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Well where do i start ????...After a bit of planning i decided loch etive was the place to go and try to catch a thornback ray ( never caught one before ), anyway after studying the area with ordanance survey maps on where i could get access for my motorhome, the first port of call was to be the concrete jetty at taynuilt. this place has one hell of a tide rip and was surprised to find that it has a 2 hour tide difference with oban ( only 6 miles away )...............anyway first 5 casts and i had 5 fish, the first was a small thornie about 3lb, for which i was well pleased as it was what i went for, a couple of codling about 2lb and a couple of ever present doggies.
Next day and a new mark approx quarter of a mile from the connell bridge, first cast the rod got ripped of the rod stand and after one hell of a scrap i had a spurdog just under 12lb lying at my feet, over that and the next tide i had another 5 smallest was 7lb average 10lb.......what with the tide and there strength they had me knackered, i also got snagged with fish on and had the trace bit though on several ocasions.
Sunday morning i moved again to a new mark i had found, approx half a mile from the connell bridge, this was a small natural cove and a sheer cliff on one side ( bloody deep ) it just screamed out pollock, when a pollock dies it comes here this was pollock heaven.
The big rod was cast into the main channell, this gave my another 4 spurs all approx the same size ( 10lb ), however i was using my new 10lb class fladden boat rod complete with a tiny shimmano multiplier and toby spinner and had caught a few pollock in the 2lb range, great fun on a rod that seemed to weigh the same as the spinner..............then all hell broke loose, after one hell of a scrap and about 20 minutes i landed my biggest pollock ever, an absolute gem which wieghed 8lb and 6 whole ounces, it gave me a look of absolute disgust when it looked at the skinny rod that defeated it, after a quick rex hunt kiss it went back to live another day....hooked a few more good fish but unfortunatly they beat me and got away
All in all i had a fantastic time, caught loads more than i expected, and all bar 2 codlings ( which i cooked for me supper ) went back alive and swam away, non the worse for seeing a big fat baldy fisherman, i think the big pollock will probally be having counselling though after the kiss to say thanks and goodbye.
Finnally for those that havent caught a thornback before, dont stick yer fingers in its gob to get your hook out cos it would be bye bye fingers, it was trying its best to crush me pliers
Next day and a new mark approx quarter of a mile from the connell bridge, first cast the rod got ripped of the rod stand and after one hell of a scrap i had a spurdog just under 12lb lying at my feet, over that and the next tide i had another 5 smallest was 7lb average 10lb.......what with the tide and there strength they had me knackered, i also got snagged with fish on and had the trace bit though on several ocasions.
Sunday morning i moved again to a new mark i had found, approx half a mile from the connell bridge, this was a small natural cove and a sheer cliff on one side ( bloody deep ) it just screamed out pollock, when a pollock dies it comes here this was pollock heaven.
The big rod was cast into the main channell, this gave my another 4 spurs all approx the same size ( 10lb ), however i was using my new 10lb class fladden boat rod complete with a tiny shimmano multiplier and toby spinner and had caught a few pollock in the 2lb range, great fun on a rod that seemed to weigh the same as the spinner..............then all hell broke loose, after one hell of a scrap and about 20 minutes i landed my biggest pollock ever, an absolute gem which wieghed 8lb and 6 whole ounces, it gave me a look of absolute disgust when it looked at the skinny rod that defeated it, after a quick rex hunt kiss it went back to live another day....hooked a few more good fish but unfortunatly they beat me and got away
All in all i had a fantastic time, caught loads more than i expected, and all bar 2 codlings ( which i cooked for me supper ) went back alive and swam away, non the worse for seeing a big fat baldy fisherman, i think the big pollock will probally be having counselling though after the kiss to say thanks and goodbye.
Finnally for those that havent caught a thornback before, dont stick yer fingers in its gob to get your hook out cos it would be bye bye fingers, it was trying its best to crush me pliers
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