SEA ANGLING: SOUTH Essex anglers Barry Edwards and Chris Warren travelled 515 miles up to a remote part of Scotland on the hunt for huge skate – and the trip did not disappoint.

The pair went up to Oban in South West Scotland hoping to catch common skate weighing more than 100lb.

And they did that and more, sharing six skate between them, with Edwards’ best 193lb and Warren’s a mammoth 204lb.

“The aim when we went up there was to catch some big ones,” said Edwards, 45, from Hockley.

“It’s the only place in Britain where you can catch them that big and it was our first time trying for them. 200lb is about as big as you can get them – so we did well!”

The pair went out a quarter of a mile to a depth of 450ft on the 19ft boat “On Yer Marks” skippered by Matty Burrett.

Armed with a tackle box of sizeable bait, including octopus, mackerel, squid and rainbow trout, the pair took turns on the rods and had success almost immediately.

The six skate they reeled in all easily exceeded their 100lb aim as they ranged from 177lb to Warren’s 204lb.

They took about 45 minutes to reel in but despite being such big creatures were remarkably docile when brought into the boat according to Edwards.

All the fish were released back into the sea as they are a protected species.

Both Edwards and Warren, 28, from Basildon, are keen sea fishermen.

And Edwards is on a mission to get as many UK fish weighing more than 100lb as he can.

The skates were second to tip the scales after he landed some big blue sharks off the coast of Wales last year.

Next on his agenda is trying to land some huge porbeagle sharks.