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.

Getting Damp for Dabs

When Burnie from Shoreangler posted he was heading out again after some dabs I asked if he minded me tagging along. We agreed to meet in Montrose and then on to the mark.

Burnie had dug some fresh rag and we both had some frozen mackerel as bait and were using two hook flapper rigs. I decided to fish just the one rod for a laid back easy session whilst Burnie fished the two rods.

Bites came thick and fast as soon as the tide turned and started flooding, with Burnie struggling to keep two rods going at times.
The first hour was bone dry, then a bit of drizzle followed by an hour downpour. I'd brought a waterproof jacket but decided not to bother with the waterproof breeks. Big mistake as I was quickly soaking from the knees down and called it a day as my wellies started to fill up with rain water.

Still we landed a good amount of fish with me managing 9 and Burnie over 20. Burnie managed the numbers of fish and I had a slightly better average size. Burnie also managed to land 3 or 4 small flounders along with the dabs. Nice wee spot I'd love to try into darkness on the flood.

Riverside Drive, Dundee

Rigs: 2&3 hook flappers targeting flounders
Bait: mackie and prawn
Tide: 2 hours up and one down

Well March is already upon us and I decided for a first shore trip of the year to a sunny if still a tad chilly Riverside Drive at Dundee. Still suffering from the effects of man-flu I'd decided on an easy trip fishing out the back of the car.

It was apparent on arrival that that river was very muddy so I was immediately not expecting a bumper day. From the off there was a fair amount of grassy weed from the reed beds up stream. Always a pain to strip off the line and getting stuck in the rod eyes. No bites at all for the first 45 mins and a big tidal drag upstream whilst the flood continued.

The tidal run dropped a bit as did the weed, then a nice bite and my first shore caught fish of the year quickly follows, usual suspect of a flounder. This was quickly followed by a second smaller flounder and that was that for the day unfortunately.

Elliot beach 24-08-13

Off to the beach for low tide up.I got set up just behind a big sand bank right on the lowtide point just where the tide would start coming in behind. When the tide started to flood there was a good amount of water running round the corner and behind the bank. Two baits out one in the slack water behind the bank and one sitting in the strongest flow of the tide.

Quite quickly I got a strong bite on the rod in the slack water, quite obviously a flounder and a bit smaller than it felt only about 21cms but thick and strong. Never snapped as I thought i'd have better. Not to be flounderwise.

Shortly after the flounder was landed my other rod took a mighty knock and unlike me I took the rod up and struck the second nod perfectly. This was a whole different ball game, zig zaging up and down the beach, taking line and leaping out of the water. I thought I had a bass on for a while as I got flashes of silver through the splashes it was sending up. With nothing to snag up on I played it calmly and shortly landed a decent sized fish. Not certain if it is a grilse or a sea trout but a damn good fight and as it was still full of vigor I put it back after a quick snap. It zipped off strongly back into the surf.

I had planned to fish the whole tide up on Sat but the session got curtailed to just a couple of hours due to the worst weed I have experienced on this beach. I was pretty disappointed but it was un-fishable with the flattie rods I had.

Stopped at Riverside on the way home to use up the bait and had loads of flounders but nothing of note so never bothered with the camera. I think it must've been close to two dozen for the couple of hours there.

Portknockie Harbour

Taking advantage of the great weather I decided to have a trip up north to Portknockie harbour for some LRF and to meet up with Sharpie. After a great drive through the beautiful countryside of Perthshire and along the spey valley I arrived in Portknockie in glorious sunshine but a bit more wind than I would've liked. First stop was the outer breakwater with the LRF gear. Drop shot rig with some isome on as bait. Lots and lots of tiddler coalies coming and inspecting but nothing taking. The water clarity was amazing compared to the last trip on the east coast. Sharpie arrived shortly after and firstly fired out some feathers to see if there were any mackies around as we had in mind to try for conger later on. He was having no better luck than I was and decided to join me with my second LRF rod in the sheltered harbour when the wind got up again, wind is the major drawback with LRF.

We went to a wee hollow in the inner wall I'd noticed a blenny sticking its head out of as I walked along the harbour earlier. Same drop shot rig down and we were both surprised to see blennies and small sea scorpions appear from everywhere. There were also dozens if tiny flat fish (far to small to ID). First to catch was sharpie with a wee coalie that darted out from under the boat we were next to to take his isome.

There were several blennies but one much much bigger than the rest and the one I targeted. Thankfully they were very obliging and both of us had one in quick succession and thankfully I had the biggie. There were a few different looking fish but I never managed to catch a particularly nicely patterned one as it kept getting chased off.

Sharpie also had a wee long spined sea scorpion and the smallest flounder I have ever seen all of 2 cms. We tried for some of the other flatties to see if we could ID them but I'd forgotten my smallest pattern hooks and they couldn't take what I had. I'm fairly sure there were wee plaice and turbot as well as the flounders. Will need to go back to find out.

We never stuck it out for as long as intended as the sun beating down was pretty intense and retreated to sharpies before heading to try for conger that night,

Quick report: Cellardyke 13-07-13

With the lovely weather continuing I decided to take the LRF rods over to Cellardyke harbour to try to winkle out some blennies. I'd PM'd Dykerboy and found him already fishing when I arrived.

The conditions weren't best for the light gear as the temp had dropped a lot and the wind was getting up I was bloody cold in shorts and t-shirt as it was about 10 degrees colder than the morning. Not busy fishwise from the start with almost no bites at all. Dykerboy was fishing lug into the harbour for flatties and I persevered with the lures. After about an hour Dykerboy had a thick flattie of a pound or so. I looked like a brick lol.

Dykerboy had to head off shortly afterwards to wine and dine his wife for her birthday (hope you had a good night).

The wind was a real pain for the light lures so I decided to give myself another half hour before I packed up and went home. Good decision as a few casts later with the Rockfish Ultra Light my wee blenny lure was smashed.

Hmm not a blenny that's for sure. Rod bent double and me hoping that the size 10 hook was up to the task. As the lure was hit right under the harbour wall I could see a wrasse zipping about. It felt like I'd hooked a monster due to the light rod a 4lb braid I was using, really great sport. After a wee anxious moment or two I got it under control and landed it, very glad it was high tide so there wasn't much of a distance to get it up.

Very happy as it's my first wrasse, a species that for some reason has alluded me for some reason till now. Next sunny day I'll be back to try to get the blennies as well.

Floundering with cousin Johnny

Well after the yomping exploits in Dumfrieshire last week I decided to take an afternoon off work to enjoy the nice weather and have nice easy session fishing. I'd arranged to take my cousin Johnny along to Eliot beach at Arbroath as he's just started fishing again and had only fished at Riverside Drive so far.

The plan was to fish the tide two up two down, which was slightly new territory for me as I usually fish Eliot two over low tide. Just fishing one rod each with three hook flappers and wee strips of bluey as bait.  Johnny had one second cast, a wee tiddler but blank off early. I had to wait a while for my first but got a slightly better one about 20 mins before high tide. By this time Johnny had another about the same size as his first one.


The bites died off over high tide but quite quickly started again in earnest just after the tide started dropping again. Johnny had another two flounders in quick succession but couldn't get into the slightly better fish. I had another couple as well but mine were getting slightly larger each time. First was about 18 cm, then 20cm and 22cm. No monsters but decent enough flounders for Eliot. We were having a decent old time chatting away fishing slowly enjoying the sun and watching the world go by.  By the time we ran out of bait Johnny had another two flounders and I had the best of the day at bang on 30 cms.

Nice to have a slow paced chill out fish once in a while.

First LRF trip - Arbroath Cliffs

Well a day of nice weather deserves to be used so off to the cliffs I duly went armed with my Light Rock Fishing gear for a first test of it all properly. I had hoped to walk to the end of the cliffs and slowly make my way back to the carpark going up and down for a few casts here and there. That thought was quickly knocked on the head as if the rocks weren't busy with like minded souls they were covered with sun bathers. As I was passing the Needle's E'e I saw the rocks empty so dived down there fearing I'd go along and back with nowhere else to fish.

First blood to my Rockfish.

The water was a lot more coloured than I had hoped but at the very least a few hours getting to grips with the LRF techniques would put me in good stead for the rest of the summer. It is amazing how much of a picture of the bottom you can get skipping a 2.6g jighead along with 5 lb braid. As I had not had a sniff. I moved round the rocks a bit further as the tide went down. Third cast on the new bit, nibble, nibble, hit. Yes fish on and I certainly found out that I had the Ultra Light Rock Fish. Bent in two and I could feel every single thump the fish made. As this was the first fish I have caught on this rod I had nothing to compare it to so never knew if it was a coalie, rockling or a small codling but I had never thought it was Freddy the Flounder that must have followed me from Riverside Dr. I was chuffed my first LRF caught fish was a lure caught flounder of about 27cm.

I stayed to soak up a few more rays but caught no more. Here is hoping for a lot more of today's weather all summer long so I can rock hop to my heart's content as I think light rock fishing might just take over my summer :)

Bank Holiday flattie bash

I was going to have a trip West or North this weekend but the changeable weather made me decide to save my petrol tokens for better weather and have a local bash on Bank Holiday Monday when the wind had died again. With high tide being just after 1 p.m. I decided to head to Riverside Drive again and fish 3 hours up.

Light wind only, overcast and no rain thankfully when I parked up behind the university pitches. The usual two rods, one close in and one a bit further out. 2 and 3 hook flappers with prawn and herring as bait. Wee tweaks on the rods from the first and hooks coming back bare for the first few casts. Probably the usual Tay culprits of crabs and tiny flounders. I only had to wait about half an hour for my first fish a wee flounder.

That  was followed next cast by another one about the same size then a couple of crabs. By about 11 a.m. another four folk had started fishing as well and the odd person stopping to have a chat made the time pass whilst it was still a bit slow and the bites died a bit. This only lasted about half an hour and between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. I had a really busy period with bites every cast and fish most casts. As I had a caught a few I decided to put a clipped down rig on one of the rods and fire a bait a bit further to see if anything was feeding further out.  All the flounders to this point  were in the 16 - 19 cm so I was hoping to get something a bit bigger at least. I couldn't see most of the other folk out fishing as they were behind me most of the time so not sure if many other fish were being caught and I only saw the guy in front of me get one flounder and a pin whiting.

My far out rod went quite quickly and I landed my best of the day, a still modest 24cm flounder. This was the only fish of the day on herring with all of the rest taking prawn.  I never got a pic of it either as it flapped off the wall and back into the water when I turned to get my camera. Still no harm done plenty of flounder photos about. Things died of as the tide turned and I packed up a couple of casts into the turn with one final flattie coming in to make my total a round dozen. Nice day off, out fishing and kept busy even if the stamp of fish was small.

Cormorant 0 - Squid Ink 1

Another day on the Tay on Friday.

I'd arranged to meet Jason (Sultzer) to square up for next weekend's Skate trip (please weather gods be good to us!) so a wee session together seemed appropriate. Plan was 3 hours up and one down. There wasn't much wind but what there was was bitter. Mid April and still wrapped up. Jason arrived shortly after me and Brian appeared a bit later, but as there were little or no bites most of the session was spent chatting about last years skate trip and whether the weather was going to be kind next weekend. By half five only Brian had had a fish, a flounder of about an ounce.

Being freezing and with little fishy interest I decided on two casts then home. Shortly after casting out a new bait my rod started nodding furiously. As I took the rod up I felt bump bump bump, fish on. Then as I looked up I turned to Jay and said I think I've got that bloody cormorant. But just as I said that it popped back to the surface. Phew no just a fish on until we watched the cormorant duck dive again and my rod go mental. Up to the surface it came again but this time with the fish I'd hooked into in its beak. Bloody hell! I was determined not to leave with a blanker because of a sea bird. A short tug of war later and the cormorant gave up and flew off and I could see a flash of silver coming in to the wall. Not a biggie only about half a pound. And that was it for the afternoon, we all packed up with only the two fish between us. Very slow for the time of year.

Sunny but slow day at Elliot beach

Elliot Beach, Arbroath

With the weather being lovely and sunny and dare I say it a tad warmer than normal I decided to take the opportunity to get out and flex the rods for the first time in a month. I decided to try for a flounder or two over low but just couldn't decide where to head, East Neuk, St Andrews pier, the Tay, Arbroath or St Cyrus. In the end I plumped for Elliot Beach as I hadn't been in a while. Low tide was just after six and I planned to fish two down two up but my impatience to head off turned it into three down one up.

I parked at the back of the golf course and when I crossed the railway crossing found a wooden walk walkway has been put over the back of the  dunes similar to the one at St Cyrus. Good quality and ends right at the top of the dunes, all good. A nice calm sea greeted me and after scanning the beach I decided to go down right and fish what looked to be a wee sand gully. I was pretty hopeful of some fish, but decided to fish one rod close in and fire the other one out (more as casting practice than any hope but you never know).

A wee flounder

The first few baits came back untouched but I was un-surprised as the sea was more coloured than I had hoped and still bloody freezing. At least the air temp was nice, the sun was shining and the dog walkers all had good control of their animals and let me be a good day to be outside all told. After about an hour things started to look better as some bites started showing through and I landed a wee 19cm flounder. Perfectly lip hooked, a quick photo and he was put back to grow up. But rather than being the start of things it was the end. That wee guy must've been responsible for all the bites as once he was caught they stopped. An other three hours of no bites. Still I got some good casting practice in between staring at a stationary rod tip.

Beady Eye

I would have liked to stay and fish the whole tide up but when the sun set the temp plummeted and I realised I had made the error of not bringing warmer gear to fish the darkness so off home it was with the single flounder. No blank and a nice day out at least.

Wee trip to say hello to Sharpie

After an invite up to Elgin to stay with Sharpie for a night, we decided to meet up as Sandend Bay for a few hours fishing into night then see what the following day would bring weatherwise before we decided where to go.

On arrival the weather was cloudy but reasonably warm (for the time of year) and the wind no more than a stiff breeze. First thoughts were to target flatties until dark O'clock then see if there were any silver spikies about. As there were half dozen to a dozen or so surfers in the bay when we arrived we walked towards the far end of the beach to set up and see what was about. Lots of different baits went out, mackie, squid  lug, sand eel  bluey and prawns.


Things started well, first in was myself with a not bad flounder of 22cm. This was quickly followed by a belter Sharpie reeled in, 29 cm and pretty chunky.

All I was getting was casting practice (but I need it :))and stripped baits. Sharpie was much the same till after another hour he landed a lovely double shot of fat flounders at 28 and 27 cms.


The wind was building and the skies becoming more menacing as dark fell. But this didn't stop Sharpie. Another double shot of flounder 27 and 29cms.

So the flattie bash part of the session went well (for Sharpie 5-1) for the couple of hours we were at it. Unfortunately the bass hunt never really got began. A couple of casts in we were hit by a really strong wind and heavy (and bloody sore) hail storm. And after I just managed to stop my tripod going over for the second time we decided discretion was the better part of valour. We were lashed all the way back to the cars with pretty big hails stones, face and hands stinging by the time we got the gear stowed and off to Sharpies for some scran and to plan day 2.

Sick Kids Charity Comp - Eiliot Beach Arbroath

Sunday was the annual charity fishing competion to raise some badly needed funds for the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh. I had been looking forward to this as it had always clashed with other things and this was the first time I was free to fish it.



Early arrivals wait for the start

Registration was 8 - 9 a.m. with fishing 9:30 a.m. till 3:30 p.m. and it was a pegged match which means you pull a number out of a hat and the luck (or lack of it) give you your stance on the beach for the day. I pulled out 22 from the hat and after exchanging a few hellos with some folk wnodered down to see where I was on the beach. Turned out I had been drawn right next to another Jedi SAC member, Sultzer. We were down at the peg early so had a lot of time to chat to others as they came down to the beach to find their own pegs.

Weather was absolutely beautiful and there was just a gentle breeze in the air and nice a warm. Perfect for a sociable days fishing catching up with some folk I'd not seen in a while and hopefully also catching a few :)

And we are off

My second wee flounder

After a waiting a while the time came to start fishing. As it was a catch and release competition everyone was limited to fishing with one rod and a rig with no more than three hooks on it. Fishing was slow for me all day long, but there were some really nice Turbot being landed all along the beach. Unfortunately now chanced by my hooks and all I had to show for the day was two small flounders. Still won a case of beers and another couple of things in the raffle.

Best of all the day raised over £2,000 for the Royal Sick Children's Hospital in Edinburgh. 

St Andrews

After not getting out for a wee dangle of hooks for over three weeks I was set to get out this Friday. -high tide around 8 p.m. and a weather forecast of little wind a some rain. Well the tide was right lol, bright shies high could no rain and a fair gusty wind from the SE.

Just my second trip to St Andrews pier with the last being a flounder fest I was hopeful for a few fish. Two main rods out off the pier end one left to the rockier stuff and one a bit right onto sand plus the mini species rod just over the side of the pier wall. Nothing for the first half hour or so until my mini species rod buckled immediately after a re-bait. It is an extremely light rod so I knew it was nothing massive but certainly not a blenny lol. Soon a double hook up of two wee pollock appeared. Released then rebaited and again almost immediately another slightly larger single pollock appeared. Not exactly ground breaking big fish but pretty fun on the light rod whilst I waited on something to take on the big rods and there were the usual progression of folk coming for a chat to break the time.


Not long to wait for a thumping bite on my left rod over the rocky ground, strike, hook up and I thought I'd missed as I cold feel no weight on the line until I saw the unsightly sea scorpion coming in. Must be a very powerful fish for its size as it weighed next to nothing but its bite was that of a much bigger fish. Ugly beggar but my 18th species of the year :)

Fairly quickly afterwards my other big rod went and there was a wee bit of weight on it this time and a couple of thumps on the rod on the way in, up the pier side and a nice plump flounder about a lb.

I stayed another couple of hours but that was it on the fish front, not even another bites just three bait robbing crabs.

Looking forward to a Jedi trip west next weekend, hopefully something a bit bigger :)

Wee head clearing session

After not being out for a month and being tied up with other things lately I took the window of opportunity to get out and dangle some hooks in the water at Riverside again. Tide timings etc were not great but at the mo I just need to get out when I can so was there and fishing an hour past low tide. The water was manky dark so just fished one rod as I didn't expect much.

 One chap fishing to the right of me with what looked like baited sabikis and another to my left fisihing similarly to me with a three hook flapper, bait of choice good old raw prawns.

I got chatting to the guy to my left (as usual never asked his name) and he was just getting back into fishing after seeing folk down the Riverside. He asked me to ID a fish he had caught over on the Fifie side just before low tide. Turned out to be a nice bass about 1.5-2lbs he had caught on fresh crab he had scavenged where he was fishing from. Jammy git :)

Baits were getting stripped and the rods rattled constantly but clean hooks were coming in all the time, tiny flatties the most likely culprits and they were soon proved to be as I landed three in two casts. It was just after these had been caught that a wee flash of silver caught my eye close into the wall and when I looked there were 100's of sandeels (or similar) boiling the water for about 20 yards either side of where I was standing (maybe further) not sure if that is normal for the Tay or not though? Would've thought the water too brackish.

I'd only brought bait for a short session so after about three hours I packed up, out of bait, with another three flounders to my name, six for the session (no photos as there was nothing of note totally average for Riverside).

Still the object was to clear the head and that was achieved and without a blank, hopefully a more productive session over the weekend though.

Riverside Drive, Dundee

Another short trip along the road to Riverside Drive. I decided to fish behind the football pitches if there was space as I hadn't been there for a few weeks. There were a few other guys already fishing, but someone must've left not long before as there was a nice big gap between a couple of groups of folk fishing. Rods set up and oot about 3 hours before high tide. It was a wee bit breezy and cloudy but the rain stayed away and it was pretty pleasant sitting on the car's tailgate watching the rods.

After about an hour a car pulled up next to me and the driver turned out to be bobsygreen from the shoreangler forum. It's always nice putting a face to a forum name and chat face to face to folk rather than on the forum.

I'd left my baits out a lot longer than planned and thought I'd missed a couple of bites but I got a nice double shot of small flounder. These were followed a couple of casts later by another small flounder. The weed wasn't bad at all for most of the session, but started as the tide turned and grew gradually worse.  When I got another bite and landed a small coalie, with the weed getting worse all the time I decided to pack up and head home. First coalie of the year (never going to be the last lol) so that was a bonus for the species list :)

Tay in the Rain

Tide - >>H>>
Bait - Bluey, Herring, Razor

Well I popped over for another bash yesterday afternoon for another short sesh over high tide. Lovely morning that turned to torrential rain about five mins after I left home! Sods Law still in for a penny and all that. There were a lot of lads fishing behind the footie pitches as I passed but Riverside Drive itself was empty. Baits out quick smart, as ever and nothing apart from pishing rain for ages. Then a couple of massive weed monsters that almost dragged both rods over. Nightmare. An hour in I almost packed up but I didn't want the blank. Not long after I got a fairly sharp take and landed an average sized Tay flounder of 20cm fell to razor, shortly followed by another on herring. Persistence pays off :)

About that time the rain slackened off and eventually the sun came back out and it turned into a fairly nice day again (for a while). After slack water the weed came on badly again and I started casting much shorter to avoid the worst of it. Very quickly that my smaller rod had gone in it was dancing about and Ianded a flounder/codling combo. Never had a codling myself on the Tay, only a quarter pound or so but not a flounder for a change. Rebait and cast back to the same spot and another two flounders quickly appeared. The rain looked like it was going to re-appear then so I decided to pack up and head home four flounders and a wee codling to the good. Better than last time and worth the rain.

Apologies for the single photo but baw jaws here deleted the rest as uploading them.

Another Day at the Tay

Location - Riverside Drive, Dundee
Tide - 2hrs>>Low
Bait - Herring

Well I had a couple of hours to kill after work yesterday while the wife was off to the gym so I took myself off down to Riverside Drive. I arrived about 2 hours or so before low tide and only really had time for 1.5 to 2 hrs fishing. It looked a lovely day with the sun out, but the wind had increased and it was fairly chilly. Both rods out quick smart in the usual pattern of one closer in and one further out.

Just as I had cast out both rods a fairly sizable flock of swans appeared to my left, flew in an arc over the rail bridge and landed in front of me (but a fair out way past my lines thankfully). Nice sight as I've mostly only seen swans in ones or two's and pretty impressive in flight together.

Still to cut a long story short I spent most of the time chatting to my cousin who poped down to say hello. One flounder caught and one big bite missed (prob trout) whilst landing the flounder. Why not the other way round lol.

Nice way to spend a couple of hours, hopefully a longer session next time out.

First Trip and Fish of 2012

Bait - Bluey
Rigs - Flapper
Tide - Dropping tide
Place - Dundee, Riverside


Well sick of the sound of my own moaning at not being out for the past two and a half months with dodgy knee among other things I decided tonight I was going out no matter what to get the fishing year under way for myself. 

Off to Riverside in Dundee with my pal Alan (not a fisherman but likes to tag along now and again) for an easy short session out the back of the car. Set up with a rod each sharing a tripod along from the railway carriage restaurant. Just looking for flatties so small hooked flappers and small strips of buey it was. 

Nothing doing for the last hour apart from a steady procession of cars looking for a quiet spot for good knows what :batman: still each to there own. And also horrible grassy weed, pretty hellish stuff to remove and loads of it too boot. Still with only intending on fishing a couple of hours it wasn't that bad. 

Cutting to the chase I had a couple of wee flounders 14-16cmish and Alan blanked, so first session of 2012 unspectacular but ending a long fishing drought without a blank was top notch 

Was a different experience from the usual for me sitting in the car listening to the radio between casts. Maybe not for me often that type of fishing but needs must and was a good night spraffing with my pal. 

Roll on the next :)