Im not done yet!

Well since moving to Glasgow and with the Christmas and New Year holidays upon us, I had very little time for fishing. A few short sessions in the Forth and Clyde canal were honestly pathetic! I was needing some fish and got my chance today since I got a few days off from work. I had only one mark in my mind.. Loch Fyne! Surprisingly, although the temperature was quite low (3C), the lack of wind and the bright sun made for a very pleasant day. I used the tried and tested presentations of cheburashka/offset hook/paddletail and Salty Bait/Gulp and started getting bites from the start.. I could see a few cormorants and a seal working the area so I knew the fish were around, although I would prefer if the seal wasn't there!
After a couple casts and missed strikes (I got rusty!) I finally got the first fish up. A small pollock opened the day and more fish followed soon after. I got the usual species with a few plumb codling making the catch even more special. some pics and notes from the day below:

First fish of the day..

Codling were in superb condition..

What a day!

Decent codling..

Baby octopus? Squid? looks like I'm using tubes next time..

Feels like there's more of a better stamp around now..

Pollock from the 'abyss'.. Skinny and full of eye parasites..

Not nice!

Poor cod numbers high as ever!

• Mild day - fish feeding well afternoon onwards.
• Codling plumb and in much better condition than pollock. Found pollock with eye parasites near the bottom, not codling..
• Bite frequency not very different to warmer months! Albeit fish stayed deeper.
• Not necessarily slow retrieves best.. Codling attacked even on faster speed.
• Found codling feeding on small molluscs..
• 3"- 4" paddletails on 10-12g cheburashka most effective.
• cormorants and seals good fish indicators.
• Poor cod unaffected by the cold!
• Pilkers, stick baits not very effective today. Fish wanted natural presentation bounced on the bottom and at times would hit as the lure passed over kelp/rocks on the way up.
• Increased number of missed fish. Either due to not taking the lure well or getting unhooked.. 
• As expected, deep basin areas in the sea lochs fold fish even in the coldest weather.
• Possibly better stamp of codling now.

A much needed fishing session and I'm now convinced that the sea lochs are year-round fisheries for rock fishing! As long as the correct location is found there are plenty of fish to be had..
Another note from today: I saw two groups of anglers fishing around me with a combination of baits/lures and  they had meagre results (a couple dogfish). Testament to the effectiveness of rock/finesse fishing, I just don't get why more people are not getting into it! The net and even the magazines now are full of info and anybody can go for it.. The west coast is a true LRF heaven and so many people are missing out!
I'm pretty sure that this was my last saltwater venture till the change of the year and I hope to have a few sessions like this one in the next year as well. Might visit the canal tomorrow and try again for a Forth and Clyde canal perch!

Tight Lines!

Gear used.
Rod:  MC KG Evolution, KGS-832ST 2.53m, 3-15g.
Reel: Shimano Stradic ci4 2500f
Mainline: Duel Hardcore 4x4 PE 0.6
leader: YGK Nitlon DFC fluorocarbon, 8lbs or P-line Halo fluorocarbon, 10lbs,
lures: 3"- 4" paddletails, Salty bait/gulp.

Change again..

Well I've now moved to Glasgow after a 10 day holiday, driving around Scotland and North England. I did almost no fishing but I enjoyed visiting places that I haven't been for in a while.. I did get the chance for a couple casts at Loch Linnhe and I winkled out a couple codling but not much else. I'm not complaining though as this is the latest I've ever fished saltwater in a year and I'm pretty sure that with the first opportunity I'll head straight for Loch Fyne since its not that far away..  I am optimistic that there will be fish to be had in the lochs throughout the colder months. Below a little video and some pics of my last fish here.

Hope they will still be there in January! 

My last pollock for 2014..

I need to find a place with bigger ones!

I have to look closer at home first though, and the Forth and Clyde canal seems promising..
I already identified some stretches on Google Earth and today had my first reconnaissance session near Maryhill. I was after perch mostly but seeing how cold it got since yesterday I thought it more likely to catch jacks.
I started fishing jigheads but then switched to dropshot with a pilker instead of a weight, something that's worked for me well on tough, cold days. After a few casts around likely looking spots, I was soon getting the jacks I was waiting for.. Really tiny pike but they were my first fish from this canal and in this horrible weather very welcome!
After fishing for about an hour and a half I decided to call it a day and head home.
I was very surprised with how well the fluorocarbon mainline (I couldn't find my K2K traces!) managed to withstand the jack's teeth as it took 4-5 fish till I had to retie.. I think that it was a good choice upping the line to 6lbs and using it exclusively on dropshot.

New canal looks promising..

Some nice features..

Tiny jacks were the catch of the day!

No matter how cold, they always give some sport..

Another baby pike.

Don't think I've caught smaller!

I will now start focusing more on the canal for my every day short sessions and whenever I get the chance (weather allowing!) I will still make the trip to the lochs to see how the fishing changes in the colder months. Moreover I'm really keen to try with the heavy gear on the East coast for bigger cod, but that may be more of a gamble returns-wise... In any case I'm not hanging my rods (!) and hope that the canal lives up to expectations...

Tight lines!

Gear used.
Rod: Awa Shima Qlite spin, 1-5g, 2.40m
Reel: Tica Libra SA 2500
Mainline: Sunline FC guide special fluorocarbon, 6lbs
Rig: dropshot
Lure: LFT Live baby shad with pilker instead of lead.