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.

Loch Leven

After fishing Loch Linnhe the night before with the big rods I decided to fish the old slate barge moorings behind Loch Leven hotel on the way home next morning with the LFR gear. In contrast with the night before there wasn't a breath of wind and the sky was mostly blue. Lovely you think well the little Scottish vampires were out in force and I look like I have measles this morning with all the bites, especially my wrists for some reason.

Still in for a penny and all that, I spent a few hours winkling out some micros. Lots of Poor Cod falling to isome.

And the best fish of this session a small codling falling to a pink HTO Knight Worm. Though I was going to lose it as it went like stink on the small rod.

I was hoping for some wrasse, pollock or trout but none showed themselves before I beat retreat due to the midgies.

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.

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.

Sea scorpions ago-go

I decided on a wee trip over to Anstruther harbour yesterday with the LRF gear to see what was about. I think I got the last parking space in the town as I arrived to find some sort of gala day setting up and the red pier carpark closed. As I'd gone at lowtide I went as planned to the rocks over the back of the harbour. Even over low there was a reasonable amount of water in which to work in. Proven style of choice was dropshot rig with isome and a size 14 hook (not aiming for monsters lol). The wind was stronger than forecast and had more south in it as well, so there was little or no shelter under the harbour wall.

Still I thought have a few casts and see what happens. A bed of kelp and boulders was the ground a first cast I quickly had a wee tap tap on the lure as it worked back. A wee draw back then settle and I could feel a hook up. I love the sensitivity of the Tronix Rockfish UL. Every wee bump and snag on the bottom can be felt and distinguished from the gentle tap of a small fish. In this case a Long Spined Sea Scorpion which went bananas, tiny though so quickly landed, unhooked, a quick pic and put back.

Who you looking at???

This was the pattern for the next hour as I landed a LSSS every 2-3 casts all very similar in sized and with similar patterns. Ugly wee beggars but I love catching an photographing them. A couple were buzzing as I unhooked them which I had never experienced before. It was fairly vibrating in my hand. Not sure if this is  something anyone else has experienced or a common threat response?

I did get a more interestingly coloured one but the vibrant reds I saw in hand haven't come out in the picture unfortunately. The tail and pelvic fins especially were really lovely colours.

Towards the end of my wee session I started getting loads of wee coalies/pollock. I can never tell them apart when they are that small. They provided a wee bit more entertainment before I packed up and went my merry way.

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,

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.

LRF codling

Drop Shot Rig - Pink Knight Worm. 

Well just a quick trip report, I spent a couple of hours along the Arbroath cliffs again after work tonight. Such a beautiful day to be out in the fresh air and whilst not gin clear the visibility of the sea was much better than a fortnight ago, so I don't think it will be long before the lure fishing really takes off for the summer. Again as I am a LRF newby these early trips are more about accustoming myself with the gear and techniques. This time round I decided to tie a drop shot rig and use a TronixPro HTO Pink Knight Worm. I initially tested the action in the water to check how it moves and was impressed by the movement. I think this combo should account for a goodly amount of catches this summer.

LRF codling

Of the action I did have it was landed one lost one. I moved from my initial spot to fish a deep gulley about 12 feet across and was working the lure across the line of shadow and sunlight from the sun starting to go behind the top of the cliffs and quite quickly bang. Rod bent over and line zipping back and forwards. I might only have landed a wee codling of a half a pound or so but jeez that was some fun on the Ultra Light.

I also got a wee taste of what wrassing with it will be like as I had one hooked for all of 15 seconds before it spat the hook. Simply going nuts all round with the rod bent double. I can't wait to see what the summer will hold for this style of fishing.

Re-christening refurnished rods

Well after getting my old bashed rods back from Rossco all spic and span I decided to get out asap to see if they had some luck dust sprinkled on them as promised by Rossco. I headed over to one of my favourite spots on Loch Linnhe which always has a good chance of throwing up a few species. I tend to like to fish two hours down and two up here but with the time I had I could only manage to fish high down and leave about low so didn't really expect to catch much until the last couple of hours of my trip.

The wind was a bit stronger than forecast as I set up but still not too bad and apart from a couple of fleeting showers just after I arrived the sun came out and it was a lovely warm day, perfect to be out in fresh air fishing. The day went pretty much as I expected slow to begin with with the activity slowly increasing all day. All except the crabs that were very active from the offset. To cover as many bases as possible I had one rod with a pulley rig with a 5/0 and the other with a two hook flapper with 1/0 circles on it. My targets for the day were thornies and grey gurnards. First thing to shore second cast was a ball of the aforementioned crabs, one small edible, two green shore crabs and a spider crab. That was the form for the next three hours or so small plucking knocks of the crabs destroying my baits. First blood eventually went to the scratching rod when a Short Spined Sea Scorpion took the half squid head I had on. Not one of my targets but a new species for the year one rod re-christened. That was followed next cast by a decent sized but odd looking dab (second new species for the year). It looked like something had taken a big bite out of it in the past but the wound had healed up leaving a distinctive odd shape to the fish.

Next up was another slightly bigger SSSS I do like these ugly wee brutes but with the action seemingly all on the scratching rod I was considering swapping the pulley rig targeting thornies just to re-christen the other rod as well. One more cast I thought then I'd do that, good decision :) I swapped out the squid/mackerel combo I had on with a whole herring fillet whipped into a tube and cast out. I only had an hour and a half of fishing left before I had to start for home so this cast was make or break as far as thornies were concerned. After another half hour I had an unmistakable thornie bite. four or five turns on the ratchet followed a minute later by another four or five turns.



Another minute and I start to slowly tighten the line and feel the weight of the fish. Fish on and it seemed a decent fish by the bend it put in the rod.  It came in fairly easily but wasn't quite as heavy as I'd hoped and there was also a sizable amount of weed on the sinker. Still it was a nice female fish and weighed in at just over 4.5 lbs. She sat in the shallows for a few more pics before turning and powering off back to the depths of the loch. With that I decided to pack up one rod away and my box tidied up there was just one fish to come when I brought in the other rod to pack away and found a perfectly formed wee dab on the line. Not a busy trip by any sense but both rods catching on their debut after refurb and two species for this year's list.

Thanks again to Rossco for a brilliant job on the rods, I'm well pleased :)

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.