[Scrudgy]

<font color='#000000'>Went fishing last night off the rocks near Findon (Aberdeenshire), didn&#39;t fancy my chances much, but felt the need to go. Used a spinning rod with a string of small Hokeyes and caught several small Saithe. However, I also set up another spinning rod with a float, and a 6&#39; trace to a size 2 hook. Caught plenty more small Saithe with this method, until almost packing up time.
While seeing the familiar small tugs from the Saithe, I then had one big knock, and then a tremendous tug on the rod which almost bent in two, and promptly nothing. Reeled in to find that the 15lb line had been cleanly bitten off at the hook.
As the float was only out about 8&#39; from where I stood, and the hook was only 6&#39; deep, would anyone like to venture a guess as to what bit me off?
Bait was Mackeral, and it was getting dark.
Cheers
Steve</font>

 

[spanner]

<font color='#000000'>Could have been a decent pollock, there are &nbsp;a few about. &nbsp;Where at Findon were you?</font>

 

[Scrudgy]

<font color='#000000'>Wasn&#39;t really Findon, it was between Findon and Old Portlethen. Don&#39;t think the mark has a name. But the nearest place I can think of is Muckle Shore (which is a pebble beach bay with rocks either side, and is probably a local name)
You get to it by passing Mains of Portlethen Farm and Farmhouse and then going straight down a Farm Track to Muckle Shore itself, then go either left or right onto the rocks and find a comfy spot.
I think that the rocky island infront of Muckle Shore is called May Craig.</font>

 

[spanner]

<font color='#000000'>I know where you mean. &nbsp;I&#39;ve had a scout around down there but never fished it. &nbsp; Its alwasy been somewhere I meant to head for in a heavy sea when the rock marks are too dangerous. &nbsp;Hasn&#39;t there been some major groundworks or construction down there? &nbsp;I watched a bunch of diggers working there last summer when I was fishing a mark on the south side of Findon.</font>

 

[Scrudgy]

<font color='#000000'>I live in Old Portlethen. The groundworks are being done, by a guy who is developing the Muckle Shore to be a shotgun range. There are planning difficulties, I am told that could make this turn into a lengthy project, but us locals are watching with interest.
By the way, went down to the rocks at Old Portlethen last night with my son. Caught one of those decent Pollack you mentioned. This was 2 1/2 lb, (well decent for us) lost another, and my Son got one about 1 1/2 lb. Also caught a couple of small Saithe. Fished off the rocks just down from the Bothy. Caught all the fish about 1 hour after low tide, all fish on 6" jelly worms and 3/0 Aberdeens, Also set up a float rod again, which caught nothing this time. First time I&#39;ve used jelly worms, certainly won&#39;t be the last.</font>

 

[spanner]

<font color='#000000'>I fish Port Lethan a fair bit in the winter, not so much in the summer. Thi swinter started off good in Nov Dec and then went all quiet after the new year. &nbsp;I usually go slightly further along to the big gully in line with the corner of the field behind the bothy.

I use jellies and shads quite a bit on the west coast and they certainly work. &nbsp;I have much more sucess with them than float fishing.</font>

 

[Scrudgy]

<font color='#000000'>That mark you fish is called the "ships stern" apparently named because from a boat the rock outcrop looks just like one.
I fish there myself in the winter, and my best cod was 5lb. One of my neighbours though landed a 10 pounder 3 years ago, which is the biggest fish from that mark that I know of (using plain old squid for bait as well). Got heaps of mackeral from there last season for the freezer.
I usually find though that it is a busy place on the weekends, and if I go down for a few hours on a week day evening, I usually have to clear up quite a lot of crap left by others from the weekends fishing.</font>