How
to get there - From Kirkwall take the A965 and then the B9055
just after Maes Howe, at the Loch of Skaill take the B9056 to the Bay
of Skaill and Skaill House. There is a car park at the beach. View
Multi Map
Features – A sandy beach with rock ledges at the
northern and southern ends. This is a very weedy beach close in but with
large areas of sand in the middle of the beach with rough ground further
out. This is a good night time venue best fished on big tides for Codling,
Coalfish and Dogfish. The sandy areas on the south-side likely hold plaice
and dabs during smaller neap tides. The northern edge rock ledges are
good for Conger Eels, Cod, Pollack and Coalfish, but ONLY in calm weather.
Baits – Codling are likely to fall for lugworm
and squid baits whilst Coalfish and Dogfish will take Mackerel baits.
Plaice and Dabs will fall to either lugworm or small mackerel and squid
strips. Successful bait for Conger should be a large mackerel fillet or
tail section.
Tackle – A 5 to 6oz beachcaster will be needed
to fish this beach. For the sandier areas a standard beach casting reel
will be sufficient. Two hook rigs will work best for the Plaice and Dabs
and standard one hook paternosters with weak links to the leads sufficient
for the Codling, Coalfish and Dogfish when casting in to the rougher ground.
When fishing the northern rock ledges a pulley rig will be required to
get your lead above any snags when fish are hooked. For the Conger a short
foot long hook trace of 100lb (45.36kg) mono will be required coupled
with O’Shaugnessy pattern hooks size 6/0 to 8/0. The Pollack are
best tackled with a spinning rod and spinning with either spinners, such
as Toby’s, Dexter Wedges, or working Hokkai Feathers or Redgill
artificial eels.