A couple of days in Dumfries and Galloway

July is time for my traditional migration south for a few days fishing with Malkie. Usually a week I only managed a couple of days this year as I got burnt to a fecking crisp and couldn't think about a third day in the sun, lightweight I am. Unfortunately only a few pics as we kept forgetting our cameras and my phone seemed low on batteries all the time and we were saving juice for any good catches.

Day one was to be floundering in the morning, pit stop followed by a crack at the smoothies in the evening/night. Carsethorn was the venue of choice and after meeting Stuart (a new forum member Jedi Master) to dig some lug to the crabs foraged the night before we were off. Stuart is a grand chap to fish with especially as I've met few folk to out chatter Malkie  His car was like an angling supply shop to boot, most of which came with him down the shingle lol. This was where I made my first mistake, I'd left my cap back at Malkie's house and as it was a blazing hot day I slowly got cooked. 

Fishingwise it was not prolific but we had all had a handful of fish I think Malkie and Stuart had 6 each and I had 5. Most were between a pound and a pound and a half, no massive ones either with the biggest going to 1lb 9oz. Stuart should have a good photo or two as he took the bigger fish home as his mum loves flounders. 


We were out all through the heat of the day and I was absolutely cooked by the end of the session but after a rest and a feed it was off to the night fishing at the old lifeboat station. The way the rocks are there I set up a fair bit away from the lads so was a bitty bored as I had very little to keep me active no bites and snags. Malkie and Stuart had a progression of whiting and doggies coming in to all the baits under the sun, lug, crab, bluey and squid. I wasn't getting any nibbles or anything, fishing to the same rough distance no more than 60 yards along the rocks. Still I persisted until about midnight when I decided to have a snooze, thinking if the smoothies come on I'll hear about it soon enough. Unfortunately they did not. I finally landed a single whiting of about a pound that had been hooked while I had a kip and something sizeable had bitten a chunk out of its belly and its upper jaw. Looked a bit hellish but a blank saver it was! We had fished until about 3 a.m. and I'd been up for 23 hours by that point so it was a slow daunder back to the motor. 

Day two after a glorious 3.5 hrs sleep we were off again to Port Logan for a wrasse bash, just Malkie and me this time. Stopping off for Malkie to dig some lug that were like bloody hawsers, thick, fat and heavy.

The route to the mark once we had parked up should have just been over the field, through the gate then along the cliff tops to where we were to fish. Unfortunately the farmer (who we had chatted to briefly in the passing) failed to say there was a new electric fence up so the relatively short walked turned into a full lap of the field to then get into a second before we found a spot to safely get through the electric fence. All the while the sun was splitting the sky and seemed even hotter on the pasture for some reason.

First spot a rocky gully we had a few smallish pollock on hard spinners and small shads nice wee sport but nothing to get excited about, Malkie had the best at 2.5 lbs. We then moved a few hundred feet along the rocks and Malkie found the wrasse. He had landed a couple before I caught up and was landing one as I got there. Freelining lug out and letting it drift under the overhang directly below us. It took a few casts but I got my first after 5 mins or so which gave a good account of itself on my Rockfish (the matchstick as Malkie calls it). A browny red coloured wrasse, not sure what species but i expect ballan.



Malkie had another as well and I followed that with a pollock of about a pound which again gave me a good fight on the light rod. 

I moved round to another spot just 20 feet away but where I could work the other side of the overhand and after a long time of nothing other than one more pollock, a tad bigger, I got an almighty hit. This is what light tackle fishing is about a decent fish on taking line whilst I kept trying to turn its head so it would not go to ground. I could see some orange gold flashes in the sparking water but was not sure if I had a wrasse or pollock on. The rod coped well and whilst it was well compressed I eventually got control and started to get some line back. I could now see it was a nicely sized wrasse definitely the best fish I've had on the light gear. Malkie came round to help me land it and take the necessary pic. Lovely red orange coloured Ballan, about two pounds by Malkie's reckoning. Great fun. We kept going another hour or so before trudging back up the cliffs in the heat but this was the last of the day. 



Thanks as always to Malkie and family for the hospitality. I'm just sorry I was so knackered and sunburnt but i decided I needed my own nest to recuperate a tad. If it is nice this Saturday think I'll head out again after some more wrasse as that was a cracking bit of sport.

Loch Linnhe

Headed straight up to Loch Linnie on Friday night after work to fish the tide two down and three up ove from Corran Ferry. I thought the traffic would be hellish due to the bank holiday but the roads were pretty good thankfully barely a caravan in sight. 

On arrival the wind was stronger than forecast and straight in my face, but after considering a move I decided to set up as the wind was consistent and not very gusty. Quickly set up and baits in the water wind was hampering casts but not hellishly. I was just using mackie and squid cocktails as I had thought I had bluey in the freezer but was wrong. First fish came first cast a wee thornie with nice patterning, quickly followed by a tiny doggie.


Unfortunately the second catch was the way things continued. Things went quiet after the first catches until the tide turned and then it was a doggie a cast. I only lost two traces all night, one to a crack off and one to a snag and I think I lost a reasonable thornie to the snag.

I could have fished on but was getting a bit sick of the constant doggies but it was still a good busy session even if I'd have rathered more thornies.

Loch Etive Shoreangler meet

I had been looking forward to this for a while, meeting up with old friends and folk I only ever chat to online. Unfortunately the day dawned and there was strong wind and rain forecast all weekend. Several folk had been out since the night before and a few spurdogs and thornies had been caught. People had traveled from North, South, East and West of Scotland and all told about 20+ people appeared.

Malky and his weedfish

After a few cups of coffee and some fishy tales most got round to the main point of the meet i.e. fishing, which was initially uneventful other than the wind trying to blow everyone's rods over and and Malky breaking in his new zippex with a mighty weed fish. Just as the wind was picking up and everyone deciding to run in smaller groups to more sheltered areas Big Spurrie land what would turn out to be a Scottish Record tub Gurnard (still to be officially confirmed) which was only one of two fish landed at this point. At a little over 2lb 7oz it is a belter from the shore.



Five of us moved round to the south side of the loch to settle in for the evening. A lovely spot with just enough room for 5-6 people, fairly strong current and casting into approx. 40-50ft. A bit snaggy with weed on retrieval but nothing very bad.

Quite quickly Rossco had a smallish Spur dog and Garsi a couple of small thornies. Always grand to fish next to Malky as he grumbles away to himself contemplating a blank.

There came quite a quiet spell as high tide came and went, darkness fell and it wasn't until mid-tide down that I broke my own duck with a smallish thornie of 3lbs or so that came in quickly and wasn't even hooked as it spat the bait out as I turned to unhook it. Lucky to land it but it must've been determined to snack on the squid and bluey cocktail. A couple of casts later I'd not noticed any bites but felt a large weight when I started reeling in to re-bait. There was no noticeable movement on the line so I assumed it was the usual lump of passing weed attached to the sinker. Still it was coming in albeit slowly and with a lot of extra effort to get it through the weed bed in front of the mark. It was still 20 or so feet out when I saw the tell tale flash of the white underside of a wing in my head torch to show another thornie. A fair bit bigger than the last and also very thick but unfortunately no scale with me so not sure of the weight but certainly around 6lb I'd think. Not massive but a decent fish.

Malkie still hadn't broken his blank and at that point we gave it two more casts before calling it a night at about 1 a.m. Still time for one last fish for me in the form of a bonus doggie.

Solway Trip: a week with Malky

Well I'm just back from a week down staying with Malky Udderman. That is one man who likes to fish hard.  The plan was to fish a couple of marks per day and hopefully to get me a smooth hound.

Day 1

Now I am no slim jim and not the fittest person in the world so I was not looking forward to the marching to and from marks as I knew most of the paces Malky likes to fish are at the end of a bit of a yomp. Malky said a short flat walk to start the week, cut to me a sweaty mess after a 2-3 mile wander through the countryside. Still it was a nice looking mark (sorry but I don't really know where I was most of the time just following the chief) a big flat slab of rock into reasonably deep water. Smoothies and rays were what we hoped to get. But it was not to be and after a few hours and an ever increasing wind with only one bite between us (Malky landing his favoured doggie) we retreated to a nearby mark that was out of the worse of the wind. Bites came thick and fast here but as the tide was small it seemed that the fish were just playing with their food as dozens of bites only resulted in one doggie to me and a further two to Malky as well as a small  but fairly rare Solway codling. It was still a bit of a despondent trudge back to the car when we packed in.

Day 2 

Awoke to a howling gale and down pour. Neither of us had a lot of get up and go due to the previous days dissappointment. Malky suggested a local trip to dig lug and then off to Carsethorn for some flounders. Lug dug (by Malky:)) and another frustrating day with lots of obvious flounder bites but absolutely nothing hooking up left us both blankers after three hours in the rain.

 Day 3 

By day three I realised that the trips to the bait shop were as much about 'wee blondie' as they were to get bait, each to their own lol. Today's first mark was a 'wee flat walk'. Hmmm as it started gentle up hill and go slowly steeper I politely enquired if Malky knew the meaning of flat! Over a fence then through a fairly enclosed wood to the shore which was a really broken array of sharp rocks which were not so easy to cross to the fishing point. This turned into another blanker with not a bite. I think I got a bit of heat stroke which wasn't helped by trying to find a short cut back that didn't really work.

That evening we were to meet up with Callum and fish a mark that was a bit further walk, but Malky seeing the physical wreck I was decided we would change and fish another mark nearby. This really just turned into a banter session (always flying about when Malky and Callum are together) as there were few bites and all three of us retreated blankers.

Day 4

A bit of a trip out of Malky's immediate area to the Isle of Whithorn to fish the late evening high tide and ebb was the plan. A mark neither of us knew so after some clambering about we had decided on a stance of rocks to the East of the point beyond the white tower. It was obvious we would get stranded for about an hour over high but after checking the forecast and the surroundings we decided that it was a safe place to do that. Lots of bites and lots of doggies for both of us from the off as well as a feisty wee pollock for Malky. An odd current started to swing very strongly against the tide about two hours prior to high tide and was starting to get us all tangled up and dragging us into snags. We decided that we weren't going to be able fish that mark any longer and decided to move onto the point itself before we got stuck where we were. After some more scrambling around it was obvious that all the fishable stances were occupied and we had to call it a day. Probably the most frustrating day of the trip as the whole of that area looks really fishy and we would have loved to have fished well into the night as planned to see what was about. Hopefully next trip down.

Day 5

Pressure on last session of the trip. I got up early doors to have a nice long session and found Malky missing lol. He'd got up at milking time and had been away crabbing and arrived back with 50 odd fresh peelers to go with the ones he had frozen down. Good man that Malky. We were off back to the second mark we fished on the first day in Balcary Bay. Best day off the trip, not a cloud in the sky, just a light wind to cool you down and most of my casts going further than normal. We knew the tide would get up so set up a few rocks apart to avoid tangles.

Lots and lots of doggies again from the off and another wee codling, for me this time. No fish playing with bait this time they were feeding hard from the off. After about an hour I hear Malky hollering from his stance for some help as he's into a smoothie and needs help landing it. A hop skip and jump later and one smiling Malky with a smoothie of about 6lbs or so.

Well they were about and thankfully I didn't have long to wait for one of my own. It led me a merry dance and tangled Malky and my line but after a bit of jiggery pokery it was landed and I had a smile like the proverbial cheshire cat and my main target for the week landed.

We then had another three in reasonable quick succession 2 to Malky and another one to me but Malky's was a belter around the 10lb mark though the picture doesn't do it justice.

When the hounds stopped biting Malky annouced, 'Ah aff crabbin mun' thinking about his further trips over his fortnight off and disappeared to scour the shore over lowtide.

And with that all the bites stopped and my trip down came to an end. I bumped into Jonner on Friday night as he was taking my place at Malky's for a few day, hopefully successfully.

A huge thanks to Malky for putting me up (putting up with me) for a few days and all the great banter. I've already booked to go back next year lol.

Sunny Salen: slow day

I was happy to receive an invite from Sharpie to meet up with him and Nikki to dangle some hooks in Loch Sunart on Sunday. Always good company and the weather looked nice as well, what better than a trip over Corran Ferry to some of the best scenery in Scotland and a chance of all sorts of species. Well the good company and scenery were right but the fishing was not up to scratch despite best efforts.

Launching a Salen Jetty we first went up to Laga Bay with the hope of some conger eels, a couple of rods with big hooks each and a variety of, mackerel, squid, octopus and bluey down to the depths, then a couple of wee hooked rods each to see if there were any whiting, gurnard or the like. After a decent while with no bites at all when Sharpie was rebaiting one of his big rods my small one bent over and went off on a decent run. Certainly not a whiting, nice big bend and a heavy weight on the rod either a thornie or a passing lump of weed moving in the tide, my thought was weed as I could feel no movement on the line so was happy to see a thornie appear from the 400ft depth. I never weighed it but guessimated about 3-4lbs or so.

Unfortunately apart from a handfull of doggies despite moving around and trying varieties of baits rigs etc that was it fishwise for the day. I do wish I'd taken a photo of the smallest doggie I have ever seen, no bigger than my middle finger. By the look of it it must've pupped then taken my bait straight away.

Really slow days fishing a afloat but lovely day to be out and a bad days fisihiong still beats most things hands down.

Oban Skate trip 2013 - Day Two

Day Two 

Day two dawned to find Oban Bay gray and overcast, wet and very gusty. Pete and the Morecombe lads started my cooking breakfast for half of Oban :) Sausages, eggs, bacon, beans, toast, fried bread, fried onions and mushrooms in mountainous piles. I seriously do not know where Pete puts it as he had a massive prawn curry after the pub the night before as well.

The morning was actually better wind speedwise than the day before but it was from a slightly more awkward direction and was due to increase more steadily than the day before. As discretion is the better part of valor Colin the skipper decided we were Etive bound as it would be too uncomfortable/dangerous to head out to the skate marks. We were all a wee bit deflated but not too much as it was expected all round to be honest and there is no excuse to push things.

Still a day in Etive was a good second choice and we were expecting a fair days fishing. Steaming round the corner to Etive we firstly anchored up just before the connel bridge. This spot has produced some decent spurs before and it did again today. Young Callum was first in I think, followed by his Dad, Pete, then Neil (who had joined us for the Sunday trip) all with spurdogs in the 2-4lb bracket. It was nice and sheltered here but you could tell that the wind was starting to bow and that the correct decision had been made to fish Etive. Paul then had a Lesser Spotted Doggie and Terry another spurrie aboard. Jay then caught a thornie so small the wind blew it of his hook when he lifted it out the water, but it gave a fair few kicks on the way up that made us think it was another spurrie.

I hooked up a belter of a feeling fish that was giving a real fight on my light rod. I stupidly got distracted and allowed the line to slacken off and with a last knock it was off. I'm still gutted at my stupidity as I genuinely think that was a big spur. Definitely a pb (currently 6lb) and possibly a doubler.

I was still feeling like an idiot as we upper anchor and moved into the loch to another mark after a short fruitless drift. The next stop was mid loch near to the Priory. Hopes were to bag a few thornies here and maybe some other of the Etive regular or irregular species. It wasn't to be, after an hour or so of no bites at all and little crab action we moved on to another point. Dave was getting pelters and starting to get nervy as he was the only person onboard on a weekend blanker.

Next stop produced no fish either and baits were getting torn to pieces by crabs with the odd one or two coming aboard until this crab ball appeared. Six or seven crabs made it to the surface, god knows how many might have been on the bait when it was 100 ft down. I knew that Etive could be bad for crabs destroying bait but I've never seen so many crabs. After a decent start to the day it was looking a bit bleak, pretty slow few bites and fewer hook up and fish landed. All sorts of baits and hook sizes were going down but to no avail. Still a lot of banter round the boat and know one was downbeat as it was still better to be out trying to catch.

As the tide would be running there again the skipper moved us back to near the original mark with a couple of hours of the trip left. The wind was howling now and rain coming periodically so the boat was moving at anchor quite a lot so it was pretty difficult to hold bottom. So it was a nice surprise when a few spurs started to come aboard.

I had a few wee niggley bites then which I thought were whiting then got a decent bite and hook up which I thought was a small spur. But was pretty surprised to find a mackie on my line which had taken a mackie bait, cannibal :)) Quickly dispatched and cut up as fresh bait before I managed to get a wee photo. Not to mind everyone has seen one lol. One last fish was to come aboard and the best of the day as it turned out an 8lb spur for Neil. We weighted it in a sling and were surprised it was quite as heavy as it was but it was a chunky monkey.

And that was the weekend, super fun time but slow fishing, ah well next time is bound to be a bonanza, isn't it???

Oban Skate Trip 2013 - Day One

Day One

Well the weekend past was one I had been waiting for eagerly for weeks and also with some trepidation due to the adverse weather forecast more recently. On Saturday morning I met with Jason (Sultzer) and we traveled down to Oban fairly uneventfully but constantly the chat kept going back to the weather. When we arrived at Oban there was a fresh southerly blowing.

We quickly geared up and made our way to the slip to speak to Colin, the skipper of the M.V. Creagallan, to find out his thoughts on the wind which was forecast to pick up. His mind was to sail out beyond the point for a look, then either go to the skate marks or Etive if it didn't look favourable. We set off once the rest of the anglers had appeared, one of Jay's colleagues Pete and his son Callum and the three Morecambe boys (Dave, Paul and Terry), Dave had one the Skate trip as a raffle prize held for last years Sick Kids Comp. The wind and swell were not bad enough to send us steaming into Etive but it was going to turn into a bouncy trip from time to time. After anchoring in the lee of a headland in about 130m of water we got the first baits (usual selection of mackies, squid, bluey and rainbow trout to start) down and waited. A couple of rods with small hooks also were put down to see what else might be about.

By and large there was just a roll on board but the odd period of larger swell did spill round the corner to make it a bit uncomfortable from time to time. It was a slow morning, but as often when the fishing is slow the banter is quick and there was a good atmosphere on board with everyone getting on and having a great laugh. One of the small rods went (first bite on anything of the day shortly before lunch and Jay handed the rod to Callum the young lad on board. He was delighted when he landed a spur of about 3-4 lbs, not a massive one but his first 'shark' :) I think a new sea fishing addiction has been started.

Just after this I decided to bring in my light rod as the tide run had really picked up and it was hard to hold bottom. A small extra weight on the line when I reeled in but I just thought that was just the tide so was delighted when I saw a blackmouth dogfish come over the side. The only species I particularly wanted to catch that weekend bar the skate. A really cool wee thing of about 3/4 lb.

With the wind a swell starting to build about 13:30 the skipper called for one last re bait before we would have to move to beat the tide turning and do a bit of general fishing somewhere more sheltered. One of the whiting I had caught onboard in Feb came to hand and down it went, first time we had used that bait that day. Jason and I had gone into the wheelhouse to speak to Colin and have a sarnie when about 15 mins later  a long strong run on a ratchet. Ooooh some action finally. Out of the wheelhouse to find that it was my rod that had gone (lovely wee whiting). Another couple of small runs, tightening up the line to set the hook and skate on, yeehaa.

Now there were five skate virgins out of seven anglers aboard so as this was likely the only hook up we were going to get all weekend (due to worsening weather) I decided to do the generous thing offer the rod to the first to step forward. This led to silence and five worried looks around at each other (they all still claim they immediately lept to their collective feet :)). I was up for this, one more ask before the I shut the door and took the fight myself. Second time round Terry, one of the Morecambe boys, stepped up to the plate and took up the strain. Lots of pissing taking ensued as he felt the weight and strength of the fish on the line. It was a feisty bugger but he dealt with it well. Dave took the strain a couple of times to give Terry a wee rest but even so it was off the bottom and over the gunnel in a little over 30 mins. A nice 112lb male, which had obviously been caught recently as there was a clean gaff mark visible as it came to the side.

Quickly measured, a few photos and safely back in the water to swim strongly off. Great sight as ever with the skate coming aboard then flicking its tail back to the depths. As was the grins round the boat as not only were there five skate virgins but this was the first encounter any of them had with a common skate. Pics and videos are great but not a patch on the real thing. I have to say I was a tad nervous I'd given a PB away but seeing Terry and is pals so happy with the skate  I was so glad I hadn't been selfish.

We then moved into a shallower and more sheltered bay on the way back but with no luck for the hour or so we spent there. Still we were all ready to get back for a beer and a slap up roast dinner kindly cooked by Pete (it was unexpected and excellent, roast pork and all the trimmings), then a few more beers and fishy chat in the pub. Slow fishing but a really great fun day, what would day two bring.

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.

Lots of driving, lots of midgies and a few fish

Well the plan was a nice leisurely rive over to Lochaline to fish the West Pier overnight on Friday night and then stop somewhere on the way back on Saturday. Beautiful day for a drive in the countryside through Perthshire and Glen Coe. Bit of a hold up going through Glen Coe for an accident (nobody hurt badly thankfully) but let me to get a couple of nice pics of the scenery. When I got to the Corran Ferry it dawned on me that it was the first time this year I'd been across on it. It's a strange wee ferry to cross a small spanse of water, always makes me think that a bridge would make more sense, but I'd be pretty sad if a bridge did get put up. Funny how small things like that can give you a feeling of well being, it like the gateway to the wilderness. Unfortunately on getting over to Lochaline I found half of it filled with logs and the other half filled with anglers with the same idea. I had a chat with them and they's only had a doggie and a small conger for the 6 odd hours they'd been fishing between the 8 odd of them. They said they'd make room but with me meeting Sharpie and Nikki I didn't think that there was nearly enough room for another 3 of us. Next thought was the Sheepshed but it had a family of Dutch ensconced in a camper van so no room at the inn again. Two hours and 60 miles later I passed the Corran Ferry again with the rods never leaving the car. So where to go, my banker in the area is Camasnagaul Ferry Landing so that's where I decided, phoned Sharpie to arrange to meet there.

That night turned out to be a doggie-a-thon and all tiny as well. Fort William seemed like it was jumping shrieking, hollering, loud dance music and sirens. Funny how different things can look at a bit of distance as the photo I took that night makes it look so serene. After about three hours we packed it in as there was nothing moving bar the doggies and planned to get up early to fish the tide down on daylight.

After a fairly fitful sleep in the motor I was up the back of six and back out with the rods. That's when I realised it was still calm and was hit with a wave of midgies. Honestly in all the summers I've spent in the west I have never ever experienced anything like that. Clouds and clouds of the wee scottish vampires.  I am glad to report that Skin so Soft works wonders as the midgies were out in full force and I only got bitten 6 six times even though I was surrounded by 1000's. Sharpie and Nikki were more sensible than me staying in their tent till the wind pick up and blew them away.

Still fishingwise I had a reasonable thornie of 4lb odd and a couple more doggies to add the the bulk load the night previously. But sharpie when he venured out had a wee species hunt landing a Grey Gurnard (my target unfulfilled for the weekend) then a doggie, dab double hit followed by a codling and a wee thornie. So 5-2 in Sharpies favour species wise but I had the bulk of numbers in all the doggies from Friday. Would rather have had the Grey Gurnard though. Will be back to get one :)

Got a few nice shots of the local swans as well.

Mull of Galloway trip

Day 1 - Terally Bay



Terally Bay

 An uneventful drive down to the chalets were were staying at in Ardwell, quick look round chuck all necessary gear into the chalet and of we went to wet the first lines of the trip. A nice easy mark to begin with for us soft east coasters a short walk down the pebbly banking from the lay by to the shoreline set up and fish :) Not the most favorable conditions fairly flat sea, gin clear and a very bright skies. Still on holiday and fishing. Not the most productive session though as all we caught was a handful of doggies, but no blank.

Day 2 - Ardwell Back Bay Rocks

The sun of the previous day continued with little wind. Everyone was pretty tired in the way that the sun makes you. A rock mark was the plan for the day due to the clear water and still water. The sun was blazing again and everyone was mndful of the roasting we were in for on the rocks. Callum and Malky walked on a bit further whlist Sharpie, Nikki and I opted for a closer mark with rocks off a nice deep water gulley. Float fishing was the tactic with lug worm the teaser morsel hoping to tempt a few a wrasse. Fairly quiet to start with until Nikki landed a small wrasse. Looking good we all thought, but unfortunately they weren't feeding hard at all and we ended the day again with one fish a piece, Nikki: wrasse, Sharpie: coalie, me: rockling. When Malky and Callum they had had a few more fish but not a huge haul. A 2-3 wrasse and a couple of smallish pollock I think. No blanks again was good. Everyone was wasted by the sun so decided to have an evening off.

Day 3 - MOG Flat Rock



Malky in the distance



Plan was to fish through the day from 1ish till whenever. Though the fishing was meant to be good I wasn't particualrly looking forward to this due to the climb back up from the rocks later on. Not a long walk by any means but roughly a drop of 125m from the carpark to sealevel. So traveling light was the way to go, though all things are comparative when you are talking about fishing rods, tripod, weights etc etc. Still off we went as I was determined to 'see the sights' Not nearly as bad as I thought it might be on the way down, just a little awkward with the rods clambering down some of the rocks. Now this was the first busy session of the week, bait in, doggie, bait in, doggie, bait in, doggie etc etc for pretty much the whole day. A few mackies fell to Sharpie feathering for fresh bait. Catch of the day sharpie getting three doggies on a one hook rig. They truely are greedy beggars. Good fun down on the rocks in the sun having a laugh and though the fish were only humble doggies and nothing bigger it was a great day. The hike back up was the killer expected but hellish at the time it's quickly forgotten when you've had a nice busy day fishing.

Day 4 - Port Logan Beach and Portpatrick Yellow Isle

 

Stealth Turbot



Port Logan bay



Sharpie and Nikki decided to have a day off fishing so Malky and I went over to Port Logan to have a look see and get out of the cabin before the evenings planned trip to the rocks at Port Patrick called the Yellow Isle. The sandy bay said flatties to us both so we decided to have 3-4 hours before getting back to the chalet for a feed. A nice sandy bay with a rocky fringe to the left hand side which we decided to fish near to in the hope that there may be turbots about. First few casts produced nada not even crab action as the lug/mackie baits were coming back untouched. On my third of fourth re-bait I could see a wee flat fish coming in through the surf which turned out to be a small turbot :) And that was that for the short session a fisrt blank of the trip for any of us falling to Malky but me fairly happy with a second new speices for the year in my little turbot which wasn't bad for an ad-hoc session.



Yellow Isle dusk view

The Yellow Isle was another steep decent but with better footings on the way down. Just Malky, Callum and myself this time around. We were planning on fishing 6 p.m. till midnighish and got set up on some faltter bits spread out over the front of the rocks. Callum about a 100yrds to my left and Malky about 20-30 yrds to my right. Deep water right in front and nice clean ground, the only snag point was from the hight that the sinker and rig occassionally swung into the rocks and snagged, but I only lost one set of gear and that was due to a crack off. Essentially this has a frenzy of dab fishing loads and loads of them to begin with probably in the 30's or so landed with the odd pollock, whiting, gurnard and more than a few doggies between us all. Again a nice busy session but none of the big beauties showing up to play unfortunately. Seemed shorter climbing back up in the dark due to being more careful in the dark with the head torch on.

Day 5 - Terally Bay (weed stops play)

Title says it all weather much windier and sea kicking up. Was actually hoping for a decent session but we all only lasted one cast with the line looking like a washing line after 5mins. Dreadful stuff. And that was a blank to end the holiday on (not sure it is a blank after only one cast) as the weather steadily got worse and worse until the group decision was made to break for home a day early :(

Cracking place and I really hope to come back soon for a crack at the smoothies, huss and tope.