I headed out on Sunday evening for a short session at Dunbar Harbour with my mate Ryan. We were joined by our mate Nick, who lives in Dunbar, and the three of us spent a few hours scratching about with small worm baits to see what we could catch. We were expecting to be plagued by juvenile coalfish, but oddly, there were hardly any around. After a fairly fruitless hour or so fishing inside the harbour, we walked around to its mouth and fished there for a couple of hours. It wasn't much more productive to be honest, but after one or two small coalfish and cod, Ryan caught a few five bearded rockling, and Nick and I pulled out some long spined sea scorpion.
 |
| The long spined sea scorpion can be caught all year round! |
As our hands slowly got numb in the cold evening breeze, Ryan caught another five bearded rockling. Then another. Then another! He was on fire! Unlike most anglers, I really enjoy catching rockling, so with so many around, I was hopeful I'd catch some too. Eventually, towards the end of the session, I did get one.
 |
| What turned out to be my only "slug" of the night was this small shore rockling. |
 |
| I don't care what anyone says, rockling are awesome! |
Incredibly, by the time we called it a night, Ryan had caught nine rockling! All of them the same species, sporting five beards. I think that's the most I've ever seen caught in one session, an especially impressive feat given it was a relatively short one! Having been outrocklinged nine to one, I was glad it wasn't any kind of competition! Funnily, Ryan was a little bit annoyed that he hadn't caught a shore rockling, whilst I was slightly disappointed that I hadn't managed to catch a five bearded rockling. I may pop out tonight locally to try and catch one!
Tight lines, Scott.