FOXYS SCOTTISH TRIP

FOXY AND FRIENDS ON THE ROAD

A COUPLE OF FRIENDS, JOHN PINCHON AND MIKE BEESLEY AND MYSELF HAD A TRIP UP TO LUCE BAY IN SCOTLAND EARLIER THIS YEAR IN SEARCH OF THE TOPE THAT THE BAY IS FAMOUS FOR. HERE’S HOW WE GOT ON.

DAY ONE

OUR TRIP TO DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY HAD BEEN MONTHS IN THE PLANNING. ORIGINALLY WE HAD BOOKED JUST THE ONE DAY AT SEA WITH THE OTHER FOUR DAYS ASHORE. AS OUR DEPARTURE DATE APPROACHED I MANAGED TO SECURE A SECOND DAY AT SEA SO THINGS WERE LOOKING GOOD.

AS WE MADE OUR WAY UP THE M6 THE RAIN WAS BUCKETING DOWN, GETTING EVEN WORSE AT THE GRETNA TURN OFF. APPROACHING OUR FIRST STOP AT AUCHENLARIE IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A LOT OF RAIN OVER THE PREVIOUS FEW DAYS. EACH RIVER WE CROSSED BEING IN FULL SPATE! THIS WOULD NOT HELP OUR CHANCES OF A SHORE CAUGHT TOPE AT ALL!  SURE ENOUGH AS WE TURNED INTO THE CARAVAN SITE AT AUCHENLARIE WE COULD SEE THAT THE WATER WAS A HORRIBLE DIRTY BROWN COLOUR.  THIS WAS NOT ENCOURAGEING AND AFTER A CHAT WITH A GROUP OF LADS WHO HAD BEEN THERE FOR EIGHT HOURS WITHOUT A SNIFF WE DEBATED WHETHER TO FISH OR CARRY ON TO OUR FINAL DESTINATION AT THE ISLE OF WHITHORN.

EVER THE OPTIMISTS WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT A WHIRL .GETTING SUITED UP DURING A SHORT BREAK IN THE DELUGE WE MADE OUR WAY DOWN A STEEP INCLINE TO A SMALL COVE. THREE JUICY BLUEY FILLETS FLEW INTO THE MIRK AND AS THE RAIN EASED A LITTLE OUR SPIRITS ROSE. AT LEAST WE WERE FISHING. IT SOON BECAME EVIDENT THAT WE WERE WASTING OUR TIME AND A DECISION WAS MADE TO CARRY ON TO THE ISLE OF WHITHORN, WHICH WAS TO BE OUR BASE FOR THE HOLIDAY.

AN HORRIBLY COLOURED AUCHENLARIE

AFTER CHECKING IN AT THE STEAM PACKET INN A COUPLE OF HOURS WERE LEFT UNTIL HIGH TIDE. WITH THE ROCK MARKS LOOKING DECIDEDLY TREACHEROUS WE SET UP ON THE PIER AT THE HARBOUR ENTRANCE. JOHN HAD DONE WELL HERE IN PREVIOUS YEARS SO WE EXPECTED SOMETHING AT LEAST. WRONG! APART FROM BEING CRABBED OUT A TOTAL BLANK WAS SCORED. SO, AFTER A DECENT MEAL AND A FEW PINTS OF GUINESS, AN EARLY NIGHT WAS CALLED. HOPEFULLY OUR LUCK WOULD IMPROVE TOMORROW. WOULDN’T IT!?

STEAM PACKET INN

DAY TWO

UP BRIGHT AND EARLY WE MET IAN BURRETT AT EAST TARBET ON THE MULL OF GALLOWAY, WAITING WITH HIS ORKNEY FASTLINER “ON YER MARKS”. ALSO PREPARING TO LAUNCH WERE TWO OF THE OTHER BOATS IN HIS FLEET, “ON YER MARKS TOO” AND “GO WEST”. IAN RUNS HIS BUSINESS FROM DRUMMORE ON THE MULL OF GALLOWAY AND OFFERS BESPOKE TRIPS FOR TOPE AND POLLACK. DEPENDING WHICH DIRECTION THE WIND IS COMING FROM HE CAN LAUNCH EITHER ONTO LUCE BAY OR THE IRISH SEA.

PREPARING TO LAUNCH

TODAY THE PLAN WAS TO FISH FOR TOPE OUT IN THE BAY EARLY ON THEN MOVE IN CLOSE LATER FOR POLLACK AND WRASSE. FIRST WE HAD TO CATCH FRESH MACKEREL FOR BAIT AND “RUBBY DUBBY” SO IT WAS ON WITH THE FEATHERS AND OVER THE SIDE.

ON OUR FIRST DROP DOWN I HOOKED A TINY CODLING THEN A SMALL GURNARD. NOT WHAT WAS REQUIRED! AFTER A BIT OF MOTORING ABOUT WE EVENTUALLY BEGAN TO FIND A FEW SHOALS OF “LUCE BAY TUNA” AND THERE WERE FISH BEING SWUNG IN LEFT AND RIGHT.  SPACE IS AT A PREMIUM IN A 19’ ORKNEY SO YOU HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE EVERYONE IS AS YOU SWING THE FISH ABOARD. AT ONE POINT I ALMOST ENDED UP WEARING A MACKEREL NECKLACE AS MIKE GOT A LITTLE OVER ENTHUSIASTIC!!

EVENTUALLY IAN DECIDED WE HAD PLENTY AND BEGAN CHOPPING UP ENOUGH TO FILL A MESH SACK. THIS WAS THE ATTACHED TO THE ANCHOR ROPE TO SEND AN ENTICING TRAIL OF BLOOD AND GUTS DOWN THE TIDE AND, HOPEFULLY, LEAD THE TOPE TO OUR BAITS. THREE MACKEREL HEADS AND GUTS WERE DROPPED OVER THE SIDE, REEL CLUTCHES WERE CAREFULLY SET AND WE SAT BACK TO AWAIT DEVELOPMENTS.

WHILE WE WAITED IAN WAS FISHING WITH A STRING OF BAITED FEATHERS TO PICK UP ANYTHING THAT CAME ALONG. AFTER A WHILE MIKE BORROWED THIS ROD AND BEGAN CATCHING THE ODD GURNARD AND MORE MACKEREL. AS HE WAS BRINGING IN HIS THIRD OR FOURTH FISH EVERYTHING WENT SOLID AND LINE BEGAN TO PEEL OF THE REEL! “TAKE IT STEADY YOU’VE GOT A TOPE ON THERE” CALLED IAN! INITIALLY MIKE BEGAN TO MAKE A LITTLE HEADWAY ON THE FISH BUT AFTER A FRAUGHT FEW MINUTES THE INEVITABLE HAPPENED AND HE WAS BITTEN OFF, REELING IN TO FIND A STRING OF FEATHERS MINUS THE TOP SNOOD, OH DEAR!

AT LEAST IT SHOWED US THE TOPE WERE ABOUT AND THE RUBBY DUBBY WAS WORKING. WHAT SEEMED LIKE ONLY MINUTES LATER A CALL CAME OVER THE RADIO THAT AN ANGLER ON ONE OF THE OTHER BOATS HAD A FISH ON. ALL HEADS TURNED TO WATCH THE FIGHT GOING ON A FEW HUNDRED YARDS AWAY AND EVENTUALLY A LONG GREY SHAPE WAS LIFTED OVER THE GUNWALE. “SIXTY FIVE” CAME OVER THE AIRWAVES! A FEW PROFOUND EXPLETIVES WERE UTTERED BY OUR TEAM AND FRESH BAITS WERE SOON DROPPED OVER THE SIDE AND WE BEGAN TO WILL THE TOPE TO CARRY ON FEEDING.

JUST AS HOPES WERE FADING ONE OF THE RODS BOUNCED OVER AND LINE WAS TAKEN. IAN WAS ON IT IN A FLASH. THRUSTING IT INTO MY HANDS HE SAID “IT’S YOURS”. AS I TOOK THE ROD THE LINE BEGAN TO MELT FROM THE SPOOL AT AN ALARMING RATE OF KNOTS AND I BEGAN TO WONDER IF IT WAS EVER GOING TO STOP! THE LADS WERE FRANTICALLY WINDING IN THE OTHER RODS BUT IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE TOPE HAD MANAGED TO PICK UP ANOTHER SET OF GEAR WHICH I WAS NOW ALSO ATTACHED TO.

AT FIRST THINGS WENT WELL WITH ME GAINING LINE AND IAN TAKING UP THE SLACK ON THE OTHER ROD. HOWEVER AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF GIVING AND TAKING LINE SUDDENLY ALL WENT SLACK AND THE FISH WAS GONE. FURTHER EXPLETIVES RENT THE AIR. I WAS GUTTED!!

THAT WAS OUR FINAL OFFER AND SOON THE TIDE BEGAN TO EBB AND WITH IT THE CHANCE OF FURTHER TOPE. OH WELL WE STILL HAD THE NEXT DAY TO GET ONE, SO IT WAS TIME TO HEAD IN UNDER THE BULK OF THE MULL FOR A SPECIES HUNT.

WE HAD ALREADY SET UP 9’ 6” FOX TREK SPINNING RODS AND FIXED SPOOLS SO THIS WAS GOING TO BE FUN! IAN AND I WERE FISHING WITH SHRIMP RIGS BAITED WITH FRAGMENTS OF RAGWORM, MIKE AND JOHN WERE FISHING WITH SINGLE SNOOD PATERNOSTERS BAITED WITH MACKEREL STRIP.  IMMEDIATELY WE ALL BEGAN TO GET RATTLING BITES AND A STRING OF FISH STARTED TO COME OVER THE SIDE. IT WAS LIKE A LUCKY DIP WITH BALLAN WRASSE, CUCKOO WRASSE AND PLUCKY LITTLE CORKWINGS COMING EVERY DROP DOWN. EVERY FISH WAS A DIFFERENT COLOUR AND THEN THE POLLACK ARRIVED FOLLOWED BY BOTH GREY AND TUB GURNARDS. I WAS GIGGLING LIKE JOHN WILSON AND IAN REMARKED THAT HE LOVED TO SEE A MAN HAPPY IN HIS WORK. IF THAT’S WORK SIGN ME UP FULL TIME!!

ALL TOO SOON IT WAS TIME TO RETURN TO SHORE AND WE WOUND IN HAVING BOATED DOZENS OF SCRAPPY LITTLE FIGHTERS WHICH ALSO INCLUDED WHITING, POUTING AND COALFISH.  WE CONSIDERED THE DAY A GREAT SUCCESS DESPITE THE LOSS OF TWO OF OUR TARGET SPECIES FOR THE TRIP. THERE WAS ALWAYS TOMORROW.

DAY THREE    Launching at Port Logan

AFTER ANOTHER GREAT MEAL IN THE STEAM PACKET AND THE OBLIGATORY GUINESS WE SLEPT LIKE THE DEAD. NON THE LESS WE WERE ALL DOWN IN THE KITCHEN BRIGHT AND EARLY MAKING OUR OWN BREAKFAST AS THE KITCHEN STAFF WEREN’T IN YET.

 AFTER CALLING IAN TO CHECK THE WEATHER WE WERE SOON ON THE ROAD BACK TOWARDS THE MULL, THIS TIME HEADING FOR PORT LOGAN.  THE WEATHER WAS LOOKING GOOD FOR THE IRISH SEA SIDE AND IAN WAS KEEN TO GET OUT THERE AS CONDITIONS HAD KEPT THE FLEET IN LUCE BAY FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

OUR SECOND DAY AFLOAT WAS IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF ANDY ON HIS BOAT “RIPTIDE”. WE NEW WE WERE IN FOR A FUN DAY AS HE IS ANOTHER EX PAT YORKSHIREMAN, LIKE IAN. IT’S A FUNNY THING ABOUT THE MULL OF GALLOWAY IN THAT VIRTUALLY ALL THE LOCALS YOU MEET ARE EITHER YORKSHIREMEN OR GEORDIES! IT’S AS IF THEY’VE TAKEN OVER THE PLACE!!

WE WERE SOON ABOARD WITH THE RODS SECURED AND ROARING OUT INTO THE IRISH SEA TO CATCH OUR MACKEREL BAIT AGAIN. HAVING HAD A DAYS EXPERIENCE ALL WERE SOON SWINGING FULL HOUSES WITH PRACTISED EASE AND NO NEAR MISSES! BAIT CAUGHT AND RUBBY DUBBY CHOPPED, ANDY POSITIONED US ON A FAVOURED MARK. ONCE AGAIN THREE JUICY BAITS WENT OVER THE SIDE. AS WE SAT EXCITEDLY AWAITING A SLOW CLICKING FOLLOWED BY A SCREAMING REEL WE ALL WONDERED IF IT WOULD BE OUR TURN TODAY?

AS THE TIDE BEGAN TO RUN THE ANTICIPATION HEIGHTENED WITH A FEW FALSE ALARMS CAUSED BY THE DREADED DOGGIES. ONCE AGAIN A CALL CAME OVER THE RADIO “TOPE ON”! IT WAS ONLY THE SAME BOAT AS THE DAY BEFORE AND THE SAME ANGLER! THIS TIME THE LONG GREY SHAPE THAT WAS LIFTED OVER THE SIDE OF “ON YER MARKS TOO” WENT SIXTY TWO POUNDS!!! FURTHER EXPLETIVES WERE HURLED INTO THE AIR AND THE LUCKY ANGLERS PARENTAGE CAME INTO QUESTION. SURELY IT MUST BE OUR TURN NEXT? UNFORTUNATEL NOT AND AS THE TIDE EBBED JUST ONE OTHER TOPE WAS REPORTED A MALE OF THIRTY FIVE POUNDS.

OH WELL WE’LL JUST HAVE TO COME BACK FOR THE TOPE NEXT YEAR. HOWEVER THE POLLACK WERE WAITING UNDER THE CLIFFS AND WE WERE SOON DRIFTING ALONG EACH CLUTCHING A SPINNING ROD, FLOATFISHING MACKEREL STRIPS TWENTY FEET DOWN. IMMEDIATELY WE WERE INTO HOARDS OF POLLACK BETWEEN THREE AND SEVEN POUNDS THAT PUNCHED WAY ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT. JOHN AND I HAD HAD SOME OF THIS ON OUR LAST TRIP AND THE SHEER POWER IS AMAZING AS THEY PLUNGE STRAIGHT DOWN HEADING FOR THE KELP. NO LINE CAN BE GIVEN OR IT’S “GOODNIGHT VIENNA” AND THE TREK RODS WERE SOON BENT RIGHT ROUND TO THE CORKS! MORE WILSON LIKE GIGGLING!!

ALL TOO SOON IT WAS TIME TO HEAD BACK IN AND AFTER A QUICK TOT UP WE REALISED WE HAD JUST RETURNED AT LEAST A HUNDRED POLLACK BETWEEN THE THREE OF US! THAT IS INCREDIBLE SPORT BY ANY STANDARDS. IAN INSISTS THAT ALL THE POLLACK ARE RETURNED TO THE INSHORE MARKS TO PRESERVE A TRULY AWE INSPIRING SPORT FISHERY. THIS IS HIS OFFICE, WHAT A LUCKY MAN!

OK WE’D NOT HAD THE LONG ANTICIPATED TOPE BUT THE LIGHT LINE SPORT WITH THE OTHER SPECIES WAS A BRILLIANT CONSOLATION AND THERE’S ALWAYS NEXT YEAR.

DAY FOUR

WE HAD PLANNED A FURTHER COUPLE OF DAYS ROCK FISHING FOR THE POLLACK AND WRASSE HOWEVER THE WORSENING WEATHER HAD OTHER IDEAS. CLAMBERING AROUND ON TREACHEROUS ROCK LEDGES SLICK WITH RAIN IS NOT A GOOD MOVE SO WE OPTED FOR A DAY ON THE BEACH AT NEARBY MONREATH. IN THE EVENT WE MANAGED AN HOUR AND A HALF BEFORE THE HEAVY SURF DROVE US OFF BUT NOT BEFORE MIKE MANAGED TO BAG A NICE BASS OF AROUND TWO AND A HALF POUNDS.

A FINAL NIGHT ON THE GUINESS, WITH A LEISURELY DRIVE BACK ROUNDED OF A GREAT FEW DAYS. WE’LL BE BACK WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS………………………..

 

IAN BURRETT CAN BE CONTACTED AT WWW.ONYERMARKS.CO.UK HIS SITE GIVES FULL INFORMATION OF THE SERVICES HE OFFERS AND THERE ARE ALSO VERY USEFULL LINKS FOR ACCOMODATION AND LOCAL WEATHER REPORTS.

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