Landlubber News - Silver Lure SAC

SILVER LURE S.A.C.
1974
2014
Celebrating 40Years of Success
JULY
NEWSLETTER
Your 2013 – 2014 Committee
Dates for Your Diary
Shore Outing
Committee
Boat Outing
Shore Outing
Committee
Boat Outing
Sun 17th Aug 2014
Mon 18th Aug 2014
Sun 31st Aug 2014
Sun 14th Sept 2014
Mon 15th Sept 2014
Sun 21st Sept 2014
Port Gill
Ralston
Arbroath
Abbey Burnfoot
Ralston
Stranraer
In this month’s Newsletter......




2014
Boat Championship standings
Shore Report
Beach fishing tips
SSACN News
Chairman
Wullie Pollock
10 Gamrie Gardens
Glasgow, G53 7PH
 - 07760715855
wulliethedwarf@hotmail.com
Secretary
Ross Buchanan
4, Old Aisle Road,
Glasgow, G66 3HH
- 0141 578 0186
rbucha@hotmail.co.uk
Treasurer/Fund Raiser
Robert Swann
34 Southfield Crescent,
Pollok, Glasgow
- 0141 882 8973
KPSWANNIE@gmail.com
Boat Convenor
Ron Howe
8 Glenashdale Way
Paisley PA2 7QQ
 - 0141 580 0363 / 07760472919
ron.howe@yahoo.co.uk
Shore Convenor
Robert Wilson.
20 Strowan Crescent.
Glasgow G32 9DW
 - 0141 573 0995 /07542 752027
Robert.wilson93@ntlworld.com
Silver Lure Club meetings
Meetings are on the last Thursday of each month
(except December)
Ralston Community Centre
Allanton Avenue, Paisley, Renfrewshire PA1 3BL
Meeting times are from 8pm -10pm
th
Next club meeting will be held on Thursday 28 August
2014
Fish Recorder/Nominated Species
Davy McNair
35 Paisley Rd
Renfrew PA4 8JH
-0141-534-2567 / 0775-990-1202
David.McNair@Ntlworld.com
Minutes Secretary
Ken Duff
17 Cronberry Terrace
Glasgow G52 3NX
-0141-810-3633 / 0781-267-9387
General Club News
Correspondence In
No correspondence in this month
GAC Open Days for 2014
Correspondence Out
No correspondence out this month

Glasgow Angling Centre has advised us of their
Open days for this year. These are as follows....
19th/20th/ 21st September
40th Anniversary Activities
Presentation of Prizes Dance – PLEASE NOTE CHANGE OF DATE !!!
The date for this year’s Presentation Dance has been changed to Saturday 1st November 2014.
The Dance will be subsidised by the Club and there will be no ticket fee this year.
Club Skills Nights
Sadly, the Club skills nights have been cancelled until further notice, due to lack of attendance.
Club Finances/ Fundraising Activities
Cash - In - Hand = £
Treasurer’s A/C = £
100 Club A/C
= £
No finance report received this month.
"Cash 4 Clothes" – A great way to raise Club funds!
Practically everyone has items of clothing which they no longer fit, or they just don’t wear anymore.
Why not have a bit of a clear-out and stick your old clothes in a bag and bring it along to the next
Club meeting. Robert will do the rest. Condition of the clothes isn’t important – it’s the weight that
counts.
News from Afloat
July Boat Outing – Portpatrick
Portpatrick 20th July 2014
Pos
1
2
3
4
5
6
Name
Steve Frayling
Ron Howe
Stewart Walker
Ian Walker
John Ross
Dougie McKay
No. fish
caught
Heaviest fish:
Boat Score
Club Points
76
72
42
40
37
32
100
95
55
53
47
42
Bullhuss, Pollack, L.S.D
Pollack, L.S.D, Whiting
Pollack, L.S.D, Whiting
Bullhuss, L.S.D, Haddock
Bullhuss, Pollack, L.S.D
Bullhuss, Pollack
18
21
13
10
5
5
Total No. fish caught:
Species
72
Steve Frayling 9lb 5oz Bullhuss
Boat Championship scores after Outing 10
Pos
Name
Etive
06 / 10 / 13
Etive
03 /11 /13
Etive
01/12/2013
Etive
12/1/2014
Loch Etive
03/2/2014
Loch Etive
02/3/2014
Senior Winter Boat Championship 2014
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Ron Howe
Stewart Walker
Steve Frayling
Ian Walker
Richie Ellin
Nigel Fennell
Bob McRae
Billy McCormack
Willie Carr
Robert Swan
Dave McNair
Joe Mc Laughlin
83
100
75
86
52
47
58
78
67
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
67
89
74
63
44
DNF
DNF
41
DNF
DNF
DNF
C
A
N
C
E
L
L
E
D
39
16
100
29
16
22
27
78
31
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
31
20
0
DNF
0
23
DNF
DNF
77
0
0
100
75
DNF
50
46
62
50
DNF
DNF
62
92
DNF
Points
422
289
284
239
177
175
158
156
139
139
92
0
Ron Howe
Steve Frayling
Ian Walker
Stewart Walker
Ross MacKay
Richie Ellin
Robert Swan
Bob McRae
Nigel Fennell
John Ross
Dougie MacKay
Dave McNair
Portpatrick
20/07/2014
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Ailsa Craig
15/06/2014
Name
Arbroath
11/05/2014
Pos
Oban
27/04/2014
Senior Summer Boat Championship 2014
100
DNF
30
12
DNF
51
42
77
DNF
DNF
DNF
16
100
92
31
DNF
DNF
37
DNF
DNF
56
DNF
DNF
DNF
82
43
69
60
100
DNF
39
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
95
100
53
55
Points
377
235
183
127
100
88
81
77
56
47
42
16
47
42
Outing 6
Loch Etive
Outing 7
Oban
Outing 8
Arbroath
Outing 9
Ailsa Craig
Outing 10
Portpatrick
C
A
N
C
E
L
L
E
D
Outing 5
Loch Etive
100
89
74
67
63
DNF
44
DNF
DNF
41
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
Outing 3
Loch Etive
83
75
86
100
52
58
47
DNF
78
67
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
Outing 4
Loch Etive
Ron Howe
Stevie Frayling
Ian Walker
Stewart Walker
Richie Ellin
Bob MacRae
Nigel Fennell
Robert Swann
Billy McCormack
Wullie Carr
Davy McNair
Ross Mackay
John Ross
Dougie MacKay
Joe McLaughlin
Outing 2
Loch Etive
Angler
Outing 1
Loch Etive
Overall Championship Table
39
100
29
16
16
27
22
DNF
78
31
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
20
0
31
DNF
23
DNF
77
DNF
DNF
0
DNF
DNF
DNF
0
100
DNF
50
75
46
50
62
62
DNF
DNF
92
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
DNF
30
12
51
77
DNF
42
DNF
DNF
16
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
92
31
DNF
37
DNF
56
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
82
43
69
60
DNF
DNF
DNF
39
DNF
DNF
DNF
100
DNF
DNF
DNF
95
100
53
55
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
47
42
DNF
Total
799
519
422
416
265
235
231
220
156
139
108
100
47
42
0
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
10
9
9
9
8
6
6
x
x
x
x
Total
x
x
x
Cuckoo W
S.S.S.S.
Ling
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Cod
x
Bullhuss
x
x
x
x
x
x
Haddock
x
x
Coalfish
x
x
Pollack
x
x
Ballan W
x
x
x
Gurnard
x
Pouting
x
Mackerel
Whiting
x
Thornie
L.S.D.
Ian Walker
Stewart
Walker
Ron Howe
Steve Frayling
Robert Swan
Bob McRae
Billy
McCormack
Davy McNair
Richie Ellin
Nigel Fennell
Willie Carr
Ross Mackay
John Ross
Dougie
Mackay
Spurdog
Greatest number of Species Table
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
5
5
5
4
3
3
2
Heaviest Bag to date
Stewart Walker’s bag From Loch Etive in October 2013, worth 64 boat points
Heaviest Fish to date
Stevie Frayling’s Bullhuss of 9lb5oz from Portpatrick in July 2014
Future Boat Outings
Venue
Arbroath
Stranraer
Oban / Etive
Etive
Etive
Date of Trip
Places
31 / 8 / 2014
21 / 9 / 2014
05 / 10 / 2014
02 / 11 / 2014
07 / 12 / 2014
10
7
10
10
10
If you’re interested in any future
boat outing, give Boat Convenor,
Ron Howe a call on 07760472919 to
book your place.
Landlubber News
July Shore Outing : Mull of Galloway
The Mull of Galloway lived up to its reputation for producing good bags, a hundred and nineteen fish
shared between the seven anglers who fished.
I came out on top on this one, with twenty three dogs, three mackerel, a pout, and a cuckoo wrasse for
19.37kg, just ahead of Ross Buchanan who had exactly the same number of dogs as me which he
backed up with a dab for 18.6kg.
Robert Swan and Wullie Pollock fished just to my right at the Flat Rock area. Robert finished third
with nineteen dogs, a tub gurnard, and a mackerel for 15.69kg, with Wullie only just behind him with
an excellent mixed bag of fourteen dogs, two mackerel, two tub gurnard, one Ballan wrasse, and one
cuckoo wrasse for 13.1kg. Wullie was lucky not to lose his rods and rod rest when a Smoothhound
took a frozen peeler bait and they were pulled in to the sea. Fortunately they landed on a barely
submerged rock and were able to be retrieved, Smoothhound still attached, but having saved his rods,
Wullie lost the smoothy right at the edge of the rocks, a fish Robert guessed was around 8lb.
Ross McKay was next up with eleven dogs and two tub gurnards for 9.6kg, while new member John
Ross had six dogs and a smoothhound of 2.438kg (5lb 6oz), the sweemy winning heaviest fish of the
day. Bringing up the rear was Daniel Diez who was fishing his first outing since March. Dani had five
dogs and a Ballan Wrasse for 4.22kg.
All in all then a good day fishing, with plenty of dogs shared around to keep everyone busy and a few
different species to add a bit of interest and variety. The only down side of the day was that Dougie
McKay felt that he wasn't fit enough for the final descent on to the actual mark, so he spent a relaxing
few hours sunbathing on the roof of the car surrounded by coo's.
Robert Wilson
Full results from July Shore Outing–
Angler
Catch
Robert Wilson
Ross Buchanan
Robert Swann
Wullie Pollock
23 LSD, 3 Mackerel, 1 Pouting, 1 Cuckoo Wrasse
23 LSD, 1 Dab
19 LSD, 1 Tub Gurnard, 1 Mackerel
14 LSD, 2 Tub Gurnard, 2 Mackerel, 1 Ballan
Wrasse, I Cuckoo Wrasse,
11 LSD, 2 Tub Gurnard,
6 LSD, 1 Smoothhound
5 LSD, 1 Ballan Wrasse,
Ross MacKay
John Ross
Daniel Diez
Weight (kgs)
Points
19.37
18.60
15.69
13.10
100
96
81
68
9.60
7.24
4.22
50
37
22
Shore Championship scores after Outing 10
Outing 3
Inverbervie
Outing 4
Loch Etive
Outing 5
Arbroath
Outing 6
Loch Fyne
Outing 7
Ballachulishh
Outing 8
Carsethorn
Outing 9
Onich
Outing 10
M.O.G.
Ross Buchanan
Ross MacKay
Robert Finlay
Robert Wilson
Wullie Pollock
Davy McNair
Scott MacMaster
Robert Swann
Joe McLaughlin
Daniel Diez
John Ross
Brian Allan
Craig Rodgie
Outing 2
Loch Etive
Angler
Outing 1
Terally
Shore Championship Table
TOTAL
100
61
48
52
39
16
48
35
8
39
DNF
DNF
DNF
34
29
70
DNF
65
DNF
100
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
0
DNF
9
100
42
51
22
75
0
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
0
0
0
0
100
DNF
0
38
0
0
0
DNF
DNF
0
DNF
100
68
0
DNF
0
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
0
DNF
33
33
67
100
0
33
DNF
DNF
33
0
DNF
0
DNF
100
57
77
18
0
0
0
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
9
0
74
24
80
98
78
100
DNF
DNF
54
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
0
100
33
33
59
DNF
DNF
0
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
DNF
96
50
DNF
100
68
DNF
DNF
81
DNF
22
37
DNF
DNF
546
522
517
452
331
262
148
116
95
61
37
9
0
Heaviest Fish - Ross MacKay’s Bull Huss of 4.37kg -Terally in Oct.2013
Heaviest Bag - Ross Buchanan’s bag of 20.39kg - Terally in Oct.2013
Best Specimen - Ross Mackay’s Bull Huss of 4.37kg (61.66% Scottish Record)
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Cuckoo W.
Tub Gurnard
TOTAL
X
X
X
X
X
X
Ballan W.
X
X
X
Pouting
X
X
X
Hound
X
Common Eel
X
Flounder
X
Rockling
Cod
X
X
X
X
Spurdog
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Thornback
Ross Buchanan
Robert Finlay
Ross MacKay
Robert Wilson
Davy McNair
Scott MacMaster
Daniel Diez
Robert Swann
Joe McLaughlin
John Ross
Brian Allan
Pollack
X
Bass
X
Mackerel
Bull Huss
Wullie Pollock
Dab
Angler
Dogfish
Greatest Number of Species
X
X
X
10
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Future Shore Outings
Sun 17/08/14
Port Gill
Meet 11am
Sun 14/09/14
Abbey
Burnfoot
Meet 11.30am
Fish 12.00 –
18.00pm
Fish 12.30 –
18.30pm
Pollack, Wrasse,
Mackerel
Huss, Dogs, Hounds,
Mackerel
9
8
8
8
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
Nominated Species Championships
85
Joe
McLaughlin
Davy
McNair
Robert
Swann
Wullie
Pollock
Robert
Wilson
Scott
MacMaster
Nigel
Fennell
45
20
45
18
70
30
54
75
76
31
39
22
17
49
78
TOTAL
Tope
Plaice
Mullet
Smoothhound
Ballan Wrasse
Spurdog
Thornback
Dogfish
78
6
54
345
247
68
40
53
77
55
35
6
210
206
68
177
68
117
32
110
90
90
76
312
4
KG
15
1.45
24
2.35
48
KG
Ling
Cod
0.48
KG
Dogfish
KG
Coalfish
Boat
1.16
47
19
KG
7.03
2.83
KG
KG
KG
Wrasse
127
Spurdog
TOTAL
39
64
Thornback
Pollack
70
21
Pollack
Flounder
Daniel
Thompson
37
Thornback
6
Cod
Robert
Finlay
Junior
Ron
Howe
Stewart
Walker
Bob
MacRae
Davy
McNair
18
TOTAL
Ross
MacKay
Cod
Bull Huss
Shore
Flounder
No Nominated Species reports received month. Tables below are as last month.
33
1.96
42
3.51
28
1.92
41
0.91
207
58
3.40
11
0.96
44
3.03
26
0.57
239
25
2.12
25
19
Fish holding features on surf
beaches
By Mike Thrussell
Talk to a coarse fisherman and he’ll be the first to tell you that that most venues, rivers or lakes, have
certain pegs that always produce a good bag of fish. These “prime” pegs get a good reputation usually
because they have some feature there that holds the fish. It could be inclines, weed beds, sunken
gutters, snags or even a simple change in water depth or bottom feature.
Sea anglers in comparison pay little attention to features and often tend to choose a fishing station by
how close they can get the car. In reality this is a big mistake that will cost a high percentage of
catchable fish. Identifying features on beaches is key to becoming a good all round angler and this
WSF feature aims to highlight the top ten fish holding features to give you a head start.
MAKING A START
The only way to fully understand the geography of a beach is to wait until one of the big equinoctial
tides falling in March and April, and again in September and October. This is when the tide goes out
the furthest and exposes much more ground than would be normal. Ideally try and time it so that the
tide you choose falls on a day when the barometric pressure is high and stable with no wind, or ideally
with a wind off the shore to push the tide out to its maximum.
Take either a note pad or better still a digital camera and record all the features on the beach within
typical casting range. Take sightings from permanent land marks above high water and record these
so that you can find the individual features when the tide is fully in.
If you can, try and get some height above the beach as well, as this will pin point changes not always
perceptible when looking from ground level.
So what exactly are you looking for …….?
1. PARALLEL GULLIES
Exactly as they sound. These are gutters or gullies, sometimes only a few feet wide, sometimes many
yards across, that are deeper than the general beach and will always run pretty much parallel and in
line with the beach. These are created by lateral tide currents that sweep across the beach during the
flood tide. The tide flow gets concentrated and scours out these gutters and gullies leaving shallower
sandbanks in front and behind them.
Any food that gets washed inwards and is borne along by the tide current gets washed in to these
gutters. Fish know this and as the tide floods each individual gully they move in to them to feed,
leaving the shallower sand around the gutters almost empty of fish. The gutters need only be 12inches to a couple of feet deeper than the surrounding ground to create a fish holding feature.
These gutters tend to start off narrow, but then widen as the flow increases. Look to see if there are
any deviations in the straightness of the gutter, and anywhere where the gutter narrows or angles off is
again a natural food and fish holding area, so concentrate here.
These gutters and gullies typically hold, flounder, dabs, plaice, whiting, bass, codling, coalfish, and
when positioned tight in to the top tide line, flounders and eels.
2. SANDBANKS
These can be especially good areas for picking up thornback and small-eyed ray. The rays tend not to
sit in the bottoms of deeper gutters but prefer to lay on the inclines leading up from the gutter base
towards the top of the shallower sandbanks.
You need to be precise in your knowledge of exactly where these banks are for the rays tend to be on
the sea side inclines facing in to the current and not on the shore side. Rays are aware that its easy for
them to get cut off and they tend to stay at distance on most beaches, though small-eyed are happy to
move right in to the surf tables at low water, but remain further out towards high water and are quick
to move out beyond the low tide line once the ebb tide starts.
Bigger plaice and turbot also sit on the inclines and will feed on sandeel which are often resident on
the edges of sandbanks.
3. CHANNELS BETWEEN SANDBANKS
These are natural access routes for fishing moving in with the tide. Fish are not stupid and are
reluctant to swim in shallow water over the top of the sandbanks, but where possible will use deeper
gutters that run in towards the beach to maximise their feeding time.
These then are natural motorways for the fish and make the perfect ambush point for both bigger fish
predators and also prove a prime spot for anglers to cast their bait to.
Often these little run-throughs are just a few feet wide with a sandbank dropping down to form the
gutter, then a rising sandbank. Sometimes the run-through can be 30 to 40-yards wide, and though
these are good fishing spots they do not produce as well as the narrow gutters that really concentrate
the fish.
4. DEPRESSIONS
Much harder to identify, but these prove to be good fish holding feature.
If you look at the sand on a beach, where the surf washes it will be relatively smooth and of even
format. Where the tide has some effect, be that caused by passing lateral current, or by small eddies in
the tide, or by an undertow, the sand format is damp and stippled or formed up in to tiny shallow
ridges that appear darker than higher dry sand. These areas will be deeper than any areas of even sand
due to the scouring action.
Sometimes you need to physically get down on your knees to see these. But they are present on each
and every beach if you look.
The ridges are natural food traps, plus being deeper areas, any food again borne along by the tide gets
trapped here. Fish such as flounders, dabs, plaice, turbot, rays, even bass, codling and whiting will
concentrate here.
5. ROCK PATCHES
These are real hotpsots, especially if they occur only in small patches amongst otherwise totally clear
sand. They are there because of light tidal action that strips away the sand to expose the boulders.
These little rough areas will hold crabs, small fish such as gobies, plus again any food washing up
against their edges gets washed in to the rocks and holds there.
Fish such as bass and codling always make a bee-line for such feature.
You can deliberately cast in to the rough patch, but with these areas being relatively small, often just a
few yards across, then putting bait tight to these areas will be enough to draw fish in to you.
6. ROCK GUTTERS
These are again formed by lateral tide flow washing out the sand. These typically form as long wide
areas of broken scattered boulders with a deep sandbank on the seaward side. These are one of the
best features of all!
What you have here is multiple of advantages. The natural lateral tide action carries food down along
the beach, but surf action on the seaward sandbank washes other food such as shellfish, sandeel and
shrimp over the top of the sandbank and in to the rougher ground, plus you have the natural boulder
dwellers there such as gobies, small mussels, crabs etc.
The fish tend to work in to the tide over these and will access these rough areas at the nearest deepest
point, or wait until there is enough depth over the top of the sandbank for them to swim over it.
These bigger areas of rough ground are top spots for bass and codling.
7. WEED BEDS
These tend to be found on deeper beaches and are not that common within normal casting range, but
when found can be an excellent fish holding feature.
These are usually areas of rough ground situated along the crease of a tide line but just inside quieter
water where weed gets a chance to grow. Its usually small areas of bladder wrack or eel grass.
These hold a wealth of food including shrimps, crabs, sandeels and small fish, mussels and other
small shellfish.
Fish that favour such feature are black bream, bass, cod, rockling, pout, with plaice sitting on the
edges of them.
8. FRESHWATER STREAMS
These can be quite wide streams or just small freshlets of water crossing the beach.
These need to be fished with some thought. If they are running heavy with flood water, then always
fish on the uptide side, never the downtide side. If the freshwater is acidic fish will avoid it. The tide
pushes the acidic water in a downtide direction, with the fish to be found uptide in cleaner untainted
water.
If the water is running clear, then as it mixes with saltwater as the tide floods in, flounders, eels and
bass will always visit such areas. Food gets washed down from the stream itself, but also any laterally
borne food that washes in to the streams flow will tumble back down the beach to be picked off by
waiting fish.
9. THE SAND/SHINGLE DIVIDE
This applies more to steep-to beaches than it does to shallow surf beaches, though some surf beaches
have a deeper angle to the shingle that over high water allows fish to feed along the shingle/sand
divide.As the surf action rolls ashore it picks up the very top surface layer of sand. This exposes
creatures such as sand hoppers, plus water borne food also gets washed inshore and then pulled out
again by any undertow. The logical place for this food to get trapped is in the shingle line where the
sand meets the shingle. This particularly applies when fishing just after storms when lots of food is
being washed inshore by the pounding surf.
Getting anglers to fish at such short range is difficult, but the fact is that these areas are exceptionally
good for producing coalfish, flounder, eels and bass. If there is enough depth, say 6-feet or so, good
sized turbot can also be found on this divide on our western coast beaches.
10. THE WASH-UP
These are areas along the beach where washed up debris such as sticks, logs, trees, plastic rubbish, in
fact general Flotsam and Jepson congregates. These rubbish collection points indicate an area where a
tide run washes ashore. If this tide run can carry so much rubbish with it, then it certainly carries food
and fishing this area will put you amongst the fish.
These are good places to fish when the tide is half way in right through to high water, and remember
not to cast too far otherwise you’ll loose that collection effect and may well be fishing barren water.
Wash-ups can also be noted by a change in the configuration of the shingle itself. If you look at a
shingle ridge it’s mostly of an even angle broken only by one or maybe two wide steps which denote
where the surf has been breaking when the tide was a small neap, a middle sized tide, and a spring
tide.
In wash-up areas the steps tend to be smaller and broken up because the tide flow changes strength as
the tides change from neaps to springs. Look for small areas of broken up shingle steps and you’ve
found your wash-up.
CONCLUSION
There you go, ten top features to look for on any surf beach. Look for these and fish tight to them, or
in to them, and you will improve your catch rate over the guy who chucks and chances it!
Razor Fish electro rules tightened
But not yet ! Marine Scotland were supposed to be introducing measures by 1 July, they are now
postponed until 1 August (or later ?).
From a Scot Gov press release:…….
Action to combat illegal fishing.
Tougher licensing measures have been brought in to clamp down on the illegal practice of electrofishing for razor clams. It follows an increase in complaints received by Marine Scotland over the last
18 months.
Fishermen and other interested parties have been raising concerns about the impact electrofishing may
have on razor fish stocks and the wider marine ecosystem around the Scottish coast, something which
Marine Scotland Science is currently studying.
It is legal to fish or dive for razor clams, but the practice of electro-fishing by passing an electric
current into the seabed is against the law.
Some vessel operators have been using the technique, banned by the EU since 1998, to gather
significant quantities of razor clams worth several thousand pounds at current market prices in a
single fishing trip.
Following a consultation with all those involved in the industry, the Scottish Government will
introduce new licensing arrangements by creating a specific additional authority, with tougher and
more enforceable conditions to minimize the risk of illegal electro-fishing. This initiative will require
anyone involved in the razor fishery to make a specific application for an authorisation allowing them
to prosecute the fishery through legal and sustainable means.
As part of the application process vessels will be inspected by Marine Scotland Fishery Officers to
ensure that equipment capable of electro fishing is not installed and checks will be made by HSE
(Health and Safety Executive) to ensure that all necessary diving and safety authorisations are in place
prior to a razor fish license being issued.
SSTP at Portpatrick Primary School
The SSTP was thrilled to visit Portpatrick Primary School in Dumfries and Galloway for the third
year running. Ed Wright, our Project Officer, had the pleasure of the company of all 27 pupils for the
afternoon of the 27th of June. First of all it was amazing to see how much some of the older children
had remembered from previous visits by Lewis Cowie our previous Project Officer. As soon as Ed
arrived some kids were keen to explain how coconuts are far more dangerous than sharks! Quite right
too!
After chatting to the kids about shark biology and explaining the integral role these amazing predators
play in the marine food chain, Ed took the kids to the beach where the children used ID guides to
identify shark and skate egg cases. They also measured out the sizes of some Scottish sharks,
including many people’s favourite…the gentle giant that is the basking shark.
A great day was had by all and the SSTP is very grateful to Portpatrick Primary School and their
headteacher Sheila Bailey for allowing us to spend time with the kids. We hope to come back soon.
Tobermory Marine Week: 2-10th of August 2014
The Tobermory Marine Visitor Centre will be running a fun packed marine week this August
from the 2nd to the 10th. If you fancy a great day out then why not attend one or several of
the days activities. The SSTP will be present for “Shark Day” on Monday the 4th conducting
an educational workshop and also a talk in the evening. Each event is only £2. Other events
include a marine fun day, touch pools, harbour tours, a jelly fish themed day and a whale and
dolphin themed day.
For a full schedule and more information then please visit their
site: http://www.tobermorymarinevisitorcentre.com/events/marine-week-2-10-aug-2014/
We hope to see you there.
SSACN at Stirling International Angling Festival
We are pleased to announce that we will be participating in The Stirling International Angling
Festival this August 2014.
The event will run for the 6th to the 10th of August across the whole country but we will be present at
the Hub Event on the weekend of the 9th and 10th.
We will have both a SSACN and SSTP stand where the public can come and chat to us about what we
are doing to promote Sea Angling and protect Scottish Sharks.
In addition, there will be information about how you can become involved in our citizen science
tagging programme with shark tagging courses running throughout both days.
If the rest of the family need something to do while your learning to tag sharks there will be lots of
activities for them including, educational puzzles, games and quizzes. Furthermore, we will be
providing seminars for the public on our shark tagging work with an introduction to shark biology and
conservation.
The event itself will be providing a vast range of other things to occupy visitors including:


Free "have a go" sessions for beginners (booking required)
Free casting demonstrations with world Spey casting champion Andrew Toft and Ian
Gordan

Free professional casting tuition

Professional fly tyers

Entertainment, games and treasure hunts for the kids

25min seminars on angling related topics
You can visit the Stirling 2014 website for more information or visit the Event’s official Facebook
page
Fish of the Month Competition
No entries again this month.
Members Classifieds
Grauvell teleboat 13ft quiver match rod
This is a quality 13foot telescopic boat quiver match rod. I won it in Ireland but will never use it. The
RRP is £175, but I will take £70 for it. Apparently some guys are using them from the shore hence I
thought it might be of use to somebody.
Contact Billy McCormack
Shamrock Tackle Rigs
Just back from a week’s holiday in the Galway area, sadly didn't manage to wet a line, but managed
to purchase some of the above rigs from one of the local tackle shops! Got talking to the owner who,
when I told him they were scarce in Scotland, offered to post some over, if I could send details of what
was required! Just wondered if any of the boat guys, or others would find this useful? I would
happily front this on your behalf, if you let me know your thoughts.
Contact Bob MacRae
Various Items For Sale
Reels
Shimano Torium 14 Saltwater Casting Reel - hardly used small cosmetic marks £100
Penn 525 Supermag Extra - cosmetic marks £ 65
Daiwa 7HT Tournament with power handle £50
ABU Ambassadeur 5600 AB Baitcaster Levelwind £ 40
ABU Sports Mag £ 45
ABU Pacific Blue £ 45
ABU Mag Elite Green £ 45
ABU 6500 Power Handle £ 30
All reels in perfect working order.
Rods
Daiwa Amorphous Whisker Tournament Plus AWT 12M
rung for multiplier 12ft casting weight 4-6 ozs with reducer £250 ono
Combos
Team Daiwa SS 130FA Fixed Spool 4-8 oz 13ft
Plus Aerlex XS 7000 fully loaded £75
Contact Wullie Carr