Trip to Islay and back on track!

This weekend saw me visit the isles of  Islay and Jura for a meet up with some friends and with the intention of doing some hiking and general roam-around the islands. Our base was near loch Gorm in Islay and one day was spend on Jura walking up the Paps there. This was not to be a fishing expedition but of course I took my Savagear roadrunner travel rod just to see what was there and with the intention to plan a future trip if there was any good fishing potential. Most of Islay is rocky with a few shallow bays and even some beautiful sandy beaches. There are some freshwater lochs as well but I was planning to focus on the saltwater this time. I wasn't targeting one species particularly but I was hoping for some wrasse or dare I say bass...
On the first day we visited a bay near our base with a sandy beach and rocks all around it. The ground looked really fishy but after some casts with metal jigs and soft plastics, it became apparent that there weren't many fish about.. I got a bite and a follow from what looked like a small pollock but that was it.. On closer inspection, the rockpools weren't very lively either and there weren't any baitfish to be seen. Both signs that although we re in the end of june, it may still be a bit early for the summer species and shallow areas to fire off.. I didn't give up and decided to target deeper water instead, especially at harbours and rock marks.
Next morning we were to get the ferry from port Askaig to cross the Sound of Islay for Jura. We were a bit early and the harbour was looking  very likely to produce some fish... There was very strong current in the Sound and I was sure that something may be hiding in ambush near the walls and pillars of the pier.. I put on a white savagear lrf psycho sprat (5g) and on the first cast I started to feel some bumps as the lure was sinking on free line, I yo yo jigged it a couple times and I was in! The fish was small but putting up a good scrap and on reaching the surface I could see it was nothing else than a coalie! It was quite plump and I knew they would be in a group so I persisted with jigging. I was catching one after the other and all of a much better stamp than the ones in the mainland, moreover they were prettier fish with more blue/green hues than the more darker/grey coloured ones from the lochs. Superb fun and I regret not taking the lrf travel rod with me, they would have given me mad fights on it! I did get a few reaching the two pound mark that really do pull! I later foul hooked one from the back and I swear I thought it was a 5lbs+ pollock! Surprisingly there weren't many pollock about but I did get one of around 3lbs that unfortunately for him took the lure to the throat and I had to keep it for lunch...

Lost them from the mainland to find them here!

A beautiful fighter.

Unfortunate deep hooking.

Pollock for lunch..

The coalies here looked prettier with a more blue/green colour..

Decent sized..

Port Askaig..

Port Askaig entrance..

beach with rocks

Rock pools weren't as lively as I expected..

Very wrassy but the wrasse weren't there..

This hectic session was cut short as we had to board the ferry and cross to Jura. We then made the hike up the Paps and it was late afternoon before we went to get the ferry back. My friends then went in a pub and I started fishing again at the pier. The fish were there and I started getting plenty of them on the psycho sprat again. I tried a savagear sandeel on a 12g Xorus Basic shad jighead hoping for something bigger to hit. The lure was getting lots of hits but no hook-ups as they were from small fish, after a while a few coalies did manage to get it in their mouth though! This presentation did get some slightly better coalies but not what I was expecting so I reverted back to the psycho sprat. I moved along the harbour getting fish at almost every cast and I managed some larger specimens very close to the walls. It was a very enjoyable session and Im sure that this side of the island might hold some really good pollock and coalies.

Always a good spot near the boats..

Hungry!

A good spot.

Among the bigger ones..

Face of a hunter..

Little pollock from the kelp at the base of the pier.

On the next day we visited some other areas around the island and even went swimming in the beach! the water was freezing but the sun was making it bearable.. I fished for a bit on a natural harbour near a village and caught a few more coalies and pollock but nothing bigger.. There were some seals about so they may have had an impact on the fish..

Beautiful location..

Lean little pollock..

The weather was fantastic..

Excellent lure!

This was to be my last session as we were to leave next morning and moreover Greece was playing on the telly so I watched the match instead. Overall I had a great time and even though I didn't catch any big fish, the sheer numbers of the coalies put a smile in my face and also convinced me that in a more serious trip better results are to be had.. The island looks like it could hold a few bass especially in the shallow areas that will warm up faster and also keep sandeels. I did see a small shoal of them in port Ellen and also mackerel will be coming soon, so I'm sure a trip is well worth planning a bit later.. Ill just close with some more pics...

View from the middle Pap of Jura.

Freshwater loch in Jura.

I got some good news in the end of this trip learning that my friend wanted to sell his car and so I'm now a proud car owner again and back on track. Definitely more fishing to come! I was really going crazy even though its only been two weeks without a car...

Thanks for reading!

Gear used.

Rod: Savage Gear Roadrunner XLNT, 7', 3-16g
Reel: Mitchell Mag Pro Lite 1000
Mainline: Fins windtamer, 10lbs, Dragon fluorocarbon 8lbs leader
lure: Savage gear lrf psycho sprat, Savage gear sandeel with Xorus basic shad jighead.