Stuff

I've been taking stock ahead of my trip to Norway . I wont be needing any pirks really, might buy one or two when I get there as you invariably do.

The hooks I used last time have seen better days so I purchased some Owner ST-66TN  in 5/0 for the usual change out on any purchases and to replace the old VMC patterns. These are mega sharp and are X4 wire, quality is never cheap but I got these at a reasonable price from Jersey. Raw material costs have certainly gone up but these compared well to Mustad and VMC patterns which are also available but to my mind the Owners are a different class. For anybody reading this the 5/0 is big for its size and will cover 95% of anything you will drop for big Cod, Halibut or Coalies or indeed live or deadbait rigs.

I've also binned the chinese braid I've been using on my UK boat trips over the last couple of years. Some people love it but I was never that impressed by the batch I received to be honest. With the replacement split rings covered from previous trips it might just be a low impact on the wallet trip, well for tackle anyway.....

Uneventful start

I had a couple of hours trying for Sea Trout in the estuary last night. The water was coloured but not enough to cause me too much concern. Apart from a few optimistic swoops from black headed gulls picking up some food items on the edge of the currents forming as the tide pushed through there was no other visible activity. I imagined that the gulls were picking up some sandeels which kept me focused for a while thinking the trout wouldn’t be far behind.  It was good to be out again walking, casting and covering ground, looking for the signs. So, still to get on the scorecard for 2013….

Norway re-visted

It was my intention to go back to Ireland this year, might well still do that but possibly now only for a long weekend. I had an offer to head back to Norway last week for what will be my sixth visit. Its been too long since 2009........

Some fish from some previous trips.

Still my PB from my first trip at 50 pounds

A double shot from what was probably the best days fishing of my life, these fish are in the high teens going on to 20 pounds.We could do no wrong and had numerous double shots. I had a 30 pound Cod and an 18 pound Coalfish on one drop which  had my Shimano Exage 20/30 travel rod creaking at its joints. I was expecting a Halibut in the melee at any point that day but had to wait till my next visit to Norway catch one of 14 pounds.

Getting silly in the sunshine in early May, about 800 yards from here it was blowing a hooli down the main fjord.

This fish came from mid Norway on Hitra. Never quite got my fill of these fish. I'm probably going back to early this year but I guess you just never know.....

Jasons behemoth which fed the village on national Norway day

A few fish showing.... we usually drove on when the sounder looked like this, you had no chance on the Halibut with that many Cod below the boat..

Our 50th Halibut of the week and still the record for the island....

River Tay 22nd Feb

My club had another trip to the river Tay recently in search of the elusive spring Salmon. Ten of us fished hard all day but all we could manage were three kelts.

Last years king of the river.....

It was great to see John  Wilson get his first Brown Trout last year followed up by another first this year, pictured below with his fish.

Its more of a social event for Ayr Sea Angling Club  but Willie pictured below managed to catch last year and again this year. Davy took the sweep with the largest fish estimated at 12 pounds.

For those that stayed over night it was sore head Saturday, this included me, great at the time.....