Orkney 2018 Part 2

[BigBadCol]

Orkney Island 2018 part 2



I woke up on day 2 about 2 hrs before low water, with the rain still not here but the wind was a lot stronger and coming straight from the South. First call was to drive to Scapa Bay to dig a few fresh worms. It was obvious very early on that Plan A was not going to happen, the wind was so strong that the tide just wasn’t going to go out enough for me to get to the good worms. I did manage a few but they weren’t monsters. There were 4 nice snake whites in my bucket after an hour along with just a handful of blow & blacks.

With the wind stronger and coming from the South I was going to hit Hoxa again. Slightly different tactics today. I would try & spin for some bait fish, be it fresh mackerel or as it happened to be fresh coalies. I would then use this fresh fish to target the ling again.(hopefully with more success today)



I soon had some bait wrapped on and in the water.



The wind had really picked up & after casting I moved my gear back off the edge & hid on the lee side of the concrete bunker I was using as a base.

I wasn’t waiting long before the old ratchet on the fathom was clicking away. I wound down & could feel a fish on. This turned out to be a lovely ling not my PB breaker but still the target fish.


I was soon re-baited & back fishing. Again the old ratchet started clicking & I felt this time a slightly better fish. As I looked over the edge I saw it was a nicer ling, but so did the seal that was camped underneath me lol. A bit of shouting and trying to wave my arms it dived under and I reeled like a mad man to win the battle.

Yes I had my new PB ling on the grass besides me. It took my scales only to 4lb but it was still my NEW PB Shore caught ling.






Target achieved I changed bait & rig to a single hooked fixed pat & a squid head & bit of peeler wrap.

My bait had barely landed & I was tightening down when the rod nodded. I was desperate for a pee so the bite would have to develop.

I was soon back and reeling in. I was rewarded with a lovely cuckoo wrasse.











Now my previous PB cuckoo is 13oz from Churchill No.1 This wrasse today was bigger by far, a lovely fat thing, however my scales bty went as I was weighing it so I’ll never know. But as you can see from the pictures it was a good sized cuckoo, I don’t think it was big enough to take the shore record of I think 1lb 12oz but it was certainly bigger than my previous.

The rain arrived shortly after so I packed up & headed home, a very happy chappie.


Rigs, short pulley pennels, bait fresh fish for ling, squid & crab the wrasse.

[liphook]

Great stuff Col I'm looking forward to parts 3 and onwards

[starfish]

simply a fantastic report and a true sea angler
one of the best mate you will be missed RIP col.

come on lads out of respect give this post the thumbs up.

[rob f]

. Col has Contributed a lot to Angling Addicts over the last five years. with some fantastic Reports and Great photos off his sessions , You will be sadly missed by all , R.I.P. MATE

[liphook]

Little did I know when posting the 1st reply on this report that it would be the last time we would hear from Col I hope the fishing in Valhalla is keeping him entertained. I will miss his country wide reports and the banter we had via pm. One of the very best

[Slanester]

A true sea angler, who provided AA with some of the finest reports ever posted. RIP BBC.

[flearider]

sad to see you go ..
even tho I can't get out his reports meant I felt I was there

[Rushy]

A true sea angler, who provided AA with some of the finest reports ever posted. RIP BBC.

Never a more truer word said. I always knew when I saw Big Col had posted that I was in for a treat of a report, and this one is all the more poignant. R.I.P. big fella, I just wish I'd had the chance to fish with you....