Poole and Weymouth.

For a few months now myself, Ross Johnson and Scott Hutchinson have had a trip to Jersey planned and I had been looking forward to it for ages. A species hunt was the idea and we had decided to use all methods, including bait to achieve our targets.

After a few months of excitement and anticipation the day had finally arrived to depart. On the 31st of October I headed up to Ross's after work. I was half ready for a kip before we made the long drive down south to catch the ferry. Upon arrival in Bangor I saw Ross was watching football, but the poor lad could not watch the game for all my fishing talk, so we decided on a quick session on the Menai Straits with the lrf gear.

Upon arriving at the mark we tackled up and got straight into some fish. Drifting soft plastics in the current, Pollock were the sport. Nothing large apart from the one that snapped me off (to both of our amazement) but great fun all the same. After two hours and about 25 fish we headed back to Ross's to get our heads down and after about two hours sleep we headed off for Poole. Good fishing convo on the way down and a plan hatched to lrf in Poole harbour to start the day.

Upon arrival at Poole it was not long at all before we started getting bites and landing a few fish and I had my first two new species, in the form of Rock Gobies and Black Gobies.

Ross was also getting into the fish whilst entertaining a local and gaining insight into the areas fishing prospects.

After an hour we got back in the car ready for boarding when the unthinkable happened, Ross checked his phone and had received a text from Condor Ferries informing us of our ferries cancellation, due to adverse weather conditions.

The text had been sent at 09:30 and we were due to board at 11:30! To say we were fuming was probably an understatement. After talking to the ladies at the booking office we booked in on the 05:30 fast ferry the next day, but now had a fair few hours to kill and therefore decided to go to Weymouth for a fish.

Knowing that the guys down there regularly catch a few species on the pier, we headed off to see what we could pick up.

Ross was getting into loads of fish, including a few species I needed. Poor Cod, Pout and Tompots as well as a few others I have, such as Scorpions, Ballans and Corkwings. I was struggling to know why he was getting so many and I could not hook up on my bites. At first I thought it was the Isome he was using, but after using some I got nothing still. Second I thought it was due to the fact he was using a solid tipped rod and I a tube. Fact was Ross was out fishing me big style and maybe its just the fact I am not as good.

I did eventually land a Corking and some Pout, which made another new species for me.

The fish were all mini aside form Ross's Ballan Wrasse, which put a nice enough bend in his rod.

Its the hat that gives him power!

After a couple of hours the freezing cold conditions finally got the better of us and we headed for a KFC before heading back to Poole. I felt we had turned a bad day into a good one and we certainly had fun!

I really liked Weymouth and would like to return there next summer to see what else I can get from the area, next time I am taking a solid tipped rod though.

Well we were a little beat and we had to sleep in the car until we finally caught our ferry, it wasn't the best nights sleep I've ever had and the accommodation was less than comfortable.

Poole was very cold and the dock area felt very bleak at night.

03:30ish I managed to snap a photo of Ross without his lucky hat on and I doubt he will thank me for publishing this. Still smiling too! and excited about making our ferry.

It was an unplanned for day, but I really think it was a good one. Admittedly I would have rather been in Jersey meeting up with Scott, who was already there waiting for us but three new species was sitting quite well with me and providing the ferry was all OK we would only miss a nights fishing there.

Of course we did catch the 05:30 ferry, but that's for another report.

Cheers for reading and tight lines.