Facebook Friends Bag Monster Skate

Booking a skate trip in winter is usually a bit of a risk, but sometimes taking a punt can pay off... big time!

Atrio of Facebook friends got more than they bargained for when they booked a skate fishing trip with skipper of Oban boat Laura Dawn II, Ronnie Campbell.

Jim Fox, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, takes up the story: “It was the trip of a lifetime. Over the two days we landed 1,800lb of fish topped by a 216lb monster skate for Alain Storey. My best fish was 193lb, which was a personal best, while Ronny Hawkes had a skate of 188lb.”

Ronny chipped in: “The 188lb skate was my first ever of the species. It was taken on the first day when we had four between us, and we followed up with another five fish on our next day out.”

Jim, 46, added: “Alain showed us all the way to do it. He’s 64 but he reeled that big skate in like a champion!

“We got in contact with each other through a Facebook site and decided to book a trip for big skate. Alain had caught a lot of big skate before, but for Ronny and me it was our first attempt.