Licensed for 20 miles from Safe Haven in 'favourable weather' 24 hours (MCA Cat 3).

Check the Boat Diary for fishing dates and spaces. This is usually updated by Monday Evening each week. Take your pick of the available dates then email ltjones2004@yahoo.co.uk and include contact details and requirements OR call me (Les) on 023 80891441 or 07585 335 783 or 07977241355 and I will discuss the trip and make a booking.

                                                      

I prefer crews with a maximum of SEVEN anglers. White Maiden is licensed for 10 passengers plus 2 crew but for fishing, being on my own, I prefer to look after smaller groups for both practical, comfort and technical reasons.

Evening Charter
NEEDLES (1730 to 2230) - £175 Boat Charter, 7 =  £25pp or £30pp on individual trips.

In 2011 I have been pushing round the Needles Lighthouse and out into the Channel on the longer evenings. When the weather is suitable my plan A is to drift for the Mackerel, inshore Pollock and Bass that are more prevalent from the end of May, through June, July and into August. We drift along the chalk cliffs, over banks and reefs. There is less boat traffic, the fishing is good and the sunsets incredible. After drifting we then switch to anchoring a small wreck or a bank until dusk.

When drifting we catch Pollock to 3lb, too many Mackerel and Bass to 10lb. When anchored we catch Conger to 40lb, Blonde Rays to 26lb, Thornbacks to 14lb, Small Eyed Rays to 11lb, Tope to 20lb, Bass to 10lb and the obligatory dogs and Pout. In July, August and early September I like to get out of the Solent on the bigger tides and may not have a Solent plan B for you.

Left pictured are the lads from the Wiltshire Farmers crew with some Pollock caught in June 2011.
 
Evening Charter
WESTERN SOLENT (1730 to 2230) - £175 Boat Charter, 7 =  £25pp, or £30pp on individual trips.

Fishing is incredibly rich and varied if you know how and when to fish the Solent. Starting mid April, through May to the end of June the Solent marks are a great fall back to fishing the Needles and avoids many trips being cancelled. There is still the odd forecast that won't be suitable. In May and June we target rod bending Smoothounds. Also Black Bream are targetted too along Bass, Skate, Soles and Stingers. I tend to avoid the Solent in late July, August and early September on spring tides due to the weed. From mid September as the nights draw in, through October and November, on the neap tides when the weed is manageable the Cod start to show first, feeding on crab. There will be times when fishing the Solent is as good as anywhere along the South Coast. Often a great plan B.

Left pictured is Alan from a local crew with a 15lb Cod caught in Oct 2011.

Evening Charter
CHRISTCHURCH BAY (1730 to 2230) - £175 Boat Charter, 7 =  £25pp, or £30pp on individual trips.

Between the Needles and the Solent we have Christchurch Bay. This is also another plan B destination and often can give us the odd remarkable specimen and lots of Black Bream plus we target Bass, Smoothound, Plaice, Soles and Rays.

Left is Keith of the Church Crookham crew. He caught this 3lb 5oz Black Bream in April 2011.

Day Charter
ENGLISH CHANNEL or SOLENT or CHRISTCHURCH BAY  (0830 to 1645) - £315 Boat Charter, 7 =  £45pp, or £50pp on individual trips.
 
Lots of time to test two, three or four marks and push further offshore weather permitting. In early spring among other plans we fish the Ledge and other marks targeting big Black Bream. Then as the days lengthen we target species like Skate, Bass, Pollock, Congers, Tope and Hounds on the banks, reefs and inshore wrecks giving a choice of mixed and varied fishing in a 15 mile arc of the Needles Lighthouse. Mid summer we are spoilt for choice. The Solent offers fantastic fishing in May and June. In the Autumn the Whiting begin to show around the same time as the Cod. The Solent sees the first of the Cod while they descend on the local crab population. Big 'open ground' Congers are also more common now.  During the cold months of January and February we  get our fishing fix with wreck Congers and the odd Cod, plus Spurs and Blondes making up the the bags.

Left is Clive with a nice Brill caught in Sept 2011.
Right is Norman with a 27lb Cod caught in Nov 2010.

Inshore Bassing
(0730 to 1730) - £390 Boat Charter, 7 =  £55pp, or £60pp on individual trips.
 
Inshore Bassing This becomes more specialised as we start to target specifically those hard fighting solid 'Bars of Silver' that can be caught on light gear while drifting with live baits through Hurst race, around the Shingles, over an inshore reef with artificials and baits or over the Needles Bridge with floated live baits. We can plug along the Shingles or drift inshore banks with Shads, pirks or live baits. As more Bass are returned to grow bigger and the angling techniques practiced and perfected this type of fishing is often the best fishing for some.

Left is Ian with a June 2011 specimen Bass from an inshore wreck
Right is Paul with a Sept 2011 specimen Bass from an Inshore Bank.

Ventnor Plaice or Wrecking
 (0730 to 1730) - £390 Boat Charter, 7 =  £55pp, or £60pp on individual trips.
 
Ventnor We target the specimen Plaice around the Ventnor area. Specialised baits and rigs plus plenty of effort, moving the baits, result in some quality Plaice. This is not for the feint hearted as the fishing can be slow but the quality and potential is outstanding.

Left is Steve and Andy of Ashlett SAC and 5lb Plaice.