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  • 03/2021 Fishing Report by Kevin McKie on Size Matters (Craobh Haven, Argyll & Bute)

    Mar 2021 by Kevin McKie

    Report on-board Size Matters

    In life even the best laid plans can change especially if that thing called Covid-19 is involved.

    At the very start of the year, we where looking forward to fishing the Mersey with January fully booked before the lock gates where going off line to get resealed, at the end of the month.

    After just a few days the country went into lockdown and we had to cancel all our charters on the Mersey and get the boat straight to Scotland because we where fully booked for Skate fishing from February to mid May.

    I managed to get my mate Mick to be my designated able seaman to accompany me on the 16 hour steam, the weather was amazing for January flat calm seas all the way.

    As we approached one of my favourite Skate marks the deal was I paid Mick in Skate because he had never caught one before.

    We only set two rods up because there was only the two of us onboard and in previous years I have had three and four Skate on at once and only two people onboard and it’s not fun.

    The baits went down and after an hour Mick was into his first ever Skate about 75lb then every drop Mick had a Skate he landed 5 Skate in a row to 197lb including a male skate of 132lb, he then said right Kev that will do ha ha.

    As we moved in to February the lockdown was being extended and we had to cancel all our charters in Scotland, even more bad news was Liverpool Marina lock gates where in a terrible state and where put back to the end of May before the outer gates will be fixed.

    We asked the question about the inner gates being fixed because they where the gates with the issues in December, the marina said they are not fixing them till next winter!!

    In March Size Matters was due her five year MCA survey, coding and MLC coding, so I got my mate Rob on the Skate payroll to accompany me and give me a hand.

    We give the boat a run after sitting idol for two months the longest it’s ever stayed still for, everything was running sweet as a nut.

    We had to test out the fishing tackle to make sure it was still working ok, I told Rob we will only have an hour, I put a proper bait on and caught my biggest skate a female of 196lb it was probably the third time I have actually ever personally fished for Skate, I am normally far to busy helping my anglers catch them.

    Rob caught a male Skate about 110lb and lost a much bigger fish before we headed back to get the boat out the water ready for the survey.

    Size Matters passed and is now fully coded for 12+2 up to 24 hour charters and 4+2 for charters over 24 hours, this is very important for our multiple day live aboard charters looking for sea monsters in the future!!

    Our only problem now was finding a new home for the summer, we tried to get back in at Plymouth, Falmouth and South Wales but none of the marinas had room for a 45ft boat.

    We where starting to feel like Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem 2021 years ago, then we got lucky and managed to get a berth in Pwllheli Marina, now this is where I had my first pleasure boat back in 1997, could this be an omen? Is it meant to be? Only time will tell.

    Our plan now is to start charters on April 12th from Pwllheli until the end of September then head back to Scotland to fish for Skate from October to April.

    So if you want to book any charters from Pwllheli this summer or Scotland this winter then let us know and we will try our best to accommodate you.

    Sadly with the lock gates at Liverpool Marina being as temperamental as an ex girlfriend on magic mushrooms we won’t be returning until both the inner gates and outer gates have been fixed, as we could never afford to get stuck in the marina for months on end.

    Thanks
    Kevin Mckie
    Size Matters (Pwllheli)
    07999628511

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