The area in question has seen lots of activity over the years, myself I began fishing there about 30 years ago, it does not hold many people and can be impossible to fish during stormy weather, at that time not many anglers in the area used crab as bait, so smoothhound may have been present and maybe not. They have grown in numbers and in size and are slowly spreading out throughout the region. I hope they continue to do so. Regarding the p.m. system instead of a nation wide reply, When the target species can be fished out by an ever increasing ammount of pressure, then I would deem it to be wiser to have an idea of whom you are giving the information to.
Years ago, most of the best marks with the exception of Balcary were quite litter free, and the landowners allowed us to park our vehicles near to the fishing grounds. But as the years went by more and more uncaring anglers messed it up for the rest of us. All the big cod came from Balcary, and nobody ever heard of the Boreland, but once the news spread, the Boreland became a midden due to the rubbish left by anglers. They knocked down the farmers dry stane **** in their haste to get there. Our club members rebuilt the **** and built a style, yet still people could not behave, now we all have a long trek from the main road. Same at Egerness, and the mess at the Yellow Isle, Balcary and the white tower at the Isle of Whithorn has to be seen to be believed. Once a mark is highlighted nationally you can expect to see a large number of anglers travel there to try their luck. When the Sea Angler mag. had the Fox's Snoot o the front cover, the farmer there was bemused to find coaches of anglers hunting for the snoot, but not so when they trampled through his field in crop. At the various marks I fish for bass, if I am fortunate enough to catch a decent one or two, I'll give a wee report and have a snap of the fish, but won't elaborate, else the gill netters will be there like a bullet. By all means share your information with decent caring anglers, but bear in mind that there are a lot out there who have no respect for either the countryside or the fish.
