[keza]

I met Dave, Paul, Gary and Jim in the car park at 4.30, whose idea was that ?
After paddling a couple of km's we arrived at the spot and set about hunting for snapper. On seeing the others hooking up to fish repeatedly I was starting to get a bit despondent..... until the light started to come up and I saw the clouds, funny how different areas of the coast provide different skies, this spot always turns on a good display and I new I'd catch something with the camera even if I failed with a rod.





After the boys had had their fill of snapper and I was still stuck on empty (bar the trevally Paul had kindly donated to me to help my protein levels) we headed off in search of kingfish.
I managed 3 but all undersized. I did get a trevally to give me a matching pair but as I lifted it from the water I was imagining it on the griddle. Well who would have thought that these things can read your mind, he was off the hook and back in the water in the blink of an eye.







That was it, I'd given it my best shot so with head hung low I headed back in to the boat ramp.
On the beach Dave was cleaning his 3 snapper, Paul was cleaning his 3 snapper and I had my one trevally.
As I was walking to clean the fish my mind was rehearsing how I would explain this one to the wife (who loves snapper), Dave got 3, Paul got 3, I got one.... trevally.
As I was cleaning the fish my mind had moved into OCD mode and it kept repeating.... Dave got 3, Paul got 3, I .......
I was snapped out of this by someone trying to steal my only fish and they had my hand too, I fought hard to get both back but they were exiting swiftly with their bootie and I only managed to rip my hand out of their grasp sans the fish and they were off. I gave chase but before I could get a hand on his throat he launched and flew over the water, ...gone.
The pelican landed down the beach from us where he could decided which was the best angle to swallow his over sized meal.
He actually waited until I had gutted and scaled the fish before making his move, bastard.

Dave got 3, Paul got 3, I got none.

Jim riding the swell

 

[samrota]

WOW, great photos.

Pity about the stolen fish!

 

[Marty75]

I'm sure Tom had posted a similar story about a trevally-stealing pelican at that boat ramp a while back

Great pics Kerry.

 

[anselmo]

Keza, you still have your fingers though?

 

[badmotorfinger]

Not even any fish on your sounder. Might be cursed.

 

[Salty Dog]

Just consider yourself lucky you didn't take your Chihuahua Keza! :lol:

 

[onemorecast]

My Grandmother used to butter toast for our family dog; I suppose cleaning the fish before offering it up is the ornithological equivalent. You're a true nature lover Kerry :lol:

 

[john316]

Kerry, those photos - amazing, stunning, fantastic... none of these words is suitable as the pics are better than that. Pity about the fishless day but what a consolation with the camera - simply beautiful

cheers

John

 

[grinner]

great story,
the comedy dolphin show at seaworld has a pelican in it who they dress up as a cop and he chases the bad guys around on the stage. very funny actually. dont see too many trained birds in animal shows. mite send constable pelican from seaworld down to interview your criminal feathered friend

 

[carnster]

Bad luck Keza, unfortunately we have all been in that dark and lonely mojoless place, but nice story and pics.

 

[paulb]

Funniest thing I've seen in years. There were a few house mums who saw the event, and they came walking back up the ramp with tears of laughter.

 

[Barrabundy]

Fisherman heard screaming profanities while chasing pelican on public beach.

 

[keza]

I should have tethered the fish to a large piece of wood, not too large but large enough to give me the last laugh.

 

[Bretto]

Awesome photos Kerry. I'm actually using one of your photos from one of your previous trips as my desktop background for my work computer.

 

[Dodge]

keza the upside is you know it can only get better, and really like that first picture of a nasty dawn sky.

 

[keza]

Did you go home, get stuck into the weights and have a protein shake? Or did you sit your bony butt down in front of the computer and geek up your pics instead?

Hmmmm, I'm guessing the latter. No wonder you got dusted by a bird.

I have added weights to my tablet pen and I'm looking up pelican recipes as we speak.

 

[avayak]

I cried when I first watched "Storm Boy" and there were tears again, just now, when I read your story Kerry.

SBD phoned me and decribed watching the scene unfold. He has come up with a new internet acronym, ROBL.

I should have tethered the fish to a large piece of wood, not too large but large enough to give me the last laugh.

Being a photographer you should replace your fishbag with a Pelican case.

 

[kayakone]

Did you go home, get stuck into the weights and have a protein shake? Or did you sit your bony butt down in front of the computer and geek up your pics instead?

Hmmmm, I'm guessing the latter. No wonder you got dusted by a bird.

I have added weights to my tablet pen and I'm looking up pelican recipes as we speak.

:lol: :lol:

You're not the first to have a pelican steal your fish Kerry, and you won't be the last. BTW, here's what you needed. Now go get him!

PELICAN PIETY
The perfect recipe for tough cuts of meat, ie. anything off a Pelican, not suitable for other dishes. I wouldn't recommend tackling this recipe unless you are feeling particularly fit as Pelicans are notoriously difficult to catch. Your best chance is to wait till the end of a feast and wave a teatowel just outside the kitchen door.
Cut meat from the bone. Pick over carcass for all edible bits of meat- there won't be much. Mince or chop what you do find thoroughly. Put a tablespoon of lard (renderings from a Baron or Baroness are best) to melt in a medium saucepan. Chop an onion finely and fry in the lard til golden. Stir in a tablespoon of flour and at least 500g of the meat. Cook until the Pelican mince takes a little colour then add 600ml of chicken or beef stock and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. You might like to add some sweet white wine if the Pelican of your choice was especially bitter or not from Politarchopolis. Chop some parsley and stir in a tablespoon worth. When the gravy is quite thick pour into a gratin dish and cover with thick layer of pastry. Preheat the oven to 180C. Paint the pastry with a little butter and put the pie into the oven for 20 minutes. Best served with boiled root vegetables.

:lol:

 

[avayak]

Some pics from the morning. Looks calm where we were but it was 4-7m and the occasional sets provided some excitement.

I thought I was on to a cracking snapper for a while.
After a quick picture she returned to the reef.

 

[Wrassemagnet]

Next time hold a red rock cod in your hand and pretend to look the other way.

The 4:30 am boat ramp meet and greet is so much fun Kerry. Didn't the launch into the swell in the inky blankness warm your heart?

I had to leave early but that was such a fun session, especially the maniacal laughter as massive cresting waves would appear out of the blue and threaten the whole group with wipeout. It was also the first time I heard Paul swear and it was a beauty - a machine gun stream of repeated F words as he found himself side on to a Hawaii 5/0 3m dumper that crested just after he was over the top.

I also liked Gary's release of the brown groper and all the snapper action going off but I felt frustrated with my endless dropped fish on my plastics and steady stream of wrasse on the circle hooked squid tentacle.

Love your photos Kerry which do the whole scene more than just justice.