Easter 2007
- Thread starter Oblickta
- Start date
davem2005
Well-known member
easter weekend
easter weekend
Well I have to say I wasn't going to write a report on this trip but it seems people would like to read.
This is partly because this was the most unorganised and disaster filled trip I have ever put together and would also like to forget some of the planning aspects of the trip. The other factor is that this has also been the most productive trip I have ever been involved with. Since skate are a species which are very vunerable to commercial exploitation I am sure the anglers reading this will understand why I will only describe the venue as "near Oban".
The trip was planned to arrive for the tide on the slipway at 7am so we decided to leave on the thurs afternoon and take a leisurely run up to scotland...a few beers... a good nights kip and catch the 7.30 tide on what can only be described as a c*ap slipway. The slight hitch to this plan is was I had a business meeting in the pub at 1pm and we were meeting at 4.30pm ...well I had a few too many so my afternoons getting things ready never happened and Graham and Rupert arrived before I left the pub. A few minor things were sorted with the boat and several major things left behind.
Bank holiday thursdays are not a good time to be travelling up the m74 and we arrived at the B&B at approaching midnight ...a few cans and to bed to dream of whats going to be (we hope). The reason we chose the venue was the previous year myself Graham and Stephen went for a two day trip which gave us about 10 hours fishing and we had 8 skate. Was this a one off? or the norm for the area?...only a return visit would confirm this and we all agreed that it was worth another go to find out. Rupert is the guy who caught the shark and video'd it from whitby so him and I had things in common ..but he had never caught a skate...so once again the pressure was on.
After a good nights kip in an excellent B&b and a hearty breakfast we launched the boat and set of for the mark we had perviously been to. The weather was perfect and the sea as flat as a mirror but this is where things started going downhill. Arrived at the mark ...told graham to drop anchor and after about 200 ft of rope went out the end slid through Grahams hands . i had forgotten I had cut the rope to allow me to bouy off the anchor on my shark trips at the end of last summer. So there goes a 10kg bruce. So its back to harbour...I had a spare anchor but needed chain and a shackle...and those chandlers sure know how to charge. New anchor rigged up and back to the same mark...or just far enough away to make sure we dont hook up to the 250ft of rope swinging around in the tide.
Back to the mark by ten thirty ...anchor dropped and we swung to the tide in about 440ft of water. I have bought two new reels and a rod over the winter and they needed christening so down they went with 12/0 hooks to 250lb leaders and baited with 2 whole makerel on each . Graham wanted to fish his own rod so that went down as well. Within 15 minutes all three rods had fish on! ...now this is a big problem as when you are skate fishing you need one person to help you land one and we all had fish on!. My rod went back in the holder with a light drag pressure while graham and rupert played there fish in . Despite Graham hooking up first Rupert landed his first ...not a big fish but his first going about 35lb,,,quick tag and release and he was handed my rod that fortunately still had the fish on. This he also managed to land while Graham was playing his fish. This turned out to be a male skate of over 100lb.
Graham eventually landed his fish and so we knew we were up for a good weekend. A unanimous decision said two rods only from now on ...and this proved to be a good move .We finished the first day with 6 fish and another lost anchor after a joint in the line broke when recovering with an aldeney ring. That meant a £120 bill at the chandlers in one day just to anchor up.
Day two brought seas like a mirror as the channels up that way are narrow and it takes very little time for the sea to calm down. Since the idea was to explore the potential of the area we had a few hours after pollock but a few fishless hours soon convinced us to go back for skate. The chosen mark was about 1/4 mile from the previous days mark as skate fishing is more about finding a ground feature that the fish patrol along rather than a precise feature such as a wreck and we wanted to find as many marks as we could. Fish came steadily all day apart from 3 half hour periods when even a 2.5lb lead would not hold bottom ( there are some weird currents in the area) and we finished with another twelve fish boated.
Sunday saw a strong westerly wind which meant we dragged anchor at every drop and we opted to fish behind an island in 80' but no fish came and we packed up a day early but very satisfied with the catch.
The final tally was 18 skate from 18lb to 164lb. Five were previously tagged fish (one by me last year) Each angler caught a 100+ fish and only me failed to get a new personally best. Total fish weight caught was 1007lb. All fish were tagged and released.
I will leave it to graham to add some pics but will say this was a trip you can only dream of...and if I ever get organised things could be even better on this venue!
Cheers
Dave
easter weekend
Well I have to say I wasn't going to write a report on this trip but it seems people would like to read.
This is partly because this was the most unorganised and disaster filled trip I have ever put together and would also like to forget some of the planning aspects of the trip. The other factor is that this has also been the most productive trip I have ever been involved with. Since skate are a species which are very vunerable to commercial exploitation I am sure the anglers reading this will understand why I will only describe the venue as "near Oban".
The trip was planned to arrive for the tide on the slipway at 7am so we decided to leave on the thurs afternoon and take a leisurely run up to scotland...a few beers... a good nights kip and catch the 7.30 tide on what can only be described as a c*ap slipway. The slight hitch to this plan is was I had a business meeting in the pub at 1pm and we were meeting at 4.30pm ...well I had a few too many so my afternoons getting things ready never happened and Graham and Rupert arrived before I left the pub. A few minor things were sorted with the boat and several major things left behind.
Bank holiday thursdays are not a good time to be travelling up the m74 and we arrived at the B&B at approaching midnight ...a few cans and to bed to dream of whats going to be (we hope). The reason we chose the venue was the previous year myself Graham and Stephen went for a two day trip which gave us about 10 hours fishing and we had 8 skate. Was this a one off? or the norm for the area?...only a return visit would confirm this and we all agreed that it was worth another go to find out. Rupert is the guy who caught the shark and video'd it from whitby so him and I had things in common ..but he had never caught a skate...so once again the pressure was on.
After a good nights kip in an excellent B&b and a hearty breakfast we launched the boat and set of for the mark we had perviously been to. The weather was perfect and the sea as flat as a mirror but this is where things started going downhill. Arrived at the mark ...told graham to drop anchor and after about 200 ft of rope went out the end slid through Grahams hands . i had forgotten I had cut the rope to allow me to bouy off the anchor on my shark trips at the end of last summer. So there goes a 10kg bruce. So its back to harbour...I had a spare anchor but needed chain and a shackle...and those chandlers sure know how to charge. New anchor rigged up and back to the same mark...or just far enough away to make sure we dont hook up to the 250ft of rope swinging around in the tide.
Back to the mark by ten thirty ...anchor dropped and we swung to the tide in about 440ft of water. I have bought two new reels and a rod over the winter and they needed christening so down they went with 12/0 hooks to 250lb leaders and baited with 2 whole makerel on each . Graham wanted to fish his own rod so that went down as well. Within 15 minutes all three rods had fish on! ...now this is a big problem as when you are skate fishing you need one person to help you land one and we all had fish on!. My rod went back in the holder with a light drag pressure while graham and rupert played there fish in . Despite Graham hooking up first Rupert landed his first ...not a big fish but his first going about 35lb,,,quick tag and release and he was handed my rod that fortunately still had the fish on. This he also managed to land while Graham was playing his fish. This turned out to be a male skate of over 100lb.
Graham eventually landed his fish and so we knew we were up for a good weekend. A unanimous decision said two rods only from now on ...and this proved to be a good move .We finished the first day with 6 fish and another lost anchor after a joint in the line broke when recovering with an aldeney ring. That meant a £120 bill at the chandlers in one day just to anchor up.
Day two brought seas like a mirror as the channels up that way are narrow and it takes very little time for the sea to calm down. Since the idea was to explore the potential of the area we had a few hours after pollock but a few fishless hours soon convinced us to go back for skate. The chosen mark was about 1/4 mile from the previous days mark as skate fishing is more about finding a ground feature that the fish patrol along rather than a precise feature such as a wreck and we wanted to find as many marks as we could. Fish came steadily all day apart from 3 half hour periods when even a 2.5lb lead would not hold bottom ( there are some weird currents in the area) and we finished with another twelve fish boated.
Sunday saw a strong westerly wind which meant we dragged anchor at every drop and we opted to fish behind an island in 80' but no fish came and we packed up a day early but very satisfied with the catch.
The final tally was 18 skate from 18lb to 164lb. Five were previously tagged fish (one by me last year) Each angler caught a 100+ fish and only me failed to get a new personally best. Total fish weight caught was 1007lb. All fish were tagged and released.
I will leave it to graham to add some pics but will say this was a trip you can only dream of...and if I ever get organised things could be even better on this venue!
Cheers
Dave
jamiebrennan
Well-known member
Excellent report! Good to read a report of fish that are tagged and released and not pictures of fish boxes overflowing with "just mature" fish. Not havin a pop at anyone, but when you think back to those pics off years ago you just wonder "what if they had been put back to breed?". Bad luck on the anchors tho!
Charlie_Thompson
Well-known member
Superb report thanks very much.
I misread that as "a good nights kiss" though and was waiting for the tears and tantrums at the end!
I misread that as "a good nights kiss" though and was waiting for the tears and tantrums at the end!
davem2005
Well-known member
easter weekend
easter weekend
If it really makes a difference I will tell u where in pm...I have pm'd the actual gps marks to a friend who I know is also a tag and release angler. i really want anglers to share the kind of fishing we enjoyed last weekend ...but I would rather the commercials didnt have the same info.
Its because I want others to share that I tag and release... (plus alledgedly skate tastes like sh*te) For me personally the highlight of the weekend was the fact we had a good number of recaptures including one I personally caught last year. That fish when I caught it meant a lot to me and its nice to know that someone this year enjoyed catching it again ..plus it showed no signs of its previous capture. Added to that is the the return i make to the skate taging proramme will provide information on the growth rates etc on a very elusive species. they are called the "common skate"...but why is that not the case?
I hope to catch one off this coast this year...I may be being too hopefull but we'll see. I had the same hopes for sharks last year for this coast and all I would say is that if you achieve an aim you move on to other targets. I am told they are there and have been seen ...all it takes is for someone with the tackle/bottle and aptience to give it a go .
Cheers
Dave
easter weekend
If it really makes a difference I will tell u where in pm...I have pm'd the actual gps marks to a friend who I know is also a tag and release angler. i really want anglers to share the kind of fishing we enjoyed last weekend ...but I would rather the commercials didnt have the same info.
Its because I want others to share that I tag and release... (plus alledgedly skate tastes like sh*te) For me personally the highlight of the weekend was the fact we had a good number of recaptures including one I personally caught last year. That fish when I caught it meant a lot to me and its nice to know that someone this year enjoyed catching it again ..plus it showed no signs of its previous capture. Added to that is the the return i make to the skate taging proramme will provide information on the growth rates etc on a very elusive species. they are called the "common skate"...but why is that not the case?
I hope to catch one off this coast this year...I may be being too hopefull but we'll see. I had the same hopes for sharks last year for this coast and all I would say is that if you achieve an aim you move on to other targets. I am told they are there and have been seen ...all it takes is for someone with the tackle/bottle and aptience to give it a go .
Cheers
Dave
mark
Well-known member
would of been the biggest buzz for me a well, catching a fish that you know for certain that you've got before, and has thrived since it was released
been toying with the idea of actually targeting skate up there this summer rather than my 2 previous 'accidental' catches.
all being well, will tow the boat up there for a week in june and leave it there, and have a week or 2 in july as well as the usaully 2 or 3 in august
been toying with the idea of actually targeting skate up there this summer rather than my 2 previous 'accidental' catches.
all being well, will tow the boat up there for a week in june and leave it there, and have a week or 2 in july as well as the usaully 2 or 3 in august
willywetegg
Administrator
would of been the biggest buzz for me a well, catching a fish that you know for certain that you've got before, and has thrived since it was released
Got to agree with that Mark.
Dave I have to say that is a great report mate and thank's for posting it. You are a credit to anglers whether it is from shore or boat, well done to you all and thank's for a great read.
Jim.
Got to agree with that Mark.
Dave I have to say that is a great report mate and thank's for posting it. You are a credit to anglers whether it is from shore or boat, well done to you all and thank's for a great read.
Jim.
Oblickta
Well-known member
There were also one or two more minor disasters like the roller tip ring on my rod breaking. Rupert made an expert job of whipping a hook through the holes in the end which held while I boated a PB 159lber. There was also a moment I had unhooking a 5lb ish (also a PB) thornback ray which bit a chunk out my right index finger and a skate biting a hole through Rupert's jeans while he posed for a photo session. Dave also hooked into a skate on a 20lb outfit which straitened the hook after a while.
Ruperts 164lber and the best fish of the trip (and the one that bit through his jeans)
My PB 159lber
Dave with the skate on 20lb outfit
A skate with tag in and ready to go back lifted in a net placed under the fish
.....and over she goes, back to the depths
Ruperts 164lber and the best fish of the trip (and the one that bit through his jeans)
My PB 159lber
Dave with the skate on 20lb outfit
A skate with tag in and ready to go back lifted in a net placed under the fish
.....and over she goes, back to the depths
Oblickta
Well-known member
They really are graceful and majestic creatures and once boated you feel an empathy with them and a sense of duty to return them to their home. Once returned to the water they usually pause for a few seconds before flapping their wings and tails and diving, it's an awesome sight.
One of Dave's kited up in the water well downtide of the boat and had to be reeled in accross the surface. I've heard of this happening but never seen it before.
Highlight of the trip for me was wondering if we'd chosen the right time and place then having a three fish hook up after 15 mins of baits hitting the bottem.
One of Dave's kited up in the water well downtide of the boat and had to be reeled in accross the surface. I've heard of this happening but never seen it before.
Highlight of the trip for me was wondering if we'd chosen the right time and place then having a three fish hook up after 15 mins of baits hitting the bottem.
davem2005
Well-known member
Mark ,
If you fancy having a trip in June or July I would be happy to help out with info etc and would probably come along...in fact we could have a road trip.
There is a good article on the correct tackle set up on Davy Holts website www.catchalot.co.uk
Graham may helpout by showing you his gear so you end up with the right stuff.
Its clear from those pics I will have to do something about those seat mounting boxes. They are always in the way and spoil a good photo as its standing room only when a biggy comes aboard. I think a change to pedestal mounted seats is in order to increase the deck area.Only slight snag is I am totally allergic to fibreglass dust so its a job I will have to sub out.
Willy,
I am totally commited to catch and release where appropriate. I have no objection to people taking fish to eat and do it myself on the odd occasions I target edible species. When you consider that if I killed a skate I would be denying other people the chance to catch that fish or a similar one for at least 40 years ( the time it takes for a new one to grow) You only need to consider the situation in Looe in the seventies where dead blues hung on the dock side were a common sight in the angling press...now the fishing is just a shadow of its former self.
There are two things that everyone who has just landed their first skate have in common. A smile from ear to ear and an ache from head to foot. Its a great pleasure to see an angler catch his first skate and hopefully they will gradually spread to the extent they were in the past.
Oh BTW...anyone got a spare 10kg bruce for sale ...anything under the £110 it cost this weekend would be considered
It brought a smile to my face to see the pic of Rupert posing with a skate which seconds later took a bite out of his jeans!
Cheers
Dave.
If you fancy having a trip in June or July I would be happy to help out with info etc and would probably come along...in fact we could have a road trip.
There is a good article on the correct tackle set up on Davy Holts website www.catchalot.co.uk
Graham may helpout by showing you his gear so you end up with the right stuff.
Its clear from those pics I will have to do something about those seat mounting boxes. They are always in the way and spoil a good photo as its standing room only when a biggy comes aboard. I think a change to pedestal mounted seats is in order to increase the deck area.Only slight snag is I am totally allergic to fibreglass dust so its a job I will have to sub out.
Willy,
I am totally commited to catch and release where appropriate. I have no objection to people taking fish to eat and do it myself on the odd occasions I target edible species. When you consider that if I killed a skate I would be denying other people the chance to catch that fish or a similar one for at least 40 years ( the time it takes for a new one to grow) You only need to consider the situation in Looe in the seventies where dead blues hung on the dock side were a common sight in the angling press...now the fishing is just a shadow of its former self.
There are two things that everyone who has just landed their first skate have in common. A smile from ear to ear and an ache from head to foot. Its a great pleasure to see an angler catch his first skate and hopefully they will gradually spread to the extent they were in the past.
Oh BTW...anyone got a spare 10kg bruce for sale ...anything under the £110 it cost this weekend would be considered
It brought a smile to my face to see the pic of Rupert posing with a skate which seconds later took a bite out of his jeans!
Cheers
Dave.
willywetegg
Administrator
There are two things that everyone who has just landed their first skate have in common. A smile from ear to ear and an ache from head to foot. Its a great pleasure to see an angler catch his first skate and hopefully they will gradually spread to the extent they were in the past.
I think the only difference between reading this and being there is, we don't ache from head to foot. I would imagine we would all have the smile from ear to ear Dave.
Once again thank's for the chance to read a report like this and cheer's for the pictures Graham. Hopefully I might catch up with you for another trip this summer mate.
Jim.
I think the only difference between reading this and being there is, we don't ache from head to foot. I would imagine we would all have the smile from ear to ear Dave.
Once again thank's for the chance to read a report like this and cheer's for the pictures Graham. Hopefully I might catch up with you for another trip this summer mate.
Jim.
mark
Well-known member
when I landed mine what I remeber most was the PBTM (potential brown trouser moment!) was caught by 'accident' on baited hokkias in loch sunart ina 12 foot dinghy!
was only a little un (90lb ish according to the charts) but towed us quarter of a mile down the loch, and when it got first sight of the boat decided it much preffered the view from the bottom so decided to go back down there... nearly took me over the side with it!
no gaff, no net.... got it to the side, stuffed my hand in its gob (wrapped in several layers of towel), it obviously realised is was being nice, so decided to help out by holding on to my hand somewhat firmly at this point, and cut the hook with a pair of pliers, and pulled the bend through and out. by now the wee fishy had obviously taken a shine to me, as although it was no longer hooked, it seemed to like my hand and took a little encouraging and some strong words before it let go slipped back to the depths
did wonders for my hangover at the time as I remember
was only a little un (90lb ish according to the charts) but towed us quarter of a mile down the loch, and when it got first sight of the boat decided it much preffered the view from the bottom so decided to go back down there... nearly took me over the side with it!
no gaff, no net.... got it to the side, stuffed my hand in its gob (wrapped in several layers of towel), it obviously realised is was being nice, so decided to help out by holding on to my hand somewhat firmly at this point, and cut the hook with a pair of pliers, and pulled the bend through and out. by now the wee fishy had obviously taken a shine to me, as although it was no longer hooked, it seemed to like my hand and took a little encouraging and some strong words before it let go slipped back to the depths
did wonders for my hangover at the time as I remember
