Loch Ryan Sea Angling Association. L.S.A.A

Lochryan Summer 2008 (The craic n all that)

This has been the worst summer for weather for a long time, some of us

are still shivering from the memory of the match on the Dee estuary in so called ?flaming? June.

?T.F?.for the old Beach Buddy  (John Holden deserves a knighthood ) without which I reckon hyperthermia would have set in. Horizontal rain and screaming gales are not much fun but this has been a feature of this year?s league.

There have been some high points however, Kevin getting a 13lb 6oz Bass for one .

Good man for returning her unharmed we all know catch and release is the future. Not that I have a problem with anyone taking a fish for the pot but be sensible don?t take big fish that are spawning age better to take  a smaller one but legal obviously .

Our man from smoggy land (Tees side) got his first shore caught Tope this year, not huge but Badger Boy was shaking like a diesel taxi. It?s great to see fellow anglers getting as much fun out of fishing as I do.

I got a personal best smoothy this year at 11lb 4oz it was a possible Scottish record but I didn?t want to keep the fish so that?s that then.

The Dewar was also into smoothies , getting his first shore caught hound this year, we had a great night rounded off with a world class sausage supper on the road home.

Stevey Hall had cracking Pollock in the all-nighter (7lb 5.5oz) which is a good fish in a comp as its hard to spend time hunting specimen fish in matches.

Commiserations have to go to Mr.Mayagi our most senior member who is well past 70 years old and landed a nice Huss of 8lbs at our last comp of the summer league unfortunately the fish was undersize and didn?t count! I?ve never seen a fatter and shorter Huss before, that?s hard luck as it would have taken the comp. and heaviest fish of the year. ?Bo###cks ! Davy san?, was heard, the air was blue but the fish went back ok.

What has been good this summer was fishing matches without a hangover, Badger and I decided this year to not have a wee vodka when he arrived the day before the comps (you know how it is, the craic`s good and the next thing the bottle is empty) as we did last year. We didn?t catch any more, but the big ?fella? didn?t throw up on the climb up and down the cliff marks which is a plus.

Senior moment of the year goes to Wee Jim .He was standing concentrating on the rod tip and after 15 minutes of moaning about no bites, decided to wind in and change the bait, only then did he   realise that he hadn?t actually cast out , ?There?s not a mark on these sand eels?, he shouted as I almost fell of the rock laughing.

So that?s the Summer League, the award winners are listed elsewhere but the best part of club competitions is the craic so thanks to the guys for turning up and there?s only a couple of weeks until the winter league starts, I cant wait for the wild weather ?.well its just like summer but a bit colder!

Cheers Davy