Mull of gallaway

[loopy]

Giant razors

You will find that they are not trawling ,they are razor clam fishing. Illegally, Luce Bay is a Special Area of conservation and Marine Scotland have been chasing them for 2 years, the best bit is how they do it, Take one big diesel driven welder, wire's down to the sea bed and metal spike's put in the sand hit the switch, zap then put a diver down to pick up all the stunned razor fish. They have even had the light aircraft up. Big money for the giant clams abroad. Have a walk around the dunes past Sand of Luce and see what is hidden away. Just about to go back for my 6th & 7th week to NEB love the chip van. Nice to see you looking in Tom, see you next week.

[Tom Stevo]

Hi Tom it's Joe miss our little chats I agree with everything you said, a shadow of its former self, from when I started fishing up there in the 70's because of the reasons you have just described, my son David has fished up there since he could walk and returns every year at the right time with the right bait and fishes the right marks, and does reasonable, he pops in to see Eric and has a chat, used to make me laugh talking to anglers fishing on a bright sunny day flat calm conditions water gin clear with cod gear for bass because they had read loads of fish about, its not going to happen, its hard because of the pressure on the fish, I have had nights when its been a fish a chuck although a lot smaller than I would have liked, I know there were bass caught last week because I had a phone call, the Mull of Galloway is not the fishing Shangri-La it used to be but its the whole experience the unspoilt scenery and people, I meet people there when I was in my twenties and at over 60 still stop and chat when we are up there, it's a different way of life although like everywhere things change, my first Tope was caught there out with Steve Woods in his 20 ft open fisher off Drummore buoy and I was hooked, he then went on to buy a Aquastar and was successful at promoting Tope fishing in the SW of Scotland, my first bass and pollock caught on a plug, conger, smoothhounds, bullhuss, thornbacks, mullet, the list goes on, and it was a different type of fishing from cod fishing off the NE Coast it just seemed a magical place, but in recent years the summer fishing on the Ne Coast has improved whether through less commercial fishing inshore with gillnets or climate change, and the fishing has declined at the MOG but if you want a different experience give it a go, there is not many places you can park you car, dig bait, launch your boat for free

Hi Joe great to hear from you, a few have left the site because of the poor fishing this year, how can you have a beach like we have and not catch flatties?

[Joe-m]

great to hear from you Tom sorry to hear the the fishing is still on the decline it is such a shame, you have the perfect setup, crazy there's no flatties on that beach used to be, my son has been catching sized cod all summer here, he had a trip over the Solway catching rays

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf88RgvUdo4&list=UUfWv9y5fK6rzWW5tTsDLsmg

David was up the mull a few weeks ago hammered the smoothies also had some wrasse and pollack during the day but it was just a 2 day bash.

[mallconpak]

You will find that they are not trawling ,they are razor clam fishing. Illegally, Luce Bay is a Special Area of conservation and Marine Scotland have been chasing them for 2 years, the best bit is how they do it, Take one big diesel driven welder, wire's down to the sea bed and metal spike's put in the sand hit the switch, zap then put a diver down to pick up all the stunned razor fish. They have even had the light aircraft up. Big money for the giant clams abroad. Have a walk around the dunes past Sand of Luce and see what is hidden away. Just about to go back for my 6th & 7th week to NEB love the chip van. Nice to see you looking in Tom, see you next week.

Going to New England bay from the 16th aug, taking kayak this time two weeks of bliss

[Tom Stevo]

Must run in the family Joe..topman.
Been over to Whithorn a lot with the boat, its fishing a lot better then the bay, the whole of the Solway seems to be on the up which is great news.

[Joe-m]

That's the beauty of your outfit if there's fish you'll find them, tight line's

[loopy]

yak

Going to New England bay from the 16th aug, taking kayak this time two weeks of bliss

Going to be there from the 22nd with my yak, hope to see you.

[mallconpak]

Going to be there from the 22nd with my yak, hope to see you.

Yes would be good

[Davyred]

Just come back from the Mull after 4 days there, which I do every year. Just thought I'd add my thoughts on the matter, and my mate who's lived in Sandhead all his life and knows the place like the back of his hand.

The problem with the mull is any decent wind with west in it, prevents you fishing all the Pollack marks on the West coast, and there are countless that still produce excellent fishing. When this happens (and its just happened to me for 4 days), you're not spoilt for choice anymore. If you want Pollack, you have to go down the end of the mull. Trouble is, everyone has the same idea, and as its a relatively small area, its gets packed...and overfished.

Another option is Bass. My mate has told me its been poor this year, and it was terrible when I was there (1 lost fish in over 12 rod hours). This was before all the rain that the remnants of the hurricane dumped over there last sunday. As a result, all fresh water streams running into the bay were in spate. The water where I fished was nowhere clear as it usually is. There were also Smoothies being caught around a couple of the bays. I fished one night tide for them , but all I got was dogs.

I'm also told that the illegal razorfish collection isn't helping things either, as it may just stun the razorfish, but it kills all the fish fry etc in the area.

One more thing about the marks on the West Coast. The seal population is a real problem over that side now.

I don't think the Mull is anywhere near fished out, but be prepared to have other plans in place as your options are severely limited if you can't get to the west side.

I'll still be back next year though

[mallconpak]

Quite happy to potter around very close inshore for pollack etc in the yak, only taking very light gear anyway

[Stores]

Just come back from the Mull after 4 days there, which I do every year. Just thought I'd add my thoughts on the matter, and my mate who's lived in Sandhead all his life and knows the place like the back of his hand.

The problem with the mull is any decent wind with west in it, prevents you fishing all the Pollack marks on the West coast, and there are countless that still produce excellent fishing. When this happens (and its just happened to me for 4 days), you're not spoilt for choice anymore. If you want Pollack, you have to go down the end of the mull. Trouble is, everyone has the same idea, and as its a relatively small area, its gets packed...and overfished.

Another option is Bass. My mate has told me its been poor this year, and it was terrible when I was there (1 lost fish in over 12 rod hours). This was before all the rain that the remnants of the hurricane dumped over there last sunday. As a result, all fresh water streams running into the bay were in spate. The water where I fished was nowhere clear as it usually is. There were also Smoothies being caught around a couple of the bays. I fished one night tide for them , but all I got was dogs.

I'm also told that the illegal razorfish collection isn't helping things either, as it may just stun the razorfish, but it kills all the fish fry etc in the area.

One more thing about the marks on the West Coast. The seal population is a real problem over that side now.

I don't think the Mull is anywhere near fished out, but be prepared to have other plans in place as your options are severely limited if you can't get to the west side.

I'll still be back next year though

Can't argue with any of that Davy and it's the same for anyone in the NE who plans a fishing holiday in advance - you're at the mercy of the weather and the terrain. Most of us who go away go to more challenging terrain and more fickle conditions so the chances of being disappointed increase. There's two reasons why me and Rod don't go to Coldingham any more and it's not because we've fallen out of love with the place. Firstly we're both getting older and no matter how much of a mountain goat you are, age, like the sea, takes no prisoners and secondly, if the weather's bad, around Eyemouth and St Abbs, catch rates can quickly go to zero with few alternatives (at least at the Mull you've got two coastlines). Given that a week away costs around £600, and with the years remaining decreasing faster than the bank balance we've compromised with Usan.

Would I rather be yomping around St Abbs? - yes!! Would I appreciate a week of cr*p weather and no fishing .........not rocket science. And, just like you, Davy, we'll do it all again next year (fingers crossed).

[hotdog]

The marks around the mull head, east/west tarbet are fished out imo, you will still catch but not like a few years ago, the place is a **** hole of a mess aswell. A walk of a couple of miles along the west coast from Crammagg Head however, and you are fishing excellent shots that still produce great catches, providing you can climb