This trip manifested while by fishing companions Ryan, Harley, Shaun, and I wound down from a fishing session on a lonely island tucked away in the sheltered remote Western Isles of Scotland. We were deep in discussion, huddled around a fire, toasting marshmallows. The only noise for miles was the occasional passing whale or a distant pod of dolphins frolicking under the majestic starry sky. On a calm night, it was somewhat eerie but to be admired and one we will all remember; nevertheless, we soon established a keen appetite for catching the early run of smoothhound, plaice, and bass that the Lancashire coast has been famous for producing.
We had soon established that the Morecambe area could offer the target species, and Ryan had a good knowledge of the marks and tides for best results. Young Harley’s admirable enthusiasm and confidence reiterated, “PBs all ower lads” before we eventually called it a night. Undoubtedly, we all fell asleep that night dreaming of new personal bests. A few months had soon passed in what felt like the blink of an eye, and our planned dates were getting closer. Before we knew it, the day was upon us! Shaun and I headed southbound from Aberdeen across the border to meet Ryan and his son Harley in their hometown of Jarrow, which is just a few miles from Newcastle. While in the area, we visited North East Tackle Supplies in Sunderland to
