RNLI species hunt

I joined Gordon on Tickety Boo for the annual RNLI Loch Etive species hunt on Sunday. The objective of the day is to have a laugh, raise some money for a good cause and catch as many species as you can for the boat you’re fishing on.

Arriving on the beach it was blowing about 30mph and despite the forecast suggesting it would drop it blew like this all day making things pretty difficult.  The field was to be made up of various boats and kayaks. Things were going to be hard for the boats but the kayaks deserved a medal for trying and some committed guys made an effort to get in the water and find an area they could fish safely.

First drop Gordon gets a double shot and we’re off the mark.

He then adds a doggie

We then repeat these species over the next 2 hours before I manage to add the smallest Grey Gurnard I’ve caught before we have a move. It’s clear on the radio it’s a tough day with nobody doing well.

I suggested a spot to Gordon that I think will be good for a Spur, Thornback and maybe a Whiting. On my first drop I let the bait settle and then tap the bottom six or seven times and put the rod back in the rest.

Within a minute I get a positive bite that turns into a Thornback.

I repeat the process exactly on the next drop and get a decent Spur, maybe 7 pounds. I’ve used this method of tapping the bottom to good effect here before but that the magic was gone, no more fish for me.

Gordon then got a decent bite that materialised into a double shot. It was hard to fish today and as you can see, something went wrong with Gordon in the process.

The Whiting didn’t make an appearance but Gordon did manage to nip a Poor Cod before we went in search of a Pollack or  a Scorpion.

We then spent the next three hours with a hardly a bite between 5 rods. None too soon we were back on beach sorting the scores, placings and raffle prizes.

Daft hats and wigs were the order of the day and the lads raised £200 in the process.

Our seven species put us in first position winning a day out Tope fishing with  Scott on Scary Mary.