phill_itofish
Well-known member
I picked up Carl(snaggeduplad) and Sigsy and headed off to the west coast bright and early Friday morning, leaving the rainy north east and being greeted by bright sun sine on the west coast albeit a bit windy. We headed straight for West Tarbet opting out of heading to our usual mark as the wind would have made it unfishable. The fishing was slow to say the least, I managed to bag the first fish on the trusty old Zenith, only a small Coley but more than welcome, not just because I need one for the lure challenge but because we had a bet on for first fish
. The wind was forecast to drop so we sat it out at west Tarbet, Sigsy managed a small Pollock swiftly followed by Carl. Carl decided not to take a picture of his fish as he thought he would catch plenty of them over the weekend. We spent the next 4 hours or so throwing everything we had at the water but it just wasn't happening. I decided a change of tactic was in order so switched to a float with a XL red isome, bingo no sooner was the float in the water then I was into a fish, Pollock not only another fish I need for the challenge but on my way to winning the second bet of the day Most Species ! took a quick snap and got the fish back in the water, cast out again and bang another Pollock, again not a bit fish but my third and the boys were only on one so I stood to win Most fish as well. We packed up as the wind dropped and moved "Down the Front", now I know a lot of people who do fish this mark and a lot of people say its not the best mark at the Mull but I have had a lot of fish there over the years and we confident it wouldn't fail me, even though it was still a bit windy and the see was a bit lumpy,,,,,,,, as it turns out I was wrong not a fish was landed all afternoon. So blaming it on the conditions we packed up and headed of to put the ten up and get some food. We tried a new mark over the West side after tea but once again the fishing was painfully slow and we didn't manage any more fish. We camped at East Tarbet lit a small fire and enjoyed a couple of beers before bed.
Saturday morning we were greeted by perfect weather and our hopes were high. We got talking to a lad looking for a bit of advice where to fish and offered to take him "down the front" with us, we arranged to meet him at the lighthouse as we needed fresh bait as our Rag had frozen in our cool box and a bit of local knowledge from the tackle shop is never a bad thing. Turns out our quest was from Tyneside (is anyone at the Mull not), and a fellow NESA member Nathan (Natonthetyne), nice to meet you mate. There was a lad down there already and as the day before the fishing was painfully slow, Nat managed to bag the first fish on an Isome rigged Texas style, a nice little Pollock and a blank saving fish. We decided to head back to West Tarbet, as we had had at least had a few fish there and the advice from the tackle shop was that that was fishing better than most other places. I managed a couple of more fish on the Isomes but everything else was drawing a blank. We didn't manage anymore fish so we packed up, Nat headed home and we headed to the local shop for tabs and more local knowledge, as it happens the shop was shut so we popped into the pub and the lads got some Baccie and we consulted with one of the local skipper who informed us the fishing was slow because the water was too cold and the tides to big and that the boats had been slow as well. So we headed back to camp to had a few beers and form a plan for the morning. We spoke to the lads camping around us (also from the north east) and it seems everyone was in the same boat a couple of fish here and there but nothing to write home about. So with that we decided to get our heads down and head home in the morning.
All in all not what we have come to expect for the Mecca of Galloway but still and enjoyable weekend.







Saturday morning we were greeted by perfect weather and our hopes were high. We got talking to a lad looking for a bit of advice where to fish and offered to take him "down the front" with us, we arranged to meet him at the lighthouse as we needed fresh bait as our Rag had frozen in our cool box and a bit of local knowledge from the tackle shop is never a bad thing. Turns out our quest was from Tyneside (is anyone at the Mull not), and a fellow NESA member Nathan (Natonthetyne), nice to meet you mate. There was a lad down there already and as the day before the fishing was painfully slow, Nat managed to bag the first fish on an Isome rigged Texas style, a nice little Pollock and a blank saving fish. We decided to head back to West Tarbet, as we had had at least had a few fish there and the advice from the tackle shop was that that was fishing better than most other places. I managed a couple of more fish on the Isomes but everything else was drawing a blank. We didn't manage anymore fish so we packed up, Nat headed home and we headed to the local shop for tabs and more local knowledge, as it happens the shop was shut so we popped into the pub and the lads got some Baccie and we consulted with one of the local skipper who informed us the fishing was slow because the water was too cold and the tides to big and that the boats had been slow as well. So we headed back to camp to had a few beers and form a plan for the morning. We spoke to the lads camping around us (also from the north east) and it seems everyone was in the same boat a couple of fish here and there but nothing to write home about. So with that we decided to get our heads down and head home in the morning.
All in all not what we have come to expect for the Mecca of Galloway but still and enjoyable weekend.





