Rock Fishing in NW Scotland

[Man1000]

Hello Spanner,

You certainly know the area don’t you! At the Cove I went off to the left of the car park and about 150 yards over the rocks.You have given me quite a few marks some of which I will try,I do not fancy scrambling over rocks that are dangerous, two reasons, one is I can't swim and the other is I am not as young as I once was.As I said earlier, I am a boat angler and I always wore a flotation suit while fishing. I don't think its possible to wear one of these and try scrambling over rocks.

After Inversdale and a few miles before Cove I passed a beach on the right which looked promising at low tide. Is this any good? I also took a look at the the beach in Gruinard Bay but this seems very shallow. The spot you mention just north of Gruinard House looks good, but when I climbed down from the layby(the one where people stop to look out for Sea Otters) all I could see was a lot of weed, maybe you know exactly where to fish. Just where is the slip?

I mentioned staying at Dundonnell, I said that because I did not think you would have heard of Badluarach, which is where I am staying. I had a look at the slipway but did not think I would be allowed to fish from there.

[Newt]

Man1000 - here is what the wife & I both use (although the pic isn't either one of us). This brand is Sospenders. There are other similar ones. Inflate when submerged for a second or so and put floatation behind your head so you float face up and out of the water even if you are knocked out. Barely even notice you are a wearing floatation device. Granted, not the protection of a suit but for shore sessions, you wouldn't expect to be in the water for long anyway.

 

[Man1000]

Thanks Newt, I don't see any picture, but a quick search on Google and put me right. Can you get these in the UK? The only ads I found were for the USA.

[Norrie]

Spanner, My uncle is Stewart, and works as an Auctioneer,(even I didnt know that). He's recently had a bypass. I wont find out till tomorrow where he lives on the loch.

Cheers.

[Newt]

Man1000 - not sure what is wrong with the picture posting tonight.

 

But a google picture search for sospenders will give you lots of hits. As to UK availability, no clue.

[spanner]

Norrie,

Doesn't ring a bell but I'll ask my wife. She's a Fifer so she always knows everybody!

 

Man1000,

If you go left at Cove it is shallower and further to walk, so I go right! Mind you there is just as much chance of catching that side.

 

The beach is Firemore, just up from our house (http://welcome.to/19Coast). The beach is really popular and there are always tents and caravans on the machair, so I don't fish from the sand. You can fish off the rocks in the middle of the beach the beach, for some reason I have only caught dab here, or from the rocks at the right. Take the road to the right just before you reach the beach and go right to the end, follow the fence and keep to the left of the big gully, then fish off the rocky spit. You can cast onto clean ground about 20yds out. I've caught plenty of dab and codling (nothing big though) to mussel and lug here, and to the right pollock on float fished mackerel strip. I've also wandered the rocks to the left of the beach spinning and plugging for pollock. Quite a few small ones and I've been smashed by big fish I couldn't stop as well.

 

There are several small sandy beaches between the rocks around Cove and Inverasdale which seem to hold flounder where the bigger beaches seem to have more dab. Most of the flounder are a decent size, typically 1 to 2 lb.

 

Nobody would mind you fishing the slip at Badlaurach as long you wind in whenever anybody comes along to use it. The shore either side is fishable and fairly deep, so you could always just set up 100yds along, or infact anywhere along there to Badcaul. The rocks further up I mentioned are the point at Leac an Ime. I've only been by in a boat but it looks like there are some good safe flat ledges to fish from with a mix of really rough ground in close giving way to cleaner ground within casting range. I'd always head for places like that as it gives you more variety. Stattic Point should be good as well but that is a longer walk.

 

I planned to try from the same layby you mention at Miotag. I think the boulders give way to sand within casting range so you can fish one rod on clean ground and one in the rough. Or better still try and land a cast right on the edge!

 

The slip is on the map, a jetty, half way between the laybay and Gruinard House. Same idea for fishing just giving an easier platform to fish from.

 

I've never fished it but the beach at Mellon Udrigle should be a good spot as well. You could fish the beach itself or from the rock edges either side. Or if you are feeling adventurous, try Slaggan, other side of the peninsular from Mellon Udrigle. Its OK to drive down the track that starts just past Achgarve, just mind and close the gate!

 

Most of these marks have a mix of rough and clean ground so there is quite a variety of methods and fish to try for. I'd target pollock on the rocks mostly with spinners and shads/jellies 'cos then you don't need to bother about bait and you can travel light with one rod. On clean ground you can expect various flatties, there are plaice in the area as well as dab and flounder, and maybe rays, thornback and cuckoo. The mixed and rough ground can turn up cod, saithe, pollock, wrasse and just about anything really. Mussel, sandeel, mackerel, lug or rag if you can get it, razor, and crab should cover just about everything.

 

Oh, and don't forget that at night there is always the chance of a conger from most of the rough ground though I have yet to catch one there, all I get are cod and some good pollock!

 

Basically there is so much potential that after many years fishing the area I am still always trying new marks and I havent really fished much more than 10miles from the house!

[Norrie]

Spanner...

[Gudgee]

Thanks Spanner for sharing that mark.

 

Wandered up there and past the old gun emplacements last week and went down onto the rocks. Was treated to a swim past by a basking shark, a family of porpoises who circled for a good hour, couple of otters and a king size seal.

 

The bait rod never twitched all day but I got two decent bass on the lure.

 

Went home de-stressed and happy.