Alderney Trip 05-08 May 2008.

[andy colmer]

There has been a slight delay in submitting this report as I have been wrestling with photobucket (and losing, I might add!); consequently, the report is without photos at the moment. I am sure there will be some added soon enough mind.......I may even win my battle with photobucket yet.

The first thing I must do is say a huge 'thank you' to Rob Thompson and his awesome boat 'Shogun' for, what for me, was a totally new, unique and thoroughly mindblowing few days. An absolutely fantastic experience and despite all the grief I got whilst organising the trip.....I will certainly be organising a repeat next year; it would be rude not to!!

I have to say, I thought we had nailed things with regards tides, weather and timing for the flatties, especially as Rob's previous trip a week or so earlier had produced a good few. Conditions conspired against us however and the Turbot and Brill proved somewhat elusive; we did manage a few though.....so the negative stuff is at an end and I'll get on with the report.

MON 5th.

We set off from Lymington at about 8.30am in flat seas and even the incessant annoying drizzle couldn't dampen our spirits; I don't know about everyone else, but after the wait for the trip and the worry over it being blown off, I could hardly believe we were actually under way! A quick stop at Yarmouth, IOW to pick up Andy and we steamed half way (ish) across, before stopping to sort out some mackerel, that we hoped would last us the whole trip. After a slow start, we got a healthy fish box full and we were off again towards Alderney. Our success with the mackerel proved a blessing, as none of the other boats that were making the crossing, managed more than a few.

It was with much excitement that we tackled up on arrival at the South Banks and began our first drift......this soon turned into childlike delerium as Roger was in almost immediately and rewarded with a superb turbot of over 14lb! What amazing creatures they are (gotta love those little lime green eyes!!).

As if that hadn't already turned us into grinning, jibbering idiots.....the next drift certainly did, as Robbie latched into his first ever turbot at just over 9lb. An amazing start and I was completely made up for my mate.....you'll see his grin in the subsequent photos and that will tell you all you need to know.

A further 3 drifts produced no further fish and we were soon off to Alderney and into our accomodation; a very picturesque self catering house in the High Street. We had a few drinks, a nice meal in the 'local' and you couldn't have got the smiles off Roger and Robbie's faces with a shoehorn!!

TUE 6th.

We were greeted on the second day, by clear skies, bright sunshine and a gentle easterly wind. Beautiful weather, that was to remain with us for the whole trip. Lovely.

This day proved a day of mixed emotions really, frustration for most, anger for one (but subsequent joy) and total elation for me. On the second or third drift, I connected with something fishy and Ian soon announced he was into a decent fish; mine proved to be a brill of about 2 1/2lb (my first ever) but, sadly, Ian lost what looked to be a very good turbot about half way up. To say he was gutted, wouldn't tell half the story.

A couple of drifts later and I was in again; this was clearly a better fish and I was soon the grinning idiot holding my first ever turbot of about 7lb. Fantastic!!

A little while later and there were mutterings around the boat that I had developed 'golden globes' as I found myself attached to something that clearly wasn't flat. It was however, turbo charged (pun intended!!) and I have to admit, I was knackered by the time my first ever tope came to the side of the boat. Rob estimated it at 20-25lb, before, errr, 'releasing' it without the oppotunity of a photo!! To be fair, he hadn't realised it was my first and had decided not to give it the opportunity to thrash around in the boat.

Later in the day, Ian's depression at losing his earlier fish, was replaced by joyfulness, as he hooked into a gorgeous turbot of over 9lb and this time boated it. Nice one mate.

That was it for the day and we were back to our lodgings for a shower, before heading out for a lovely curry and a few more drinks.

WED 7th. (My birthday!).

Due to the flattie fishing being slow, Rob decided that we all needed to get our rods bent and in the morning we headed off to some rough ground in search of some tope. They duly obliged and we had a brilliant and tiring few hours, being given the runaround by these powerful beasties.

I believe Andy had 3 tope to over 30lb and 3 bull huss to about 11lb, Robin had a tope of about 15lb and a bull huss of about 6lb, Roger had 3 tope to about 40lb, Ian 5 tope to over 30lb, Robbie 1 tope of about 20lb, I had 4 tope to over 25lb and Mark sadly failed to trouble the scorers.

We tried various locations in the afternoon, in the hope of more flatties, but it was not to be and no more were had. I did manage a bass of about 2lb, which briefly raised more golden globe comments, but we were soon back on Alderney enjoying a thai meal that Rob had booked up to celebrate my 41st. I overindulged in food and drink and after a calvados or two too many, apparently resembled a crab whilst returning to the house!! Can't say I remember!! lol.

THU 8th.

This day was a huge anti-climax really; I described the wrecking on the way home as 'slow'........Rob described it as 'cr*p'!! The tides were big, most of the water was badly coloured and although we did find some clear water around the rips......there were almost no fish on the wrecks.
I managed a half decent pollack of over 9lb and I think 4 other small pollack were caught. Not spectacular, to say the least. The day was notable for one thing however, Mark finally managed his first fish of the trip and was truly chuffed to get a pollock of about 5lb.

We dropped Andy off on the Island and I was feeling 'end of trip blues' as we headed into Lymington. Ian and Roger headed home and Mark, Robin and I were going to stay in Robbie's wonderful holiday chalet nearby. As Rob had the following day off, he very kindly suggested that the four of us joined him for an afternoon's mullet fishing off the back of Shogun, in the marina.......an offer just too good to turn down!!

FRI 9th.......bonus day!!

Robbie and I gave Mark and Robin a tour of Hordle Cliffs and Milford Shingle Bank in the morning and for a bit of fun we did a bit of light-hearted crabbing and dug a few worms in the creek behind the bank.

We were suddenly distracted by a highly excited Mark who had found a quite enormous brown crab.....It was huge!! (Rob later told us that it was only the second one he had known found there in 20 years!!). That was part of our lunch sorted anyway!!

We returned to the chalet, cooked up the crab and whilst the others went down to Hordle Cliffs for a couple of hours 'sunbathing with rods out' .......I had run out of energy and stayed behind for a kip.

Upon their return we packed our crab and headed for Lymington Marina; stopping on route to get some bread for chumming and bait, some French sticks, ham and pate for eating and some beers for drinking. We arrived at the boat and were soon joined by Rob.....and thousands of mullet, that found our bread to their liking.

We then spent a quite glorious afternoon and evening in the sun, eating fantastic food, having a couple of bottles of beer.........and catching thick lipped mullet!!

Robin managed 3 (including a cracker of about 4lb, last cast), I had 2 (again, my first ever), Rob had 2, Robbie had 1 and Mark managed to keep up his impressive blanking record again!! lol.

All too soon, it was time to go home and yesterday afternoon, we headed home with a little sadness at the realisation our trip was at an end. It was hard to be too depressed mind, I had experienced the trip of a lifetime (until next year anyway!) and caught my first ever brill, turbot, tope and thick lipped mullet.......can't be bad!!

Many thanks once again to Rob, for his advice, generosity, company and above all his cracking sense of humour.....and a big thank you to everyone else who joined me on the trip and helped make it so enjoyable.

Over to you Robin!! lol.

A.C.

Species so far 2008:- Plaice, Flounder, Pout, Rockling, Bass, Brill, Turbot, Tope, Pollack, Thick Lipped Mullet.

[silverfish]

You lucky man.Sounds like a holiday of a life time to me.Well done on the fish.All the best marty.

[Norfolkboy]

Great report mate, sounds a superb trip!

[Vagabond]

Well done lads - look forward to the pictures (if photobucket is being naughty - try Image Shack)

We met up with Rob on Saturday, he was fishing next to us on Christchurch ledge (we were in Southern Star) Had a chat with him back at the pontoon - looking forward to another Alderney trip next year - the self-catering sounds a good idea, as the only low point of our splendid trip in 2005 was the miserable old bat at the B & B!

[John Marshall]

As said above, my regards to Mark, I know what it feels like.

[pingu]

sounds a great trip
nice one

dave