The wilds of Scotland certainly offers visiting anglers the chance to experience some incredible fishing. Whether you're a coarse, game or sea angler, you can catch fish in some of the most breathtaking surroundings you'll find anywhere in the UK, but it isn't all just about the scenery as its waters are also home to some truly giant fish.
Just this week, Anthony Meli was invited up to Oban by skipper Leigh Taylor to fish aboard his boat Laura Dawn II, which he gladly accepted. After a swift 30 minute motor out to the fishing grounds, Anthony was soon lowering a bait into the depths with the hope of contacting one of the bottom-dwelling giants this area is renowned for.
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"I have always wanted to catch a big skate, and there is nowhere better to do that than Oban in Scotland, and I have to say, no better boat than Laura Dawn II either," Anthony told us.
"After catching fresh mackerel for bait, we were soon in the area that Leigh told me we had every chance of catching my target. Our baits had barely baits reach the bottom before one of the rods hooped over and we were in."
"The sheer power of the fish and the way it utilised its weight to hug the bottom left us in no doubt we were hooked up to skate, we just had to be patient and settle in for a long battle," Anthony explained.
Controlled playing was key, and after a while, Anthony managed to get the fish to the boat where it was expertly brought aboard by Leigh for a quick measure and photo. The 50lb fish was then released safely before Leigh joked that it was a good warm up as there were certainly much bigger fish lurking down there.
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"Sure enough, the next bite saw me hook into a fish in a completely different league. I am not even sure it knew it was hooked to begin with as it was in complete control and I couldn't move it," Anthony recalled.
"Fishing in 400ft, I managed to get it halfway up after about 20 minutes before it nosedived straight back down to the bottom. It took around an hour in total to get the giant skate up onto the boat. I was shocked at the size of it, you see them in photos but to see one in the flesh is something else."
"At 201lb, I had not only caught my dream skate, I had also joined the exclusive 200lb club and got my official sticker to prove it."
"It was my trip of a lifetime and I will never be able to thank Leigh enough for the kind invite to spend a day with him. We went on to catch and release another skate of 128lb and my first spur dog to round it off."
IF YOU WANT TO START SEA FISHING, READ OUR HELPFUL BEGINNERS GUIDE.
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