right balance. The fact is there are simply too many of you guys trying to share an ever diminishing resource. It is no different to the once great manufacturing industry. Improved technology and competition has forced the mass loss of jobs to get the balance right. I'm afraid that has to happen in fishing too. Drastic restrictions in fishing areas, net sizes etc. less plundering of fish stocks, fewer commercial fishermen, higher prices, may just save the industry for a smaller number of people to make a decent living with sustainable stocks. I've been made redundant in the past and I have made other people redundant, and I do sympathise, but these days that's just the way it is. No 'jobs for life' any more.

9-12 inches of broom handle or similar. Wrap a 6" length of 2" wide lead flashing (used to find it on church roofs but not any more :-)) around the handle at one end. Drop of glue and a couple of galvonised nails to hold it in place and bingo! the perfect priest. I also use mine to mash up chum in a bucket.

I got an excellent bait dropper from "Stainless Steve" in Lymington. Heavy duty ss, size of a small saucepan, full of holes. Could be used as a dropper or feeder. A 2lb lead usually held it down on heavy braid. If you want one, try about 1/2 mile NW of the Needles in about 20mtrs. That is where I left mine when I charged off one day forgetting to wind it in!!!! Martyn

Hey Macky If you are spragop where the hell is Morag? (I think I went out with her once)

The clutch is useless with line over 20lb bs as you can't put enough pressure on. Everything else is fine, no bearings to worry about, simple gearing, plastic and chromed brass, super big handle. When it was made about 40 years ago it was great, been left behind now but still ok for a simple beginners boat reel. Drop of oil once a year and it lasts forever. [/QB] I never had any problem locking my 624 up with 80lb dacron to whack out some BIG conger. Mind you, that might be because I never gave mine even a single drop of oil in the last 30 years, just a run under the tap!! But then I'm only a simple beginner so it suits me! :-)

Great reels those Mitchels. 624, 600, 602 I still use them occasionally now after 30 years. Bit heavy compared with todays technology but they will see me out that's for sure Cheers Martyn

[ 26. October 2004, 10:07 PM: Message edited by: Martyn ]

Here is an approach you might want to try I once saw some undersize bass on sale so asked the fishmonger whether they were farmed or wild. (To me they looked farmed, all the same size and a bit 'tired') Fishmonger sounded offended and assured me they were wild! I asked was he sure. He said yes and the Cornish fisherman who supplied them would be insulted if it was suggested they were farmed. So I then told him I was going to report him to MAFF for selling undersize wild bass. And I did! MAFF man was very helpful and promised to follow it up. The only downside was that during the rather heated exchange between fishmonger and me my wife had a whole litter of kittens and won't go near a fishmonger with me ever again! Martyn

A warning to us all! Yet another wake up call for all of us to join the Countryside March on the 22nd September. Martyn [ 04. September 2002, 06:55 PM: Message edited by: Martyn ]