Charter boat | 17\3 | |||
19/03/2024 | ||||
Doig David | 0 | |||
Hall Mike | 0 | |||
Hill Roger | 8 | 8 | ||
Brand Cliff | 0 | |||
Partridge Tony | 6 | 6 | ||
Potts David | 0 | |||
Collins Steve | 9.5 | 9.5 | ||
Trim Keith | 7 | 7 | ||
Thomas Phillip | 9.5 | 9.5 | ||
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Sunday Charter Boat Report October 22nd 2023
A strange week leading up to our date, the forecast was changing every day and we did not know whether we could go right up to Saturday morning when Phil was able to give us the green light.
It was a very small tide, so Phil headed out to the 6 mile bank where we anchored up for the last of the ebb. One or two rays came in, together with several small conger and the odd dogfish. Slack water was a bit messy, with the boat swinging around as the wind fluctuated. Phil re-anchored for the flood tide, a much better situation with the wind and tide inharmony. Again, a couple of rays, a smoothhound and several conger once again, but things were a bit slow. Phil considered going inshore for the plaice, but reports from another boat suggested very little was happening there, so we came inshore a little further and anchored over another bank for the last hour.
One surprise was a 6 inch mackerel caught by Phil Thomaswho then used it as bait and landed a 12 ½ pound blonde ray. Oh for some more fresh bait!.
All in all, an enjoyable day, with nothing hugely exciting but fish came aboard on a regular basis.
Dave Potts also caught a lesser spotted dogfish of 2 ¼ pounds, 75% of the areas specimen.
Phil Thomas came out on top, with Dave Doig second and Dave Potts third.
Next trip is on November 19th.
Charter Boat trip 20th August 2023.
Finally, we were able to run our species hunt, after 2 previous attempts were thwarted by holidays and bad weather.
The day started nice and calm, with sunny spells and a forecast of no more than force 4 all day. A pleasant change from much of the previous weeks.
We began by drifting from the chain ferry back towards Brownsea. 2 or 3 bass were caught but there was substantial weed which limited our success. Never mind, onwards and down to the piers where a smattering of plaice, gurnard and the odd bream came aboard. Out then to a bank area where skate were found, along with small conger. Phil Thomas had a nice undulate of 13 -2. Back in to Poole Patch where we were completely thrown; expecting a range of wrasse, we were inundated with tiny pout, many in the 5-6 cm range. The bottom must have been knee deep in them, they hit the bait before it even reached the bottom. Everyone quickly got their quota of 5 so we moved on. Just 1 ballan was found. Back out to the inner banks for one last go, again, a few bits and pieces and a conger of approx. 15lb to Dave Doig.
Back to dry land and a chance to reflect on an interesting day. Overall, 15 species were boated, a few fewer than we had hoped but the lack of mini species accounted for that. All seemed to feel that the day had been a success and all being well, another hunt will take place next year.
Phil Thomas was an easy winner with 10 species, followed by Keith Trim and Tony Partridge.
Thanks to Phil for chasing around, trying all the options to give us a range of species.
Charter Boat trip May 21st 2023.
Whereas last month we had a fantastic morning and a really horrid afternoon when the heavens opened and the wind got up; this time it was almost the reverse!
A stiff north-easterly and a tide running from west to east made drifting for plaice very unnatural and nothing happened. We then tried anchoring looking for the bream but again the boat was staggering all over the place. We did have the odd fish or two but again it was very difficult.
Phil then took us out to the Sadler for slack water and at last the boat began to behave as the ebb tide began. Fishing was slow, just 1 small eyed ray came to the boat to Dave Doig so Phil took us back to a rocky mark and once again we tried to find the bream.
This time – success! Some 30 or so came to the boat in not much more than an hour, along with a couple of small conger and dogfish. Feathering for mackerel also produced some results so some fresh bait for our next trip was secured. By this time, the wind had dropped considerably and it turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon. Many thanks to Phil for trying his hardest to find the fish for us in very difficult circumstances; let’s hope the weather gods are on our side on our future trips this year.
We are hoping to make our next trip a full on species hunt where anything that swims will count!
April 23rd 2023 Charter Boat Report
The forecast earlier in the week had been entirelyunpredictable, so it was a very nice surprise to meet atFisherman’s Dock with no wind and a sunny outlook.
We headed out into the bay and Phil anchored over a mark for bream. Whilst other boats were apparently struggling to find many fish, we hit them almost immediately, and the bream were coming in regularly, with several doubles, they were that prolific.
A couple of small conger, a few dogfish and pout, and a single smoothhound made up most of the catch. One surprise element was a treble to Dave Doig; a bream in the middle and a mackerel either side, the latter taking the trailing hooks in mid water as the bream was reeled in! By the time the tide started to ease around midday, Phil informed us that we had over 80 bream, the vast majority safely returned to the sea. The largest were around 1 ½ lbs.
We then headed out to some inshore banks, with the hope of finding a ray or two over slack water, but by the time we anchored the weather was taking a turn for the worse. The wind picked up dramatically, going from nothing to a good force 4 in about 15 minutes. Then the rain started, and was quite heavy. We had hoped to catch the start of the flood tide but with only a couple of dogfish up to that point Phil decided to up anchor and we headed back towards the harbour, stopping for a drift or two for plaice at the back of Hook Sands and then the Swash Channel. It was really quite unpleasant in the wind and rain, but we did manage 3 or 4 plaice, and a bonus small turbot to Keith Trim.
Our time was up by this point and we retreated back to shore; fortunately the rain eased by the time we got back on solid ground, everyone was quite pleased with that!
As they say in football, it was very much a game of 2 halves, superb in the first half but the weather really spoiled the second half.
Many thanks to Phil, he really put us amongst the fish in the morning but even he could do nothing about the weather in the latter part of the day. Now looking forward to our next trip on May 21st when hopefully the weather will be kinder to us.
March 19th Charter Boat Report
The original idea on Friday beforehand was to go ‘round the corner’ towards Kimmeridge as reports of early black bream had been circulating; however the weather turned against us on Sunday morning and only once we were on the boat did Phil tell us that we would not be going breaming but instead would fish the banks area until the tide proved too strong, and then we would retreat closer to the shore to avoid the worst conditions.
Fishing all day was difficult and fish hard to come by. Early on we had a few small conger, and a blonde ray to Dave Potts. We tried several other bank areas and finished up on the Sadler, catching a few dogfish and a few small whiting. Phil Thomas unfortunately lost a good ray, having scaled down to find out what smaller fish might be about. Such is fishing!
March is usually a difficult month, summer fish have yet to arrive and winter fish have often moved away, and so it proved this year.
Phil tried so hard to find the fish, thanks for his efforts, but an enjoyable and rain free day nevertheless.
Dave Potts came out on top, followed by Dave Doig, Phil Thomas, and Axel Paull.
Next trip is on April 23rd, roll on the better weather.
jan 2023
Our first trip of the new year was greeted with anticipation, especially as last year’s later trips were lost to bad weather.
The forecast was not too bright; a calm morning with the wind picking up to a F5 or F6 from lunchtime onwards.
Phil headed out with a full boat to the inner banks where we quickly found the whiting in hungry mood. A few pouting and a few small conger also were taken. Around midday, Phil retreated back closer to land and to the Sadler Bank area to try 2 marks. Much the same with the whiting particularly around. One or two dogfish also as well as a surprise couple of decent dabs. Unfortunately no rays were found on any marks.
We upanchored just after 4 and headed back to the dockside.
All enjoyed the day and thanks to Phil for keeping up with the fish recording with many whiting coming over the side and to an enjoyable day.
All looking forward to the next trip and soon to be warmer weather.
Charter boat report 16th October 2022
For a long time leading up to the 16th, the weather forecast looked grim and we all expected to be confined to shore, but a tight window miraculously appeared in the forecast onWednesday, and even more surprisingly stayed in position, so we were able to get out after all.
Phil headed Mistress Linda out to an area of banks a few miles out and we set anchor. The tide was just starting to floodand we began to find a few fish. Rays were the main target and well done to Lewis Jordan for landing a fabulous blond ray of 16lb 9oz. Steve Collins also landed a smoothhound of 8lb.
After a while when the tide was in full flow, Phil took us back inshore a bit to another bank area in slightly shallower water.Similar results to our first location. A few other species made up our haul, a small conger, a tope, scad, dogfish and gurnard.
As forecast, the wind was beginning to crank up and around 1500, Phil headed back towards the harbour and we had an hour or so in the Swash channel, expecting to find a plaice or two. That didn’t work out as the black bream didn’t give them a chance! Some 20 bream, many sizeable were landed, along with a gurnard and a relatively rare red mullet to Keith. By now the rain was quite heavy and the wind was getting up to force 6 or thereabouts so it was time to head back to the dockside.
All in all, a very enjoyable day with a variety of fish being landed.
Steve Collins and Dave Doig tied for first place, with Phil Thomas in third
Sincere thanks to Phil Higgins for a very enjoyable and productive day.
Charter Boat report September 18th 2022
A beautiful morning with very little wind but a wee bit chilly first thing.
7 of us headed out on Mistress Linda. As the tide was a small neap and with the weather as it was, it gave us a rare opportunity to head for the outer banks. When we got there we were facing the latter parts of the tide but there was enough flow to get a scent trail going.
First fish on board was a nice 8 – 12 bull huss to Dave Doig, soon followed by a blonde ray of about 10lb to Keith Trim.
As slack water approached, the tope began to show, initially on the smaller side but a couple of better ones bit through nylon traces. Finally one was brought to the boat by Keith Trim and was estimated by our skipper to be a minimum of 20lb. Phil Thomas also had a blonde ray of 10 – 12.
Fishing slowed over slack water, then picked up as the tide turned but fishing was slow. Phil then decided to go back in near to Bournemouth pier with plaice and gurnard in mind with the slight chance of a trigger fish. Several small plaice were caught with a few just sizeable, a couple of gurnards but no triggers.
It was then time to head back to the dockside; all in all an enjoyable day, everybody caught and we look forward to our next trip.
Charter Boat Re port August 21st 2022
The weather was OK-ish, force 4 south westerly, which wasn’t ideal as we had a neap and ebbing tide for most of the day.
We headed out into Swanage Bay and were able to get a dozen or so mackerel so we were able to begin with some fresh bait. We headed for the outer banks area and tried an initial drift to see if we could find a turbot or two.Unfortunately our drift was very slow, a combination of a weak ebbing tide and a south westerly holding us back. One ray only was the outcome so Phil anchored up and we started fishing with our fresh bait.
Bites were hard to come by, but 3 rays were caught, the best being a 15lb blonde. One or two bream showed along with a couple of small conger. 2 very good fish were lost, one almost certainly a large tope and the second a very good ray.
The tide dropped away quite quickly and as very little was happening, Phil decided to go back inshore to another bank area to see if we could get more action. Not a huge amount happened though we did catch some small and perfectly formed smooth hounds which must have been all of 10 or 11 inches long.
We then headed back to the dockside; thanks to Phil for giving us the opportunity to fish offshore for the first time this year.All in all a slow day but at least the rain that was threatened didn’t happen.
Next trip is on September 18th.
Charter Boat Report – January 23rd 2022
For once, the weather was kind, and the trip went ahead as planned.
5 Club members took part, unfortunately 1 had to pull out due to a Covid infection.
Phil took Mistress Linda out into Poole Bay and set anchor.
Fish came aboard in quick succession, mostly whiting, some were undersize but several were sizeable.
A couple of moves were tried, the fish kept coming, though nothing of any size came to the boat.
Fish caught included whiting, small conger, gurnard, dogfishand a relatively unusual dab.
Jay Hemming came out on top, with Phil Thomas second.
All in all, a busy day for all involved.
Hi guys,
sep 19th 2021
An interesting but quiet day from a fish point of view. The weather was very pleasant when we set off, a slight wind and clear visibility.
Sunday July 25th 2021
Weather was fairly calm with rain at times, but not too much to spoil the day.
Expectations were not too high, as most boats had struggled to find the fish all last week.
We started off with a couple of drifts for bass at the harbour entrance; Dave Potts had most success with a luminous lure. We then headed east and tried again for bass on the drift; Dave again had 1 and a guest had a couple but it was slow going. As slack water approached, Phil set the anchor, hoping for a ray or two. Phil Thomas had a nice undulate of 11lb and Dave again scored with a small eyed ray. A couple of dogfish too but not much was showing. Perhaps the highlight was that Dave D caught several mackerel, more than Phil and other boats had seen during the whole of the previous week. Where have they all gone? Even with fresh bait we couldn't get many fish showing much interest. Soon the tide was too strong so Phil took us in for a brief bit of plaice fishing inshore off Southborne. Again, a few small fish came on board but sport was slow once again. We then retired gracefully back to the quayside.
All in all, something of a disappointing day, though Phil tried his hardest to find fish for us. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed the day, including a couple of guests, one of them, Moses, had never fished before, but he caught plaice which pleased him no end. I suspect we may be seeing more of him in the future.
Next trip August 22nd, we're all looking forward to that.
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Sunday 13th June
We had our first evening boat trip monday 26th april.first big thanks to andy adams for having his side door to his boat has made my life a lot easier to fill the trip with our less mobile members.The evening was pleasant but with bit of a nip in the air.Fishing was very slow despite a high tide.Dave reeve came out on top with the 10 points [bless him].fish caught were dogfish, plaice,conger,and pouting.
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Charter boat 18/04/2021 with Mistress Linda 1st trip after lock down.
We were all greeted by a lively sunny, calm day, a bit chilly first thing, but all very pleased to be afloat again.
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Charter boat today. 11/10/2020
Table top to start with, tide falling away, fairly slow with several but bootlace conger, 1 ray, a few small bream and pout.
Phil then went inshore to the piers around midday, 20 or so small plaice, only 1 worth keeping, small bream and other bits and pieces.
1st Jay Hemming
2nd Phil Thomas
3rd Dave Potts
4th Dave Doig
5th Chris McKenzie.