Holidaying in Scotland

Off on holiday last week of August and the first week of September. First week have a cottage booked at Easdale (Isle of Seil) about 15 miles south of Oban. Second week depends on the weather, and if OK will B&B on some of the islands, Mull, Islay, etc.
Not really a sea angler and not brilliantly equipped. Have a telescopic carp rod that will handle 3oz lead OK and have some 3oz gripper leads, various sea hooks and feathers. Have a spare fixed spoll loaded with 200yds of 15lb line also pike floats that can be used as sea floats. I am basically a well equipped coarse angler. Can anyone suggest some sport with Mackerel, wrasse small pollack etc.

Thanks in advance.

This section of FM is really heaving with action!

Sorry Richard but ive never been to Scotland, so cant help with marks.

small hardback crabs(about 50p size) will normally pick up wrasse from rocky areas on a float.

pollock, you could try spinning with a sandeel from rocks. or using your feathers.

not sure if mackeral go that high, or if they are still around. look for birds swarming near the shore and cast a set of feathers near them, if theres any mackies there they should take it.

Cheers Alan.

yes richard stand on the beach and cast at the water

Richard find a copy of Top Marks, a sea angling book which gives basic info about marks round the country, together with bait directions etc etc.

Failing that, get surfing the sea angling web sites even those sites not based in Scotland wil have reports from anglers whom have visited, and be sure to get the numbers of any tackle shops on your way, where you can pick up a bit of bait and hit them for some advice!

Like you Richard, I'm not a sea angler, but I dabbled in saltwater fly fishing when in Skye earlier this year. I had a few pollack up to about 3lb and lost a much bigger fish which broke the hook.
The trick was to find a steep drop off with a strong tide race and kelp. I cast along the shore and retrieved along the edge of the rocks.

If you try spinning from rocks or floatfishing with a slider with frozen sandeel you won't be doing much wrong. There is at least one tackle shop in Oban, possibly two. So hopefully you should pick up some local info. I have never sea fished Oban, but I know they get plenty of mackerel from the pier, so the whole area should be OK for them. There are loads of dogfish if you get desperate in Loch Feochan (sea loch), which I think is just north of where you are staying. As I say I have not sea fished at Oban, but I have caught them in other places. Leger/paternoster for them with mackerel strip.
All my fishing in the area was for trout and pike (pike in Loch Awe go well over 30lb and fight harder than Lomond fish, which is saying something.

All the best. If you decide to drive up to Skye (no ferry needed), PM me and I'll tell you where I fished for the pollack.

Alex

Cheers lads, most helpful, looks like it will be worth taking the old telescopic rod. Think we will have to have a look at Oban early in the week to give me chance to pop into the tackle shop. Subterfuge needed, Di wasn't impressed when I said I was taking fishing gear with me.