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We arrived in Eyemouth around lunchtime on Thursday. It was sunny and we checked into our B&B, then took a stroll down to the harbour. It really is quite a picturesque little town. We noticed signs on almost every lamp post advertising the "Herring Queen" contest! Each poster had a past winner's picture on it. Now maybe I'm getting old, but I wouldn't be too enamoured to be crowned the Herring Queen!
Anyway we had a coffee and ice cream in a local cafe which was lovely. We went back to the B&B to get changed for dinner with Mark's four friends. David, his brother John, Andy and Brian. At the restaurant I asked what the "Soup of the day" was, too be told "American Tomato." I asked what made it American and the waitress said "No idea to be honest." I passed. We had Haddock and chips, which was nice and fresh.
The next morning we awoke to cloudy skies and a fresh breeze. We were disappointed to find out we wouldn't be going on Oceanic with Derek Anderson, as he was doing a diving trip, so Sagittarius it was. This boat doesn't have a bench down the centre, so Mark was a bit concerned, however he was delighted to find a small bench on the port side, just outside the wheelhouse, which would allow him to fish while seated. As we were first onboard he bagged it!So the six of us set up all down the port side and a couple of minutes later five other anglers arrived. A father, his teenage son and daughter and two other guys.
Our trip was 9am - 3pm and we left the harbour on dead low tide, so we would be fishing the whole of the flood. To our surprise we turned south out the harbour, which was the opposite direction from the last time we were there. The breeze was even stronger on the water but fortunately there was little swell. We stopped for some Mackerel, but they were not playing ball, so we tried another spot and this time they were there in their hordes, big too! I haven't seen Mackerel that size all summer. In fact Mark had a few real stonkers. He thought there might be a SAR record to be had so he searched his tackle box for the scales - no scales! Nor his SAR card either - they were still in his rucksack form last week at Blairmore. I did remind him to pack them, but he forgot. It's an age thing! So he was spitting mad that he missed out on a possible SAR record and he would also not be upgrading his species badge either!
Anyway bagged up with Mackerel we steamed further south and drifted quite close to shore. We all started with hokki rigs and it was clear that the tide was ripping and even with 12oz leads we could not hold the bottom. The anglers on the other side of the boat were tangling up with us as their 5oz leads were useless. Who goes on a boat with 5oz leads!? It looked like it would be a long day. Mark soon got fed up with the hokkis and changed to a shad which instantly did the trick and he had the first Cod of the day on the boat. Nothing sizeable, just about 2lbs but he kept it.
Immediately the teenage boy appeared round the bow of the boat and started fishing next to Mark, whose face told me just what he thought of that! Straight away the boy tangled Mark's line and he made his feelings crystal clear about using 5oz leads! Next drop the boy caught the bottom and started furiously jigging his light rod up and down trying to free it. All he manged to do was snap the rod! Mark almost died laughing. The boy disappeared back to the other side, never to be seen again! Between Mark's pals and the folk on the other side of the boat, it must be the first time ever him and I were the most experienced anglers on the boat. We noticed the skipper took no interest in helping anyone with tangles or snags, just stayed put in the cabin, which didn't impress me! Our team were losing tackle with monotonous regularity, while Mark wisely was fishing just off the bottom and losing no gear. The breeze was now a full on wind and conditions were quite unpleasant. Mark put his rod down and wrapped a slinky around it and shared a coffee with David. Just then his rod almost dived over the side, but he caught it and landed a decent Cod about 3lbs. So now 2 Cod to him and nothing to the other 10 of us - I was getting worried. We kept repeating the same drift over and over again with no results and I was getting a bit cheesed off!
By about midday Brian got fed up and had a word with the skipper, so he made a move further down the coast and drifted in the middle of a field of lobster pot bouys, which I though was strange.
Soon the inevitable happened and we snagged a bouy on our side of the boat. We called the skipper, he came out the cabin, had a look and said "Ach it's ok, it will free itself." It didn't, it moved down the boat and seemed to attach itself to the stern. He came out again, looked, went back in, came out again, looked and back in again. No attempt to get the boat hook and free it, nothing. We idled for about 30 minutes, then he phoned someone and eventually put the boat in reverse and miraculously we were free. He was totally clueless about what to do and our natives were getting restless. During that time Brian and John had keepers, but Andy, David and myself were fishless, plus Mark had the heaviest fish and things were getting desperate! I was so angry by the ineptitude of the skipper and the fact that it was costing £35 for just 6 hours, I steeled myself and said to the Skipper "any chance of going to a wreck?" He said he would but the weather was against us and we wouldn't hold the bottom. I told him we weren't holding the bottom anyway and as there was only 2 hours left and only a few fish on board, it was worth a try. I gave him my best teacher's stare and he agreed. Hurrah!
So off we popped about a mile out and onto a wreck. A pod of dolphins appeared just as we arrived and entertained us for a minute or two. The wreck was not exactly producing the goods, although Mark had a good fish on for about 20 seconds and then it was gone! Sweary words all round! Then finally my experience and skill told and I hooked into a decent Cod(on one of Mark's shads) and now had the biggest fish of the day. Normal service had been resumed and I could rest a little easier.
Mark however hooked another fish and I waited nervously for it to come into view. I needn't have worried, it was smaller than mine - just!
So no Pollock today which was strange, just a few Cod and my wee Pouting, plus the big Mackerel of course. I think Mark would have tried to steal my Pouting for the species hunt if he had his card! Haha, I wouldn't have let him!
I realised I hadn't taken many pictures of the day, partly due to conditions and partly due to the rubbish fishing. So I took a few of the boys.
Mark in his den.
Soon it was time to head back to port. Andy and David had only Mackerel, John and Brian 1 Cod each, Mark 3 Cod and myself a Pouting(returned) and a Cod. We all had plenty of Mackerel of course. The other 5 anglers had Mackerel and one had a small Cod. So just 7 keepers between 11 of us and absolutely the worst day on a charter ever! A hapless skipper and a snotty day on the water. We won't be back!!!
Back at port David decided to entertain himself by feeding a seal! People do strange things after a crap day at sea!
Not the only one with a long face today!
Next time it will be back to the Tyne, as hopefully by next summer Mark will have recovered.
Both of us are back to work on Monday, so I think that is our fishing exploits over for the year. It's been a grim one for sure.
Anyway we had a coffee and ice cream in a local cafe which was lovely. We went back to the B&B to get changed for dinner with Mark's four friends. David, his brother John, Andy and Brian. At the restaurant I asked what the "Soup of the day" was, too be told "American Tomato." I asked what made it American and the waitress said "No idea to be honest." I passed. We had Haddock and chips, which was nice and fresh.
The next morning we awoke to cloudy skies and a fresh breeze. We were disappointed to find out we wouldn't be going on Oceanic with Derek Anderson, as he was doing a diving trip, so Sagittarius it was. This boat doesn't have a bench down the centre, so Mark was a bit concerned, however he was delighted to find a small bench on the port side, just outside the wheelhouse, which would allow him to fish while seated. As we were first onboard he bagged it!So the six of us set up all down the port side and a couple of minutes later five other anglers arrived. A father, his teenage son and daughter and two other guys.
Our trip was 9am - 3pm and we left the harbour on dead low tide, so we would be fishing the whole of the flood. To our surprise we turned south out the harbour, which was the opposite direction from the last time we were there. The breeze was even stronger on the water but fortunately there was little swell. We stopped for some Mackerel, but they were not playing ball, so we tried another spot and this time they were there in their hordes, big too! I haven't seen Mackerel that size all summer. In fact Mark had a few real stonkers. He thought there might be a SAR record to be had so he searched his tackle box for the scales - no scales! Nor his SAR card either - they were still in his rucksack form last week at Blairmore. I did remind him to pack them, but he forgot. It's an age thing! So he was spitting mad that he missed out on a possible SAR record and he would also not be upgrading his species badge either!
Anyway bagged up with Mackerel we steamed further south and drifted quite close to shore. We all started with hokki rigs and it was clear that the tide was ripping and even with 12oz leads we could not hold the bottom. The anglers on the other side of the boat were tangling up with us as their 5oz leads were useless. Who goes on a boat with 5oz leads!? It looked like it would be a long day. Mark soon got fed up with the hokkis and changed to a shad which instantly did the trick and he had the first Cod of the day on the boat. Nothing sizeable, just about 2lbs but he kept it.
Immediately the teenage boy appeared round the bow of the boat and started fishing next to Mark, whose face told me just what he thought of that! Straight away the boy tangled Mark's line and he made his feelings crystal clear about using 5oz leads! Next drop the boy caught the bottom and started furiously jigging his light rod up and down trying to free it. All he manged to do was snap the rod! Mark almost died laughing. The boy disappeared back to the other side, never to be seen again! Between Mark's pals and the folk on the other side of the boat, it must be the first time ever him and I were the most experienced anglers on the boat. We noticed the skipper took no interest in helping anyone with tangles or snags, just stayed put in the cabin, which didn't impress me! Our team were losing tackle with monotonous regularity, while Mark wisely was fishing just off the bottom and losing no gear. The breeze was now a full on wind and conditions were quite unpleasant. Mark put his rod down and wrapped a slinky around it and shared a coffee with David. Just then his rod almost dived over the side, but he caught it and landed a decent Cod about 3lbs. So now 2 Cod to him and nothing to the other 10 of us - I was getting worried. We kept repeating the same drift over and over again with no results and I was getting a bit cheesed off!
By about midday Brian got fed up and had a word with the skipper, so he made a move further down the coast and drifted in the middle of a field of lobster pot bouys, which I though was strange.
Soon the inevitable happened and we snagged a bouy on our side of the boat. We called the skipper, he came out the cabin, had a look and said "Ach it's ok, it will free itself." It didn't, it moved down the boat and seemed to attach itself to the stern. He came out again, looked, went back in, came out again, looked and back in again. No attempt to get the boat hook and free it, nothing. We idled for about 30 minutes, then he phoned someone and eventually put the boat in reverse and miraculously we were free. He was totally clueless about what to do and our natives were getting restless. During that time Brian and John had keepers, but Andy, David and myself were fishless, plus Mark had the heaviest fish and things were getting desperate! I was so angry by the ineptitude of the skipper and the fact that it was costing £35 for just 6 hours, I steeled myself and said to the Skipper "any chance of going to a wreck?" He said he would but the weather was against us and we wouldn't hold the bottom. I told him we weren't holding the bottom anyway and as there was only 2 hours left and only a few fish on board, it was worth a try. I gave him my best teacher's stare and he agreed. Hurrah!
So off we popped about a mile out and onto a wreck. A pod of dolphins appeared just as we arrived and entertained us for a minute or two. The wreck was not exactly producing the goods, although Mark had a good fish on for about 20 seconds and then it was gone! Sweary words all round! Then finally my experience and skill told and I hooked into a decent Cod(on one of Mark's shads) and now had the biggest fish of the day. Normal service had been resumed and I could rest a little easier.
Mark however hooked another fish and I waited nervously for it to come into view. I needn't have worried, it was smaller than mine - just!
So no Pollock today which was strange, just a few Cod and my wee Pouting, plus the big Mackerel of course. I think Mark would have tried to steal my Pouting for the species hunt if he had his card! Haha, I wouldn't have let him!
I realised I hadn't taken many pictures of the day, partly due to conditions and partly due to the rubbish fishing. So I took a few of the boys.
Mark in his den.
Soon it was time to head back to port. Andy and David had only Mackerel, John and Brian 1 Cod each, Mark 3 Cod and myself a Pouting(returned) and a Cod. We all had plenty of Mackerel of course. The other 5 anglers had Mackerel and one had a small Cod. So just 7 keepers between 11 of us and absolutely the worst day on a charter ever! A hapless skipper and a snotty day on the water. We won't be back!!!
Back at port David decided to entertain himself by feeding a seal! People do strange things after a crap day at sea!
Not the only one with a long face today!
Next time it will be back to the Tyne, as hopefully by next summer Mark will have recovered.
Both of us are back to work on Monday, so I think that is our fishing exploits over for the year. It's been a grim one for sure.
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