Video from yesterday

Loch Ken -Perch, Bream and Pike from Martin A on Vimeo.

A day where one GoPro battery just wasn't enough!

Feed them- they will come

Not much I could do wrong yesterday. I decided to anchor up and let the fish come to me. The forecast indicated it would be windy and at points it was, pushing 20mph from the NW, it was a good call.  I did the same thing once last year, early season and the results were ok.  Stewart and I did the same two years ago and also from a boat last autumn. The action was non-stop when we found the fish.

The tactics were simple- dropshot worm and lure over a bed of maggots. When Stewart and I fished this spot last year we didn’t see a Bream all day. My thinking was the Perch gave them too much competition. The Bream were on the scene first, and then the Perch and they seemed to come and go in flurries. Considering dropshot isn’t a preferred presentation for this species, they scoffed the worms like there was no tomorrow. I alternated between lure and bait but the lure side of things just didn’t seem to be doing it for the Perch. When I’ve done this before and had them competing they seemed happy to hit the lure, on each occasion it’s also been the best fish of the day that’s came via this route.

 

By late afternoon I moved operation having had enough of the wind and the Bream. I only had one decent Perch which might have gone 2 pounds. My drysuit, rods, kayak and everything in it was a disaster zone. Messy this bait fishing! I’ve got some serious cleaning to do today at some point and I might need to take a chisel to my drysuit, Bream smear, yuk! After ten minutes, I was back in business catching fish regularly (minus the Bream) I decided to have a couple of drifts over the spot I had been feeding with a lure.

 

The best comes to the lure again

It was brief but brutal battle with the fish ducking for a snag, tearing off under the kayak and leaving me spinning around in the wind, just brilliant.

I worked a few trees/snags as I peddled back and momentarily thought I had hit the jackpot in extra time. About ten seconds later I realised it was a Pike.

 

This was one of my favourite spots for Perch last year. I’ve been here each time I’ve visited the loch in 2016 and not had a Perch. I think I’ve hooked this fish on every visit. The first time it came off, second time I think I possibly foul hooked it as there wasn’t a tooth mark on the lure. So this time after a quick picture I swam it upright in the net 50 yards away. Let’s see if the Perch relocate themselves, it’s a nice piece of real estate for a fish.

This structure extends a fair bit to the left of the screen coming together in a point and merging on the bottom. A good example of traditional sonar and downscan providng structure separation. Not so long ago this was cutting edge. When you have a look at what some people are running today it's now legacy tech. Still does a good job mind. I've saw this dotted with Perch which appear as little spots, most of the time in clusters of 3-5 fish.

A super days fishing. I'm feeling it today though, 13 hours on the kayak , well and truly rinsed.

 

 

 

 

Not that we’re competitive

Anyone who has fished out of Port Logan knows it has the potential to deliver a variety of species. On any given day almost any fish that swims in the seas around Scotland can be caught here.

I couldn't catch Wrasse for toffee but eventually managed one, Gordon's bogey fish was a Dab.

There were plenty of Haddock  when we drifted over the right type of ground.

We lost count of the Grey Gurnard we both caught. Who would manage a Red or Tub?

I got two Tub Gurnard before Gordon pulled this one back

The solitary and unexpected tiny Ling was one of the deciders!

 

Poor Cod, Cod, Whiting, Pollack, Ballan Wrasse, Cuckoo Wrasse, LSD, Ling, Dab, Tub Gurnard, Grey Gurnard, Mackerel, Thornback, Plaice, Haddock and Short Spined Sea Scorpion.

 

So Gordon took the honours on the day with a 14 to 12 victory and a total of 16 species to the boat. With a little more time and better weather in the late afternoon we might have got the total to 20.We didn't get around to  targeting any of the main predatory species but ended up having a laugh and a great days fishing scratching around for the small stuff. It was good to catch up with Gordon again and our trip of course, was not without incident! ;0)

 

 

 

 

Doubling up

Thankfully I managed to find the time to get a trip in, two in fact Saturday and Sunday. I decided to target Bass launching  late on Saturday afternoon just after low tide. I knew the tide cycle was just about at the bottom of a set of neaps, not a great prospect but I don’t know this area from kayaking perspective so it wasn’t a bad thing first time around. As I made my way along the coast I had my first contact with a fairly large sea mammal. I did get a decent look at it and referring back to some images it looked to me like a white beaked dolphin. Not particularly common apparently and especially not so close to shore, interesting just the same.

It didn’t take me long to get hooked up on my First Pollack which took a trolled Redgill Evo. Catching a few fish seemed to spark the interest of the colony of seals as they slipped off the rocks to come and investigate what was going on. At one point I seemed to be leading a small flotilla with two heads to my right on the inside and two on my left. I made sure the drag was set as I had visions of a snatch job, Power Pro doesn’t break easily and 15 pound strain and a tight drag would possibly be enough to unseat me at close quarters.

I picked up a few of these in the slightly deeper water and rough ground.

They didn't get any bigger and this one took a surface lure closer to the shore in the weeds

Some WW2 structure connected to the Mulbery Harbour project. I could see this holding some fish but not for me on this occasion.

 

As the tide increased in height there were more signs of life in the bay with some bait and a few terns. I think I fished it pretty well covering the weed beds and gullies but the only Bass I saw was a small schoolie that tried to sink my lure. What was interesting was that I saw a few Sea Trout as well.

 

I had another troll in the deeper water and had a few more small Pollack and a little Cod for some variety.

The next leg of the trip saw me sleeping in the car on arrival and then a 5.30am start.

 

I was itching to get amongst some big Perch, another thing I’ve not really made a start on this year. In fact any size of Perch had different ideas as 4 hours later I was yet to have a bite! I tried all my spots, drop shot and shads and I was about call it quits. This was pretty unusual for me here to be fair but gave it another move and caught one about 4 inches- a very late start indeed. This improved my moral a little so I fished with a little more focus and went on a late run of fish before the beating was over at 1pm.

Overall the fishing was a little disappointing but I won’t catch anything sitting at home or working. Great to be out again, till next time.

 

 

 

 

Dodging the showers

Where has the time gone, 1^st of July? After work sessions don’t really cut it for me but that’s all I had time for.

Some spectacular showers on the coast tonight. Thankfully I dodged all but one, not sure how I managed this as I seemed to be surrounded by sheets of rain and black clouds to my left and right. As the sun began to set it made for a nice backdrop with the low angle of sun breaking through the cloud emphasising the grey and pastel colours in the distance. A very cold start to July as well with two layers and a shell- fantastic!

It’s been two years since I’ve been here but things haven’t changed much. I’m still a seal magnet which told me there were probably a few a fish around.

 
I appreciated catching a couple of Bass tonight, yep, not very large but certainly welcome.  With the pace of life at the minute I can feel the season moving faster than I want it to.  I’m not sure being relaxed about my objectives is working for me… : 0)

Home

It was a nice break but a week was way too short. When I managed to get out fishing it was more of a miss than a hit. I picked up a severe infection in both feet which curtailed me somewhat. The upside to this was it made for a more relaxing time over last few days. The unsettled windy weather wasn’t helpful and the last morning was typically the flattest day since we arrived. I still blanked over a couple of hours hobbling along the rocks and beach. I could however see things changing a little and there were a few signs of life.

When I arrived here it seemed things were just the same as they were six years ago on my last visit but it seemed to change overnight. I hadn't spotted a Pelican since Wednesday and the beach, compared to 6 years ago was almost devoid of crabs. Neither seemed to like the conditions. I even threw in a couple of bread rolls one evening and these remind untouched. So no monster Jacks from the beach this time around unfortunately. Having caught a new species and number of fish on my birthday last Tuesday as well as a few fish on Wednesday I'm happy at that.

We stayed at the Riu Yucatan this time, nice hotel. We had some wildlife at close quarters in the grounds.

Howler monkeys woke us up most morning. One particular male somewhere in the trees  liked to tell us who was king of the swingers about 6am.

 

I spotted these flying insects and climbed a tree to take this shot in macro mode. It was still a reach and I was struggling to keep my balance.With the sunlight on them it didn't turn out exactly as I wanted but it's still an interesting shot.

They did not like the attention and started to swarm me. Before I picked up more insect bites or another injury I got out of dodge.

A common pet for some. I think these are spiny tail Iguana which could be spotted most afternoons.

These were real characters tearing around the hotel grounds at dusk and dawn. Common Agouti which are related to guinea pigs. Some are the size of a small dog. Not that you see it in this shot but they have long legs and are quite fast and agile. They seemed to freak a few nervous visitors out initially till they got used to them.

I cant remember what these bird are but they are very common. They would have the fillings from your teeth though. Turn your back at breakfast or lunch and they would be off with what was on your plate. 

I took this while lying down on a sun lounger. Lynne had a snack at the time and it watched on waiting for an opportunity - as we all do I suppose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can blank anywhere

I’ve been lucky and had very few blank sessions this year but today it was my turn. The tides have moved on and the weather is more unsettled. I’m now fishing the drop and not the start of the flood. Having a couple of hours at dawn suits me but even in the short space of time I’ve been here I’ve noticed the general activity changing as the tides do what they do here and at home. I did however see the intended target about 7am this morning. From my position on the rocks in the background in one of the images below I spotted two big Jack Crevalle. They were moving fast and hard on the bottom, they are here.

I  also had half an hour on the beach this afternoon thinking the Palometa would at least put a bend in my fly rod. These were noticeably absent from the various spots in the gutter at the start of the beach. I'm told I'm having a rest day tomorrow:0)

One last cast as always

 

 

Smashing time

I’m now in the market for a new pair of Costas after a minor accident yesterday. I’ve had these since about 2002, they’ve done well to survive this long. Ironically of all the places they’ve been and could have been lost or broken I dropped them lense down on the floor as I entered my room.

I put the fly rod to work yesterday afternoon and had some fun with the Palometa. They took a fancy for a Petterson breeding shrimp fished along the gutter about five yards off the beach. Line management wasn’t great with breaking waves and getting the fly line caught between my toes regularly. Let’s face it though, not the worst problem to have.

Stormy conditions this morning with lightning on the horizon at dawn. The fishing was slow. There were a few Needlefish around and I also managed a couple of Cero Mackerel before it was time for breakfast.

 

 

Playa del Carmen

First session this morning, the place is alive with Needlefish and unfortunately also mozzies.The stretch of beach I’ve decided to fish has scrub directly behind it. This seems to be a good environment for insect life! Quite a few fish about as well so I’ll see what I can pick up during the week ahead.

Yellow Jack ( I think)

 

Dead sticking for dummies

Sometimes work puts me in the right place at a time that suits me. So I managed a short session after I finished work today. I all but packed in Bass fishing in 2015 with only a couple of blank sessions fairly early on, my angling efforts were spent elsewhere.

It was nice to get a fish at my first attempt this year.

The deadly technique - cast the surface lure out, close the bail arm, hold the rod between my legs and adjust my glasses while putting my hat on - at the same time wait for the rod to be pulled from between my knees.

Unusually I also had a Garfish crash the lure shortly afterwards. I did catch one in 2014 but these on whole appear to be few and far between. Apart from one follow that was it, can’t complain really as I recognise luck when I see it.

Watching and waiting

I had a few options today and decided to fish for Sea Trout again following on from Friday night’s success. The forecast and tide times suggested I would be better off making an early start, it would be pretty difficult conditions from mid-morning onwards. For once, really nice bank holiday weather.

I’ve started to fish a stretch of coast which is new to me, the only way to get to know it is be there. I’ll probably take a few hits along the way but there are few shortcuts.

Sea Trout soup! 150 yards of weed and small marine life.  There were Terns, Cormorants and a few other birds having breakfast as I sat and watched for signs of life. I saw a couple of fish moving around but it was impossible to fish of course and too deep to wade to the far side of the weed line. It didn’t stop me trying right enough.  The ebbing tide sucks these sands dry and the fish are there hoovering up whatever they come across.

There were lots of sand eel around, as many as I’ve seen in this part of the world. The Sea Trout weren’t short of food items today. I managed a couple of fish and lost another one deep wading in the tidal flow. By late morning I didn’t feel there was much point in hanging around but I did anyway. Sometimes it’s just useful to observe, something I'm not particularly good at a lot of the time.

Keep making the casts

Sometimes it just feels and looks kind of fishy despite the barren hours you invest in a day. Keep thinking, moving and making the casts, you might just come across an opportunity.

The fish gave itself away and I was lucky enough to be in a position to cover it. What a cracking Sea Trout. One I shall remember for a long time.

 

 

The Godfather v The Godmother

I’ve been lucky many times over the years, the hooks hold, the knots stay tight and I’ve found myself in the right place at the right time either by luck or some knowledge. From time to time, like everyone else I pick up a few accidental captures along the way.
Some you win- some you lose from Martin A on Vimeo.
I was genuinely surprised by the size of this Pike. It was hooked on heavy drop shot gear while fishing for Perch, Spro Godfather 3, 5-28g and 8 pound Suffix 832. I took my time and let the gear do the work. It was hooked right in the centre of the top lip. In the end, the hook must have worn a hole and popped out just when I got to a boat with a net big enough for the job. I took this option as I didn’t want to risk breaking the fish off handling it on this gear.

No shortage of bait around

My new rod is a little long in the butt section. I'll probably take something off this as it was pretty awkward at times. One of these things when you buy blind, there were no dimensions on this element of the rod published.

I kind of regret not having this with me. Space is limited and it would have been overkill on a Perch session. I hope I get a shot at a fish like that again when I actually start targeting them. The Perch fishing on Saturday was average and the fish were small, early days though, a big stripey will come along soon.

 

 

 

Shadered-new place, new species

Myself and Scott hit the road last week in search of Twaite Shad on the River Barrow at St Mullins. Having spoken about this trip last year we didn’t get around to it. So we made the late evening crossing to Belfast and drove down to the Republic during the night. It seems the fish arrived on the Wednesday, we got there at 5.45am on the Friday morning. The timing in this respect was just about right. Scott had his first fish at about 6am, I blanked after losing 5 in our first session.

I picked up some sound advice from a fella called Jay at the start of our first evening session that proved useful. I broke my duck and ended up having a great trip with 48 Shad from Friday evening to Sunday evening.

I didn’t manage a Shad on the fly but I did spend some time trying. For the most part the fish were deep and either near the far bank or mid channel. If I had dedicated a full session to this method I would probably have got a few, they would have gone well on the fly gear. A lot of the bank is not suitable for fly fishing  but it is certainly possible on some sections.

The river is tidal for about 40 miles and the transformation over the course of the larger tides is something else. The first set of big tides in May heralds the start of the Shad run. More general information about the species can be found here.

It is not advisable to park your car at most spots along the path over the top of the tide

The end of the road for the Shad as they are not able to pass this weir

I can’t say I liked the Tasmanian Devil to start with but it was certainly effective when I found out how to work with it. The most used lure on the river and I don’t suppose it pays to ignore local advice.

Never leave your waders in the digs!

Sometimes the spots on the fish were clearly defined

What you catching in there Scott?

 

It’s an interesting species, scenic venue and it was a sociable trip in terms of the people we met. 

40 hours with no sleep at the start of the trip, a minor car accident( sorry Scott) and 3 countries in a pair of slippers as a result of wet boots. We should be back next year for another crack at the Shad run. I'll  drive the next time, it's the least I can do. Thanks to Scott for some of these images.