A late start at Dunbar – 19 May

I think this is the latest I’ve started boat fishing the east coast of Scotland for many years, but the very cold spring and strongish winds haven’t been very inspiring. Even today it was 50:50 whether to try Dunbar or head west.

Arriving at the harbour just before seven it was quite misty with a noticeable swell rolling in from the NE, courtesy of yesterday’s winds, but at least there wasn’t any wind. Alcatraz slid off the trailer and the etec started first time after it’s 3 month layup since February, so it wasn’t long before we were ploughing along down towards the lighthouse. It was slow going as the mist and swell meant I had to keep the speed down, but it was pleasant enough pottering along and keeping a good lookout for solid objects in my path.

I’d dug a little bait before picking Alcatraz up from the compound, and used this together with some fairly manky mackerel to bait up a set of hokkais and start my drift. First blood came to the lug, with a small codling taking the bait a few minutes after I started, and this pattern repeated during the morning – slow and steady fishing rather than anything spectacular. By the time I packed in around 5 hours later I’d reached a total of 13 codling (best 6|6|0), a couple of tiny ling and a pollack of 4|8|0, so an OK result. No mackerel, despite leaving a rod fishing for them for a good while.

The mist hung around all day and I only saw one other boat the whole time – the Dunbar lifeboat came over for a wee look around. Still things will probably improve over the next few weeks…