[grant ashwell]

Getting jumpy I decided that a fish was in order. Forecast not too bad but on arrival in the dark very windy and white-capped.
Headed out then north towards Grassy. It's a long way across the bay with 28 kmh westerly winds blowing. Out and across to 50 mtrs with quite a bit of sounder action> Even saw one mackeral image but ignored the challenge in the 18.9 deg water.
Ended up with this fellow on an Atomic soft plastic. Shortly after hooked the bottom and lost my leader so came home. Early finish with the cold spray not helping the cause. Once back on shore the conditions seemed to settle very quickly but the day was done for me. Estimated 11kg and when weighed went 11.26kg so my eye is getting in on these fellows. Not as big as last effort but in prime condition with hook bending jaws

Hope it inspires you to have a go. I was the only polar bear out.

 

[Guest]

Well done mate , that is a cracking Snap

Cheers

 

[DennisT]

Wow....Just .... wow.

Nice work Grant

 

[Marty75]

Grant showing how IT'S done...... once again!

Awesome Grant.

Marty

 

[spottymac]

Nice work Grant, Sounds like you are honing your skills in on a new fish species for winter,
With mind blowing results :shock:

 

[solatree]

Bloody Hell - friggin amazing Grant

Not as big as last effort but in prime condition with hook bending jaws

You never did tell us the length of the last one - what did it go ?

 

[tonieventer]

Amazing fishing in conditions like that well done again Grant. Can only hope for a break in the weather here in the south wind and seas might calm down later this week enough to get on the water again this weekend.

Cheers

Tonie

 

[Guest]

Love the understated "not as big as last effort" as if to say it's a small fish.

 

[Dave73]

Great fish & in crappy conditions, that is indeed awesome!!!

 

[Marty75]

Which sounder so you use again Grant?

HDS5?

 

[Game fisher]

great life you got there!

Bloody Hell - friggin amazing Grant
grant ashwell wrote:
Not as big as last effort but in prime condition with hook bending jawsYou never did tell us the length of the last one - what did it go ?

Atomic soft plastic

Was it the neuclear chiken or yellow colour this time?

 

[kayakone]

Grant
Please forward to Ado via Australia Post. (He'd appreciate a 'tiddler'.)

 

[grant ashwell]

Thank you for reading and your comments.
I mentioned the size relative to the other fish as up til now was guestimating weights. Don't think I realised that Snapper is a universal fish that everyone can relate to and so measurements are important. Not like some of the other stuff I catch. I feel more familiar with Snapper now having caught 5 so think the other big fellow was 12.5 to 13kilo. It was somewhat longer and taller than this latest version.

Re the sounder. It is a Lowrance HDS 2 5". Previous to this it was an x510. I really don't see much (maybe any) difference in performance probably because I only operate at depths to 55 metres so the latest and greatest is not necessary. I do not have all the side scanning attachments. I run it at fairly high sensitivity and like to show the different water temp zones usually at 15 or so meters. I have it set for slow trolling but did this manually rather than use the optional program. Without getting out the manual I cannot remember all the technical details or language-- ( is this the "gain") so that might give you hope. I run through hull with a removable wet mount transducer. I do use tap water to fill this "pond" each outing as I thought that the reading was a bit stronger than salt water--maybe imagination but always looking for the edge.

I will think about my capacity to write a little "whats going on" story re things I see on the sounder. There will be nothing new but it might help. See if I can put something useful together in the next couple of days.

regards

Grant