Annual skate trip

[Norrie]

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QUOTE(Norm B @ Apr 6 2006, 07:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Mate, that will probably be the way to go, it seems a bit of a rush now. I'll try to tie it into my trip to Daiwa, fly up Thursday, stay over the weekend and fly back Sunday or Monday. Norrie did mention that it was no problem picking me up so I'm just waiting on a date now.

 

Norm ,Definately not a problem picking you up from the airport, as long as its Edinburgh, Megga roadworks for the foreseeable future for Glagow.....AND, as long as its after about 5pm......

When is your visit to Daiwa......PM me if you want.....you can use my car to get there ....its only 20 mins away.....

[Ian Burrett]

Had a great fish today and it's nothng to do with the size. I have had two regular tope fisherman up with me for two days but they were virgins on the skate. They sat out yesterday in conditions like I have never seen anywhere else but here.

 

For the last 5 days the winding has been blowing steadily at force 5-6 the average daytime temperature is about three degrees The Sun comes out for about half an hour but does little to add to the temperature. Suddenly

the temperature drops and you look behind you to see this dark sky. Within seconds the sea whips up and the squall starts, We get 10 minutes of gusts up to force 8, The wind is whipping the tops of the waves right into your face and then the rain starts and the heavens just open and over the last few days has changed to snow and hail. And then its blown out and the sun comes out again. This pattern is repeated almost on the hour.

 

We watch through the day; the snow building on the mountains and Whiting out even at sea level.

 

Anyway Can you tell these are the ramblings of a drunken man by the way.

 

So these lads sat all day yesterday fishless and i wouldn't have blamed them if they had called of for today, but they decided to go for it.

 

I moor the boat off up here and set off with the punt this morning to row 70 yards to my boat. I could see a squall in the distance and decided to beat it to the boat only i lost the race it and took me 10 minutes to row the 70 yards rowing like hell but going backwards, and I started the days cold and wet.

 

I decide after consultation with Davy Holt to head 4 mile along the coast line to an area that was fairly sheltered and sat alongside Ronnie Campbell in an area known as the ammunition dump. When you fish in 400 plus of water wind wind against tide the swing on the anchorwarp is unbelievable. The plotter shows a 150 ft swing constantly from one quarter to the other. From my experience it just destroys what you are trying to do by laying scent trails and it never fishes well.

 

I digress. the tide was due to start Ebbing at four o'clock which is the time we normally start to wind up but I felt that we had a hour or two once the ebbb started to fish with the wind and tide in the same direction and should produce a fish. I gave the lads the option of moving out of the shelter into a mark half way to home but more exposed to the winds and fully expected the shivering wrecks (their lips and hands were blue) to say let's go in. but they gave it a go and was rewared with a twice diving female of 194 pounds in an area I hadn't considered was a big fish mark.

 

The lad who caught the fish had bought a new rod and reel for the trip which made it all the more special for him and his excitement and feeling of achievement is what makes this job so special.

 

The two English lads recon the trip cost them £500 and worth every penny; so that makes that skate worth £500 to the scottish economy and they are going to write to the fisheries minister telling him the facts and ask him why he is not doing more to protect special areas like this.

 

That's enough from me. It's quarter past two I'm happy, drunk knackered and up at 7 for a new party, with Norherley 6-8's forecast and blizzards. When is it spring?

Edited April 8, 2006 by Ian Burrett

[Davy Holt]

Hiya Ian,

 

Glad to see you got out and even better got a decent sized fish

[Norm B]

Had a great fish today and it's nothng to do with the size. I have had two regular tope fisherman up with me for two days but they were virgins on the skate. They sat out yesterday in conditions like I have never seen anywhere else but here.

 

For the last 5 days the winding has been blowing steadily at force 5-6 the average daytime temperature is about three degrees The Sun comes out for about half an hour but does little to add to the temperature. Suddenly

the temperature drops and you look behind you to see this dark sky. Within seconds the sea whips up and the squall starts, We get 10 minutes of gusts up to force 8, The wind is whipping the tops of the waves right into your face and then the rain starts and the heavens just open and over the last few days has changed to snow and hail. And then its blown out and the sun comes out again. This pattern is repeated almost on the hour.

 

We watch through the day; the snow building on the mountains and Whiting out even at sea level.

 

Anyway Can you tell these are the ramblings of a drunken man by the way.

 

So these lads sat all day yesterday fishless and i wouldn't have blamed them if they had called of for today, but they decided to go for it.

 

I moor the boat off up here and set off with the punt this morning to row 70 yards to my boat. I could see a squall in the distance and decided to beat it to the boat only i lost the race it and took me 10 minutes to row the 70 yards rowing like hell but going backwards, and I started the days cold and wet.

 

I decide after consultation with Davy Holt to head 4 mile along the coast line to an area that was fairly sheltered and sat alongside Ronnie Campbell in an area known as the ammunition dump. When you fish in 400 plus of water wind wind against tide the swing on the anchorwarp is unbelievable. The plotter shows a 150 ft swing constantly from one quarter to the other. From my experience it just destroys what you are trying to do by laying scent trails and it never fishes well.

 

I digress. the tide was due to start Ebbing at four o'clock which is the time we normally start to wind up but I felt that we had a hour or two once the ebbb started to fish with the wind and tide in the same direction and should produce a fish. I gave the lads the option of moving out of the shelter into a mark half way to home but more exposed to the winds and fully expected the shivering wrecks (their lips and hands were blue) to say let's go in. but they gave it a go and was rewared with a twice diving female of 194 pounds in an area I hadn't considered was a big fish mark.

 

The lad who caught the fish had bought a new rod and reel for the trip which made it all the more special for him and his excitement and feeling of achievement is what makes this job so special.

 

The two English lads recon the trip cost them £500 and worth every penny; so that makes that skate worth £500 to the scottish economy and they are going to write to the fisheries minister telling him the facts and ask him why he is not doing more to protect special areas like this.

 

That's enough from me. It's quarter past two I'm happy, drunk knackered and up at 7 for a new party, with Norherley 6-8's forecast and blizzards. When is it spring?

Nice story Ian, abbreviate it a bit, send with photo and comments about the value of that fish to Scotland's economy and I'll print it. Give me Mr Finnies address, is he still Scotlands Minister of Fisheries? and I'll send him his own copy.

[Norm B]

--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Norm B @ Apr 6 2006, 07:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->

Hi Mate, that will probably be the way to go, it seems a bit of a rush now. I'll try to tie it into my trip to Daiwa, fly up Thursday, stay over the weekend and fly back Sunday or Monday. Norrie did mention that it was no problem picking me up so I'm just waiting on a date now.

Norm ,Definately not a problem picking you up from the airport, as long as its Edinburgh, Megga roadworks for the foreseeable future for Glagow.....AND, as long as its after about 5pm......

When is your visit to Daiwa......PM me if you want.....you can use my car to get there ....its only 20 mins away.....

Hi Norrie, I'm all set to go, just waiting for Daiwa to give me a date to visit, I was hoping for next Thursday as it would have tied in nicely with the BH weekend but I'm not that lucky. As it turns out we've got a club shore match on the Saturday so I'd of had to make big decision as I missed the last one, not that big though. I can't wait as I may have yet another rod and some braid to test and the only fish, apart from big shark to test an 80lb class rod and braid is those big flat things that live north of the border and eat haggis.

[Fastd]

Ian,

 

At the end of last year myself and two friends came up to LA and we were splitting the costs so we listed what we spent . It worked out at £120 each not including what was spent at the LA club which would add a further few quid. Apart from the initial tank full of deisel it was all spent in Scotland, and more importantly in a rural area that does not appear to have much in the way of an alternative economy other than farming and forestry.

 

There is no question as to the benifits of angling to the economy it just seems to be impossible to convince the politicians of this If Norrie stopped going to LA the burger bar would shut in a fortnight

 

Dave

[Norrie]

Ian,

 

At the end of last year myself and two friends came up to LA and we were splitting the costs so we listed what we spent . It worked out at £120 each not including what was spent at the LA club which would add a further few quid. Apart from the initial tank full of deisel it was all spent in Scotland, and more importantly in a rural area that does not appear to have much in the way of an alternative economy other than farming and forestry.

 

There is no question as to the benifits of angling to the economy it just seems to be impossible to convince the politicians of this If Norrie stopped going to LA the burger bar would shut in a fortnight

 

Dave

 

 

Yep, The locals are REALLY grateful for all the visits made by travelling anglers....if it wasnt for them/us,they (the locals) would still be using steam tellies, and living in mud huts.....living off mutton chops,and cutting down trees for a living.

Nothing about tourism,mining,ferries,etc etc etc...its not the other side of the world you know.....and dont be so condesending either.....

But after making a trip up, and after spending OVER £120.. ...they should be grateful to you.....I've lost more running for a bus.....

If I had a mind to, and I dont, I could tell you I have spent £1,000's of pounds up at LA...but I wont, and you dont hear me bleating on about it. I count it as a pleasure to be among people who I count as friends,not some poor wee collection of people living on the bread line. Thats why,when I go into the club, or the hotel, I am asked (genuinely) I may add,"how are you?" I can also call the hotel, tell them its Norrie, and thats all the info they need to know who they are dealing with.

Also, re the few quid in the club, I dont remember you buying a round !!!!!

 

Norrie

[Fastd]

Norrie,

 

I had no intention of being condesending, my point was refering more to the aparent apathy of the politicians in doing anything to protect the fishing in what is a very localised and fragile ecosystem.

 

The effects of one person spending a few quid are minimal, but when multiplied by the thousands of anglers who visit the area every year it must be a reasonable contribution to the local economy. If the fishing was ruined it would undoubtably have an effect on the overall number of visitors to the area with a subsequent effect on the local economy. I too have always found the locals very friendly, which is more than you can say for some other areas I have visited over the years and that is all part of the enjoyment of fishing in that area.

 

Loch Aline only seems like its the other side of the world when you are trying to drive there on a bank holiday weekend

 

See you at Easter regarding the pint

 

Dave

[Spur-Hound]

Wee report,

 

Headed to Lochaline on Saterday, and despite everyone telling me not to risk the weather, it was beutifull!!! From the shore it was flat calm, and quite warm at times. Just a pitty the pier was too packed out to fish, so we fished the rocks with very little succsess. Didnt look so nice out in the sound where a few wee boats were bobbing up and down a fair bit. Something funny happined to the Lochaline ferry; it tried to pull away from the pier with a big old mooring rope still attached. End result - the steel on the pier stared making some interesting moaning and squeeking noises, and started lurching toward the water, before the beasty rope went snap! Few people went into its of laughter after seeing that i can tell you. Still not such a great trip without many fish LSD's aside

 

PS, I might be in carlisle onon Sat, but might make the party on sat eve

Edited April 9, 2006 by Spur-Hound

[Ian Burrett]

Actually had a reprieve from the wind today and even had my flotation suite off for a few hours; but it is now blowing a SW gales and could last till Wednesday.

 

The fish finally seem to be feeding better as I tagged and released 5 up to 180 pound today and hooked three yesterday unfortunatley the lads yesterday were using some brand new 250 trace line that parted on 2 of the fish so we boated just the one.