GPSguru

One of the joys of using a very high impedance instrument, sometimes when fault finding on batteries it is better to use an old moving coil voltmeter. Although my Fluke 77 gets used a lot, sometimes I still rely on my old Avo 8

But, you need to ask yourself, 1) was it left accidentally disconnected after other engine work.🙄 or 2) was it disconnected due to another issue which was traced to the charging circuit ? 🤔 Next time you go out, best make sure you take a 12mm spanner with you. 😉

Autumn / winter is usually the best fishing for me, but you need to be in position to choose the weather 👍

I bet you worked your arse off fixing this issue ……. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 Plonker…… 🙄🤣

Yes, I am very hopeful that Thursday will hold as the models are beginning to show agreement.

Unfortunately the models are not in complete agreement. Met Office is showing F6, but GFS ( XC Weather etc) is showing F1, F2. Currently Thurs looks Ok, weds was ok but now iffy. It is a week away, which is several lifetimes in forecasting terms.

Me, Weds and Thurs looking OK here. Both will be morning trips as I have to do the school run in the afternoon.

Not a great year, plenty of fishing, plenty of fish, but nothing caught that has been memorable. Best Bass went 6lb, best pollock went 8lb, which is really poor and most years I get a good number of Pollock doubles. Loads of Plaice but none over 4lb, a good number of rays, but very few doubles. There were some notable absentees from my specie list for this year, like Wreck Bass (Stone Bass), Ling, JD, and Wrasse .......... what a strange year. Our trips this year (so far) have been almost 1k nm. I didn't do any shark fishing this year as I wanted to concentrate on the wrecks, and I guess I will do the same next year. In the spring two of us will buddy up and head to the 50 - 100 mile wrecks. We will be in French waters, so it could be interesting !

A'hole

Is that a selfie Neil ?

I'm feck'in glad there is not an image to be indelibly printed in my head......uck 🤢 Good of you to protect my eyes, Jon .......... 🤣

I use Thinsulate gloves to drive the boat and once I get to the mark and start fishing I change to fingerless gloves , either Savage Gear, BCF, or Muddy Fox.

I have been watching that for a few days, it still looks promising here, but in weather forecasting terms 3 days is a lifetime and 5 days is a millennium ! Also, it is the top of the springs, so there will be a fair current flowing. However, if it pans out OK, then I will still go as the tide times suit my launch site for a morning's fishing.

Excellent fishing, and a decent Cod by nipper. I assume you had the same conditions as us on Monday, almost flat calm and very little (if any) wind which was WNW / NW.

The ‘shoulder of Lamb’ and also the ‘pulled pork’ are also very tasty. Also, most folk here tend to overcook prawns which makes them tasteless and rubbery. Cooked until just pink and they are very nice, however, fresh Langoustines are better.

When we get a nice winter day (which seems to happen a couple of times a month), just head to a channel wreck. The wrecks always fish better in the winter.

Yep, it was -1c when I left home and 1c on the slipway, but the sun was shining. As long as it stays dry, the cold doesn't bother me.

A short Monday weather window that stayed quite static since late last week couldn’t be overlooked. The plan was to launch at 8:00am and return to the slip at 13:00, however, it didn’t exactly go to plan. First stop was Tesco to brim the RIB tank, however the pump was running but would not pump fuel. The forecourt is not particularly large and leaving the pump that I finally used meant a bit of ‘shunting’ to get the 7m trailer safely through the exit ! Once on the slip I quickly prepared the boat and reversed the trailer in, however, when I went to get back in the Jeep, all the doors were locked and the engine was running. Just to add insult to injury it was also a rising tide. A quick phone call to Brother in law and he picked up the spare keys from my house and brought them to the slip in about 30mins …. Phew. So, my 8:00 launch meant that I didn’t get away from the slip until a little after 9:00am. I decided as time was now tight that I would go back to the 9 mile wreck that has fished so well for me recently. The sea was fairly flat and cruising at 28knts I was soon on the wreck. Again I decided to stick with SPJ, so on went a blue 150g gram jig and it was soon sent to the bottom where after a couple of pitches it was hit by a Bass of about 3lb (didn’t weigh that one). This was followed by a string of Pout, some of which were quite sizable. Next drift saw me into a better fish, but it turned out to be a 2lb Pollock that was hooked in the dorsal fin, but it put up a good showing on the Slow Jigging II rod. Every drift was delivering fish, mostly Pout and school Bass (2lb ish). As I was drifting off the wreck I left the jig fishing on its own whilst I had a coffee. I then noticed the rod hoop over as a fish took the jig. The fight was very spirited and I was a bit disappointed to see that I had tail hooked a largish pout! It was now about mid flood (neap tide) and the fish were hugging the wreck, but a drop down on the down tide side of the wreck saw the SPJ rod hoop over and I was finally into a decent fish that was taking line. This was a 5lb 4oz Bass in beautiful condition. 12:30 and time to head back in, to be on the slip for 13:00. The total tally for the morning was 7 Bass to 5lb, one Pollock, and way too many Pout (14) A great day to be out there, a bit cold, but the winds were light and the sea flat. Total trip distance was 21Nm. A few pictures, taken off the GoPro, A 3lb (ish) Bass A dorsal fin hooked Pollock Also a Tail hooked Pout A decent 5lb 4oz Bass

Monday was looking OK, but now fading gradually ..................

This is one of the reasons why I went for the deep Vee Ribcraft. I only need a short weather window to get quickly out to the wrecks, have a couple of hours fishing, and then get safely back in again. This is the style of fishing that I prefer to do.

That is about 20Nm............. I fish wrecks at that distance on 'flat' days, but only to find larger Pollock to 5kg, John dory, Bass, Ling in the deeper water, and maybe, just maybe an elusive Cod or wreck Bass (Stone Bass) However, it is only a matter of time before we see Atlantic albacore (Long Fin Tuna) here in numbers. There are a few caught every year, but only small juveniles in amongst the Mackerel shoals.

The fish wasn't gaffed, probably a ‘loose’ description by Josh. The proper name of the tool we use is a lip hook. It looks like a gaff, but is carefully inserted under the chin from the lower gill flap, or in the mouth and out of the chin gill flap. It is a safe and recognised way of holding the fish at the side of the boat for recovery whilst motoring forward at 3 - 4 knts to ensure oxygenated water is flowing over the gills. Mine is made from 12mm stainless with a T bar handle so it can be roped if required. For the rope I use a long 24mm soft multiplatt. i know that Josh uses the same tool.

Nice to see a solo report Neil. As I have said before, Pout don't count, but they can save a blank. We normally refer to them as 'spinners' as they always spin on the line and have about as much fight as a freshwater Bream. Yes, 1000% better than working. Did you do a MOB recovery of your bucket ? It would have been good practise 👍

No offence taken Luke, it is my type of humour 🤣 BTW, there is no sympathy in our family, they are absolute masters at taking the pish, regardless of all ailments ! 👍🤣🤣🤣🤣