Scotch_Egg2012

Last few years has been dire for them everywhere but the Solent threw more up than outside. Last year the Cod pool on Dointhedo charter boat was won by a 4lb Cod from Browndown he puts a fair amount of time in outside the Solent

Meant to add end of October onwards is when we'll start to fish it. Stay in the Solent for them in Sept/Oct all the usual spots, Brambles, Lepe, Ryde middle, Gilkicker etc they tend to come into the Solent before heading out to the Nab areas end of October onwards. Last few years the Solent has out fished Needles and Nab almost like they came straight into the Solent and didn't head back out

I use Nab area as a guide, if you head out and its lumpy at the Nab it will be much worse at the Spoils.

A spot I've fished a lot, don't go there in tides above a 4.3m measured at Southampton you'll need a car to hold bottom. Also be careful with the weather because it does rough up there with not a lot of wind. I'll not be heading there in anything above 10mph SW, but you can fish a F4 NE bit lumpy but fish able. Ray is a master at catching Cod and its his No 1 spot, he's had a lot out of there upto 30lb PM if you want some numbers

Had Friday off work to extend the bank holiday and headed out with Ray on his Osprey after the sole again. Firstly we were going to look for some mackerel. Motored round Stokes Bay and as we were nearing Browndown the sea was alive with birds, I've not seen that many birds working in the Solent for a lot of years. Out went the feathers and we were into fish straight away. A mixture of Scad, Bass and Mackerel. Spent the next hour having fun with them. Keep 50 macks and released all the Scad and Bass. Onto our Sole mark but we're happy to see birds working all the way up to Hillhead. Surprised to see no boats on the Sole grounds guessing the predicted wind may have put them off, the wind did not materialise and it ended up being a nice evening. I had made up a rig specifically for Sole and was happy for it to land me one on the first drop. Ray had also made a very similar rig and between us we boated 16 Sole ranging from large slips to 2lb'ers. Called it a night when bites died off but happy with the result. Sunday would be a day on my own boat targeting triggerfish, I have a mark that does produce them albeit later in the year but decided with the given NE wind it would be a comfortable spot to have a go. Sadly the triggers didn't show but we actually had a fun day on light gear with 6 different species turning up. Smoothound, Bass, Conger, tons of Black Bream, Ballan wrasse and Corkwing wrasse. The wind picked up around lunchtime and held us off of the reef we were fishing so time to move and see if we could get a few Gilthead Bream on the boat. I have a mark for them but haven't fished it yet and now was a good time to try. Made the move but again the Gilts didn't show. Lots of Black Bream and Wrasse but no Gilts. Enjoyed both trips as it gave me a chance to put both my lure rods (purchased a second Kanji in the week) to good use and they performed well casting 4-5 oz a long way with ease. Didn't get much chance of pictures on the Sunday as I left my phone at home but Pete bagged the best Wrasse just over 2lbs

I think a lot of issues with mullet come from misidentification. It's very difficult to tell thick from thins when they are swimming around. It can be done but it ain't easy. The two species require very different tactics and aren't normally caught on the wrong tactics. Thins like a mepps type spinner with a worm bait in close trail, whereas thicks will ignore that in favours of bread, fish flake, maggots etc. Thins usually ignore those baits. I've seen lots of anglers throwing bread in front of thins and it get totally ignored much to their frustration. A few pointers to help anyone interested these aren't hard and fast but combined will usually result in a correct ID. If you are looking at a Shoal of 5 or more fish swimming round and flashing their sides I'd be starting to think thins. Thick are generally seen in smaller shoals. If you can get a good look 2 features on thins to look for, a black spot at the base of the pectoral fin and to me their heads look too long as they have shorter pectorals than thicks, so looks like they have dumpy fins. Behaviour is a key, usually they are thins if you see lots of bow waves in the margins combined with swimming down to the bottom and coming up with mud streaming out of their gills, as previously they do this in shoals. Not usual behaviour seen in thicks. Location, under pontoons, around boat hulls or structure usually thicks, thins tend to spend more time out in the open often in the margins Just a few pointers that can help get a good ID. My favourite though, chuck out some surface flakes 9 out 10 a thick will hit it, thins will ignore it... But not always............ 😂😂😂

No bling for Sole, They can be quite finicky. As Neil said the rig needs to be nailed on the seabed. Shortish hook length size 4 hooks Season July/August/September They'll take Rag & Lug, but also at times squid or mackerel strips.

If they are there look for the sand banks, I know Chesil and Preston beaches produce them

Are we still able to order hoodies?

Mudbanks mate just off of Calshot if you want the numbers I'll send them to you

With the current weekend forecast being a write off we took the opportunity to head out last night in the weather window for a bit of Sole fishing. Turned into a nice evening with a few Sole turning up Only fished til 12 but we ended up with 11 in the 1-2lb range with the biggest just under 2.5lb. First time I've fished the spot in over 15yrs so glad it still produces Ray managed the 2 biggest

I've been seriously looking at slow jigging and done a lot of reading up on it. From what I've seen the jig needs to be worked vertically so if you anchored with tide running the jig would be pulled away from the boat and not work effectively. It'd be OK at slack water. With tide running you'd need to drift and cast it ahead of your drift so when it's in the zone you want it's under you and working vertically. You described a lot of what I've watched when saying to retrieve and flutter up through the water column. You're covering all the ground doing it that way. I've thought about them for wrecking when the tide goes slack. The shad catches seem to die off and I thought a slow jig might winkle something out

Some big thick lipped at the head of the creeks perfect to have a go at on the kayak.

Newtown has a healthy stock of mullet, I'd be tempted take a few loaves of bread 🥖 and have a dabble. It is a beautiful spot.

I went for the 30-70 I have used 9 oz on it when drifting for Bass. I have gently lobbed an 8oz out on it and use a 5oz on my feathers which it copes with very well

And forgot to mention there is a sticker on it that's claims it is "Unbreakable"

Yep, I'm really impressed. Not a lot of money for quite a bit of rod.

I purchased Nomura Kanji early last month, really like the rod and has good reviews. You need to not be bothered by the rods colour though as its white.

No movement on any boats that I could see, yard were still moving boats on and off the racks, they normally suspend that once wind limit is exceeded

As far as I am aware they don't bring the boats down, mine stayed up on the top rack in the SW F10 we had earlier this year.

I did indeed run side by side tests, the pop ups noticeably out fished the non pop up. I have converted Ray to use them, he was very sceptical but also ran a side by side and got the same results. Yellow pop ups seemed to be the most effective They also work for Whiting, Pout, Scad etc the list goes on, I have had rays, small Tope and Hounds into double figures take the rig often at the cost of a heavier rig I'd set up for them.

Good that the fish gods duly delivered.

I did slow in case you needed a hand. Looked like you had it under control though. I never fuel up on the outside of that pontoon you get beat up by wash etc. Hope the fishing was good looked a little bumpy when I drove past Lee.

Thanks Neil, fingers and toes crossed, he's quite a medical miracle but at 87 it gets harder to recover

Thought I'd best post, things have been thrown up in the air the past week so or which may affect whether I can make it or not. Without too much detail my father in law was taken into hospital last week and he is not in a very good way. My plan stands to attend but may not be possible if things get worse. I'll know more towards the latter part of the week