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I am sure many of you have read Rik's versions of events from Saturday morning so no need to go over old ground. Although it was good to fish with a few like minded 'soles' for a change.
And though a few southerners pointed out it looked like a nice day, and we all were in boardies, the wind did pick up early and we had to search for sheltered areas.
As Rik pointed out we didn’t have much luck in Cornmeal creek. A shopping centre straddles the creek and hordes of fish lurk among the pylons: including some big bream. While we didn’t hook a fish in here the heddon torpedo got some interest and a few half hearted takes. Given these fishes usual diet I think I should have kept a chip from dinner the night before and whacked a set of trebles on it!
The one estuary cod (taken on the fizzer), a jagged ‘happy moment’ and two flatties were the bag for the morning. (One 60cm keeper that Rik posted in his report was kept for a fine dinner for two – Washed down with a nice Tassie white). Also lost one lure casting with the line wrapped around the tip. Grrrrr.
Although breezy I decided to head out again for an hour in the arvo.
Tied on a new SX40 (my first and only one that I HAD to have after reading the support they have here on the forum). Tossed the SX out 1 side and a Tilsan bass out the other and trolled towards where something fishy had caught a nice flattie in the morning. 300 meters later the rod with the SX loaded up and I had a little Flatie caught and released – I was quickly becoming a convert. Put the lure back out and continued on.
The tide had dropped and what was a fishing looking spot this morning had become a rocky shoal about 50cm deep. Continued on bumping the lures along the bottom waiting to get snagged up when the rod with the SX loaded up with a serious bend. Thought it was the bottom for a while till it started moving. The Hobie flippers were in danger of hitting the bottom so had them up against the hull as I was being towed around in circles. Eventually I gained enough line to spot the culprit – A stingray about 60 cm wide and about 5 feet long. The SX had run into it and those sharp hooks had dug in deep.
Not wanting to lose an expensive lure I entered into a fairly protracted game of tug and war. The ray would take 10 meters of line then bury itself. I would pull the kayak towards the ray with the rod then the ray would peel the line back off and this process would repeat itself time and time again. As the ray tired it wouldn’t even swim off when the kayak came over it and I would have to use the paddle to make it move. About 30 mins later I had manage to move the ray towards a sandbank where I could exit the yak and run the ray onto the sand where I could go about removing the lure. I park the yak, start slowly moving the ray toward the sandbank, am redlining the rod and line to edge him closer, 4 meters, 3 meters, I can just see the outline, SNAP! Bugger.
Getting dark by this time so tied on another leader and lure and paddled back. Another small flathead was caught and released on the way.
Sunday morning dawned and the wind had dropped overnight so back out at first light.
Spent some time trying for bream on fizzers and poppers and while had a few follows nothing much was happening. As the wind started to pick up I started trolling down towards Chambers Island and some slightly more sheltered areas. Picked up three small flatties in about 200 meters on a green glow in the dark Nils master. Obviously green was the go so looked through the tackle box for another lure. Settled on a Jaysea patriot 45, Put it out the back on the second rod and started a troll back to where I got the last three flatties. About half way back the Jaysea got smashed, the rod fully loaded up, the drag kicked in, ZZZzzz, then nothing. Wound the line back in to see all I had left of the lure was the bib! Surprised? Well you shouldn’t be. It was a great lure and had caught Saratoga, Barra, JP’s Sooty grunter, Bass, Bream……. But it had broken previously and I glued the bib back on with Araldite – I guess it was only a matter of time.
Anyway stayed out for a bit longer as the wind got stronger and stronger, picked up another couple of small flaties , but when the clouds started getting darker and the first rumble of thunder were heard I thought better of staying out with several lightning ‘rods’ poking up in the air.
And though a few southerners pointed out it looked like a nice day, and we all were in boardies, the wind did pick up early and we had to search for sheltered areas.
As Rik pointed out we didn’t have much luck in Cornmeal creek. A shopping centre straddles the creek and hordes of fish lurk among the pylons: including some big bream. While we didn’t hook a fish in here the heddon torpedo got some interest and a few half hearted takes. Given these fishes usual diet I think I should have kept a chip from dinner the night before and whacked a set of trebles on it!
The one estuary cod (taken on the fizzer), a jagged ‘happy moment’ and two flatties were the bag for the morning. (One 60cm keeper that Rik posted in his report was kept for a fine dinner for two – Washed down with a nice Tassie white). Also lost one lure casting with the line wrapped around the tip. Grrrrr.
Although breezy I decided to head out again for an hour in the arvo.
Tied on a new SX40 (my first and only one that I HAD to have after reading the support they have here on the forum). Tossed the SX out 1 side and a Tilsan bass out the other and trolled towards where something fishy had caught a nice flattie in the morning. 300 meters later the rod with the SX loaded up and I had a little Flatie caught and released – I was quickly becoming a convert. Put the lure back out and continued on.
The tide had dropped and what was a fishing looking spot this morning had become a rocky shoal about 50cm deep. Continued on bumping the lures along the bottom waiting to get snagged up when the rod with the SX loaded up with a serious bend. Thought it was the bottom for a while till it started moving. The Hobie flippers were in danger of hitting the bottom so had them up against the hull as I was being towed around in circles. Eventually I gained enough line to spot the culprit – A stingray about 60 cm wide and about 5 feet long. The SX had run into it and those sharp hooks had dug in deep.
Not wanting to lose an expensive lure I entered into a fairly protracted game of tug and war. The ray would take 10 meters of line then bury itself. I would pull the kayak towards the ray with the rod then the ray would peel the line back off and this process would repeat itself time and time again. As the ray tired it wouldn’t even swim off when the kayak came over it and I would have to use the paddle to make it move. About 30 mins later I had manage to move the ray towards a sandbank where I could exit the yak and run the ray onto the sand where I could go about removing the lure. I park the yak, start slowly moving the ray toward the sandbank, am redlining the rod and line to edge him closer, 4 meters, 3 meters, I can just see the outline, SNAP! Bugger.
Getting dark by this time so tied on another leader and lure and paddled back. Another small flathead was caught and released on the way.
Sunday morning dawned and the wind had dropped overnight so back out at first light.
Spent some time trying for bream on fizzers and poppers and while had a few follows nothing much was happening. As the wind started to pick up I started trolling down towards Chambers Island and some slightly more sheltered areas. Picked up three small flatties in about 200 meters on a green glow in the dark Nils master. Obviously green was the go so looked through the tackle box for another lure. Settled on a Jaysea patriot 45, Put it out the back on the second rod and started a troll back to where I got the last three flatties. About half way back the Jaysea got smashed, the rod fully loaded up, the drag kicked in, ZZZzzz, then nothing. Wound the line back in to see all I had left of the lure was the bib! Surprised? Well you shouldn’t be. It was a great lure and had caught Saratoga, Barra, JP’s Sooty grunter, Bass, Bream……. But it had broken previously and I glued the bib back on with Araldite – I guess it was only a matter of time.
Anyway stayed out for a bit longer as the wind got stronger and stronger, picked up another couple of small flaties , but when the clouds started getting darker and the first rumble of thunder were heard I thought better of staying out with several lightning ‘rods’ poking up in the air.
