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  • 13/08/2020 Fishing Report by Kevin McKie on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)

    13 Aug 2020 by Kevin McKie

    Report on-board Size Matters

    About two years ago I was talking to Mike Shearwood about me always wanting to fish the continental shelf.

    After having three fishing holidays abroad cancelled this year due to COVID-19 it give me the opportunity to finally do it.

    Because I was in Liverpool the nearest port to the shelf to get fuel and supplies was Baltimore south west Ireland some 300 miles from Liverpool.

    I had fished from Baltimore back in 2004 onboard the Rooster skippered by Nick Dent, he told me about the Albacore Tuna fishing over 90 miles south west of Baltimore and it was always something I wanted to do.

    We where ment to leave Liverpool on August 3rd but the weather was not good till August 5th and from then on the weather looked amazing for the week.

    For once the weather forecast was amazing flat clam seas and bright sunshine for the five days we where out on the shelf.

    When we arrived at the shelf we looked on the plotter first for any features such as rock pinnacles or rough ground, sadly where the plotter said these types of features where ment to be the sea bed was just flat, in fact we couldn’t find a snag in five days fishing.

    We where fishing 24 hours a day, we always had rods in the water, we stuck to two crew awake at all times while two crew slept, this was for safety and to keep a look out for other vessels.

    We done well for Albacore Tuna to 30lb on spinning tackle, they where great fun when we could find them.

    We tried deep dropping during the day in depths of 2200ft to 4300ft suspending baits from 1500ft to 1800ft for Broadbill Sword Fish but the Squid where ruthless at times smashing the baits to bits.

    During the night we tried drifting three rods for Broadbill Sword Fish but the Blue Sharks where a nightmare rolling on the leaders and biting off hooks, they where from 5lb to 80lb.

    We did go Sharking for the day in over 3000ft of water where we had been catching Albacore Tuna, just to try and catch something a bit different.

    Our chum consisted of 20kg of bran, 10kg of fresh mackerel, 30 litres of fish oil and chucked Albacore Tuna for good measure, we had lots of Blue Sharks but nothing over 65lb, Tony did show us how to tickle a 5lb Stone Bass into the boat ha ha.

    We did try at anchor in 680ft and 1330ft but it was terrible not a fish, we did catch on the drift in 2400ft of water fishing baits on the sea bed, Sam had his first Six Gill Shark around 90lb and I got smashed up by something much bigger.

    We all caught Leafscaled Gluper Shark from 20lb to 30lb we think this is the first time they have been caught on rod and line.

    The boys where well fed eating fresh Albacore Tuna and Stone Bass each day washed down with a few pot noodles ha ha.

    The wild life out there is amazing, we seen
    Fin Whales, Pilot Whales, Three different species of dolphin, Sunfish, all different species of jelly fish and sea birds.

    Even though we had hours of catching nothing the purpose of the trip was to fish different methods that we had never tried before, we now have a lot of knowledge of the area to do more pleasure trips out to the shelf in future.

    On the last evening on the shelf we had a visit from the Irish navy once I give them all the information they needed we got the all clear and wished us good luck.


    Please Note,

    This was not a charter only a fishing holiday/pleasure trip, we have a satellite phone onboard for emergency’s and we only done this trip because the weather was exceptionally good to do it.

    Size Matters is 45ft long with a 16ft beam she weighs 15 tonne and can sleep 6 people with a full galley, this is why we can live onboard for several days at a time if needed, she can handle very bad weather if we where ever caught out by the weather unexpectedly changing.

    If you are a skipper thinking of doing this trip I would definitely recommend it but extra caution must be taken because if the weather changes it’s a very long way to steam home.

    Thanks
    Kevin Mckie
    Size Matters (Ireland)
    07999628511

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