There is a difference between "going fishing" and "killing fish". We do both, but killing fish is generally a carefully planned expedition to the right place at the right time. And that is almost always the top of Mair Bank in summer with darkness and a rising tide.

So that is where we went last night, intending to kill fish. And for two hours between 7.30 and 9.30 we were just going fishing. Berley for Africa, and squid in lotsa tide in 3-4m.

Pleasant enough, chatting with Ellen and feeding small snapper, with one just legal in the bin. Dark dark (tho with the moon on the rise) by 8.45, so by 9.30, when the tide seemed to be slacking off a bit, we had been fishing for 45mins in ideal conditions for 1 fish and we  were just starting to talk about quitting.

Then a good bite started, and in just over half an hour, we took another six fish.

Snapper 37, 34, 32, 32, 31, 31, 30. All well regressed.

Hope you enjoyed the scallops. Wee lie downs are good.. 

Out to the top of Mair Bank in the dusk with a mate last night.
an hour with light gear, berley, squid and mullet produced no keepers, so bearing in mind that the Inner channel off Urquharts had been much more productive on Saturday, we headed back in and spent an hour there for a couple of fish.

Snapper 32, 31 very well regressed females.

Dav does not have a tinny as far as I am aware

I am back from Niue - where I had the best visibility ever in more than 50 years of diving, and heard whalesong (very loud) while SCUBA. It had to be loud cos I am deaf as a post without my ears. I also hunted Uga (coconut crabs).

Back here I am cold, but scallop season is open and snapper will be running in the channels any time now. Repairs to the dory are done, and I am about to set up a recently purchased 20hp four stroke instead of the 15hp Mariner I have had for the past 20yrs. Standby for further info.

As a married man, I find the two most useful words in my vocabulary are
"Yes Dear", so for the last few weeks I have been replacing strakes and ply, sanding, filling, sanding, priming, sanding, undercoating (x3), and (soon I hope) putting two topcoats in the bloody anchor well! No boating!

But I have been out for a couple of scallop dives off the beach and took 30.
Fat as. 30 scallops occupy 500ml.

Interesting. I used to snorkel in the Med every year for 25 odd years. Month at a time with windsurfing. Same spots, Sardinia and Corsica. In that time the shoreline went from loads of small fry, mixed species, and shellfish, sea urchins etc to not much at all except the sea grass over sandy bottoms. A total decimation of the seafloor. The water still looked clear and blue though over the limestone sands and rocky headlands.

Dived a bit further down harbour off the shore and found scallops as expected. Took 20. Fat as.