Trying for big commons in the Sound of Jura !My skate fishing virginity! I know a lot of you guys tried your very best to lose it for me at LA

[snatcher]

My skate fishing virginity!!!!! I know a lot of you guys tried your very best to lose it for me at LA at Easter.I am sure for some reason the gods must have conspired against us all that weekend. There must have been 15 - 20 rods out between you all to try and get me my first skate and for some reason all of those "big dabs" went off the feed.In fact as I was ascending into Norries "road monster" to go home Linda came over to me,gave me a nice big hug and said "Sorry Snatcher,it did not work out,it just means you will have to come back again".

Thanks Linda and Davy it would be a real honour to come back in the future to try again for an LA big girl. It will not be this year as short of holiday now. Before I commence this tale I must say I cannot thank you enough for the time and effort you put into "Snatchers Weekend". Damm!!!!!! - anyway cannot thank you enough. I hope you enjoy your stay with me at our caravan in Drummore in August before you tope fish with Ian.

Eyes down,look in.I think this started with a pm from FastD or "Darlington Dave" as Norrie calls him. As most of you know he is a mad keen angler and bang into fish conservation.Not too sure but I got a tug from Dave saying he was going over to the Oban area midweek for a few days skate fishing and knew I was keen as mustard to pop my cherry on them! Being a bit low on brownie points and with still "Lads Week" to come in August in Luce Bay I gave him a big nod.

I set off to Daves at a daft time in the morning,left my car at his,transferred into his van and we towed his boat up to a spot not too far south of Oban. The actual place we launched from I will not name in respect to Dave.I am sure a lot of you will know it and I am sure if you fancy a bash there yourself Dave will more than gladly put you on the money.

We arrived in a small town and got some digs in a local B and B,got shot of our "going out gear" and went straight to our launching site. The ramp we used was not an all states of the tide launch.It was HW +/- 2 hours.Oh well and off we sailed,I truly was a bit unsure what to expect on this trip. Dave was saying that on previous trips to this mark he had done really well in terms of skate.He said that a lot of the captures had been immature fish and this idea actually appealed to me, start at the easy end of the scale or so I thought.I was in for a rude awakening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We set out the mackerel gear and really struggled,I did anyway. We must have tried for a couple of hours and got about 14 fish!!! I managed one I think.Dave motored out to his first mark and down went the baits, a whole mackerel on a 12/0 hook.We had not been there too long when someone came a tapping. Dave struck into it and handed the rod over to me. Butt pad and shoulder harness on I went into unknown territory! After a real spirited fight we hauled over a male of 71lb. My cherry was burst and I felt so happy.

Bait back down and tap tap,"here you go John have another one" this one was a much smaller fish of 41lb and she had a tag in.We made a note of the number and Dave reckoned it had been tagged by a guy called Billy. A spirited fight non the less from 450 feet down.

Fish number 3 Dave actually took which I was quite pleased about!.As soon as it was hooked Dave told me to reel in the second rod 20/30turns,the last thing we wanted was two fish on at the same time with only two of us in the boat.Well I had either not reeled in that bait high enough,the clutch had slipped or that fish was cruising off the bottom. Anyway as I was watching Dave battling with his fish the second rod screamed off. I just had to grab it. We had no second butt pad or harness on the boat so I just had to grin and bear it.Both fish fought really hard and both were tagged fish.It was rather difficult having both fish on at the same time but between us we managed to boat,measure and realease both fish. I was sweating buckets by this time I can tell you.Daves fish was a male of 119 lb and mine was a male of 124 lb.
We called it a day and headed off back to shore,moored Daves boat in the middle of a small bay andset offback to town for an Indians and loads of beer which was nice

Day two saw us really struggling for mackerel,In fact we blanked and so had to rely on the previous days fish.We had a bit play about first with lighter gear and got the compulsory LSDS. One actually spewed up a pipefish,the first one I had ever seen.After getting a bit sick of the doggies it was back to a different mark. Down went the baits and Dave took the first fish,a male of 107lb. I atually timed this one and Dave could not budge it off the bottom for 15 mins. The fight had him fair goosed as it took 50 mins.

Next up it was me and after another good fight we saw a 96lb male slip back over the side.Dave then caught a small female of 38lb,she was a pretty thing mind. I know that some of you tend to "look down" on small skate. The thing is its nice to know we have a healthy breeding stock. Dave seems to think this may be an actual breeding/nursery area. Who knows? Some of the males had scars on their backs,are these results of fights over the girls.Last fish of the day came to me,a female of 65lb.We packed in and went back into town,just a few miles away. Dave got on his "red wine head" and had to be sort of guided back to our B and B.

The previous night we picked up a local called Kirk who was dead keen to have a go at the skate fishing. So the last day seen Kirk banging on our door to wake us up,we were both a bit shabby!!! Off in the boat again and trying for mackerel.Dave and Kirk managed a couple of full houses,I had one but just managed to get two into the fish box.I had actually caught more skate than mackerel!

Dave took us to a new mark and down the three baits went. The first bait had been down about one minute and we had a good take.We put the butt pad and harness onto Kirk and after a great fight we got a 119 lb male into the boat. Kirk was very impressed with the whole thing.Next up was me,after a 10min stalemate got smashed off.Not to worry was soon into another one, a male of 98 lb,funny thing was we also got back the snapped gear from the previous fish,not hooked in the mouth but wrapped around it.

Third fish of the day went to Kirk. Dave was being a good skipper and was more than happy for us to take the rods. Kirks was another male of 95 lb. Two missed takes and half chomped mackerel came next. Next fish went to Kirk again,we pulled in a smashing wee female of 36 lb,she was fin perfect.This fishery is looking really healthy which is nice.

The 13th fish of the trip went to me. It was a very gentle tap tap and then just a dead weight. After about 15 mins the fish came up slightly but just to dive back down again.This happened twice more. No one timed this fight but it took a while, I was fair done in by the time we got this 182 lb female into the boat. It was a great sight watching her sail back into the depths.

We motored back to the ramp a bit later than planned thanks to my last fish. All in all quite a cherry bursting experience!! I was one happy chappie. At the local boozer in the town the price of B and B was £60. Dave,with a small boat meet in mind negociated a £25 per person deal for a party of anglers. I think he is quite keen on the idea and am sure he will jump onto this thread.

Afterthoughts,we found this egg case in the bait box.Assume its from a doggie but could it be from one of the skate??

Whoever said skate do not fight back wants a good slapping.My left forearm is still aching a bit and the lower back could be better. Was really impressed with the skate mind. Check out the set of choppers,Kirk was nearly bitten by one of the smaller fish,Dave got thorned off a wing and I just avoioded a flying tail as we slipped my big one back.

John

[Yowie]

They certainly are big bastards, and have an ugly looking mouth.

[snatcher]

They certainly are big bastards, and have an ugly looking mouth.

Yep definately one way traffic only !!!! Any interest in me wedging some of my Australian angling adventures onto here ?

John

[nbdshroom]

Good read, and congrats on breaking through for your first, she is certainly a whopper.

[rockfisherman]

Reminds me of an ex-girlfriend

Must be all the freckles....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[snatcher]

Reminds me of an ex-girlfriend

Must be all the freckles....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

:sun: :sun:

John