Latest Fishing Reports: Highlands and Islands
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04/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Apr 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
For the last two days I have had Urmston Sea Anglers onboard, between 5 of them they landed 16 Skate, 198lb, 197lb, 196lb, 194lb, 191lb, 190lb, 190lb, 190lb, 190lb, 190lb, 186lb, 186lb, 174lb, 174lb, 170lb, 170lb.
None of the lads had ever caught Skate before and all caught there biggest fish ever.
They already want to book three days for this time next year!!
We have now got this Skate fishing down to a fine art, as you can tell from the sizes of the fish.
Check out our live videos or double and triple hook ups from today!
This now puts us on 68 Skate in nine days!!!
Thanks
Kev
Size Matters (Scotland).
07999628511.
View Boats Page
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03/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Mar 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Over the last three days we have managed to catch 11 Skate 198lb, 196lb, 192lb, 191lb, 188lb, 182lb, 168lb, 161lb, 145lb, 141lb, 64lb.
We also pulled the hooks on 8 Skate and one of them was the best fish we have had on so far this trip.
On the spring tides it’s been much harder to hook the Skate and it’s vital to get a good hook hold because of the extra tide pushing on the fish.
One of the days I moved five times to try my best to stay out of the main flow of tide and keep my anglers on the Skate.
This is pretty similar to how I fish the Mersey on the bigger tides to get the results the anglers expect.
Learning about new marks, tides and tack ticks is what I enjoy about my job.
That puts us on 52 Skate over the last 7 days, we still have 8 days to go!!
It would be incredible if we hit the 100 mark before we leave.
Thanks
Kev
Size Matters (Scotland)
07999628511 View Boats Page
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03/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Mar 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Today the lads wanted an early finish because of the long drive home to Manchester.
They managed to catch 6 Skate to a massive 220lb, the rest where 170lb, 141lb, 76lb, 58lb, 38lb. It was good to see a few smaller Skate today, this shows the skate are thriving in the area.
Owan Cambell caught the biggest today and yesterday 204lb and 220lb!!
The photo of the 220lb skate does not do it justice it was 88 inch long, 71 inch wing span and was very fat.
Thanks
Kev
Size Matters (Scotland)
07999628511. View Boats Page
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03/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Mar 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Day 3 on the giant skate and it just keeps getting better!!
All the lads onboard have never caught skate before until today, they landed 12 skate of 204lb, 199lb, 198lb, 190lb, 185lb, 182lb, 179lb, 171lb, 170lb, 144lb, 128lb, 90lb,
That’s our best day so far and all the lads caught there biggest fish ever!
If the fishing continues like this it will be incredible, before I came here I thought we would be lucky to catch a couple a day.
Roll on tomorrow!!
Thanks
Kev
07999628511 View Boats Page
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03/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Mar 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
After my charter yesterday me and my two friends went back out in the night for a few hours to catch our first skate.
Baz caught one of 163lb, I got one of 150lb and Glynn had one of 80lb, I need to tick that one off my list!
Today started off slow then after about two hours we hooked our first skate of the day, sadly the hook pulled after about 10 mins.
Then straight away on another rod one of the lads hooked something we could not stop, he had it on for about 5 mins until the line parted. I think it was a fool hooked skate kiting in the tide.
Then it was none stop skate after skate, we landed 10 again 199lb, 199lb, 194lb, 188lb, 182lb, 168lb, 160lb, 110lb, 80lb, 70lb.
Incredible fishing!!
We caught one skate with a large lump on its face and a few tagged fish with three different types of tags on them.
It’s great to see these fish can be caught time and time again giving great sport to anglers.
Please no negative comments, I would rather spend my time getting my anglers on the fish than replying to keyboard warriors.
If you have any issues regarding what I do give me a call, I am a civil scouser honest ha ha.
Thanks
Kev
07999628511. View Boats Page
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03/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Mar 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Today was one of them fishing days as a charter skipper that I will remember for the rest of my career!
It was my first charter on the monster skate, none of the lads had caught them before including myself. So the pressure was on me big time, but the fish gods where on my side once again.
First drop with in a minute we had the first skate on, a small male at 56lb, not the biggest skate but the first one ever in Size Matters!!
The pressure was off, then every 30 mins or so it was a skate on!!
We caught 10 skate 210lb, 208lb, 191lb, 168lb, 161lb, 160lb, 141lb, 66lb, 56lb, 51lb.
At one point we had 3 of the biggest skate on at the same time, I was all over the deck like an octopus. My back is in bulk now but well worth the effort, I just hope the fishing continues like this for the next 2 weeks.
If you are booked on with us while we are in Scotland, then you are in for some quality fishing.
Thanks
Kev View Boats Page
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02/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Feb 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Size Matters has now finished on the Mersey for this winter season. The season started off very well back in October/November with good numbers of Rays and Cod showing in the Mersey and the wrecks where full of Pollack.
Sadly from the end of December after that very cold spell we had and all the rain,
the Mersey just never recovered and steadily got worse. On the plus side our last trip out we headed a few miles offshore and the lads caught 19 Rays to 10lb 8oz, Dogfish, Whiting and Dabs.
In the next few weeks the Rays will be back in the Mersey in big numbers and hopefully a spring run of Cod will follow them for the charter boats who fish there all year around.
As a whole this winter season on the Mersey was very poor compared to the previous years, anglers where expecting 30 to 70 Cod per day but we where lucky to get 15 keepers per day. I would like to thank everyone who fished with us this winter season on the Mersey, even though the fishing was not the best my hard core regulars still kept booking trips and kept us 98% fully booked all season.
If you like to fish from a charter boat that is clean, well maintained, fast, very comfortable and with more deck space than the QE2 then Size Matters is the boat for you.
Here is a list of available dates sailing from Liverpool next winter. If you want weekends or midweek with good sailing times then you need to book early. I will update my calendar on my website and CBUK as soon as possible so you can see what dates are available.
Mersey trips are £45 per person this includes all tackle and hot drinks, duration is 9 to 10 hours depending on the lock times, bait is extra on the day if you need it.
Wrecking trips are £80 per person this includes all tackle and hot drinks.
Any tackle you lose you must pay for, duration is 11 to 12 hours.
23 hour Wrecking trips are £160 per person this includes all tackle and hot drinks.
Any tackle you lose you must pay for.
October
Tuesday 23rd Mersey 11.30am sailing whole boat available.
Sunday 28th 23 hour Wrecking trip 1am sailing 6 places available. (Max 10)
Monday 29th Wrecking or Mersey 3.30am sailing whole boat available.
Tuesday 30th 4am sailing Wrecking or Mersey whole boat available.
Wednesday 31st 5am sailing Wrecking or Mersey whole boat available.
November
Thursday 1st Wrecking 5am sailing 8 places available.
Saturday 3rd Wrecking 7.30am sailing
3 places available.
Saturday 10th 23 hour Wrecking trip 1.30am sailing 10 places available. (Max 10)
Sunday 11th Mersey 1.30pm sailing 10 places available.
Thursday 15th Mersey 5am sailing 11 places available.
Tuesday 20th Mersey 9.30am sailing 11 places available.
December
Thursday 13th Mersey 3.30am sailing
11 places available.
Sunday 16th Mersey 5.30am sailing 10 places available.
Thursday 20th Mersey 9.30am sailing
9 places available.
Saturday 29th Mersey 5am sailing 10 places available.
Sunday 30th Mersey 5.30am sailing 8 places available.
January
Thursday 3rd Mersey 9.30am sailing 10 places available.
Sunday 6th Mersey 11.30am sailing 10 places available.
Thursday 17th Mersey 8am sailing 8 places available.
Saturday 19th Mersey 10am sailing 11 places available.
February
Sunday February 3rd Mersey 10.30am sailing 10 places available.
Thursday 14th Mersey 6am sailing 8 places available.
Saturday 16th Mersey 8.30am sailing
11 places available.
Thanks
Kevin Mckie
Size Matters (Liverpool)
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com View Boats Page
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02/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Feb 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Yet again the weather has put the fishing on hold for the time being.
Over the last few days we have caught Cod to 8lb 13oz, Rays to 6lb 13oz, Flounder, Whiting, Dabs and Dogfish. The fishing has been difficult at times both off shore and in the Mersey. Our anglers have still fished hard knowing there is a chance of winning £100 for the first Cod of the day over 10lb and £500 for the first Cod over 20lb. We only have 2 places available next week and our last charter on the Mersey is February 17th.
February
Tuesday 13th Mersey 10.30am sailing 1 place available.
Wednesday 14th Mersey 11am sailing 1 place available.
If you would like to book any of the above dates or like more information please contact me.
Cheers
Kevin Mckie
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com View Boats Page
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01/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Jan 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
Over the last set of tides we managed to get out to the wrecks for the first time since November.
The day before I explained to the lads we have had gales up to 60 knots in recent days and if the water is coloured we will struggle to catch. The lads decided they still wanted to go because the weather forecast was so good and it made a nice change from the Mersey.
Sadly when we got to our first wreck there was only about one meter visibility, we tried three wrecks with only half a dozen small Pollack being caught.
I then told the lads we would anchor a wreck on the flood tide to see if that made a difference. The lads caught plenty of Whiting, odd Dogfish and a single Pouting. The lads didn’t skip on bait either they used 24lb of Squid in 3 hours, I had the boat positioned perfect just up tide of the wreck. It was one of them days where nothing was working, you get this on the big jobs sometimes ha ha.
The highlight of the trip was when one of the lads caught a Whiting about 1lb and it spat out a Mantis Shrimp. It’s the first one I have ever seen in UK waters and I didn’t even know we got them in the UK.
So I am claiming the first ever Scouse Mantis Shrimp! Thank god Forest Gump wasn’t onboard ha ha.
The Mersey is tough going for Cod with our best one in the last week going 8lb 6oz, there is still plenty of Whiting, Dabs and the odd Ray showing.
Since I payed out £100 for a Cod over 10lb every group I have had onboard have asked me to do the same for them and being the gentleman that I am I have honoured it.
It’s actually worked out well giving the lads an incentive to change the bait more regular resulting in some better Cod coming out.
So from February 5th to 17th I will be offering £100 to the person who catches the first Cod of the day over 10lb and I am offering £500 to the first person of the day to catch a Cod over 20lb. Only paying out two cash prizes per day, one for a Cod over 10lb and one for a Cod over 20lb. I don’t have to do this because we are 98% fully booked but when the fishing is not at its best my anglers appreciate something to encourage them to fish hard or die trying!!
We are fast approaching the last set of tides on the Mersey for this winter, here are the last few available places for February.
February
Monday 5th Wrecking 4am sailing 3 places available.
Thursday 8th Mersey 5.30am sailing 1 place available.
Friday 9th Wrecking 7am sailing 1 place available.
Tuesday 13th Mersey 10.30am sailing 1 place available.
Wednesday 14th Mersey 11am sailing 1 place available.
If you would like to book any of the above dates or like more information please contact me.
Cheers
Kevin Mckie
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com View Boats Page
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01/2018
Fishing Report by Kevin McKie
on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)
Jan 2018 by Kevin McKie
Report on-board Size Matters
The Cod fishing on the Mersey during January has been hard at times, this is due to all the flood water flowing down the river. We have managed to land some nice Cod to 11lb 9oz and with our best day being 13 keepers to 8lb 8oz. The anglers who change there baits every 15 to 20 mins are getting the best results. On one of the trips we hadn’t caught a fish for the first two hours, so to turn the lads in to lean mean Cod fishing machines. I offered to give anyone who catches a Cod over 10lb £100 cash and anyone who caught a 20lb Cod £500 cash. The lads started changing there baits regular and about an hour later Martin Grimshaw landed a Cod of 11lb 9oz it was 29 inches long and as fat as a big girls shoe!! To top it off it was Martin’s 62nd birthday, he caught his PB cod and took £100 off the skipper, well done Martin. It just goes to show if you put a little bit more effort in and anything can happen.
On another trip I told the group of lads who had booked the boat we had wind against tide on the flood SSE 18 to 25 Knots. I told them the boat was going to swing all over the place, they told me they don’t mind and still want to go. Now I have cancelled quite a few trips this winter on this type of forecast even though the lads still wanted to go. On this occasion I went with what the anglers wanted to do, big mistake when the flood tide arrived the boat was swinging from side to side for over 4 hours totally wasting half there trip because they couldn’t fish properly. I am not in this business to rip people off, if you book on my boat and I cancel due to wind against tide in the Mersey this is the reason why!!
Here are the last dates available this winter onboard Size Matters.
January
Tuesday 23rd Mersey 4am sailing 2 available.
Wednesday 24th Mersey 5am sailing 2 places available.
Thursday 25th Mersey 5am sailing 1 place available.
Friday 26th Wrecking 5.30am sailing 2 places available.
February
Monday 5th Wrecking 4am sailing 5 places available.
Tuesday 6th Mersey 5am sailing 3 places available.
Thursday 8th Mersey 5.30am sailing 2 places available.
If you would like to book any of the above dates or like more information please contact me.
Cheers
Kevin Mckie
07999628511
mckiesfishingcharters@hotmail.com View Boats Page
