Saintly Fish

No blindfold, but he is sat in the under stairs cupboard with no light on.

Neither is Andy... but don't worry your time will come. Ingredients would probably be a good idea. Cod cayenne pepper fresh lemon juice olive oil garlic flake. Cook the cod on 200c for 12 mins after coating with the above. The garlic potatoes and asparagus were cooked together in the oven too, with crushed garlic, salt and butter.

Yeah, he's not suffered tu much from that. Maybe his IQ is higher??

I felt like doing something different than just battered cod and chips. So glad I did. This did the cod justice and the Mrs and son loved it. Gave me a 10/10.

Don't matter if it doesn't really. Would still be the freshest dead bait ever!

Tonight/tomorrow it will be done. He's invested 22 hours so far!!

🤣🤣 you gotta love that brick work. The pointings so tidy!!

Good fishing there Ian. One of my favourite conditions is a blue sky , flat seas and a slight chill in the air. 👍🏻

Leo and I had the pleasure of @Andy135and his son Thomas for the day. Onboard Tarlach Too we set out for the Solent from Port Hamble at 07.30 in search of the Solent unicorn. We had not seen Thomas for over a year, but him and Leo seamlessly picked up their friendship from what seems like the last fart joke they shared! By 08.15 we were at our mark in the western Solent, rods baited and sent down to the depths in eagerness by 08.30, just in time for the pick up of the strongest part of the tide. I had studied the relief shading chart the night before and hatched a plan to fish slightly off of where I would normally set the hook on this mark. Andy was first into the fish with an ever so eager LSD (what else?). Than a lull in proceedings. After about an hour I was in and a nice plump 4.5lb codling was expertly netted and bought aboard for dispatch. It had after all swallowed the hook. This catch set the tone for the next couple of hours with frantic fishing being expertly executed. Shame no more fish were caught though. We waited for the slack water period to end and just before the tide changed I recommended a slight repositioning to fish a drop offs edge on the flood. So we picked up and re dropped 200 yards North/West of where we originally were. Andy was having rattles consistently and in the true professional manner only he has mastered, he shock them off before winding in. The boys in the mean time were hunkered up in the V berth playing video games, blowing up balloons and making the rudest fart noises they possibly could with the escaping air! Soon Andy managed to not shake off a whiting and it was collected for the pot, around a 3/4lb fish. This was followed by another of around the same size, so plenty of white flesh for fish fingers! Then on Leo's rod the faintest of bites was seen, and then seen again by my keen eyes. Good job it wasn't close range vision work or I'd be fucked. Anyway, I lifted into the bite and sure enough fish on and Leo took over🙄. He landed another nice little codling around 3.5lb this time. He was well chuffed. But I could sense @Andy135 was turning greener and greener with envy. I didn't want him to feel bad so I kept quiet. That was it. 15.38 we hauled in the anchor and set for home. Once the boat was tied up and unloaded, some merriment ensued and the cut of Leo's jib went straight through the heart of Andy, who was exclaiming about our cod and his lack of, when Leo remarked "Well that's why they call it fishing not catching Andy"!!!! Ouch......🤣 My fish of the day... Leo's fish of the day.. Andy's fish of the day.. 🎣 The journey home.. The motley crew... Thanks boys, a great way to start 2023!! 👍🏻

Nice going young man. Must be hard for a lad who looks lighter than the quarry to reel that in!!

Nice one Jon. Now we just wait for the shark report!!

You too @willyhookit👍🏻

Good luck with that then!! Some people just don't have a scooby.

I prefer Stella tbh!

That's true, but I tend to look 2-3 days past the day I wanna fish. And they don't look good in the slightest.

However, having just checked again, we in the Solent are looking at W/SW 14-24mph winds now!

Yep, I've also had my eye on this tiny window of opportunity. 🤞🏻

Yep defo nothing much happening atm. I'm looking at a potential weather window for the 2nd!! 🤞🏻

Don't worry, there's still time. The PO is striking all the time atm!!

I think maybe unlucky??

I got an invite to @mike farrants mums, but the Vaseline put me off!!

The fishing has not be prolific for me this year either. Mainly down to time restraints and poor skills. But a couple of highlights were a nice 8.4lb bass and a few double figure stingrays. It was great to have @suzook12 and his lad Mikey on TT for the day, we must do that again. What sticks in my mind the most though is being out on Jersey Girl with @Andy135 and Leo's vastly under gunned rod being taken by something unstoppable whilst out sharking. Isn't it always the way that the big fish go for the small baits not meant for them!! I will miss going out with Andy on Jersey girl if im honest ☹️. Anyways, here's looking forward to my 50th year and making more time for fishing (🌈). Good luck to you all, and hopefully a fruitful season. Oh, and maybe I'll get that uninvite to the blackwater!!!

TBF this e-card is regurgitated from last year, mainly because @Andy135 couldn't be bothered this year!! Think we should all call him grinch not ginge!

= Neil. Was good to meet you both too Steph! 🎄