Nice problem to have Grant - what to do, what to do?

Capnnod, mate I hope you're going to wear your life jacket, you don't want to be going overboard with a leg cast on...that would be a muppet moment indeed....lol

 lol  we all know its last years 1080 pellets.

 

Nice report again grant, looked mint out there!

 

That full moon was playing it's game so a predawn caffienisation was a happening thing, which meant after a nice gradual engine warmup through prescribed the 5kt zone, although even with another couple of coffee's I was still greeted by Coastguard with "you are barely readable but understood"...hmmm the VHF must need checking, the brain was definitely in gear, well by that stage anyway . Electrics and water ay, add that to the maintanence list. So heading out over the same track as the other day, the conspicuous absence of baitfish was intriguing. Within such a short space of time the Mackerel clouding the sounder had varnished (Percy). But the sunrise looking like it was eminating from the Tiri lighthouse looked inviting as sunrises always seem to.

 

 

Onwards to find the food source for the fish was the approach today, especially after watching some out of this world footage on Animal Planet about the world currents, plankton, baby Tuna etc...absolutely incredible filming. So all sparked up to follow the general rules...I found lots of baitfish again several miles further east of Tiri this time, hinted at by Penguins. Unfortunately this meant travelling into the fog. The wind had increased to about 10kts up the Firth to. It got cold & damp and a bit of a downer compared to the blissfully sunny day I had left behind at Tiri. The bite hadn't yet started with  the Snapper on the sounder underneath the baitschools, no doubt it would later. Very tentative takes, and me dropping a few fish, one or two in the bin..nah I'm frozen, so a call to a mate who was out north of Tiri basking in sunshine...I'm off! The bait and Snapper sign was minimal further out but the conditions were smooth, sunny and just what the human doctor ordered. So a pie and a chat later, slow fishing but very very pleasant.

 

The Dolphins put on their own live Discovery channel display, so blatant in their actions that I reeled in my line and stayed with them a while. The big group finally formed and milled around swapping ideas and instructions, then gradually headed off after the leader gave the water slapping signal, very gradually they puffed away, not in hunting mode, then after a while we all stopped and just caught up with eachother for another congregation - a few young ones had had enough of this carry on and put on an aerial display rivalling WaterWorld, then they did their speed test. 5 or 6 of the little Dolphins chased eachother at full fins, incredible with the glassy water to watch them chase eachother as fast as they could flying metres through the air like bullets, so much like kids running and playing chase. The older members came over and the chatter under the boat was the loudest I had heard, the boat completely motionless and their comm's coming through loud and clear (non feeding mode for sure). So we just played around for while, the Surtees plowing along providing max. wake just for fun  

 

 

I had managed to spend much of my time not catching fish in a way, but the day was superb otherwise.

 

Very interesting putting a few signals together from the wildlife and learning more about the cycle out there. I took home just a fish along with a huge amount of satisfaction, as I went and picked up my own young one from his playground antics.

 

Sunshine