Etive afloat

I'd been looking forward to this trip for a while as I'd not had a trip to Etive in several months. Everyone had to bring a beer, rig and chocolate bar for the sweepys; heaviest spurdog, heaviest thornie and most species

I arrived at the car park at Taynuilt pier to find everyone else just arrived ahead of me and the Ceagallan just tying up. Floaty on, kit oot the boot and onto the boat. Colin the skipper was soon steaming to up the Loch towards the Glen Etive end. First stop was a good 3/4 of the way up the loch and into 40m. Wee knocks quite  quickly round the boat but initially no hook ups. First blood eventually fell to me with a thornback ray (about 2.5lbs)  and a whiting. A few very small and small spurdogs started being landed round the boat and I had species three fairly quickly, a small lesser spotted dogfish. Just as the skipper was considering a move after the bites died a bit Jason (sultzer) then landed a nice 8lb Spurdog so we stayed a tad longer. A few more whiting and another LSD for me before we moved.

Next stop was deeper about 100m pretty close to my depth limit as I was only using light gear and had a small okuma multi. A bit slow to start with then loads of tiny spurs started to come aboard, pretty much to everyone bar me who could not even buy a nibble. Fair few fish coming aboard but this was a slow spot for me and it was looking like no fish on mark two. Then as one last drop before a move was called I got my first bite here and landed a small spur, species four.

Next stop was the shallowest of the day with everyone else hoping to bag a thornie. To get my species tally up I persisted with the wee hooks and was quickly bringing in a procession of whiting but no sign of the gurnard I was hoping for. Whiting and a couple of spurs round the boat but no sign of any other thornies, which was a bit of a surprise. Time again for another move for the last couple of hours.

A pin whiting's pins

Back to the whiting and small spurs round the boat and one cod as well. First up I had my second spur, then whiting and a poor Cod that looked like something had eaten it's eyes out. Gross but species five for me :)

Soon it was lines up and heading home. Starting to get chilly and everyone was ready to finish up. I won the choc bars and rigs for most species and biggest thornie (only one caught) and Jason had the beers for biggest spur.

I (and I'm sure everyone else) had a great time thanks to Jay for the organisational duties, Colin for skippering and coffees and everyone on board for a good laugh, plenty of banter and smiles.

Shore trip West  next weekend weather being kind.

Species count finally off and running

After having a completely fish less January after a single blank I was determined to get out and get 2013's fish count of to a start. My plan was a slightly early finish to work to fish the Tay half tide up. But as I got caught up and never got away when I wanted I wasn't too hopeful as I'd missed the best of the tide when I set up. But a beautiful view as the sun set was worth a wee session even if a second blank was on the cards.
Flounders were my target so usual practice of one rod close one mid distance and to cut a long story short only had a couple of fish. One flounder of 22 cm and a wee coalie of 20 cm. Two hours only before the dreaded weed started after the tide turned and chased me home.

Also had a nice, though slightly remote, wildlife encounter on the way home as a lovely Barn Owl ghosted along just to the front right of my car the full length of a straight on the back roads home. Was probably on 30-45 seconds but was a great sight and put a big smile on my face.

Not a great session over all but still glad to have got the species count off and running.