KennyC

Just wondered if anyone would be interested in a boat trip from Loch Fyne? Looking for 10 anglers £27.50 per head. Dates available would be June - Sat 8th. July - Sat 16th, Aug - Sun 21 st, Sat -27th Sept - Sun 11th, Sat 17th, Sat 24th I know that its a fair trek from Arbroath - but maybe we could meet around Stirling and double up the cars ? The alternative would be an overnight stay at a campsite - there is good shore fishing with conger a possibility at night. Anyone interested let me know.

David - how did you get on with your new rod?

I don't mind too much if anglers take crabs from 'my' traps - as long as they put more traps down so they can be shared. Traps have to be checked frequently for them to work effectivly. As for delunging crab, quite honestly I dont think it makes much difference to the fish.

For lever drag reels I like the ABU6600Ld design the 'freespool' release is seperate from the lever drag - so the lever can be left alone. The only problem is that its a thumb-bar at the rear of the spool and it's quite easily to disingage by accident.

Probably the best chance of getting anything decent would be down at the Mull of Galloway. There are usually schoolies around the hot water outflows at powerstations - or in the bays nearby. Elliot beach at Arbroath seems to throw up a few from time to time - again nothing big.

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. 'Desiderata' --- Max Ehrmann, 1927 [ 06. March 2005, 11:33 AM: Message edited by: KennyC ]

I think it's yer donald duck with reels - the only reel cage I've had to replace was on a Slosh 20 which fell about 3ft on to rocks - the graphite reel seat broke My last new ABU (7200) failed on it's first outing !!!

Nice one Norrie - make me jealous why don't ya! - are they shore fishing up at Ardgour ?

Another good lure is the ABU Koster - it casts further than the Toby. There are a lot of cheaper copies nowadays, which is a good thing ( on the wallet ) if you fish amongst the weed for pollack .

Aha - lunch has arrived 6lb hamburger Two whole tomatoes A half-head of lettuce 12 slices of American cheese A full cup of peppers Two entire onions A river of mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard ...................buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrpp!

They've got big mouths so size 1/0's or 2/0's on a pennel snood - 2" mackerel strips bound with elastic. They feed on sandeels/baitfish - don't bother with coloured beads - but use siver sequins as attractors above the hooks.

I've spoken to a few anglers who've been fishing at the snack bar and several have said that they've hooked something 'big' which took line then snapped off. OK I'm not saying it's the Kraken but I thought it may have been a salmon or very large sea trout? - the other explanation is that it may have been a seal taking a smaller hooked fish?

Balmerino?(sp) on the south side fishes not too bad, the advantage on the Dundee side is that it's very easy access. If the tide is low then the City Quay area is fishable - ( just before the harbour heading east ). Park at the river front and its only about 10ft to the water. The other area is from the Airport all the way along towards Tesco . I usually fish at the hamburger shack - the only thing to watch is that there is bladderack at the bottom of the wall so try an get the rig up to the surface early as to clear it. Mackerel/herring should catch ok - worm baits might take an odd codling ( if there are any about ).

cheers Bill - looks like everyone has their own favourites/opinions On Sunday June 12th there is a Central Region match - usually ties up all three boats

Don't think much of his tides for bait digging though

There's always flattie bashin' in the Tay - if the weathers not too kind. Nice and easy fishing from the car - there are a few Sea Trout about permits can be bought for £1. [ 01. March 2005, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: KennyC ]

Were you thinking of trying to get a 'last gasp' winter cod trip in - or waiting until the spring fish reappear?. Spur-hound and I fished a club match last Sunday - around the Arbroath area there were a few fish caught, though nothing in great numbers. The best bags came from Ethie Mains - though the Elephant rock marks produced a few fish. I was speaking to another angler who said the marks further up were producing more fish - Gourdon, Newtonhill etc. Scrabsters beware - SH caught three codling and did well in the comp, so he has the bit berween his teeth and is destined to do well from the boat.

I find it strange why black artificial eels work so well in deep water - surely if its the silhouette any colour should work equally as well? The colour of lures seems to be quite important in general, red/orange/yellow in deep water blue/purple mid water etc. Something to do with the light spectrum at varying depths no doubt?

Norrie - Why I recommended "Girl Katherine" - was for the opposite reason - the skipper I had that day worked really hard to find us fish and we outfished the other two boats by a big margin. I had a similar experience when fishing Anstruther - the boat/skipper we had just couldn't be bothered - never turned the engine of once ( "just in case it wouldn't start" , was the excuse )then found out later the boat never had a fish finder - we ended up just of the shore at the caravan park in shallow water - fishing for ling ?. The other boat came back with bags of fish as they stayed out in the deeper water! [ 28. February 2005, 09:30 PM: Message edited by: KennyC ]

I'd be up for it - if dates suited. Usually the 'start' of the season is end of May - when the water starts to clear. 'Girl Katherine' is one of the better boats from Arbroath IMO.

Maximo - the East Lothian marks in winter really need a NE/Easterlie to fish - summer is quite different...gin clear water and BIG peeler baits!! Sarah....I've been on 7 trips over winter with the skipper....all cancelled, due to weather - never met the bloke but nicknamed him "the Olympic torch"....never goes out - sorry that's a bit unfair as I'm sure he's a genuine guy - i'll find his details and let you know

There are loads of rock marks around that area - codling, pollock, wrasse and small coalies. Lure fishing for pollock can be quite productive - Hairy ness or the golf course marks at Eyemouth. Small bass and mullet can be taken at Torness which is about 20mins Drive west. Haven't personally had much success at Burnmouth - but others I know have - around the harbour area. There is a charter boat that runs from Burnmouth or there are several that are out of Eyemouth ( if you fancied a bit of boat fishing ).

The other way is to heat the ends and flatten them - so it's like a nail head - one end is trapped between the coils in the rig body - the other end the snood is tied on with a spade end knot.

That's palatable and quite subtle SS, if I remember correctly I gave up being 'silly' with jalapinos, chillies etc years ago - kept losing out to Mexicans I sometimes bring some jars back from the States or buy online from http://www.chilefoundry.co.uk/ Quite fancy this curried squid idea for bait - at least I can eat it rather than going to waste - not quite aquired a taste for WD40 yet

What about the Daiwa 40HV - think it's about 4.9:1 ratio ? Got one for crimbo but not used as yet - the spool rotates very quickly - so don't know if I'll need to slow it down with gloopier (?) oil or not.