I love sailing from Poole as the trip across the harbour is in itself a wonderful experience. We pass Brownsea Island, then Sandbanks,and then the ferry suddenly the whole of the Solent opens up in front of you. Old Harry rocks to your right and the Isle of Wight to your left.

Today we are fishing for Sea Bream, these fish are more at home in the Mediterranean rather than the Solent, but now turn up throughout the summer. They feed hard to the bottom, but close in so we can be fishing only a few yards off the Bournemouth beaches. Their shoals are large and their fight is very hard.

We use a very simple rig, in fact, so simple it can hardly be called a rig! A 20lb line leading to an 8 oz ball lead crimped and beaded either side and a 10lb hook length approximately six feet long and a good quality size 2 sea hook at the end. More than one hook length can be added, but I like most, find one works best.

TIP - When using Crimps use rounded pliers they will not cut your line.

Our bait is ragworm/squid cocktail, everyone uses this. I have tried many others but this works. I nowadays prefer to use a braid line it gives me more contact with my bait.

I eagerly drop my bait over the side and let it plummet to the bottom of the Solent, the Bream love to hug small outcrops on the seabed, I have tried rocking the bait but this does not seem to help. Soon I feel my bait move, I strike and start hauling my quarry from the seabed, but this is not a Bream, but a Dogfish, they are commonly caught here.

Soon I am fishing again then WHAM! my rod tip becomes bent over and line is being taken, often with Bream they will just steal your bait. It is important not to strike as their mouths are hard and you will just pull the hook from their mouth. They fight long and hard with a thump thump action, do not pump your rod, but keep it level and slowly start retrieving your line, if not, you will loose your fish. Once you have your quarry to the boat, be careful of the spikes on their back, as they love to impale the unwary.

I would recommend a Sea Bream trip to anyone who loves fishing; Skippers can provide you with anything you require at an extremely modest price.