G
Guest
·After a character building trip to the Phillipines, the very moment I got home I strapped the yak to the top of the car and spent the weekend in a holiday resort in Rosebud. I had some interesting experiences to say the least - one very similar to Poddy's 'shark park' encounter.
First stop was Dromana, after a succesfull outing last time. It was even better this time. Couta going hard on Yozuri HBs, and nice flatties going for softies. I'm starting to really like this area as a fishing ground. For some reason I was in C&R mode though, and put most back. Only kept a couple of flatties for dinner and a couta for bait.
Later that day I went out at Rye, launching at the pier. The action was much the same as Dromana, but it started off in interesting fashion. I hooked a couta on a SP, no more than 50 meters from the pier. As I was reeling it in I was thinking 'feels like a couta' and sure enough, a few meters from the boat I saw that tell tale flash of silver. Nano seconds later I saw something big and black following it up and before I even had a chance to poop my pants, the rod was almost ripped out of my hands and there was an explosion of white water created as a long tail fin slashed the water. I'm pretty sure it was a Thresher shark, as was some guy who was watching from the pier who called 'Shit mate... close call!'.
It was all over as quick as it began though. Thankfully it was only interested in the fish, and not me. My heart returned to normal pace pretty quickly and I kept on fishing. This time couta were going hard on SPs, and flatties going for squid. Not sure how many I caught before heading in, but it was a fair few. I only kept a few.
I went out at Portsea the following day and had the worst day I've ever had there. Only thing I caught was a squid tenticle. Not even a lonely salmon to be found. I did have another scary moment though, which was quite a learning lesson. The tide was going out hard and I was about 50 meters outside of the middway point of the MP. Because it was so quiet I decided to try an alternative rig, so started tying it up. As I fumbled about doing this, I noticed that it started getting really choppy. I didn't think much of it until the rig was tied. When done, I looked up and noticed that I was about 100 meters away from the rip, and moving in fast. Man, did I have to work had to get away from being taken straight into it.
I won't be fishing that place in an outgoing tide again, and will definitely think twice about doing it alone. I also made the stupid mistake of leaving my phone behind. At the time, it would have been wiser to head to Queenscliff, which by then was much closer than the eastern shore. But had I done so, I would have been stranded, so instead opted to just push back towards Portsea. I made it OK, but it was a real slog.
What an interesting week it's been for me!
First stop was Dromana, after a succesfull outing last time. It was even better this time. Couta going hard on Yozuri HBs, and nice flatties going for softies. I'm starting to really like this area as a fishing ground. For some reason I was in C&R mode though, and put most back. Only kept a couple of flatties for dinner and a couta for bait.
Later that day I went out at Rye, launching at the pier. The action was much the same as Dromana, but it started off in interesting fashion. I hooked a couta on a SP, no more than 50 meters from the pier. As I was reeling it in I was thinking 'feels like a couta' and sure enough, a few meters from the boat I saw that tell tale flash of silver. Nano seconds later I saw something big and black following it up and before I even had a chance to poop my pants, the rod was almost ripped out of my hands and there was an explosion of white water created as a long tail fin slashed the water. I'm pretty sure it was a Thresher shark, as was some guy who was watching from the pier who called 'Shit mate... close call!'.
It was all over as quick as it began though. Thankfully it was only interested in the fish, and not me. My heart returned to normal pace pretty quickly and I kept on fishing. This time couta were going hard on SPs, and flatties going for squid. Not sure how many I caught before heading in, but it was a fair few. I only kept a few.
I went out at Portsea the following day and had the worst day I've ever had there. Only thing I caught was a squid tenticle. Not even a lonely salmon to be found. I did have another scary moment though, which was quite a learning lesson. The tide was going out hard and I was about 50 meters outside of the middway point of the MP. Because it was so quiet I decided to try an alternative rig, so started tying it up. As I fumbled about doing this, I noticed that it started getting really choppy. I didn't think much of it until the rig was tied. When done, I looked up and noticed that I was about 100 meters away from the rip, and moving in fast. Man, did I have to work had to get away from being taken straight into it.
I won't be fishing that place in an outgoing tide again, and will definitely think twice about doing it alone. I also made the stupid mistake of leaving my phone behind. At the time, it would have been wiser to head to Queenscliff, which by then was much closer than the eastern shore. But had I done so, I would have been stranded, so instead opted to just push back towards Portsea. I made it OK, but it was a real slog.
What an interesting week it's been for me!
