GPSguru

I do, but often a fuse blows for a reason, and it is there for your safety, if you replace a blown fuse then it is likely to blow immediately as the item it is providing protection for, is probably faulty. I carry the fuses for replacement AFTER I have located the fault ! I also carry a cheap multimeter.

IIRC, even commercials are no longer required to carry paper charts. I don't carry paper charts, but I sure know how to use them after years of practice, but I do have 2 independent plotters and my iPhone as the 3rd backup. Also, these days I dont carry a tidal streams atlas, as the plotters give me all that info (and more) graphically. If it all went tits up, I could find my way back to port OK. I always (habit) glance at the compass on the way out, also having come back from various marks many times before using the plotters, I can pretty much remember what compass bearing I should be on. TBH, local knowledge is everything.

According to others on here, you will eat anything and everything 🤣

Well done Andy on getting out, and an excellent result with the Bream. Bream are something we don't do here as there are only a couple of marks that are likely to produce, and both of those are by the skerries, so generally the plaice take preference !

Ok, we launched at 7:00am and took a decision as to what wrecks we would visit, taking into account the tide. The sea was flat calm and Alan was able to make good speed out to the 1st wreck with us cruising at 30kts. We had decided to break up the trip out to the 40 -50 mile wrecks by stopping at a wreck that is located about 28 miles out and has been productive in the past. Very soon we were at the wreck with blue sky's and quite warm sunshine. I had decided to SPJ all day and I had a savage take on the first drop, however, I had set the drag wrong (too much hurry) and the 20lb braid parted very quickly ! Next drop was a more successful with another good take, and soon I had a 6lb Cod in the net, this was followed by a few Pollock in the 5 - 8lb range, and then a decent Bass of almost 5lb. At this point the tide went slack, and we were also joined by a charter boat from Exmouth, so we decided to make a move out to the mid channel wrecks that were on the far side of the traffic separation zone. Fishing was OK, but a little bit slow with all the crew (4) landing reasonable Pollock, My SPJ was certainly keeping pace with the Shads. Out there the drift was 3kts, so I changed to a 250g combination jig that is a cross between a Leaf and Knife jig. This worked a treat, with the jig keeping pace with the drift. We fished a few wrecks which were all OK, but none were exceptional. To add to my species total for the day, I also hooked Pout to 3lb and a couple of decent whiting. All too soon it was time to head back in, and whilst Alan helmed, I filleted 19 Pollock. So, to sum up the day .......... 19 Pollock to 10lb 3oz, one 6lb Cod, and one 5lb Bass. The crew only caught Pollock and were using traditional Shads etc, with SPJ, I had 5 species, Pout, Cod, Pollock, Bass, and Whiting. 6lb cod A decent Bass (Martin likes taking pictures at strange angles !) Alan with a decent Pollock Martin with a decent Pollock

We are on our way to mid channel. I will fill in the gaps later

Which part of ‘feck off’ did you to need to explain to him 🙄

I didn't know they had a factory, I just thought they emptied the dog shite bins into plastic pots 🤮😇🤔

🖕 I suspect I will also get press ganged to do helming duties for part of the day, but it will nice to concentrate on the fishing. My tackle box weighed 60kg when I took it off the boat an hour ago, it now weighs 77kg, as I will need a good supply of 200g jigs.

Oh well, going out on my mates (Alan) offshore 25 tomorrow. Our intention is to fish the wrecks that are 40 - 55 miles out due SE. It will be a long day, 7 to 7. Could be a good day, or could be a less than average day. This time of the year it is all or nothing. I will be 99% SPJ for the day. Cant do live reporting as we will be out of GSM coverage for most of the day.

TBH Malc, Pollock rarely seem to frenzy feed, unlike Bass, but even frenzy feeding Bass will disperse when you have caught a handful. Pollock definitely get preoccupied with certain prey types, like sandeel's or sprats, and I find that shoaling Pollock do spook quite easily when a couple have been caught. When we are wrecking, we try to get a hooked fish away from the 'hooking' area as quickly as possible. Mackerel are also frenzy feeders (normally on Sandeel, or tiny whitebait), but as they have no swim bladder they also have to keep moving, so often it is a case of picking up a few fish from each shoal as they swim through. There are also fish that don't seem to give a shit about danger signals and will continue to feed. Usually it is the greedy fish like Ling, Conger, Pout, and Scad. Another fish that doesn't seem too bothered about danger signals are Plaice, and they will quite happily jump onto a 2nd hook where one fish has already been hooked. Again, Plaice are sight feeders and greedy gits.

Your turn will come, I am just waiting to sort out all the small fish stuff like size 12 hooks and mini shads etc 🤣

Having had numerous conversations with marine biologists and fish experts at both Plymouth / Exeter universities, I am beginning to understand fish behaviour. Most of the disturbance is caused by the catching of fish within the 'comfort' zone of the shoal. When caught, the fish give off vibrations (for want of a better word) that signal danger to other fish in the same vicinity. So, once you have snagged a couple of fish on a reef or a wreck, it all goes pretty quiet as the fish are on 'high alert', often the shoal will move to a different part of the reef or wreck. I have proven this by targetting a different part of a wreck when it goes quiet and all of a sudden it comes alive again for a few fish, but generally it is best to go some place else for an hour or so and then come back.

What is good for the Gander is good for the Goose ! 🙄😇

@JonC sent it to you because you have spurned his advances 🤣

BTW, I have a couple of bass flies for you, they were in amongst a load of demo stuff that was sent to me ........... PM me your address 👍

Kin'ell, did the Bentley chauffeur drop you off or wait ? BTW, worms work better than flies 🙄

Some cracking fish there, Dicky...... well done It is still very, very, very slow on the South Devon coast.

Sounds like a decent day out, and glad the dog seems ok with it. dive clubs are good for info, and scallops in excange for mack or pollock 👍 what size is the red icey tek ?

Bilge keel boats are generally better all round for inshore sailing, but hey, I don’t do rag n stick, but I know plenty that do, not my bag 🤣

With a fin keel it is ok, provided you take precautions as the tide rises to stop the keel banging about on the bottom, but soft sand or mud is normally ok. However, it is bad boat skills to ground out.

Excellent day out by the sound of it, and not a bad catch given the lack of fish at the moment. I suspect the grounded pugwash skipper was just going to wait of the tide. He would have needed to dig in a couple of anchors ready for when the tide picks up to avoid getting too much water over the seaward side.

One of the advantages of using a 4 blade prop is that it runs higher and gives more stern lift, this puts more 'keel' in the water at speed, making the boat grip the water a lot more and adding to stability, the downside of a 4 blade is that you lose a bit of top end speed, by that doesn't really concern me ! 😂😇