Well...Chris Caines the skipper has had well over 25 years experience taking angling and diving groups to sea. He is a fully qualified and Commercially endorsed Offshore Yachtmaster and Tiger Lily is a state of the art 21st Century Charter Boat, built with the comfort and safety of her passengers in mind.
Chris works hard behind the scenes on the political side of angling in his roles as Chairman of the Weymouth & Portland Skippers Association and a Director of the National Professional Boatman's Association.
He has been Sport Diving for 33 years and is a fully qualified Dive Master. He has dived all over the world as well as many of the UK's wrecks and south coast reefs. He spent 4 months in Paphos Cyprus, sponge diving and enjoyed every minute of it. Chris's underwater experience has no doubt helped him considerably when it comes to fish finding on Tiger Lily today.
Tiger Lily is licensed for 12 passengers plus two crew, but, I recommend that if you want to do some serious angling, then you restrict this number to 8 or less. That way, all the lads can fish from one side of the vessel or from the stern.
Some trips (Plaice or Bass fishing) for example, are further restricted to 6 or 7 rods. This is to stop lines going under the boat and tangling with anglers on the other side of the boat.
Lily has been certified by the MCA (Maritime Coastal Agency) through a Certifying Authority (MECAL) to be fit for passages up to 60 miles from a safe haven...(there is nowhere in the English Channel that is more than 60 miles from land).
Very fast...on water that is. On initial sea trials, she quickly reached 25.5 knots in no tide and with 3 persons on board.
Powered by two Iveco NEF N40's Turbo Diesel engines, her cruising speed is around 18knots with a full load.
This depends on the length of time we are at sea and the type of fishing we do. There are many combinations and nothing is set in tablets of stone. Prices start at £40 per head for a 8 hour inshore trip. Please phone me or email with your requirements and I will give you a competitive quote.
Here is just a selection of ideas for you...every day is different and as such, we often vary the method and tackle we use...
Mackerel Feathers (Daylights or Hockeye's are best) and Shrip Rigs for Launce or Sandeel are good.
A selection of leads...6oz/10oz/1lb./1.5lb. and 2lb.
Hooks...2/0 4/0 and 6/0 wires...3/0 stainless and 6/0 and 8/0 forged.
Load your reels with Braided line and for traces and leaders, I don't think that you can beat Amnesia Clear...forget all the pinks and yellows lads! I usually keep 11kg and 18kg on board...the 11kg is ideal for Pollack traces. It's not a bad idea to have a spool of 50-80lb mono for rough ground fishing, but Conger traces should be 200lb mono...not wire please, it cuts braid like a knife through butter!
A selection of Redgills, Storm Lures or shads and Jellyworms are always useful. and don't forget booms and beads...if you bring that lot, then we should get out of trouble! In any case, I have loan gear on board if required.
As far as clothing is concerned, you will need waterproofs and Wellington Boots, even in summer. It is better to have it and not need it, than not to have it at all!
Lily's cabin is heated for your comfort in winter...this makes the long steam home from those mid-channel wrecks much more pleasant. Just one thing...NO wet gear in the wheelhouse please.
If all this is just too much, why not borrow one of the Fladen range of rods and reels I have on board. Tiger Lily is sposored by the Swedish Tackle Giant Fladen.
We catch Mackerel from April through to October, but if you need specialist baits, these can be obtained from
Weymouth Angling Centre is open from dawn to dusk (well almost) and the staff are knowledgeable about the bait and tackle that the local Charter-boats use. Their telephone number is 01305 777771. There are other tackle Shops locally that also have well stocked shelves such as Dennings Tackle in Wyke Regis or Reels and Deals which is right in town.
The catch is yours to do with what you will, but you should bear in mind that Tiger Lily Charters is a sport-fishing operation. We discourage large-scale fish kills in an attempt to cover the cost of a trip. As you can see by the logo we Recycle Fish, this means we operate in a way that we maintain a sustainable fishery.
Where practical we prefer a 'catch & release' approach. When fishing in the Channel Islands, or indeed multiple day trips from Weymouth, we can fillet, ice down and store fish in our insulated fish room on board.
PLEASE NOTE: Tiger Lily is not a registered fishing vessel, and so it is illegal for us to sell fish we have captured. It is also illegal for any of our anglers to sell the fish they have captured on our vessel. If caught you will be prosecuted and the penalties are heavy...it would be very satisfying to a trawler skipper or wreck netter to see anglers prosecuted, so don't give them that chance! Let's demonstrate a responsible attitude and then our children might enjoy the sport as we have done.
Try to think in terms of catching enough for your own consumption only...most anglers do nowadays.
You will not offend me if you want to return your fish to the sea alive. Please do it…just take what YOU want for your own consumption. Where Conger are concerned, I will release the fish at all times. We must all take responsibility regarding Conservation, and I actively encourage the return of live fish.
If you want to use barb-less hooks, that's fine too.
Recently, Weymouth Council in their wisdom! have removed all free parking from around the quay. You can park in bays, from the Town Bridge, past Tiger Lily's mooring and right the way round to the entrance to the Loop Car Park for ONE HOUR ONLY and it's free. Then, I can supply you with special all day permits for the Loop Car Park (right next to the boat) They cost £6 a day . If it's possible, try to come as a group in a Mini Bus or Van, or at least make best use of sharing the vehicles you have, this will cut down costs.
Please DO NOT park in the Loop Car Park without a ticket or permit displayed on your vehicle...you will get nicked and thats not a good way to start the day... what's more, you will remember the parking ticket with a grudge and we want you to remember Weymouth for more pleasant things like a day out on Tiger Lily!
The pic on the right, along with my crude scribble might help!
You can check out Google Maps to find me...just CLICK HERE.
A deposit of £100.00/£20.00 is required to secure a charter or individual place respectively. This will be returned in full under the following circumstances:
1. The skipper, as a result of bad weather or mechanical breakdown or any other safety issue regarding the vessel, cancels the trip.
2. The customer cancels the charter or place for whatever reason, providing at least thirty days notice are given.
3. The customer cancels the charter for whatever reason within thirty days of the trip and the boat is able to secure another booking. Please note that a short notice cancellation of less that thirty days, which results in the boat not being employed, or the individual place not being filled may render the customer liable for 100% of the full charter fee, or the full cost of any individual place where applicable, less a reasonable assesed cost for the fuel which would have been used.
Deposits paid for trips to the Channel Islands are none refundable.
No claim against the operator will be accepted in the event of his illness, vessel breakdown or any event beyond his control, including any 'Fish Species Ban' in force at the time.
Cheques should be made payable to Tiger Lily Charters Limited.
The skipper reserves the right to alter the type of trip or target species on the day when conditions would be unsuitable for the type of fishing planned. Under these circumstances, anglers are still expected to honour their bookings. When changes occur, charter rates for the day may change to reflect the type of trip achieved
If the trip is cancelled, we can either arrange another date or I will refund your deposit. Tip…If you are the organiser of a fishing trip, make sure you commit the people that you are bringing with you…unless they have given you a deposit, it is very easy for them to not show up or give you a lame excuse, thus leaving you holding the ‘baby’
Whatever you do, avoid trawling through half a dozen forecasts...it will only confuse you. The weather at sea is very complex and places like Teletext in my view are NOT the places to look! If you want the latest forecast for our region, phone the Southampton Weather centre and ask for the latest Inshore Forecast...these are issued twice a day and the best idea we can get for the following day is at 17.00hrs because that is when it is issued.
Of course, I understand that you want as much notice as possible if the trip is going to be cancelled because of weather, I'm afraid though, you will have to be patient. Please don't ring me the day before until after 7pm. This is important because I will not have had the chance to make a full assesment until I have all the information...remember as well, that I have probably been to sea until 6pm on the day before your trip!
The Inshore forecast is available on-line and changes at 05.00hrs and 17.00hrs daily and is valid to up to 12 miles offshore. You need to look at the Selsey Bill to Lyme Regis section and also it is worth checking the top of the page to see what time the forecast was issued!
The safety equipment that Tiger Lily carries is comprehensive and complies with MCA requirements. The vessel is checked every year and has to comply. When you sail with me, you will be given a briefing and shown the location of the safety gear. The idea is that, in the highly unlikely event of an emergency, everyone on board knows what to do. This is a MCA advisory.
If there are any questions you may have regarding safety aboard, then please give me a call to chat about them.
Lyle and Colin are seen here attending to some of the other duties needed to be carried out on board...this time it's a wash and brush up!
Since this pic, Lyle has gone on to qualify as a skipper and Colin is in the Royal Navy woking as a chef.
Tiger Lily is licensed by MECAL under the control of the MCA and I hold an Offshore Yachtmasters Competency Certificate endorsed for Commercial use. The vessel and occupants are insured for charter operations. A copy of my Insurance Certificate can be viewed on board and also my Cat 2 Certificate.
Please remember these documents should be available on any vessel you charter. Never charter a vessel unless you can view these documents as you could be travelling uninsured.
Tiger Lily Charters Ltd. is a member of the Professional Boatman's Association and adheres to the MCA's code of practice for small commercial vessels Category 2.
On a local note, Chris Caines is Charman of the Weymouth and Portland Licensed Skippers Association and has been Commodore for the World Angling Championships as well as twice for the European Championships when they were held at Weymouth.
Yep...We have facilities on board for making hot drinks...Tea, Coffee, Chocolate and Soup. There is also a microwave if you want to heat up pies or pasties. Some lads bring pre-cooked home made Shepherds Pie or Curry's and heat them in the on board Microwave! (The 'mic' on board is not suitable for de-frosting rock hard frozen food).
You will usually find that on a full day's charter, you will get very hungry...it's the sea air that does it! So bring plenty to eat with you.
On bumpy day's it can be awkward to make hot drinks, so it's not a bad idea to bring your own flask or bottle of pop.
Pic... Royston shows off his tea making skills with a smile.
We have no direct involvement with Guest Houses other than to direct anglers to them. Should you have a complaint about the accomodation that your hire, that complaint must be directed to the Guest House and not ourselves.
We are always grateful for comments on Guest Houses that our anglers stay in so that we can pass your info on to others.
Locally, I can tell you that most of the anglers who visit and need accomodation stay at either the Warwick Hotel , The Sailors Return or The Monarch House . If you are down here with your wife and want a realy nice place to stay on the harbourside, try The Old Harbour View .
Lily can take you to a remote beach for your BBQ and arange water ski-ing and beach volley ball if you prefer.
How about Lulworth Cove or Warbarrow Bay at anchor for luncheon? Maybe you want to view the wartime buildings around Portland Harbour...the choices are endless.
Weymouth Bay and the Bill of Portland are a Birdwatchers paradise...it's amazing how much more you see at sea!
Yes, although anglers have usually booked me up about a year in advance so I have not done much diving of late.
There are hundreds of wrecks in a reasonable distance from Weymouth...some famous ones are M2 Submarine, Salsette, Empress of India, HMS Hood, Avalanche, HMS Safari, HMS Formidable...I could go on!
No problems there…I run trips for groups and Individuals to Alderney and Guernsey. Trips can be of 4 or 5 day duration. Please call me for a quote. Why not check out my Channel Island section on the website for lots more info on this topic?
Incidently, if you need any fishing tackle or clothing or if you would like some good info on beach fishing and more around Alderney, then check out Alderney Angling .
If you are looking for acommodation in the islands, then CLICK HERE
Also, if you don't fancy the trip accross the Channel on Tiger Lily and you prefer to fly, then why not call Colin Dukes who operates Alderney's own Charter Boat, Smuggler . Colin's knowledge of the area is superb and I'm sure he will give you some great fishing.
In Guernsey, skipper, Richard Seager will make sure you have a good day... His new boat, Out the Blue 2 is roomy and fast.
If Jersey is your choice, skipper, Dave Nuth will take good care of you... His new boat, Theseus is a joy.
I understand, that when you come on a charter boat for the first time, it can be a bit intimidating...maybe you know nothing of boat etiquette, perhaps you can't tie a recognized knot or you're just not familiar with the jargon...don't worry, I will try and make you feel at home and in no time you will have a rod in your hand and be wrestling with that 'big one'.
In any case, read as much info as you can on Tiger Lily's web pages.
In the meanwhile, here is some help regarding etiquette on board...
No wet clothing/waterproofs in the wheelhouse
No Smoking in Toilet/Wheelhouse or Doorway
No Fishing Tackle or Rods in the wheelhouse
No Trash to be thrown overboard...use the bin.
Do not let lead weights damage the boat
Take care with knives…use scissors to cut line!
Please leave the boat as clean as you found it.
Try the Sailors Return right next to the boat. It is advisable to book though on 01305 773377 especially in the winter. Recent reports say that they have stopped taking bookings..any info please let me know so I can update this page.
Another good bet is the Terminal Cafe, this is at the rear of the Pavillion Theatre at the far end of the car park. Alternatively, The Harbour Bistro usually opens early and that is situated next to the Deep Sea Adventure atraction, which is about 500m back down the harbour opposite the Lifeboat station but on the other side of the harbour than the Lifeboat.
As the skipper, I am not permitted alcohol on duty. However, I don’t mind if you fancy a can of cool beer on a warm summers day…just stay in complete control at all times…that way everyone stays safe and happy.
Last Updated: Tue Sep 8 2009