AlderneyBassman

Now he's got one of these so he can drive over any rocks in the way!!! http://sealegs.co.nz/index.asp

Then he clouted a rock with it! Then he clouted another rock with the gin palace he replaced it with, ripping one sterndrive clean off and trashing the other

Not if our efforts yesterday are anything to go by Puffin! True, we did find some mullet. But failed to hook any!

Well it's all over for another year, and at last I've got time to get in front of the PC. My week started brilliantly with a black bream of 3-1-10 falling to floatfished bread, not at all uncommon here. Soon after I had a Couch's bream on the bottom rod of 1-4-0, that fell to legered verm (a type of ragworm only found in the C.I.) So at the first weigh in I had 2 species on the leader board That night my angling partner Puffin (from this forum) went for a combination of conger on one rod and legered worm on the other to see what was about. My luck had obviously run out as I blanked but Puffin's conger rod suddenly registered a cracking run. His live pout bait had been snaffled and I soon had to swap the gaff for a landing net when I saw a cracking bass thrashing on the surface Puffin was over the moon when it turned out to be a PB of 9-9 Not only that he repeated the feat soon after with another of 6-5, on the same pout too!! Tight arse So after one day we were flying, 3 fish on the board (only allowed one fish per category) and looking forward to the rest of the week. Thats when it started going wrong Its all a bit of a blur of fishing and snatching a few hours kip when you can. Eating becomes an afterthought too, drinking a nono About midweek I had a golden grey mullet which was half an ounce under the qualifying weight, the Puffin had one of 1-13-6 which made it 2 on the board for him . The pairs prize was looking good for us! The next to last day, Friday, saw me stalking the golden greys and I was rewarded with a corker of 2-8-0 which made it another fish for me That afternoon we were mulleting and Puffin had one of about 3lb, one of many during the week for him, when I decided to ring the changes and go wrassing a bit further along the rocks. After a quiet hour I had the bite which you know is the one, just a slight tremble then the crab is engulfed and the rod arches over. Fish on! She went 6-5-0 and I kept her alive until the weigh in to be returned. That made 4 fish for me and 2 for Puffin, the pairs look safe The last morning saw us at it again, Puffin still after the elusive mullet (to 3-12 this time) and me after a garfish over 1lb. Suffice to say we failed but we had some good news that our team member in the 4's had a Couch's bream of 2-7-10 worth 127%, so now the team prize looked promising. The Festival finished at midday and I found out I had done enough to lift the best CI angler trophy : Later at the presentation our efforts were rewarded with best pairs for Puffin and me plus best team of 4 for our team The drinking wansn't a nono that night A great but totally exhausting week we had

Great idea Stoaty, simple but effective. It's worked in trout fisheries for years as a way of judging how many have been caught, therefore how many have to be re-stocked. Lets face it, most anglers like to tell people what they have caught.

Having read the proposals I notice that it constantly refers to charter boats visiting Alderney. But towards the end it says "The Department has invited Alderney and Sark to consider implementing similar restrictions in their territorial waters" So is this just a Guernsey law which they are hoping Alderney will go along with? If Alderney States decide not to oblige we'll be busier than ever

Whiplash for me (ooeerrr missus)! Much thinner than others, especially Fireline, which works better in the fast tides in Alderney. Just got some Fireline XDS for plugging and that looks good.

An LPG conversion sounds interesting Especially if it saves 70p a litre! Anyone know any more??

While bass fishing using whole mackerel fillets I found they were getting stripped by mullet. So I added a short snood with a size 6 baited with a sliver of mackerel. The result was a hectic session with mullet to over 5lb, golden greys, bream and a 9lb bass! So there you go Sam, sort of swimfeeder fishing!

The water taxi for the yachties here uses a 28hp Yanmar diesel outboard as its so economical. Its also bigger and heavier than my Etec90 though so I dont think you would see many on a modern fast fisher. Or maybe you would need many but then you'll sink!!!

Sure will be To be honest I'm a bit out of touch with the shore angling at this time, the boats more fun! Mark at alderneyangling is your best bet for up to date reports. But if I see you Toby, I'll come and have a chat.

Yes the Evinrudes use hardly any oil, but only if you use their XD100 synthetic oil. And that costs me 50 euros for 3 1/2 litres

My Evinrude Etec 90 2 stroke has a sticker on it saying it complies with 2006 EU emissions regulations.

Mine's 8lb 4oz caught on green weed hookbait in 1991, on April the first

I like it so much I moved here! In fact there are quite a few ex UK anglers here who have taken the step over the channel and have not regetted it.

A lot of good common sense written there Bill, well done!

Braid. Nothing else comes close!

Toerag did offer to pick me up from Alderney to go with him. Unfortunately for him I turned him down to finish sorting my boat Now mine's in I'll go and find the beast and return his treasured weight

There is one mark I fish for bass that I can only use whole joey mackerel as the mullet can strip a fillet down in minutes! They even suck at the soggy end of a mackerel head. But I have had many mullet on mackerel flesh as bait, usually when shirvying with a minced fish groundbait. As Toerag says gars and pollack are a pain but its a great way to catch bream too

I agree with the cuttle theory. They are a pain in the @rse here and will completely muller a fishbait in minutes. I've even had loads on hard crab when wrasse fishing.

Cheers 101, that looks like what I want. Looks like a blood loop but easier to tie in a string. Like your idea too Jim. Thanks

I've made up some "feathers" for catching launce using various bits of xmas decorations and wrapping paper Now I need to make them into strings of 6. Anyone know of an easy to tie knot to make the droppers in the "string"? I've tried the blood loop but its pain to get the spacing between them right.

Great story and a great eel! Gotta be a 50+. My missus had a 44-12 off there a few years ago. 2lb bigger than my biggest and she keeps reminding me

Not jigged, caught on rag on the bottom though

No wind up Ken. If I remember rightly it was a mullet from Aberthaw power station reservoir of over 14lb IMO should not be counted as its a land locked water. The 11-14 mullet caught here donkeys years ago should be the record.