Luce Bay

[Another Angle UK]

Right I’ll put my hand up, looking at my road map whilst dreaming if the days when I can fish again, is see most of Luce Bay is marked as a Danger Zone. I must lead a very sheltered life- what’s dangerous apart from weather?

 

[Another Angle UK]

Sorry Mods, I should have put this in Scotland Reports & Advice, I must have gone to the School for the Gifted or something ?

 

[StuA15]

It is, or was, an RAF bombing range.....

 

[Neilos]

Brings a while new meaning to using a bomber rig!?

 

[Cfish]

Brings a while new meaning to using a bomber rig!?View attachment 3610

hope they dropped that on a seal colony?

 

[Another Angle UK]

Cheers, I’ll need to take care dropping the anchor if there is unexploded stuff on sea bed, ekkk!

 

[jambop]

Fished there years ago and caught some nice fish whiting, mackerel, rays, conger, tope, god know how many different types of dog fish. Funny story three of us in the boat catching lots of nice sized whiting... then it went completely quiet not a thing for about 15 mins then I got a knock and started to reel it up ... then the line went completely dead, lost it says I to the others... then awe Fk I have lost my gear too no weight on the line at all??? Kept reeling and looking over the side saw this small whiting about 8 or 10 inches long swimming up hauling an 8 oz lead behind it and about six feet behind that a tope that looked to be about 3ft or more long gliding up behind it!! Unfortunately it saw me and headed back down. If it had taken the whiting I doubt there was any way I could have held on to it because the hook would never have taken that fish. Anyway to conclude the story the whiting managed to get off the hook but knowing that tope was waiting for him would not go down and started to swim along the surface of the sea... at which point a seagull swooped down and scoffed it . I still think about that tope though biggest live fish I have ever seen to be honest and it was within seconds of taking that whiting

 

[jambop]

Cheers, I’ll need to take care dropping the anchor if there is unexploded stuff on sea bed, ekkk!

Fished there years ago and caught some nice fish whiting, mackerel, rays, conger, tope, god know how many different types of dog fish. Funny story three of us in the boat catching lots of nice sized whiting... then it went completely quiet not a thing for about 15 mins then I got a knock and started to reel it up ... then the line went completely dead, lost it says I to the others... then awe Fk I have lost my gear too no weight on the line at all??? Kept reeling and looking over the side saw this small whiting about 8 or 10 inches long swimming up hauling an 8 oz lead behind it and about six feet behind that a tope that looked to be about 3ft or more long gliding up behind it!! Unfortunately it saw me and headed back down. If it had taken the whiting I doubt there was any way I could have held on to it because the hook would never have taken that fish. Anyway to conclude the story the whiting managed to get off the hook but knowing that tope was waiting for him would not go down and started to swim along the surface of the sea... at which point a seagull swooped down and scoffed it . I still think about that tope though biggest live fish I have ever seen to be honest and it was within seconds of taking that whiting

 

[Neilos]

Same thing happened twice? That's some coincidence!
??????

 

[Neilos]

Fished there years ago and caught some nice fish whiting, mackerel, rays, conger, tope, god know how many different types of dog fish. Funny story three of us in the boat catching lots of nice sized whiting... then it went completely quiet not a thing for about 15 mins then I got a knock and started to reel it up ... then the line went completely dead, lost it says I to the others... then awe Fk I have lost my gear too no weight on the line at all??? Kept reeling and looking over the side saw this small whiting about 8 or 10 inches long swimming up hauling an 8 oz lead behind it and about six feet behind that a tope that looked to be about 3ft or more long gliding up behind it!! Unfortunately it saw me and headed back down. If it had taken the whiting I doubt there was any way I could have held on to it because the hook would never have taken that fish. Anyway to conclude the story the whiting managed to get off the hook but knowing that tope was waiting for him would not go down and started to swim along the surface of the sea... at which point a seagull swooped down and scoffed it . I still think about that tope though biggest live fish I have ever seen to be honest and it was within seconds of taking that whiting

Is there a 'Great NO Catch Report' button? ?

 

[Another Angle UK]

Sounds like it would be worth while trying Luce then. Need to plan a little post lockdown trip. Next research- slipways for the 14 footer ?

 

[jambop]

Sounds like it would be worth while trying Luce then. Need to plan a little post lockdown trip. Next research- slipways for the 14 footer ?

I have to say right now the last time I fished there was about forty years ago!! A big group of us who worked together used to hire an old schoolhouse that someone has converted to a fishing lodge. It was at a place called Auchenmalg there was a boozer at the bottom of the road we would all go down there and get completely lashed every night I think it was called the cock inn and for a bit of variety we would go to Glenluce or Port William. I expect that will all have changed now but what a week we used have down there happy days indeed... where did those years go seems like yesterday

 

[Another Angle UK]

Ahh, the old days ?. Somehow fishing has got harder as I’ve got older ?

 

[Thrasher]

I have to say right now the last time I fished there was about forty years ago!! A big group of us who worked together used to hire an old schoolhouse that someone has converted to a fishing lodge. It was at a place called Auchenmalg there was a boozer at the bottom of the road we would all go down there and get completely lashed every night I think it was called the cock inn and for a bit of variety we would go to Glenluce or Port William. I expect that will all have changed now but what a week we used have down there happy days indeed... where did those years go seems like yesterday

that would be the Cock Inn, still operating.

Plenty of options for launching into Luce Bay, Port William being one option.

Luce Bay probably has the widest range of potential species in the summer, still good for tope and hounds etc.

 

[jambop]

that would be the Cock Inn, still operating.

Plenty of options for launching into Luce Bay, Port William being one option.

Luce Bay probably has the widest range of potential species in the summer, still good for tope and hounds etc.

Ah you are from around that way. We had some great times down there! Use to go to a wee bar in Glenluce and play darts all day when we we not fishing. It was a really small place as I remember it and we tended to drink the light beer... I kid you not I have seen us drink 10 pints of that beer over the course of the day and never be more than a bit merry I think it was only about 3%. thank god that road back to Achenmalg was arrow straight at least it seemed like it... not that I did the driving but someone did ! Six of us somehow crammed in Ian's Vauxhall Viva careering down that road singing along to Alex Harvey's Delilah at the top of our collective voices... mental what were we thinking!

 

[Thrasher]

Ah you are from around that way. We had some great times down there! Use to go to a wee bar in Glenluce and play darts all day when we we not fishing. It was a really small place as I remember it and we tended to drink the light beer... I kid you not I have seen us drink 10 pints of that beer over the course of the day and never be more than a bit merry I think it was only about 3%. thank god that road back to Achenmalg was arrow straight at least it seemed like it... not that I did the driving but someone did ! Six of us somehow crammed in Ian's Vauxhall Viva careering down that road singing along to Alex Harvey's Delilah at the top of our collective voices... mental what were we thinking!

At the other end, Dumfries, but yes know the area. Not sure of the Glenluce pub as you don't go through it much now that it has been bypassed.
The road between the Inn and where you were going is relatively straight.

The boys stuff as my dad used to call it half pint of that and a half pint of guinness was a drink as a lad.

 

[jambop]

That beer was great for a session though although it is strange coming from Edinburgh we could not get the stuff?? There was a chippy in Glenluce too and they owner used to take all the whiting we had caught in exchange he would fry the ones we had filleted for us and the chips came free. So it would be out of the pub and into the chippy then back to the fishing lodge for a real feed to go with our carry out! I would be in hospital if I put myself though that now I remember one night we never got to bed we sat and drank our way through a huge carry out then went don and sat on the rocks and watched the sun come up...great fun. Now it may sound like a royal piss up ... and it was , but we did enjoy some great fishing and most of what was caught could be eaten... one great favourite filler was freshly made mackerel fish cakes.

 

[Thrasher]

That beer was great for a session though although it is strange coming from Edinburgh we could not get the stuff?? There was a chippy in Glenluce too and they owner used to take all the whiting we had caught in exchange he would fry the ones we had filleted for us and the chips came free. So it would be out of the pub and into the chippy then back to the fishing lodge for a real feed to go with our carry out! I would be in hospital if I put myself though that now I remember one night we never got to bed we sat and drank our way through a huge carry out then went don and sat on the rocks and watched the sun come up...great fun. Now it may sound like a royal piss up ... and it was , but we did enjoy some great fishing and most of what was caught could be eaten... one great favourite filler was freshly made mackerel fish cakes.

Funny that as I know it as 60 shilling or a pint of pale, the baby brother to the 70 and 80?

Sounds like the holidays I used to have with mates in Altnaharra. A hard week of fishing and drinking.

Next time I am out that way I will go through Glenluce to see what is left.

 

[jambop]

I always used to find it strange that light was dark and heavy was pale

 

[Trampster]

Ahh, the old days ?. Somehow fishing has got harder as I’ve got older ?

Ahh the good old days indeed. 4 mile drive down to the estuary where my best mate had his boat moored, 200 yard walk down his back garden & across a field to the boat. Out for a few hours fishing, always caught a decent amount of Plaice, Pollack, Mackerel and the occasional Bass. Many times when he hit the right marks, we would come back with 150 - 200 Mackerel and sell them to the local villagers for 50p each, to cover boat fuel & expenses! I sure miss it!