Giant 196lb specimen skate from Scotland

A run of blanks came to a welcome end for Joe Campbell when he landed his first ever shore caught common skate – this huge 196lb specimen.

The 48-year-old self-employed joiner from the Isle of Harris in Scotland, targeted the island’s Tarbert Pier, where fish to a massive 225lb have been caught in the past, but had to endure numerous biteless trips before finally striking gold. “I had been fishing the pier twice a week for the past two months,” he said. “With these fish you know they are big as soon as you hit them and there isn’t much you can do but give it line before bullying it in.”

Joe fished a sliding boom rig at 50-yards with a whole mackerel on a size 10/0 hook tied to 150lb mono.