Ullapool and Orkney Advice - Help!!

[Scrottocks]

Hi, everyone.

 

Just joined the site and it looks excellent. Best posts I've seen for ages - and a great sense of humour!

 

Myself and a m8 (a Scot, Dougie) are heading up this weekend to spend a fortnight small boat sea fishing out of Ullapool for 3 days and then on to Orkney, camping in Stromness. Can anyone offer advice on where to go and techniques/tactics? Been waiting years for this so looking forward to angling heaven. Even got the blessing of 'er indoors. She reckons there's three in this marriage - me, her and Dougie.

 

Thinking of going off the west coast of Hoy and Mainland Orkney (weather permitting) and in Scapa. Also trout fishing after joining the OFTA.

 

There are so many charters from Stromness the choice is confusing! Any recommendations?

 

Many thanks.

 

:confused:

[Spur-Hound]

Hi Scottocks.

 

Cant help you much on the western isles, sorry...

 

Been to Orkney for two week s a year ago, and your gonna love the fishing! Head over to the Old man of hoy, and the clifface just before it (highest in britain i believe??)

 

anything from a boatsleghnth -be carefull! to a couple of hundred yards out was superb drifting for double/treble shots of averaging6lb cod, ling to double figures, and stacks of coalfish/pollack makeral. Good sandbanks in between hoy and orkney mainland ish well for latties and haddies.

 

As for scapa, well i belive a common has just been landed in there, so there about for those willing to search!

 

If you are chartering.... We called Ron on the 'welcome home' he gave us 2 dates where he scrambled enough people together to let me get out on a trip! He even took me out with a set of birdwatchers. I caught stacks of fish even at the marks where the birdwatchers wanted to go... I thaught he was very good and helpfull, lovely fishing boat too.... However i here 'charlie says' is the boat to go on! Not only does he know his drifting for the abundant species, but is willing to try for new specios "the big stuff" which lurks around orkney...

 

Enjoy your holiday

Shaun

[Spur-Hound]

http://www.outwestcharters.co.uk/index.htm

 

http://www.seaanglingorkney.com/

 

http://www.fishing-uk-scotland.com/htm/sea...and.htm#orklink

 

P.S excuse the spelling, its getting toward that time of night when the keys all look the same!

[Spur-Hound]

http://www.anglingorkney.co.uk/

 

A few links to have a look at

[Scrottocks]

Many thanks, Spur-Hound. I appreciate your time and effort to give me a reply. Sounds brilliant up there ...... but the weather looks typical Orkney - grey, wettish, windy - what else can I expect?

[Pugs]

Ullapool: Around Rhue point trawling with rubber eels used to be brilliant for Pollack (double figures) but that was when I was a kid about 30 yrs ago!

[Norrie]

Scrottocks....Welcome to AN...if you are in Scrabster in two weeks time, give us a shout, as I will be up with the boat, with FastD, and AN other....

[Scrottocks]

Pugs/Norrie,

 

Tks for your advice. Have just seen your messages after returning.

 

Ullapool - Rhue Point: We were camping close to RP at Ardmair campsite. Fantastic campsite/location with sea all around and sheltered slipway and bay for launching. Locals said there were loads more species before the Russkies came - only mackerel and (small) Pollack now. Caught four HUGE edible crabs in two homemade crabpots in one 24hr lay. Too much crabmeat for two of us to eat for dinner!

 

On to Orkney and the NW wind was constant and strong which stopped us (in a small boat) going off the Old Man of Hoy for the big stuff. Apparently red Hockeye lures are effective and try the cliffs just south of The Old Man.

 

Fishing in Scapa off the north coast of Graemsay off the Taing of Sandside there's a reef extending NW in a depth of about 30 feet. Found the largest mackerel we've ever seen. One pound+ in size. Tried fishing for them using light spinning tackle and I used a fly rod with fast sink line and a small spinner/mepps - hoo what fun!

 

Local advice for skate and the rays is slightly to the East of Graemsay in Clestrain Sound. Anchor up and fish mackerel flappers. Bill Sinclair in the angling shop (Sinclairs) in Stromness is a mine of information and his prices for gear and the range of gear are fantastic. Well worth a visit.

 

Also at the campsite is an old guy called George Sinclair who is extremely knowledgable and friendly and was/is a reknowned angler of long standing.

 

More fishing to do than we had time for so we're planning how to get back to Orkney again with a two-week passout from the missus. Ahem.

 

Returned by ferry via Scrabster but heading home - thanks for the offer.

 

Tight lines.

[Norrie]

Hiya, Glad you had a good time...we didnt make the trip to Scrabster.... ...but will be there some time..hopefully soon. Mackeral on light gear are good eh !!! I had some last weekend on an ultra light set up of Davy's....great fun....stripping line like crazy......