Shady - 30th Aug. 2008

[KeithB]

Bert was off to Ireland this morning but he very kindly left me the keys and told me to go for it. Nothing unusual you would think, after all the trips out I'd have enough experience handling the boat. BUT I've never actually driven the boat although Bert's offered several times, I've always been content to let him put me over the fish and spend the time sorting my bait, tackle etc. Anyway he convinced me nowt could go wrong and I managed to talk Jason in to joining me which made me feel a bit easier, knowing that being an ex navy man he has boaty experience. Anyway we set off about 6am, after a few checks etc we finally left the mooring when I finally worked out how far back you have to pull the handle thingy before the boat actually starts moving. I managed to steer quite well up the river with something to follow / focus on (pier etc) however out at sea was a totally different ball game, I just couldn't steer in straight line and it wasn't long before I handed Jason the Captains armband. Picked a few macky up and headed for the wrecks, considering it's been a while since he's drove a boat and Shady's steering aint easy the stand in skipper did a great job putting us over the wrecks, highlighted by the amount of gear we both lost. The fishing was hard work, Jason picked up a cod just under 6lb early on to a shad, while my mackeral baits were just getting shredded by whitings. I scaled up to flappers and finally managed a cod about 8lb and when the tide turned we starting picking a few ling up mainly underisze but we did manage a couple of keepers. So total catch was 2 cod & 2 ling, four fish more than I was expecting when we set off and not bad for 2 amateurs.

Big Thanks to Bert for trusting us with the boat & Big Thanks to Jason for coming out and doing the biz!!!

This skippering lark definatley aint as easy as you lads make it look, how the f*** Bert steers the boat straight and makes up traces at the same time I'll never know.

Cheers!

[The Great Wallsendo]

LOL nice one lads...4 fish better than no fish

...sounds like Bert will need a stiff drink before reading this - although I'm sure that's already in hand

[Norman]

nice one deckhand keith, and well done cap'n Jason ....

[northeast1]

A catch is a catch and it was hard going again today, least we all made it out on the weekend again, been hit miss for a Sat and Sunday

[jason]

keith

many thanks for the chance to come out today i really enjoyed it and made me more determined to get my own toy one of these days.

The steering thingy will come with time you improved as the day went on just remember not to over compensate and pre-empt the stopping of the turn.

you were right about the gear i lost loads on the lead count i was 21 down so i lost 21 lots of gear - v expensive when they are all bought but sill nice to leave some wreck bling behind.

the catch was not the best but we did not blank and the boat is still in one piece LOL.

Again many thanks and also many thanks to Bert for being the trusting sort and allowing us to play.

thanks mate.

jason

[northeast1]

Jason you go through some gear like lol but if your not getting snagged your not on the wreck.

I am struggling to get a burner, have a gas bottle but no ring to heat a pt up, i am down to less than 20 leads after the last 5 weeks of hitting the wrecks every week.

[Norman]

rich, they come up often on ebay £10-£15 sets you up for ever .......

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

Great lads and well done on your maiden voyage so to speak.

[KeithB]

Here's one of our plotted courses with Captn Keith at the wheel

[Norman]

lol keith, not quite as direct steering as a car eh mate ....... bit of a lag to the response but you get used to it

[boblydon]

Steering a boat and positioning it in the right place is not an easy thing to do, it looks easy when you see the skippers do, but a different ball game doing it yourself....when your out with the top skippers like Norman and Bert they make it look so bloody easy....you can have the best boat and toys in the world, but it still does not make you a good skipper like the lads...this shows every week in the catch reports, they are consistant week in week out
Well done on the catch BTW

[codhw]

with all due respect this makes me feel so,ooomuch better I look forward to Shady and Slinky's report every weekend but it also leaves me feeling so inadequate. Have had our boat for two years now and would love to post a report of four fish or more on board (except for the mackies of course lol). If this is your first shot congratulations cracking

[KeithB]

Aye it's about as easy as being a Sunderland fan getting peed on
during the match, then again on the way to & from the pub.

Mind, it must be in the Gray's blood cos young Kyle doesn't struggle when he's skipper.

[Charlie_Thompson]

Steering Pansy in a straight line is a doddle, piece 'o pish, the turny bit is the problem

[mark]

Here's one of our plotted courses with Captn Keith at the wheel

put a big oil tanker in the middle of that big loop at the top and thats us coming back from inverness