ever optimistic

not an ice thought

@Odysseymust think we're giving his jokes the cold shoulder...

and that's snow joke.

just to add my two pennyworth, for shallow water I use a food processor to mince old fish and baits into a sludge(add a little water or fish oil if it is too thick) the put into ziplock bags, about 6''x4'' I think, whilst filling the bags add a few stones to ensure it sinks then freeze. I find it a good way to have a constant stream of ground bait , just cut the bag of the frozen lump and chuck a little upstream of the boat and it should land right under the back of the boat right where the baits are. 

Caught the usual 7.30 AM lock out and made a short 15min steam up to a mark I wanted to try just off the Cardiff north buoy
With all the other boats (all 3 locks full) seemingly heading straight out, or west, just a couple ended up nearby
With only 2 hrs ish left of the flood, the pick was dug in and baits hastily cast out, where straight away one started nodding
Target species on the first cast, albeit no monster at 4lb 4, but achieved nonetheless
While I was waiting for MY rod to twitch, Mark was in again with a smaller Codling of just over 3lb
Next to pull a Cod over the gunnels was mike, with a fish of bang on 5lb, to say he was pleased is like saying Hitler was a bit of a bugger
Really pleased for Mike as he's into his 70's, can only drop off the back due to shoulder injuries (old ones) but still comes out whenever he can and loves fishing
Slack water produced the Congers and as soon as we had a bit of tide, upped anchor and moved a couple of 100 yds to a mark that looked really fishy (gradual bank with a deep hole behind it
This gave Mark his 3rd Codling of 2.5lb and absolutely nothing (not even a bite) for me or Mike in the 2 hrs we stayed there
Made a move a bit closer to home for the final anchor drop, off Cardiff foreshore
Here I finally caught a Codling, all of about 4 inches, so sent it back down to get a bit fatter
All 4 Codling were full of crab, making a change from sprat and sandeel
Decided to come in earlier than planned due to the sheer amount of boats out there, so caught the 2.45 lock back in, where we stopped and had a chat with a charter boat we know
He had been out since 6 am and had dropped off his first party of anglers and had his second on board ready to go back out through the locks
His first trip yielded 6 Codling between the 10 on board and within 2 hrs of going back out, had 10 with 4 or 5 between 7.5 and 9.5lb and finished the night with 14 in total
I had planned on a trip out this teatime to the same mark the charter had been on, but woke up this morning feeling like I'd been runover, so gave it a miss
Speaking to some others in the lock back in and not all boats are finding them just yet
But, there are some good signs

When I was younger I was blessed with an 8" cock
 
 
 
Unfortunately, it belonged to Father O'Malley

A man is alone in an airport lounge. A beautiful woman walks
in and sits down at the table next to him.
He decides, because she's wearing a uniform, she's probably an
off-duty stewardess.
So he decides to have a go at picking her up by identifying
the airline she flies for, thereby impressing her greatly.
He leans across to her and says the British Airways motto :
'To Fly. To Serve'.
The woman looks at him blankly. He sits back and thinks up another line.
He leans forward again and delivers the Air France motto:
'Winning the hearts of the world'.
Again she just stares at him with a slightly puzzled look on
her face.
Undeterred, he tries a third time, this time saying the Malaysian
Airlines motto:
'Going beyond expectations'.
The woman looks at him sternly and says:
'What the fuck do you want?'
'Ah ha!' he says,
"Ryanair".

Has a single Volvo Penta D4-225.  Lives in Northney Marina at the moment. 

New post folks on the essex anglers blog site. Hope you like it. Codling, sole and more on the blackwater using a technique I have not tried before.
 
https://essexanglers.co.uk/sliders-on-the-beach-with-surprisingly-good-results/
 
 

For the first time in ages I was able to get afloat this Sunday 29th.
I had planned on launching from Herne Bay as the wind was forecast a lot lighter than on the South Coast.
With this in mind I planned a blast over to the NE Spit area to try and find a Cod or Spur.
Unfortunately, upon arriving at Herne Bay for an 8.15am launch there was more wind than expected and it was coming in from the North East, so on the nose (almost) if I were to run to the Spit. As the tides and daylight hours were making for a short day I decided against the long run east and settled on a mark in the Copperas Channel, west of the Reculver towers. The bottom here is a mix of sand, mud and chalk boulders and holds lots of shrimps and crabs.
I anchored in 7m of water and set-to fishing. I wanted to get a good scent trail in the water so had 2 x 12lb class downtiders with size 1/0 hooks bated with lug and squid, and 2 x uptiders with 2/0 hooks baited with herring and squid wraps.
I needn't of bothered trying to draw fish to the boat as the sea-bed was alive with 6oz to 1lb whiting. My first rod was bouncing away to a bite before I had the second rod baited.
In all I must have had 70 whiting in the 4 hours fishing!
I mentioned 2 surprises and the first was in the form of a very welcome change from whiting, a nice big, meal-sized Dab.
The second surprise started when one of the downtiders rattled to a whiting bite. Before I could put my quiche (posh I know) down the rod buckled over and line started to pour off the reel at a good pace. I dropped said quiche and grabbed the rod, tightened the drag and thought (as the pull was very good and solid and heavy) BIG COD.
I have to say the quiche was wasted in vain as the rod went very light after about 20 seconds and i was left to reel in the rather mangled remains of a sad looking whiting.
Whilst unhooking the carcass I was looking at the damage to it and wondering what had taken it as the tooth marks  weren't Cod-like or Thornback-like either.
My answer came 10 seconds later when a Seal surface not 20ft off the stern of the boat! 
I'm not sure whether he or I were the more miffed at lunch being spoiled!
High tide came and went and the ebb got underway and the whiting just kept coming. It was a shame more were not of a better size but at least I got out, gave the boat a good run and had a very pleasant, short day, getting home in good time to a lovely hot beef stew.
Until next time, tight lines and keep safe. John

If a girl shags more than 10 guys in a year she's called a slut
But if a bloke does it
 
 
 
 
He's gay, definitely gay.

Sure looks like a bloater to me. 

Lol. No need to ban(tam) anyone.

fell off my perch  laughing

Don't stop 'em Jon. They'll become eggbound.

gor blumy all those chicken joaks, this site should suck sead on this alone,makes me feal eggmatick just reading this.
 

The lone free ranger would still know. Geoff.

should be a claws that we all agree first, if not I fear problems when the chicken come home to roost.

its all to much , I can't coop with it.
 

Don't give up Luke, your jokes always seem to get the most replies - I wonder why? Geoff.