Useful sites and angling resources

[Andy135]

There's a wealth of sites and information online to help the small boat angler find marks, understand tides, weather and migratory fish patterns. I've listed below the sites I use most frequently to plan sessions. Feel free to share your own favourite resources.

Navionics worldwide charts
A great way to look for new marks and undersea features from the comfort of your own desk/armchair/phone.

Forgotten Wrecks Map
An interactive map with details of shipping and military losses from both World Wars. Focusses on the south coast of England. Great for finding out more about the wreck you plan to drift, and even for finding new wrecks to fish.

BBC Weather
Does what it says on the tin. I find the BBC site to be the most reliable and less prone to last-minute forecast corrections than others.

Isle of Wight tidal stream video

I like this video because it shows tidal strength and direction with each hour of the flood and ebb. Good for working out the general direction of drift on new marks and estimating the likelihood of lumpy wind over tide conditions.

Dorset WildlifeTrust hi-res seafloor map
This is a great resource for finding seafloor features and wrecks long the Dorset coast. The mapped area expands periodically, and at present it also covers the south, west and partial east Wight areas. I've used it for documenting the precise co-ordinates of the bows and sterns of the wrecks they show, and adding them into my plotter. This gives me a better way to line up a drift vs navigating to the wreck icon on Navionics alone.

CEFAS WaveNet
This is a network of wave and temperature monitoring buoys around the UK. I use it to check on wave heights (useful before heading out on the boat) and water temps (useful before hitting the shore for bass on lures in the spring).

GPS Co-ord Converter
I use this site if I need to change the format of GPS Co-ordinates when researching for new marks.

Chippenham Divers Wreck Look-up and Prima Sub-aqua wreck list
List of wrecks and co-ords along the south coast. Dive clubs generally are a wealth of information on wrecks and other features, and many of them freely publish the co-ordinates online. Clearly as these are available to anyone they are likely to be heavily fished/dived, but for the newbie they are a good start for finding wrecks. Search Google for dive clubs in your area and see what you can find.

www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHQEguDhuBaAoVu3J9QLoPdyv7JmYFbIW
Playlist of Navionics webinars. Lots of content on how to get the best out of your Navionics charts on Lowrance gear, but should also be relevant for other makes of charts and hardware too. Mostly aimed at shallow water US bass angling, but also some good stuff on inshore and blue water chart usage. There's hours and hours of content here - makes a good alternative to Netflix to scratch the fishy itch whilst we're in lockdown.

[suzook12]

Boatworks Today

Several video how to's for laminating/boat repairs

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0kDqq-pSzdqFUk3oTaHBuA

 

[GPSguru]

 

For those of us on the south coast, then real time wave info is a real help ............ it has about a 30min lag .............run by Plymouth marine university ...........

https://www.channelcoast.org/

It can be a bit diffcut to navigate, but select realtime data and then select a site off the map............

Here is the realtime data in table format for Sandown Bay (IOW) and it will autoupdate about every 30mins ............

Here ...... https://www.channelcoast.org/realtimedata/?chart=80&tab=waves&range=day&disp_option=1&user_indate=&datum=chart

 

 

[GPSguru]

Shimano Charter Special servicing.

The ‘how to’ by reel expert Alan Tani

https://www.thehulltruth.com/sportfishing-charters-forum/75540-rebuilding-shimano-charter-special-1000-2000-ld.html

For Carbontex  Drag Washers and Cals Drag Grease I use,

Jim at Jims Reels .............. https://jimsreelshop.co.uk/

Russ at Blakdog ..............Carbontex ........ https://www.blakdogtackle.com/index.php?cPath=86_122

                                          Bearings ........... https://www.blakdogtackle.com/index.php?cPath=91_136

For Stainless bearings, just measure the bearing outer, inner, and thickness and then order from Bearingboys ........... https://www.bearingboys.co.uk/Miniature-Bearings/W6232RS-Sealed-Stainless-Steel-Ball-Bearing-3mm-x-10mm-x-4mm-115319-p?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1rKa24jk7QIVjbHtCh0wggI-EAYYAiABEgJCj_D_BwE

If you want ceramic bearings then you will need to import them from Florida, ........ https://www.bocabearings.com/products/bearing-applications/fishing-reel-bearings?ProductType=2&ItemMakes=SHIMANO&ItemModels=CHARTER_SPECIAL_TR2000LD&ItemFeatures=CONVENTIONAL

Edited December 23, 2020 by GPSguru

[gallagherdee]

Just serviced my two charter specials. Found this site it’s excellent for loads of reels.

 

[Andy135]

6 minutes ago, gallagherdee said:

Just serviced my two charter specials. Found this site it’s excellent for loads of reels.

 

Just flicked through that vid quickly and it looks great! Good find @gallagherdee 👍

[Andy135]

Good video on how to tie the FG knot - the best knot I've found for tying mono/fluoro leaders to braid. Strong and streamlined for casting.

 

[Andy135]

Marinetraffic.com, for tracking vessels fitted with AIS. See where your mates and the charters are fishing - assuming they keep their AIS turned on 😉

Could also be useful for your family to see where you are and know that you're safe.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-9.5/centery:50.0/zoom:5

[captin slows old outlaw]

these are very yousfull thanks

[Odyssey]

7 hours ago, Andy135 said:

Marinetraffic.com, for tracking vessels fitted with AIS. See where your mates and the charters are fishing - assuming they keep their AIS turned on 😉

Could also be useful for your family to see where you are and know that you're safe.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-9.5/centery:50.0/zoom:5

Need to remember that it only works if it can get a fix. Not always the case as I will go off Marine traffic 3/4 of way to sharking.... 
 

As for letting family and Friends know..... not always a good idea when you’ve sneakily taken the day off you get rumbled as they find out and didn’t get an invite..... 😬😬😬🤣🤣🤣

[GPSguru]

 

It is always useful to have the real time weather when going out on the boat. An excellent source for this is the Local NC! lookout, as most of them have active weather stations with an internet feed.......... they are also good for a voice radio check

 

Here is HENGISTBURY HEAD, covering Christchurch, its harbour entrance at Mudeford, the coast round to Hurst Spit, the Isle of Wight and The Needles, the two bays, Bournemouth beach, Poole Harbour entrance, Studland Bay, Old Harry Rocks, Swanage, Pevril Point and Durlston Head in the West ........ https://hhnci.org.uk/weather2/

 

Here is my local site .......................  http://www.teignmouth-nci.org.uk/live-weather

All National Coast Watch Stations (NCI) can be found here ............https://nci.org.uk/station-map

[Odyssey]

NCI are great, they love a chat on the radio too 🙂 

I get a radio check as I have to call up lock master. If I’m cruising past them I’ll ask for a radio check as it wakes them up and they enjoy a chat 🙂 Also a good source of pictures of your boat on the move too 😉 

[GPSguru]

 

For those of us that go out a fair distance, sometimes to mid channel, the Channel Light Vessel observations are really useful.......... if you get the point where you can clearly see the light ship, then please remember you are crossing the traffic separation zone and should adhere to its navigation............always cross it at 90 degrees to the traffic flow

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/specialist-forecasts/coast-and-sea/observations/162103

[DINOBOY]

On 1/17/2021 at 8:10 PM, Andy135 said:

Just flicked through that vid quickly and it looks great! Good find @gallagherdee 👍

I love charter specials.  

[OrkneyCorkney]

If you like to see boat building you might like to take a look at this channel. One Man and His Boat.  Barry Brunson is a commercial fisherman who is busy fitting out a Cygnus as his working boat.  Some really good work going on there. Over 80 videos to watch 

 

Edited March 11, 2021 by OrkneyCorkney

[Andy135]

Thought this might be of help to the newbie boat angler - an interactive Google map of the well known marks in the Solent, East and West Wight areas

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=17keL1-cC0GYi0S1wvAc0zbTPkPDp88rr&usp=sharing

 

[captin slows old outlaw]

very intresting and yousefull