East Lothian Easter Monday meet up.

Jake and I headed down to Torness Power Station outflow yesterday. Jake's friend Paul joined us and we were meeting up with Paul's mate Richie down there and also three fellow The Lure Forum members, Martin who had travelled across country from Ayrshire and Richie and Jase who had come up all the way from Sunderland.

Richie and Jase were first to arrive on the rocks and when we arrived they reported that fishing had been very slow. So much so that they had done a spot of rockpooling and not for fish!

Whilst waiting for the bass to turn up the David Attenborough came out in Jase and Richie took this nice photo of a sea urchin, uncovered by the spring tide.

I had a quick crack at the bass and setup with an 8g bombarda and a Kiddy Sidewinder Brill Bait. Meanwhile Jake did a spot of LRF in a kelp filled gully connected to the sea. It wasn't long before he was into a fish.

Jake manages to catch something other than a blenny or bass at Torness Power Station outflow. Lovely brown, orange and yellow colouration on this long spined sea scorpion.

Isn't he cute?

The bass were clearly not around and whilst the rest of the group carried on in the hope they would arrive I disappeared with "The Beast Tamer" in search of a blenny that would steal Jake's Scottish Record crown.

There is a rod in my hand honest!

I spotted a couple of large specimens in one fairly small rockpool and after a bit of vertical jigging one grabbed the Gulp! 1" Fish Fry and was quickly plucked from his salty residence!

"The Beast Tamer" strikes again.

Jake just happened to be on the move at this point, so I called him over so I could weigh my specimen blenny on his electronic mini species scales. Luckily for Jake whilst mine was slightly longer than his record breaker, mines wasn't quite as plump so his title was still safe, for the time being!

At 18.5cm this is a lunker as far as blennies go!

Are you lookin' at me?

I carried on in search of the prize winning fish but couldn't locate one anywhere near the proportions required. I caught 20 in the process. This also gave me the opportunity to test my new Nories rod and whilst I could feel the tiny bites I prefer the extra sensitivity my Diaflash offers for this style of close range vertical jigging. Some of the smaller blennies were particularly aggressive.

This one had a bit of an attitude. Vicious little bugger!

At this point I headed back down to see if any bass were in and at long range some activity could be seen with some surface disturbance and a couple of seals patrolling in the distance we hoped that the shoal would be moving within casting range soon.

Martin retrieves his lure. Note the beautiful Scottish weather.

Martin was first into a fish. Taken at long range this would signal the start of some further action for the others.

Martin lands the first bass of the day.

Richie's rod bends into a bass.

Richie took this bass on a Yokozuna Flamingo deep diving plug.

Richie's latest hard lure does the business.

The classic white eel and controller float setup took a few bass.

I got into the action too. After trying a few small hard lures I switched to a soft one. A few casts into the outflow and using a steady retrieve with a few little jerks it wasn't too long before I hooked a schoolie.

Savage Gear Sandeel Slug on a 6g 2/0 jighead was nailed by this bass.

Only a puppy but lovely all the same.

Again the Nories coped easily. I'm starting to realise that the real quality in this rod is in the way it handles fish once hooked. It really is a joy the way it absorbs the headshakes and feels so smooth during the fight, although like Jake's Graphiteleader Corto EX, we'd still like to test them on something a bit bigger that will fight dirty! With this in mind myself, Jake, Paul and Richie decided it was time to head down to the cliffs at Eyemouth to target Pollock and Coalfish. Richie fishes the area quite frequently and has had pollock to 8.5lb so we were hoping to give our light gear a real workout.

Quick group shot before some of us headed down to Eyemouth.

The first mark we fished is known locally as "The Cannons" this is because it is directly below two large cannons that are on top of the cliff.

Two large cannons facing seawards give the mark below it's name.

After a following the narrow winding path round the side of the cliff, passing under an overhang and hopping over some rocks we arrived on a large flat platform.

"The Cannons". Nice deep water with lots of kelp. Perfect for pollock and wrasse.

The view to the north west towards St Abbs Head.

We tried a variety of lures and worked our way around the area, Jake even tried a spot of LRF down the edges and in some shallower water with some light jigheads and Power Isome but sadly none of us caught anything. We decided to try at another mark and made the climb back up to the cliff top.

The path required to access the mark is narrow and dangerous and not for the faint hearted. Richie and Paul lead the way.

I hold up this huge boulder so Jake can make his escape!

Don't look down!

Once on the cliff top again we made our way round towards the next peninsula, a much more rocky affair, the tip of which is cut off as the tide floods and is known locally as "Hairy Ness".

"The Cannons" from a distance.

We began our descent to the mark. Just as dangerous as the last but for completely different reasons. Instead of being faced with the risk of falling a great distance should we lose our footing we had to do a fair bit of scrambling over rocks to reach the mark with the prospect of hard, jaggy landing should we slip. Again not for the faint hearted. Taking time and care was the order of the day. Not a mark to try and access in bad weather or when a swell is running.

The climb down the the second mark. "Hairy Ness" is the furthest point.

"Hairy Ness" cut off by the tide.

We only fished here for about 30 minutes but unfortunately we drew a blank again. A real shame as it looked just as promising as the first mark. Richie was understandably disappointed too as he regularly catches pollock and coalfish from both marks. We'll certainly be returning to these marks in the months to come.

All in all a great day was had by everyone and it was good to meet up with friends and make a few new ones.

Tight lines, Hutch.

F is for Fun with mini species and Frustrating brown trout.

On the way home from Ullapool last week Jake and I popped into the Tackle shop in Inverness and picked up a couple of Ron Thompson Ice Fishing outfits. Only £17 for rod and reel we just couldn't resist!

The "Beast Tamer"!

I grabbed mine this afternoon and headed up the water of Leith today to try and replicate Jake's brown trout success of yesterday. I walked up the path that runs along side the river looking for signs of feeding trout. As I passed one pool I heard a splash and cast towards it. I say cast but with the tiny rod it's just a flick of the wrist! As I worked the lure back I could see a nice brown trout following but he turned away. I recast to the same spot and started retrieving again adding a few twitches. A smaller trout darted out and had a go at the lure but just nipped the tail and shot off again. I continued to fish this pool working my way upstream. Two more trout followed the lure but turned away at the last moment. I decided to rest this pool and headed off to the next one.

Started fishing at a bend in the river and noticed a load of smaller fish chasing the lure and nipping at the end of it and then I had an idea. The other day at Ullapool I had missed out on a sand goby because I didn't have any hooks small enough to hook one. Using my forceps I crushed and reshaped a Decoy Rocket jighead so that the hook gape was smaller. I also bent it upward a bit. I then cut a sliver of pink Power Isome and flicked it out again. Again a little shoal of small fish followed it as I jigged it back but I still couldn't hook one. Then Jake rang me to say he could join me for an hour or two and he suggested the tail of a Gulp! Fish Fry would also make a perfect small lure to use. I carefully threaded one onto my makeshift jighead and a couple of flicks later caught this rather big and plump 3 spined stickleback.

My first lure caught 3 spined stickleback. A new PB!

I then made my way upstream to meet Jake. On the way I saw a fellow angler wading on the far side.

I wasn't the only one fishing!

I met up with Jake and we headed a bit further upstream. We saw a few more fish rising but had no luck catching them. Then we heard a big splash a bit further downstream just under an overhanging willow tree. Jake had a couple of casts towards it and on the second hooked his second Water of Leith brown trout.

Jake's second brown trout from the Water of Leith.

 Another nice brown trout. The river seems to have a thriving population of them.

Freedom!

We then headed back downstream and saw a few more trout. We both had a couple of takes but no hook ups. We found a nice pool under a tree on the far bank and I flicked my Gulp! Minnow over. Big flash in the water as a trout had a go at it but again no hook up! A few more attempts produced no interest and Jake had to get home at this point so we walked upstream again. We said goodbye and  I headed back downstream again thinking that I could maybe have another go under the tree on the far bank. On the way I spotted and eel which disappeared into some rocks and also noticed a few small flounders on a sandy patch which was very surprising as I was quite far from the docks that the river runs into. Anyway, when I finally got back down there and had a few flicks there was no sign of any trout lurking under the tree. I did notice some more smaller fish again though and assumed it was more sticklebacks. I thought I'd try and catch another just to prove to myself that the first wasn't a fluke. Tied on my modified jighead again and went with a Cultiva Pin Worm this time. On the first retrieve I paused and let it drop onto a large flat rock and let the fish attack it. A quick tug and I'd hooked one! Lifting it up I realised it was a minnow. Second new species on a lure in one day.

Another new species for me on a lure and another new PB!

I rigged up a Gulp! 1" Minnow again and had half and hour working my way downstream again towards home. Just before I left I had one last trout flashing as it attacked my lure.

Then as I was leaving I saw a kingfisher flying up the river. I've never seen one before and was amazed by how quickly they fly. I just saw it streaking past and caught a flash of it's bright blue plumage. Today has really changed my perception of the Water of Leith. In places it is disgusting with all sorts of rubbish littering it but the fish and other wildlife don't seem to mind! Also catching the stickleback and minnow on a tiny lure has again pushed back the boundaries of what is possible a little bit further! Finally, the little rod is great fun and it's great for flicking your lures in tight spaces. I found the brown trout very frustrating today but there seems to be plenty of them in there so it's only a matter of time before I catch one!

Tight lines, Hutch.

Street Style : Upstream Fry Fishing.

Yesterday while I was out walking with my son I found something very exiting. 400 Meters from my house in Edinburgh lies the Water of Leith and as we crossed over the bridge to St Marks Park we paused to look into the river. This particular stretch is festooned with shopping trolleys, traffic cones, an Ikea table and (I kid you not) a dilapidated blow up doll. As we surveyed the scene I noticed a good sized trout rising just upstream of the bridge! We finished our walk and I decided to head back down to see if I could catch him. I grabbed my LRF kit and 5 minutes later I was under the bridge.

Under the bridge down town.

I rigged up with a 6lb leader, 1/32oz #10 Shirasu Fine jighead and a red Gulp! 1" Fish Fry. Before I approached the swim I had a couple of casts down stream to wet the line as braid casts a bit smoother when wet. I crouched low and made my way upstream until I was in range of the happily rising trout. 1st cast fell short as did the second but 3rd was a charm and fell 6 foot beyond the fish. I slowly retrieved the lure, gently bouncing it along the bottom and it trundled into the fishes line of sight. He seized the lure, turned, shook his head and was off in an instant! Gutted! I knew he wouldn't take again for a while as he had felt the hook so vowed to come back later.

Today I had half an hour to spare so I popped back down to see if he was up for round 2! The weather was gloriously warm and as I approached the swim I could see at least 2 fish rising. This time I rigged up a Berkley Gulp! 1" Minnow in watermelon-pearl on a 1.4g #10 Shirasu Fine jighead. I rigged the minnow with a slight curve to it as this adds a bit more of a flutter when you impart little twitches to the lure.

Berkley Gulp! 1" Minnow in watermelon-pearl on a 1.4g #10 Shirasu Fine jighead.

Note the slight curve to the plastic to give it a nice action when twitched.

The fish were rising 10ft beyond an overhanging willow and after a couple of casts down stream (to wet the line) I crept into position below the fish. I cast upstream beyond the rising fish and started gently twitching the lure back towards me. The take was instant and savage! Yet again he did his headshake and threw the hook! First cast as well and I had lost him again! I decided to let him rest and headed down stream to below the bridge to what I refer to as the "Ikea Swim". A couple of casts later and I was into a coffee table! Now any doubts I had about my new Graphiteleader Corto EX rods strength were quickly quashed as I landed the said table after a spirited fight in the current. It was promptly released back to the water.

The Table after release!
Having been beaten by my new Graphiteleader Corto EX Rod.

I decided it was time to revisit the willow tree pool again in the hope the fish had forgotten their last experience with me. Again I approached from downstream keeping low and back from the edge. On the 4th cast just as the lure came past the willow tree I felt a sudden bite and a flick of the wrist set the hook! Fish on! The rod cushioned the trouts lunges beautifully and she was quickly and calmly brought to my hand!

A lovely wild urban brownie!

Just nudging 1lb and in lovely condition.

I quickly unhooked her and took another couple of snaps before she slunk away up stream.

My first Water of Leith brown trout. The first of many hopefully!

Back to fight another day. Soon!

I was very pleased, she was a great looking fish in fabulous condition and caught from the Water of Leith! As I sat back to contemplate the fish a pair of king fishers flew past in an electric blue moment. I noticed as well that there was still a fish rising in the same spot so I thought I'd leave this one for Hutch to catch! Which will hopefully be very soon indeed.

Tight lines, Schogsky.