Latest Fishing Reports: Highlands and Islands
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10/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Oct 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
It’s been good to get back to work after a few weeks off welcoming the new arrival of my daughter and future skipper of Size Matters ha ha.
On one of the days we had ago for Porbeagles and Threshers again, it didn’t quite go to plan.
After a few hours fishing we got one hell of a run on the heavy tackle, after an hour of the fish hugging the sea bed it swam straight up towards the boat.
It was a job to keep up with the fish then the line went all slack we thought we had lost it, then all of a sudden the line went tight and it was just a very heavy weight and no movement.
I knew from experience the fish was tail wrapped so we put the drag up to get the fish to the surface, then from under the boat I could see it wasn’t a shark but a big Blue Fin Tuna tail wrapped.
As we got it to the surface I could see the only option was to boat it to cut the wire trace off its tail and remove the hook.
As soon as we got it on the boat we put the deck wash in its mouth to keep it alive, we then removed the hook and cut the wire trace from its tail.
The Tuna was on the deck for no more than a few minutes, we then took a quick measurement and photo then slipped it back, it gave one kick of its tail and was away.
An amazing fish it taped out at 366lb, we never did get any sharks that day but the lads went home with a day to remember.
Straight after we caught the Tuna I called the MMO office in Plymouth to report the capture and our reason for boating the tuna.
If you are lucky enough to catch a Tuna when shark fishing please realise it ASAP at the side of the boat!!
We have also been catching lots of Atlantic Bonito Tuna only the size of mackerel but great to see new species arriving in our waters.
The Bass fishing has been steady with most fish 3lb to 6lb along with plenty of Pollack to 5lb.
Off shore wrecks have been ok with Ling to 34lb, Pollack to 10lb and the odd Coalfish to 4lb.
The Conger fishing has been ok with Eels to 58lb and I also witnessed a bass caught on a Conger bait using a 300lb hook length, no need for fluorocarbon when bass fishing ha ha.
The weather has stopped play for the next few days, if you would like to join us next year then here is a list of the last available dates remaining.
Available dates for Plymouth 2019.
JULY.
Thursday 18th Wrecking £80 pp 1 place available.
SEPTEMBER.
Thursday 12th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
1 place available.
Monday 16th Wrecking £80 pp 2 places available.
Tuesday 17th Wrecking £80 pp 4 places available.
OCTOBER.
Sunday 6th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
1 place available.
Monday 14th Wrecking £80 pp 6 places available.
Tuesday 15th Wrecking £80 pp 6 places available.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters Plymouth
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
07999628511
#Shimano
#Mckiesfishingcharters
#Plymouth
View Boats Page
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09/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Sep 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
Well by now most of you will have seen this months Sea Angler Magazine.
If you haven’t then I suggest you go out and buy it, there is an eight page feature on an exploratory trip we did to target Six Gill Sharks and Blue Skate in UK waters.
Lots of people have been asking me how did we find out where to go, well without giving too much away I have a friend who is a commercial fisherman.
He fishes with gill nets well off shore and showed me photos of Porbeagle Sharks and Blue Skate that had been caught in his nets accidentally.
By the time he got his nets onboard the Porbeagles where being eaten by much bigger Sharks!!
When he showed me the photos I said I am going to this place ASAP, this is my type of fishing!!
I called Phil Riley to tell him the dates he had booked in a months time for Wrecking where perfect to have ago for Six Gill Sharks.
At first he was like are you sure they are there, so I send him the photos of the Porbeagle Sharks been eaten in the nets.
He said let’s do it 100%, i then got in touch with Dave Lewis, I told him what our plan was and he said get me on that boat.
As they say the rest well that’s history!!
6 Six Gill Sharks to 512lb (smashed the British record) and 2 Blue Skate to 35lb (no British record exists) a long with lots of other stuff.
I have been told by lots of people that the 512lb Six Gill Shark, is the biggest Shark caught in UK waters that has been boated, measured and returned.
It’s safe to say this is why I called this mark the UK Jurassic Park.
The amazing thing about fishing this area is the potential, you literally do not know what you are going to catch next.
Every time one of us was reeling a fish in weather it was a small fish or big fish all of us we looking over the side of the boat.
It’s got the potential to produce 1000lb+ Sharks, along with Albacore Tuna and maybe one day a Bill fish.
All we need to do is spend more time fishing Jurassic Park and we are the only charter boat in the UK who knows where it is.
So as we speak Size Matters is being coded to do 48 hour charters.
Part of the coding requirement is you need sleeping accommodation for all persons onboard.
This limits us to 4 anglers and 2 Crew for the 48 hour charters.
The cost is £3200 for the whole boat or £800 per person for individuals.
We already have four 48 hour trips booked in for 2019 and three for 2020.
If this type of charter is up your street then contact me, there are only a few limited days in 2020 when we can do these trips.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Plymouth)
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com View Boats Page
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14/09/2018
Fishing Report by dominic wilson
on Oberon (Cullivoe, Shetland)
14 Sep 2018 by dominic wilson
Report on-board Oberon
Fished with kenny again on 13-17/9/2018 and in amongst the big swells off the muckle flugga we found some large fish....cod at 34lb/32lb and 30lb also coalfish at 30lb and 29lb and some ling with best at 26lb.On first day it is unlikely that any of the cod were under 20lb
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09/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Sep 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Size Matters will be back in Liverpool around October 17th for the winter season on the mighty river Mersey.
We will be fully kitted out with all new Shimano fishing tackle for you to use free of charge, any damages or losses must be pay for it full.
Last winter season, the Mersey was not the best because of all the extra flood water.
The previous seasons where excellent, with catches of up to 70+ Cod per trip.
If you like catching Thornback rays the Mersey is definitely the place for you.
From October to the start of December the Mersey is paved with them and it’s not uncommon to catch 60+ to over 12lb per trip.
The wreck fishing from Liverpool last October and November was fantastic, with over 80+ Pollack to 10lb per trip.
Available dates for Liverpool this winter season.
OCTOBER,
Tuesday 23rd Mersey £45 pp
5 places available 10.30am sailing.
Wednesday 31st Mersey £45 pp
11 places available 5am sailing.
NOVEMBER,
Thursday 1st Wrecking £80 pp 2 places available 5am sailing.
Tuesday 13th Mersey £45 pp
9 places available 4am sailing.
Thursday 15th Mersey £45 pp 11 places available 5am sailing.
Friday 16th Whole boat available 5am sailing.
Monday 19th Mersey £45 pp 8 places available 8.30am sailing.
Tuesday 20th Mersey £45 pp
2 places available 9am sailing.
Thursday 29th Mersey £45 pp 11 places available 5am sailing.
Friday 30th Mersey £45 pp 10 places available 5.30am sailing.
DECEMBER,
Thursday 13th Mersey £45 pp
9 places available.
Monday 17th Mersey £45 pp 7 places available 6am sailing.
Tuesday 18th Whole boat available 7.30am sailing.
Wednesday 19th Mersey £45 pp 11 places available 8.30am sailing.
Thursday 20th Mersey £45 pp
4 places available 9.30am sailing.
Saturday 29th Mersey £45 pp
4 places available 5am sailing.
Sunday 30th Mersey £45 pp
7 places available 5.30am sailing.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Liverpool).
07999628511.
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano
#Liverpool
#Mckiesfishingcharters View Boats Page
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09/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Sep 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
It’s been an interesting week onboard
Size Matters based in Plymouth.
On one of the days we had ago for Thresher Sharks for the first time, a local commercial skipper give me a mark to try where last year in September he caught 3 Threshers to 600lb accidentally in his nets.
The area was very close to shore in much shallower water than we normally fish for sharks, we never caught a Thresher Shark but we did manage to catch two Porbeagle Sharks to 60lb and one Blue Shark at 55lb.
We where definitely in the right place because there was so much bait fish in the area and we didn’t hold back on chum.
We used 40kg of Mackerel, 20kg of Bran,
5 litres of Sardine oil, 5 litres of Cod liver oil,
1 litre of Salmon oil and 250mm of Halibut oil!!
It was the biggest chum trail I have ever seen at one point I thought we had polluted the English Channel, we will be back having another go for Threshers at the end of the month weather permitting.
The wreck fishing started off very slow this week, I went straight back to where I was doing well last week but the fish had moved off and it was a very tough day.
The next day I had Crediton Sea Anglers onboard for there monthly charter, I told the boys that the wreck fishing was very tough the day before but I wanted to try a wreck I hadn’t been to since July.
They where all up for the very long steam out but it was well worth it, the lads caught a total of 83 Pollack to 12lb, 2 Ling to 10lb, 1 Cod 5lb, 1 Coalfish 5lb and a cracking 4lb John Dory for good measure.
Since then the wreck fishing has been very good with plenty of Pollack to 14lb 8oz, Ling to 15lb, Coalfish to 7lb and Tub Gurnard to 4lb 8oz.
I have managed to pull Mr Graham Hannaford out of retirement to take the helm of
Size Matters his old boat for a week or so while I take some time off to become a Dad for the first time.
If you would like to join us for some quality fishing in 2019 from Plymouth here is a full list of available dates.
AVAILABLE DATES FOR 2019.
JUNE.
Sunday 24td Wrecking/Conger £80 pp 1 place available.
JULY.
Thursday 18th Wrecking £80 pp 3 places available.
AUGUST.
Friday 23rd Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
1 places available.
SEPTEMBER.
Monday 9th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
7 places available.
Tuesday 10th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
8 places available.
Wednesday 11th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
4 places available.
Thursday 12th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
7 places available.
Monday 16th Wrecking £80 pp 8 places available.
Tuesday 17th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Sunday 22nd Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
3 places available.
OCTOBER.
Sunday 6th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
2 places available.
Monday 14th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Tuesday 15th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Plymouth)
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano
#Mckiesfishingcharters
#Plymouth View Boats Page
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09/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Sep 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
The fishing from Plymouth continues to be very good, here is what we have been catching since out last report.
Blue Shark to 102lb,
Conger to 56lb,
Blonde Ray to 25lb,
Ling to 20lb,
Pollack to 15lb,
Turbot to 9lb,
Bull Huss to 8lb,
John Dory to 4lb 6oz,
Tub Gurnard to 4lb,
Undulate Ray, Spotted Ray, Plaice, Bass, Garfish, Mackerel, Scad, Herring, Sardine, Whiting, Pouting, Poor Cod, Gray Gurnard, Red Gurnard, Spurdog, Dogfish,
The best day Sharking we caught 42 Blues to 102lb and losed a monster Blue next to the boat after a 30 min fight.
It was heart braking to lose it but at least we got to see such a cracking Blue Shark,
well over 180lb!!
Best day Wrecking on the drift was 59 Pollack and Ling to 13lb, all taken on artificial lures.
Our best day Wrecking doing both drifting and anchoring was 36 Pollack to 12lb, 31 Conger to 56lb and 2 Ling to 19lb between just 3 anglers!
The Conger fishing was slow on the neap tides this was due to another algae bloom.
Thankfully the algae has all cleared on the spring tides and the Conger fishing is very good once again.
We are seeing large shoals of Tuna daily now, most fish look in the 120lb to 150lb range.
It’s only a matter of time before we start catching the odd one or two while shark fishing.
Please note if any Tuna are caught accidentally while shark fishing they will be released at the side of the boat unharmed.
AVAILABLE DATES FOR 2018.
Monday September 10th Wrecking 1 place available £75 pp.
AVAILABLE DATES FOR 2019.
JUNE.
Sunday 24td Wrecking/Conger £80 pp 1 place available.
JULY.
Thursday 18th Wrecking £80 pp 4 places available.
AUGUST.
Friday 23rd Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
3 places available.
SEPTEMBER.
Monday 9th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
7 places available.
Tuesday 10th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
8 places available.
Wednesday 11th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
4 places available.
Thursday 12th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
7 places available.
Monday 16th Wrecking £80 pp 8 places available.
Tuesday 17th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Sunday 22nd Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
6 places available.
OCTOBER.
Sunday 6th Wrecking/Conger £80 pp
4 places available.
Monday 14th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Tuesday 15th Wrecking £80 pp 9 places available.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Plymouth)
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano
#Mckiesfishingcharters
#Plymouth View Boats Page
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08/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Aug 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Size Matters will be back in Liverpool around October 17th for the winter season on the mighty river Mersey.
We will be fully kitted out with all new Shimano fishing tackle for you to use free of charge, any damages or losses must be pay for it full.
Last winter season the Mersey was not the best because of all the extra flood water.
The previous seasons where excellent, with catches of up to 70+ Cod per trip.
If you like catching Thornback rays the Mersey is definitely the place for you.
From October to the start of December the Mersey is paved with them and it’s not uncommon to catch 60+ to over 12lb per trip.
The wreck fishing from Liverpool last October and November was fantastic, with over 80+ Pollack to 10lb per trip.
As always each Autumn we get a delivery of top quality frozen black lug, our bait digger has 1400 packs ready for our winter season.
Available dates for Liverpool this winter season.
OCTOBER,
Tuesday 23rd Mersey £45 pp
7 places available 10.30am sailing.
Sunday 28th 23 hour Wrecking trip £160 pp
1 place available 1am sailing.
Wednesday 31st Mersey £45 pp
11 places available 5am sailing.
NOVEMBER,
Saturday 10th 23 hour Wrecking trip £160 pp 4 places available 1.30am sailing.
Tuesday 13th Mersey £45 pp
10 places available 3.30am sailing.
Wednesday 14th Whole boat available 4.30am sailing.
Friday 16th Whole boat available 5am sailing.
Monday 19th Whole boat available 8.30am sailing.
Tuesday 20th Mersey £45 pp
5 places available 9am sailing.
Thursday 29th Whole boat available 5am sailing.
Friday 30th Whole boat available 5.30am sailing.
DECEMBER,
Wednesday 12th Whole boat available 3am sailing.
Thursday 13th Mersey £45 pp
10 places available.
Friday 14th Whole boat available 4.30am sailing.
Sunday 16th Mersey £45 pp
1 place available 5.30am sailing.
Monday 17th Whole boat available 6am sailing.
Tuesday 18th Whole boat available 7.30am sailing.
Wednesday 19th Whole boat available 8.30am sailing.
Thursday 20th Mersey £45 pp
8 places available 9.30am sailing.
Saturday 29th Mersey £45 pp
10 places available 5am sailing.
Sunday 30th Mersey £45 pp
7 places available 5.30am sailing.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Liverpool).
07999628511.
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano View Boats Page
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08/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Aug 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
Shark fishing from Plymouth is the best it’s ever been, over 4 days we caught a total of 194 Blue Shark to 130lb!!
We also smashed the boat record for most sharks in one day with a total of 80 blues between 4 anglers!!
The wreck fishing is pretty standard for this time of year, averaging 60+ Pollack to 8lb and a few Cod to 6lb on the drift using artificial lures per trip.
I have had a few cancellations so here are a few available dates this season.
September.
Monday 10th Wrecking £75 pp 1 place available.
Sunday 30th Whole boat available.
October.
Monday 1st Whole boat available.
Monday 8th Whole boat available.
Tuesday 9th Whole boat available.
Wednesday 10th Whole boat available.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters Plymouth
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano View Boats Page
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08/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Aug 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
It was great to have last weekend off due to the strong winds, it’s not often a charter skipper prays for bad weather just so he can have a day or two off.
This week we have been wrecking and sharking.
Catching,
Blue Shark to 86lb 8oz,
Conger to 40lb,
Ling to 24lb,
Pollack to 16lb 8oz,
Cod to 6lb,
And a whole list of smaller species.
Best day wrecking we had,
93 Pollack to 16lb 8oz,
3 Cod to 6lb,
1 Ling 5lb,
Best day sharking was,
10 Blue Shark to 86lb 8oz,
I have had a few cancellations due to a fishing club folding.
Friday September 7th,
Saturday September 29th,
Saturday October 6th,
If you follow our reports you will see just how good the fishing is from Plymouth.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Plymouth)
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com
#Shimano
#Mckiesfishingcharters View Boats Page
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07/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Jul 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
[This report was written when Size Matters was operating from Plymouth]
Just steaming back to Plymouth from Guernsey after another cracking trip.
I had a group of regulars on from Bristol who fish with me every month.
This time they brought with them a load of Jonny Sadler home made plonker lures.
They looked like a type of slow jig with a mackerel shrink wrap on them, they weighed 7oz to 10oz with two assist hooks on.
Over slack water they where deadly especially on the inshore reefs around Jersey.
Andy Cottle caught a monster 7lb 4oz Ballan Wrasse on the plonker lure!!
The photo doesn’t do it justice it was 22 inch long and as fat as a rugby ball, by far the biggest Wrasse I have ever seen and a fish of a life time.
The next drift seen Andy catch his first ever John Dory and the following drift Dennis and Sean both caught John Dory!!
Three John Dory’s in two drifts, the plonker lure was doing the business.
Each day for about an hour over slack water the lads used the plonker lure over the inshore reefs accounting for, Ling to 25lb, Pollack to 13lb 8oz, Cod to 12lb.
The Banks produced, Blonde Ray,
Undulated Ray, Turbot,
Gurnard and the dreaded Dogfish.
At times the Gurnard and Dogfish where a big pain stealing our Turbot baits.
The Bream fishing was very good especially on the smaller tides, most where around 1lb but there was good numbers of fish to 2lb.
The wrecks on the way over and on the way back produced, Ling to 20lb, Pollack to 12lb and Cod to 6lb.
Every time we go to Guernsey we are always trying to find new marks to fish to give our anglers the best opportunity to catch there dream fish.
Sadly all our Guernsey trips for 2019 are fully book by very wise anglers who know that,
Size Matters is the boat that lets the fishing do the talking.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Plymouth)
07999628511
#Shimano
#Mckiesfishingcharters View Boats Page
