Sharkatag 09 , Galloway , Scotland .

It has been a while since I posted here but as I have just returned from a trip to Scotland I thought I would put up a post about it . The reason for going to Luce Bay , Galloway    was to Tag sharks and rays so the local University could carry out a study on them . http://www.ssacn.org/sharkatag 
Hope you enjoy the report .


So I'm back home after a terrific trip to Scotland , we were made very welcome by everybody and I will be sure to make a gap in my diary for next years event .
The Scottish sea angling and conservation network organized things very well , so  top marks to them . No doubt loads of time and effort were put in behind the scenes .
Niel put in loads of effort organizing the kayaking side of things , a thankless task , as I have noticed kayak fishermen are a non conformist bunch on the whole , who like to do it their own way . 
 

The beach at the camp site .



The drive up from Kent was long but straightforward and I arrived at the camp site at about 1430 . Curly and Dave were out fishing somewhere and after having a quick look round I had a nap . When I awoke Neil and a few others had turned up and were putting up their tents and the little base camp . Yakers turned up in dribs and drabs , friends were greeted   , beers cracked open and charts pawed over for likely Tope marks .




The following morning we were asked to be at Drummore at 0730 for the media . Yaks were rigged and lined up on the beach for the cameras . At 0830 the Breakfast news reports were over . So all the yaks were un-rigged and put back on the vehicles ready to be launched a few miles up the road .








At Ardwell we all gathered , rigged our yaks  and talked fishing while drinking tea and eating bacon butties from Aggies burger van . Shortly after arriving we got word that Curly had had a 10 pounder  We quickly finished our breakfasts blew on our hot tea and dragged our yaks down to the water , before paddling out towards the buoy Curly was anchored by . 



Not much more was caught from this mark , although Curly had another run and I foul hooked a thornback ray up the bum .
We then headed over the other side to Port Logan where we caught Pollack and coalfish .






We then headed back to the camp site after a good day out paddling ,ready for some beers and burnt meat .

Due to a lack of Tope action in Luce bay a plan was hatched by Neil for a launch at Garlieston  the following day . The idea was to paddle round the headland and fish Wigtown bay .




Firstly we anchored on the western side of the bay . Then word came of Tope being caught on the eastern side , so everybody headed over that side . I stayed put as I had paddled far enough , a wise choice as it turned out . Soon afterwards the wind picked up and I started drag my anchor , I needed a pee so I decided to  head for a nearby beach for a stretch and a coffee .





The others decided to head back so I started off round the headland , it was hard going and half way round I tied off to a pot buoy and had a rest while the others came across the bay . It was a hard slog for those that came from the far side of the bay and I did not envy them the paddle .
In the evening more beer was drunk and meat burnt .




The following day it was back to Port Logan to have a go at the varied species that could be had from there . For some reason we struggled to catch although I did manage a Grey Gurnard  and I also thought I had a monster on the end of my line but now think it was the bottom .  :-/

on the beach I spotted this



Most headed home but a few die hards stayed on . I headed back to Ardwell to consentrate my efforts on Tope ...................and I caught one  ;D




The following day I once again headed out for a bash at Ardwell this time accompanied by Mike . Who was great company all day .



When I say all day actually Mike headed in at high tide but I stayed on until the evening .
The fishing picked up and I had a bit of action for a few hours , this is what happened 





So at the end of it all I ended sharkatag 09 with 10 species , Grey Gurnard , Red Gurnard , Pollack , Coalfish , Dogfish , Thornback Ray , Mackerel , some weird fish , Bull Huss and Tope  .  What a brilliant meet .  ;D
Once again thanks to Niel for putting the yak side of it together and I don't know how many prize Haggis's were sacrificed to the weather gods , but it was mighty powerful magic      .


 

Wow...what a wonderful report!  Thank you for sharing your experience.  I really enjoyed the beautiful pictures and nice video clips.

very cool report. Northern Boy, the bar has been set!

Great Report from across the pond!.

ain't northen cal, but another quality HOOKUP!  thanks for sharing that

Great to see you fellas gettin' down just like we do over here!

Thanks for the report.

Awesome report,pictures, and videos TM. Please keep'em coming.

Jedmo

Looks like a good outing - catching, tagging & bacon butties! 

AWESOME post, keep them coming!!!!The pics were great, that area looks beutifull.

very cool, I always like to see how other folks are fishing and what they are catching!


I think if I told my wife that I was going out to catch some Tope, she would think I had lost it; destined to wander in the paint department forever...

Jim

very cool, I always like to see how other folks are fishing and what they are catching!


I think if I told my wife that I was going out to catch some Tope, she would think I had lost it; destined to wander in the paint department forever...

Jim

Take it easy on the meds, Jim, that would be t-a-u-p-e, note tope...whatever that is...!   

very cool report. Northern Boy, the bar has been set!

 
Now that is quite a bar.  NB might decide to stay local after that report. 
Another outstanding job TM. Keep 'em coming.

Thanks so much for the "Report From Afar".  I wasn't told this in advance, but I guess there are Kayaks other than in Northern California.

Really enjoyed that report, keep'em coming,

Great report John. No Porbeagle tageed tho? 

very cool report. Northern Boy, the bar has been set!

 
Now that is quite a bar.  NB might decide to stay local after that report. 
Another outstanding job TM. Keep 'em coming.

After spending 8hrs on the water getting skunked at Paradise today, I think I'm ready to try somewhere new!