snatcher

Sunrise at our static caravan on the Mull of Galloway. The aspect is looking east over Luce Bay. John

:sun: :sun: :sun: John

If you ever visit the UK Hadrians Wall is well worth a visit,its a lovely part of the country - in our summer anyway !!!!!! Here is a link to facts about it - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadrian%27s_Wall Here are a couple of pictures taken at Birdoswald on the wall last week. An American tourist kindly offered to take my picture there. John

Sunrise over Luce Bay. Took this photo at our caravan door. John

We arrive in Australia 08 Oct for a 3 month trip. Will be based at our daughters at Collaroy so will be fishing there quite a bit Would love to have a fishing session there with some of you locals John

Snap !!!!!! We will be staying at our daughters at Collaroy from early Oct for 3 months. Looking forward to catching a few new species on this trip. My daughters place is only 100 yds from the beach and right beside Narabeen Lake so will be fishing a lot. Have also had the offer of a few trips out from some kind fishos on here Have managed 43 species in 4 trips now so its getting much harder to get new ones. Would like to target a jewwie on this trip so if any kind angler would like to assist a pommie bar steward on my quest feel free to shout up John

Here on the Mull of Galloway we are blessed with a large gannet population. I do admire their spectacular dives into the sea. Also normally carry my photographic equipment with me and have been lucky enough to see/photograph the Aurora Borealis on a few occasions. It makes up for the occasional blank !!!! John

Thanks for the advice - will be back over in oz before I know it John

Here is that bass photo - via Photobucket as i have exceeded my image limit on here. John

Decided to have a dusk bass session in Luce Bay,Mull of Galloway,Scotland last night. Was just starting to tackle up on the beach when I noticed an otter in the water about 50 yds away. I hid behind a large boulder hoping that it would swim closer to me. It only emerged onto the shore about 12 feet away from me with a flatfish in its mouth It then started to munch away on it. I tried to stay as still as I could in case I spooked it.. I was treated to this for about 10 minutes. Eventually the otter finished its meal and off it swam. I then tackled up my lure rod - a 12' Sonic carp rod/fixed spool reel/15 lb mono. I used a 20g carp conroller float as my casting weight and a 10' mono trace with a 6" holographic sandeel implaled on a 2/0 baitholder hook. I cast this out as far as I could and then slowly started to twitch it back. I must have fished for about 30 mins without a take when the rod suddenly slammed over. It was a big fish and was taking line in several good runs. I had it on for about 4/5 mins before the hook pulled out !!!!! I swore at this point. It was virtually pitch black by this stage so decided to have a a last few casts before packing in. I am pleased I did as another bass slammed into the lure. Not a monster but gave me a good fight.. It was a fat fish just over 3lb I reckon. A quick photo and I carefully put it back to fight another day. Cannot add the bass picture due to poor internet connection here in our caravan. Will try and add it later. It was good to catch a bass but the otter encounter was the icing on the cake for me. John

Cheers Steve,will have to suss it out Watched a few vids on You Tube on getting beach worms with a "stink bag",looks like fun. Fingers or worm pliers ? John

Going to be based there for 3 month starting in October. Will probably be fishing there for a few hours most days so I wondered the best way to collect bait on the beach ? Can you collect beach worms there and what is the best way to do it ? Have a small crab trap so wondered if I put that into the surf with some bread in is there any chance of getting small mullet or yellowtails for bait ? Treat me gently as I am a pommie bar steward :sun: John

Great report and well done. Just had the one kingie myself at 40 Baskets but come our next return trip to oz in October will be trying to nail a few more Will be based at Collaroy this time. Can kingies be taken off the beach there ? John

Much doing at Collaroy Beach. Going to be based at my daughters there from October for 3 month. She is only about 100 yds from the beach so I should manage a couple of hours fishing before breakfast every day. All tips on likely species/tactics/bait more than welcome Do enjoy lure fishing in the surf - what might I pick up on lures ? Cheers John

Head over to our caravan on the Mull of Galloway on Friday and intend to stay for about a month. Smoothounds will be target fish along with bass from the shore. Lure fishing for bass really pulls my string - although I blank more than I catch !!! John

I think your gummy sharks are very similar to our smoothounds here in the UK. They are a real good sporting fish on light gear,peeler crab being the top bait for them . Here is a picture of one that grandson Lewis caught last summer - think he looked a bit pleased John

Got called out of the room for some reason the first time I watched it and missed a fair chunk of the cattle drive. Never actually bought the film but borrowed a dvd of it from a mate John

Us pomms celebrate our Bonfire Night on 05 November every year To those of you who do not know about the "Gunpowder Plot" of 1605 here is a link to it.http://www.bonfirenight.net/gunpowder.php Back in the 1950/60s every street used to have its own bonfire. Nowadays the tendancy is to have organised displays. Recall firing rockets up the back lane at rival bonfires !!!!! I also blew up a wasps nest with a bundle of fireworks once and yes I got badly stung I do enjoy firework photography now though. Here is one from our local display in Whitley Bay. John

Watched it a couple of years ago and thouight it was good. Just watched it again and seen a few things I missed on my first viewing. Must admit to shedding a tear or two towards the end. Loved the aboriginal walkabout theme too. John

Really looking forward to our fifth oz trip over in October. We will be there for 3 months Planning to meet up with a few folk I know on here and have had a few kind invations out for fishing trips which are great. Just wondered if the forum members have the odd "get together" ? Would love to be part of that We will be based at Collaray this time. Just googled the RSL at Collaroy and it looks mint How many Raider members live close to there ? Fancy a meet up there ? Any local fancy babysitting a pommie "barsteward" and his wife fishing Narabeen Lagoon ? Would like to add blackfish and jewfish to my species list. Have not a clue how to catch them apart from the fact that weed seems to be the bait for the black fish . Also I will be based approx 100 yds from Collaray Beach. With light spinning gear what might I catch ? Kind regards John

Will try mate John

No more "star photography for me here in the UK now this year as its now our summer - allegedly !!!! and it never gets dark enough. Also heading out to oz early October for another 3 month trip. Will be based at my daughters at Collaroy,will there be much light pollution there ? Also plan to hire a car at some stage and drive up the coast to Byron Bay,is there much light pollution that way ? Pleased to say as well as keeping a lot of fishing gear in Australia I also keep a photographic tripod there John

Not too keen on snakes myself. Only seen the two on our trips over to oz. Was driving through one of your National Parks and a brown snake slithered over the road in front of the car. Stopped the car until it had crossed. The other time we were walking through the bush when a small green snake crossed the path in front of us. John

Love your photographs NWHC John

At Fairlight on a plastic jellyworm lure John