Common skate, a fantastic day and fantastic weather.

Hi all,
The good spells in the weather have come like buses, one for ages and a bunch come at once.
Thankfully this calm spell was perfect for an offshore attempt for common skate.
This day, Michea'l Bates was keen to get out so he was up in good time and a plan was hatched to get up at silly O'clock being 5am and hit the road.

It was flat calm and were raring to get out.
Yeah , it was a perfect day and we were launched and fishing for bait by 7am.
Though the bait fish seemed to have missed that memo and were very scare.
We did have a few nice pollock but they are poor bait for common skate. Eventually we managed eight mackerel between us so that was enough to get started.
Out we went out to an area I have fished before, though it is littered with large boulders so it can be pure pot luck if your bait lands in a bare patch or in between some boulders where large species can't reach it.

Thirty minutes later,
We were doing alright, red gurnard, ling all the usual stuff when Michea'l shouted I think I am getting a bite. He was getting the tell tale signs of the skate settling on his bait. With using a short trace you can feel the skate rubbing the mainline as it takes the bait.
Soon after he reeled down and heaved like hell to set the hook and the fish took off.
A good fight saw a nice male skate of at least 120lb, Michea'l was delighted and after a few quick pics the Skate took off back down to the bottom none the worst for its few pohots.

AGAIN, ANOTHER SKATE TAKE.
Sitting there fishing away I had some nice bits and pieces and unusually for this spot a bullhuss of 7lb 10.

Though no sign of any skate for me and I was not expecting one either as I only ever see one a day here, and Michea'l and I were laughing about as I was calling him a bugger for nicking my skate when his skate rod took a good hit.
Rod bent ninety degrees and heaving hard and after a 20 minute fight the beast was only a leader lenght under the kayak when all of a sudden NNOOO, the rod went skyward and a bullhuss came flying out of the water.
Turns out the skate was not hooked at all. When the huss took the bait a large skate jumped on it immediately ate the huss. The bull huss was not small either it was a hefty 12lber.

Move or hang tight.
It was obvious by now that I was in the boulders, I had a at least three ling by now, a good coalie, ect.
                                     

Though the tide was picking up by now I was hoping that my baits would land on a clear patch, though Michea'l could feel his gear sliding down the side of the boulders as the lead reached the bottom so he up anchor and moved.
General bottom fishing was not bad apart from the endless stream of dogfish.

Though on two occasions they vanished, so I was watching the skate rods closely as normally they scatter when a skate comes near.
The third time it happened was mid tide and the top of my rod started to get some action, I was hoping it was not a huss. I gave it a minute then gave it a lift to see what happens.

Fish on,
I thought I was not going to get the chance to yell those words out that day. The fish was on and putting up a cracking fight, though it took the rod with the fin nor offshore reel on which some how had a very damaged wire on the bail arm.
The fight continued for about 20 mins and it was using the full of the tide so as it came to the top to came up under Michea'l's kayak and its wings actually slapped off his kayak, lol.
So I just let my anchor go and in no time I had a nice female skate alongside that was a good 150lb, again a few nice pics of fantastic animal and away she went back to the depths.

We were elated, two skate in the one day for the area was a cracking result.

Though we hadn't finished yet.
Back on our anchors the general fishing kept coming, I managed another surprise bull huss again just over 7lb followed by a 10lb spurdog. Plus more gurnards red and tub.
With a nice ling for this spot of 4lb10.

                                               I know eyes closed, lol.
By now the day was getting on and the forecast gave a breezy evening so we would soon have to leave despite the sea being near flat calm.
Again, I was sitting there out of the corner of my eye my skate rod began to nod. At this stage I normally hold the line in my hand to get a better idea of what is happening.
It had seemed to stopped so I lifted the lead of the bottom to try gauge if the was anything there.
I lifted it at least 5ft off the bottom to be sure but no nothing there, when WHALLOP.
Something grabbed it and yanked it out of my hand. The rod was grabbed but nothing happened unfortunately and I was about to shout to Michea'l what just happened when I could see he was lifting into a heavy fish.

Fish on,
Yeah he shouted in a strained voice fish on. Another good fight saw a fine male skate on the better side of 150lb. More photos and video of the goings on and away the beast sailed to the bottom.
They actually look like they are flying, cool fish.
 What a day, good company and great  craic and fantastic fish.
Fingers crossed for another chance to get out where monsters swim.

     Thanks for reading and paddle safe out there, the current forecasts have been very changeable.