A surprise, local success

The TV was rubbish tonight, excluding Hannibal of course. I decided to chuck a few lures locally with what I would describe as low expectations of success. I’ve never had a Bass locally on a lure. At this time of year there are a few fish around 15 minutes from my house, these usually fall to bait and mostly at night. I fancied trying somewhere that I’ve often thought might throw up a fish. With the wind that was blowing there would be decent movement in the sea with clear water ,that was about as good as I thought it was going to get.

Satisfied with this one

I got a shock on my third cast when the lure was thumped and I was into a decent Bass, probably described locally as a good fish. It gave a great account of itself in the waves with some nice runs. I didn’t get another touch over the next couple of hours but I was more than happy. It’s left me wondering if I’m missing a trick on my doorstep, worth exploring I guess.

Why we do it

I’m off down south this afternoon and should be in my bed at the minute. Having just arrived back home I’m wide awake after one of those sessions that reinforces the reasoning for the long drives, early starts and late nights.

I could have been back in Aruba this evening it was so warm. This was my first trip for Bass in July. I’m conscious the season is short and I know I’ve been missing out. Tonight went a fair way to making up for lost time, over four hours my itch was well and truly scratched.

The pick of the bunch, lovely fish in prime condition, deep and wide across the back. It came at the  lure twice hardly breaking the surface before I hooked it.

I noticed this fish following for a little while before committing. Nothing better than seeing that subtle ripple in the middle of the wake behind your lure. The was about the average size, pretty good and again in excellent condition.

My first fish of the evening. It flipped itself tail over head when it came up for the lure.

Just me, two Terns, Bass and a burning sun with nobody else for miles. One to hold onto for the winter I think.....

SW boat trip Video

Tope and Huss fishing SW Scotland from Martin A on Vimeo.

A day on Tickety Boo

I joined Gordon on Saturday to fish the Sharkatag event and club boat match. We didn’t have a great start in that we struggled to find fresh mackerel for bait as did a few of the other boats in this area. We made do with what we had and set off for a mark almost closer to the Isle of Man than Scotland. The forecast was for light winds with heavy and constant rain. For the first few hours it looked like we had dodged the worst of the rain but it wouldn’t last and we ended the day in some of the heaviest downpours I’ve fished in.

The objective for the club match was to catch Tope, Spur, Smoothhound, Thornback and Huss not easy but doable.



We got on the fish straight from the off catching a fish each on our first drop. We continued to get runs and hook ups landing fish and losing a few. We had a couple of tangles on the downriggers but when the tide was running hard they were pretty handy tools to have.

GG taking the strain of a nice Tope

A 30 pound male Tope
As the tide slackened off  the drizzle stopped and we had a few drifts over a wreck where we picked up Coalies, Cod and Pollack.

We went back to the Tope and picked up a few as well as a Huss for me. With the tide now in full flow we headed back in shore in search of some easier fishing as well as the other species on the target list.

The fishing was steady enough with Tope, Huss, Dogfish, Cod, Gurnard and a solitary Smoothie for Gordon. The rain was mental, so loud on the canopy of the boat that unless you were looking each other straight in the face you couldn’t hear a word of what was being said from 2ft away.

The boat canopy was a blessing on this trip

I had forgotten how strong Huss are when you try to handle them

As usual I had enjoyable day fishing with Gordon. This was despite some curios behaviour I discovered when reviewing the video footage from the trip.

We called it a day about 6pm. Gordon was staying down there to fish on Sunday. I had packed a lure rod. I fancied catching a Perch on the way home as I was passing somewhere I’d not fished for a while. Having been up since 5am I arrived at the loch at 7.30pm and have to admit, it was a struggle to get out of the car.

 

On my third cast with an SG Fourplay I picked up this little chap.

The next hour passed without incident and the need for sleep was catching up on me quickly. An end to the day was called before the midges started making things difficult.

 

 

  

 

 

 

Dont sweat the small stuff

I promised myself I would get a few mid-week trips in for Bass this month but with the blistering weather we had today as well as poor tides I opted for a more realistic option of success.  I picked up my Ultron drop shot rod, some weights, hooks, Gulp Sandworm and 20 ragworm and headed for the coast.

The action was thick and fast with bites on every cast.

                                                             A little Pollack.

                                                                             Small Cod

 

                                                            Goldsinny Wrasse

I saw a dad out with his kid both trying hard but catching nothing. The kid looked cheesed off as I swung in another fish. I shouted him over and I gave him two pre tied drop shot rigs and ten rag for him and his dad. He seemed pleased and with a spring in his step he ran over to his dad who went to work tying the rigs on and baiting the hooks. I had a chat with them for a couple of minutes and as I went back to my rod  the kid hooked up and swung in a little Wrasse, happy lad.

I had left my rod in with some slack hoping something might pick it up when I was doing my bit for the next angling addict in the making.

 

                                                       A little Dab had jumped on the hook.

 

Long Spinned Sea Scorpion, as always, one of the most photogenic fish that a lot of people might class as ugly.

                                        Then a not so proud looking Short Spinned Sea Scorpion.

 

It looks the weathers changing for Friday so I’m glad I made it out tonight. Boat trip for me at the weekend, maybe some Tope and Huss on the cards.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tompot corner

I’ve not fished with Scott for a while so we agreed to catch up over the weekend. We discussed a couple of likely venues before we agreed on a Wrasse bash in the SW at a spot neither of us was familiar with. It would be an early start on Sunday so Scott arrived after work on Saturday night and after a few hours sleep it was a quick breakfast before we hit the road.

When we arrived we had a look from vantage point before settling on a likely spot. We had a selection of baits to tempt the Wrasse, ragworm and hardback crabs but Scott started with an SP. I rigged up a sliding float and took a small Pollack first cast while Scott got a few taps from some small Wrasse.

We were fishing about ten yards apart and Scott landed a couple of Corkwing Wrasse. I seemed to be in Corkwing corner landing a few but missing loads of bites.

I had some big Corkwing knocking on for 6oz

As I changed my hook size again Scot came over to join me( in other words plunder my spot with a drop shot ragworm rig) As the depth increased  to about 25ft Scot’s method was proving more effective than my float rig even after the constant adjustments I made , he seemed to hook up on every cast.

Scott with a nice bend on a Ballan

The Corkwing, Goldsinny and Ballan came thick and fast. As ever, Scott also had Blennies on his mind so he dropped into a likely rock pool behind me and pulled one out within seconds. I made my mind up to change tactics but managed two lovely Rock Cooks and some Corkwings before switching to a drop shot rig with braid.

                                                                  Stunning little fish
Scot went to explore a point a short distance away in search of a Mackerel and I once more had the corner to myself, now named Rock Cook corner. After using nylon on my float rig it was a pleasure to be back using braid and being able to feel the little taps and hit the Wrasse before they nipped under the nearest rock.

                                                                    A lippy Ballan
Scott had caught a Launce and spotted lots of sandeels as well as a couple of Bass, that was enough to tempt me across. I made a few casts with an SG sandeel and then dropped straight down into the tide. It had just hit the bottom when it was duly nailed and the fish tore off in the tide. Not a big Pollack but it went well in the strong current.

We had a short break for some food and then went back to the Wrasse as the tide dropped off. The fish came steadily for us both and Scott got a Rock Cook as well. During the day I had mentioned Tompot Blennies to Scott a few times. By this point we were looking for some new species so every time I hooked a fish the chat was, it’s a Tompot.

Then it actually was! A new species for me and cool little fish.

                                    Scott arranged its eyebrows in a Mohawk for the picture

Over the next few hours the Wrasse continued to bite although they did get a little trickier. What was a bit of a surprise was that we ended up on two Tompot’s each. They turn up here and there in Scotland but to get four in a session is pretty unusual. The spot was now called Tompot corner.

We ended the day on ten species, Common and Tompot Blennies, Corkwing, Ballan, Goldsinny, Rock Cook, Pollack, Coalie, Poor Cod and Greater Sandeel. Just what I needed after a couple of weeks off, lots of fish and some good craic.

We arrived home just in time for the game starting. Lynne served up a nice Keema curry which we had with a couple of beers. I had the Germans at 3/1 from a few weeks back, nice way to end a good days fishing.

 

 

 

 

Sea Trout action video

Scottish Sea Trout from Martin A on Vimeo.

July is slowly being filled up by work and domestic commitments which also meant no fishing for me last weekend. Here's some Sea Trout action from a few months back,seems like a distant memory.

Blind squirrel finds a nut

June has gone by in a flash. My Bass fishing hasn’t got going as I’ve not been here for the most part. Last Thursday nights blank didn’t help and with some reports of good fishing around I squeezed in a few hours last night. Rather than go to the general area of the good reports I decided on the same place I blanked last week. This on balance was probably the wrong decision.

But even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.

I picked this fish up at close range on a popper as the tide dropped. It gave up the ghost and put up more of a fight when it was in the rock pool at my feet. This turned out to be deeply recessed and I got nipped by a crab while guddling it out.  The best two hours of the flood passed without incident and being a school night I hit the road. Anyway, it wasn’t a blank and I’m looking forward to July.