Pompey Matt

Don't you increase your chances of catching various speicies of fish if you use a smaller hook though ? Whereas, if you are using big hooks n big bait then you will only get big fish (if they are there) and would end up blanking more often than not?

Fished at Eastney again lastnight.. 3 shoaly bass, a pouting and a whiting. Here's a pic of the whiting

Sounds like you need to up your line strength and go for 20lb class.

Would you always recommend using a Pennel set-up of say a 6/0 tied and a 4/0 loose for targeting bass with big baits ?

Richard, My mate caught a tub gurnard from Eastney about 3 weeks ago. Hopefully this is a pic of it :-

Nicely put Davie and spot on. Salar - thanks mate p.s. gonna buy me some scales for sure

Yeah but as already stated in this thread, it's difficult to tell from a picture. Having held it and with others there also giving their estimation I am happy with what I feel the size of it was.

didi, It was caught infront of the old MOD radar station at Eastney.

Thanks Bryan, I was certainly chuffed with it. stavey - no this was taken for the table and will be eaten either today or tomorrow.

Yeah was definately nearer 10 than 5 pound

Hi Ken, Unfortunatly not. The guys you can see behind me in the second shot and my mate who I was fishing with all reckoned it was around the 9 - 10 pound mark. Also I caught it on my light bass rod using a size 2/0 and a mackerel head that had been out 2 and a half hours at about 20-30 yards before she struck.

Went fishing on Sunday with my mate. Got straight into some wrasse then all went quiet. Just around high tide this monster decided he was hungry.

Surely this doesn't still happen with species such as Smoothies or dogfish or tope does it ?

Wouldn't mind having a conger grab my bait, gotta beat those 5 ounce bass's Here's a link and pic to the story. www.portsmouthtoday.co.uk/mk4custom...?SectionID=4526

Any of you local (solent area) see in the local newspaper that girl who caught a 44lb conger at Eastney up by Langstone ? Who would have thought eh ? p.s. shonzy and Bryan, sorry I haven't been in touch I've been real busy lately and fishing has taken a back seat but I'll get back to you real soon. Cheers

Good job RichardB and nice report and pics. I feel a trip to just past the inshore rescue station is on the cards for me next time I go fishing

I'd go for a running ledger. IMO the simplest rig to tie and no tangles.

maidstonemike - what rig set-up and bait were you using?

Hi Chris, We've tried lots of marks. 100 yds west of South Parade Pier. 300 yds east of the Pier (by the blocks). By that sapper/marine statue Eastney. By the bunny pipes at the end of Eastney Beach. Clarence Pier. That's all the local marks to me I have tried. Also, Chilling beach/Warsash beach. Hill-head. Milford. Would like to try Chesil at some point but I know it's a huge place and knowing my luck will turn up with 20 quids worth of bait and fish in totally the wrong place. Also would like to try Selsey although have never fished their and again not sure exactly where at Selsey to fish. Also, as I'm not used to casting using a multiplier I like the sound of these 20ft casts. I'm sure I could make that easily

That was the perfect answer to my question Mr Five Bellies. Thanks