Just got back from the west coast...

[dowly]

Just got back from the west coast of Scotland and loved it.

5 of us stayed at Burrowhead which was spot on for spinning off the rocks.

Thursday the weather wasnt the best but we done a bit spinning off the rocks at the site which produced small pollock using red gills (black proving best). we went on a walk around the cliffs towards the Isle of Whithorn and seen a rock mark we could get to. After a 3hour round walk and a couple hours spinning all i had to show was the worst blister in history, proper walking boots next time.

Went to the Mull of Galloway on Friday and caught nothing , we must be the worst fishermen ever by reading the posts on this place. Fished at low water spinning of the rocks but just seemed to get snagged. From there 3 of us went to Port Partick and fished from the rocks at last light and had mackerel and pollock using sand eel on a float.

On Saturday, sick of all the spinning I went to the harbour at the Isle of Whithorn two try my luck. Could stop catching wrasse after wrasse just using rag worm. there was a few people fishing but i was the only one catching, couldnt do anything wrong there, 5 casts and 4 fish, happy days but the lad i was with had enough when he wasnt catching.

All in all a good trip but will defo be taking better footwear up next time and try a bit more bait fishing in rather than spinning.

[apollo mk3]

sounds like you had a canny trip mate.

[shaun]

The fishing seems really bad over there, i stayed and burrowhead for 5 days like you a week back and only managed small pollock and small wrasse best pollock wasnt even 1lb and best wrasse 1.5lb so was abit dissapointing, loads of dogfish for abit of sport on the bait rod though.

[wheres the fish?]

My best advice for the mull mate for the west side of it (pollack, wrasse etc). is to go light, and explore the coastline. Look for deep water and nice platforms to fish from. Use jelly worms on a mid size trace with light rods such as 3lb test carp rods, and a 3oz weights. That coast is vastly unexplored mate. Hardly no one takes the time to do it. But from 7 years of going there we found our marks and boy does it pay off. Be prepared to walk for the fish mate. The best marks are always the ones not many know about

Buy an Ordinance Survey map, pick a place with a non main road that takes you within walking distance of rocks. Go light, and find a way to get down. Stay safe and always take a buddy with you. << Last point is very important These rocks are unforgiving and will take anyone, and without someone there your helpless.

[Davyred]

My best advice for the mull mate for the west side of it (pollack, wrasse etc). is to go light, and explore the coastline. Look for deep water and nice platforms to fish from. Use jelly worms on a mid size trace with light rods such as 3lb test carp rods, and a 3oz weights. That coast is vastly unexplored mate. Hardly no one takes the time to do it. But from 7 years of going there we found our marks and boy does it pay off. Be prepared to walk for the fish mate. The best marks are always the ones not many know about

Buy an Ordinance Survey map, pick a place with a non main road that takes you within walking distance of rocks. Go light, and find a way to get down. Stay safe and always take a buddy with you. << Last point is very important These rocks are unforgiving and will take anyone, and without someone there your helpless.

All of this. All the easy access marks are fished out now, including Burrowhead. There are still some good marks around whithorn though, if you're prepared to explore.

[Davyred]

The fishing seems really bad over there, i stayed and burrowhead for 5 days like you a week back and only managed small pollock and small wrasse best pollock wasnt even 1lb and best wrasse 1.5lb so was abit dissapointing, loads of dogfish for abit of sport on the bait rod though.

Its fished out. Too many people stopping there, catching and killing fish. I know a few lads from up there and the you wouldn't believe the size of the fish they used to get round there.

[wheres the fish?]

Luce bay has never been the same since the polish scallop trawlers came and demolished the scallop beds :/

[quagmire51]

As a local I'd strongly recommend straying from the beaten track but never do it alone. The wrasse an pollack are still there and of a good size but it's a case of getting back what you put in in terms of effort. The usual marks are probably full of fish sick of getting caught

For visiting anglers remember it's a marathon and not a sprint and the more you come back the more you will learn, you won't get instant success on new marks on your doorstep let alone further afield.

Chin up and we hope to welcome you back to the area again soon!

[wheres the fish?]

As a local I'd strongly recommend straying from the beaten track but never do it alone. The wrasse an pollack are still there and of a good size but it's a case of getting back what you put in in terms of effort. The usual marks are probably full of fish sick of getting caught

For visiting anglers remember it's a marathon and not a sprint and the more you come back the more you will learn, you won't get instant success on new marks on your doorstep let alone further afield.

Chin up and we hope to welcome you back to the area again soon!

Never heard words so true spot on mate. Every single year I go up there the more information I learned and the more friends I made. I can't stress enough how important it is to never go fishing by yourself. Doesent matter where you are or what coast. It's one of my biggest rules as it's one of the most dangerous things a person can do, without that other person who's there to save you? it doesent matter how many times you've done something, accidents still happen. "A prime example of this is a carpet fitter, my dad has worked this trade for a little while now. He can pretty much fit a carpet eyes closed. Buy yet he still cuts himself, it just happens. Does not matter how carful you are.

You could have Fished the same mark 50-100 times, but all it takes is one swell, one slip. And it's bye bye you.

sorry lads got a bit carried away there :O

[Davyred]

Luce bay has never been the same since the polish scallop trawlers came and demolished the scallop beds :/

You're wrong mate. Have a read of the Scottish section of the WSF forum.

The Pollack have nothing to do with the scallop boats..and where do you get polish from?. The scallop beds are still there, and still productive. Theres a lad posts on the Scottish Forum (stevieg) who earns his living as a scallop fisherman out of Kirkcudbright, but is also a very keen angler. Read his posts, you'll learn a hell of a lot.

[wheres the fish?]

You're wrong mate. Have a read of the Scottish section of the WSF forum.

The Pollack have nothing to do with the scallop boats..and where do you get polish from?. The scallop beds are still there, and still productive. Theres a lad posts on the Scottish Forum (stevieg) who earns his living as a scallop fisherman out of Kirkcudbright, but is also a very keen angler. Read his posts, you'll learn a hell of a lot.

*The fishing on the inside of luce is nothing like it used to be, i wasn't directly relating it to pollack mate. I know they have nothing to do with it. But talking to scientists diving in luce bay last year. There is a 82% reduction in the numbers of queen scallop beds and a 86% reduction in scallop populations since 1999. And the polish relation was to do with the workers operating the scallop trawlers They were uk trawlers being operated by the polish supposedly. I Should have really made that clear mate. :/

Scientists were a team of marine biologists, studying the knock on effect of commercial fishing on marine ecosystems. They said that you go a mile from the shore in Luce, the only thing your granted with is desert like sand, with little marine life and the odd bomb that been carpeted with protective gear. Nearly all the beds are gone supposedly mate. Had a good crack on with them.

[jamcod]

try spinning with frozen sand eel works for me at whithorn and the mull ,jamcod