Haven't been on the little boat all month and reports of local snapper here, along with the churned up water, got me fired up for an expedition. I planned to troll off the end of the Glenelg jetty with the sounder running, and anchor at the best looking spot come sundown.
Well, the water wasn't quite done being churned up. Mercifully the first aborted launch didn't flip me and with a fellow kayaker (who'd done a U turn shortly after launching before me) steadying my ride for the mount I crashed through the little shore break and was on my way, scupper holes gurgling out the remnants of the wave that knocked my fishfinder over on its ram mount. I'm in love with how waterproof that fishfinder is.
It was a lumpy ride to glenelg, and a little bit hairy with a few waves caught and my nose pitched uncomfortably low. After a fruitless troll, I decided to stick a squid head on a circle hook and do some kind of controlled drift with the paddle (didn't feel comfortable anchoring in all that chop and swell). No luck there, though I did see some promising dips and dots on the finder. I think I'll find a way to mount my GPS in view so I can berley a spot while drifting across it.
As the sun lowered I decided to troll off home. The BOM had promised receding wind and waves but right then it felt a little late. Just as I was headed off, my new minnow got hit by a foot long rugger which rounded out what I was thinking would just be an exercise trip. Further cementing my plan to head home, my lure got hooked by both trebles onto my shark shield, just barely in reach of my hands without tipping the kayak. Funny, I was just thinking lately about doing away with trebles. I got it off on the water eventually, preferring not to scrape the shark shield if I grounded on landing (the lure was preventing me lifting it back through the scupper hole). If you have to touch a switched on shark shield, by the way, don't put your leg in the water. :shock:
Just as I was approaching the landing spot, I saw an interesting dip and blip on the sounder, and I suddenly noticed the drop in the wind and waves the BOM had promised. I figured I had a good size bag of squid heads + flaps to burn and thrice frozen whitebait for burley, so I anchored and set the 8/0 circle hook rig again.
Well, I'm glad I did. The sound of a buzzing reel in the dark is intoxicating Three ruggers, 42, 43 and 51 cm, my first metro snapper catch
Well, the water wasn't quite done being churned up. Mercifully the first aborted launch didn't flip me and with a fellow kayaker (who'd done a U turn shortly after launching before me) steadying my ride for the mount I crashed through the little shore break and was on my way, scupper holes gurgling out the remnants of the wave that knocked my fishfinder over on its ram mount. I'm in love with how waterproof that fishfinder is.
It was a lumpy ride to glenelg, and a little bit hairy with a few waves caught and my nose pitched uncomfortably low. After a fruitless troll, I decided to stick a squid head on a circle hook and do some kind of controlled drift with the paddle (didn't feel comfortable anchoring in all that chop and swell). No luck there, though I did see some promising dips and dots on the finder. I think I'll find a way to mount my GPS in view so I can berley a spot while drifting across it.
As the sun lowered I decided to troll off home. The BOM had promised receding wind and waves but right then it felt a little late. Just as I was headed off, my new minnow got hit by a foot long rugger which rounded out what I was thinking would just be an exercise trip. Further cementing my plan to head home, my lure got hooked by both trebles onto my shark shield, just barely in reach of my hands without tipping the kayak. Funny, I was just thinking lately about doing away with trebles. I got it off on the water eventually, preferring not to scrape the shark shield if I grounded on landing (the lure was preventing me lifting it back through the scupper hole). If you have to touch a switched on shark shield, by the way, don't put your leg in the water. :shock:
Just as I was approaching the landing spot, I saw an interesting dip and blip on the sounder, and I suddenly noticed the drop in the wind and waves the BOM had promised. I figured I had a good size bag of squid heads + flaps to burn and thrice frozen whitebait for burley, so I anchored and set the 8/0 circle hook rig again.
Well, I'm glad I did. The sound of a buzzing reel in the dark is intoxicating Three ruggers, 42, 43 and 51 cm, my first metro snapper catch