Becky M Newsletter

Monday 20th September, 2004

Hello again.

It seems to me that these windy conditions are never ending, they just keep on and on, and I know that you must all be getting as cheesed off as I am with it all.

I know that some boats have been out, but quite honestly I just can’t see the point in being thrown around all day. There is no pleasure in it as far as I can see, because you miss ninety per cent of the bites, and you, the customer, spends most of the time hanging on for dear life, your tackle boxes are flying around all over, and I can’t put the kettle on to make a brew for you safely. All in all to go out in those types of conditions is in my opinion daft. Lets go out in suitable conditions, and enjoy our fishing. It is different if the weather changes while we are at sea, if that happens, unless it is dangerous to be out there then stick it out.

The last time I was out was last Sunday, not a lot was caught, a few Black Bream, a nice Bass of about 7 lbs some Scad, which we used as bait, because the Mackerel were as plentiful as rocking horse droppings, and some Pout.

The weather was all right in the morning, but when the tide turned the sea fluffed up a bit with the wind against tide, and the fishing died so we packed up early and headed home.

Looking at the forecast for the next few days it isn’t looking too cleaver, so if it carries on for the rest of the week, I doubt if I will have anything to write about for the next set of jottings.

Anyway it won’t be long before we are out there looking for the first of the Cod and Channel Whiting. It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was looking forward to the first of the Black Bream, now the time has come around for the winter species already.

That’s it for now, this weather can’t keep on forever, so lets hope that for a good winter season.

Tight Lines,

Dave.

Monday 13th September, 2004

I am sorry that I haven’t written anything recently but once again the weather has been abysmal, and we just haven’t got out. Hang about, that is a bit of a porky, because there has been the odd trip out, and I have had some interesting results. So let me bring you up to speed with what has been happening.

Firstly I must apologise to Nigel Chapman for not mentioning his catching of a Trigger Fish, a good specimen of 3 lbs 1 oz. I am not sure who was the most pleased with it, Nigel for catching it, or me because it was the first one ever to come aboard the “Becky M”.

I must say that I was chuffed to the “Vicars Knickers” with it, and I must also say sorry to Rod L. for nearly beating his brains out with the landing net in my excitement to bring the fish onboard. So well done Nigel, but at least I did get the photograph up onto the web before I even wrote about it.

Now I have been trying for years to get a Trigger Fish and blow me if we didn’t get another one a few days later, this time it wasn’t quite as big, but I was pleased as one of the lads said that he had been fishing the area for x number of years and he also had never seen one before either, so that made his day.

There were then comments being banded about that if we kept this up we might catch “Roy Rogers”, and when someone asked what was the best bait for Triggers they were told “hay” I thought to myself “great”, I have got the right crew here, “Bloody Odd Balls”, but we had a good day out with a few nice Black Bream, loads of Mackerel, and a fair smattering of Bull Huss, and the company was good and we all enjoyed ourselves.

I did receive a copy from DEFRA of the report submitted about the “Review of Marine Fisheries and Environmental Enforcement” but it is only section 8 that is directly aimed at us. If you would like your own copy of this it is available from :-

DEFRA Publications
Admail6000
London
SW1A 2XX

Tel: 08459 556000

Email: defra@iforcegroup.com

Website. www.defra.gov.uk

It makes interesting reading, but I feel that it has been written with very little regard to us, and our sort.

If you want to voice your opinion then the address to write to is:-

Neeta Parma
Fishing Directorate
Room 313
10 Whitehall Place
London
SW1A 2HH(East Block)

The more people that write in the better, at least it will make them realise that we will not take the proposed licensing lying down, and that we would like to see the gill netting, and heavy inshore trawling stopped, this is where a lot of the damage to our stocks is being caused, not by rod and line.

If they are looking at the E.A. as an example to be followed it is a poor comparison because they are able to restock their waters, so far nobody has come up with a way to restock the seas resources!!

Hang about I am up on my high horse again so I will get down.

Hopefully the weather will improve soon and I will be able to get you all out there fishing again.

Tight Lines,

Dave.