Subject: fishing today -- 28May09
Date: Thursday, 28 May 2009 5:30 PM
Link to video at end...
After our great day yesterday Brian, Jaro and I fronted up at 7am again today accompanied by Jim and Steve. We were met by a magnificent autumn morning and all were launched onto a glassy sea by 0700.
0701hrs. (Still from video)
Jaro was itching to get going and was soon away, heading north. Jim and Brian followed soon after and Steve and I brought up the rear. As we left the shore a very slight southerly helped our progress by 1kph or so. We all made good time for I noticed that it had taken us just over 30 minutes from the shark net to the shoal. Not bad going for a few old codgers (Brian not included).
Brian, Jaro and I had yesterday's hotspot on our GPSs and went straight to it. Jim and Steve opted to do their own thing for a little while but soon joined us after we started to get some action. I'd decided that I would take every opportunity to get some video footage and the opportunity was not long in coming. Brian hooked up first cast and soon boated a nice snapper. I hadn't been close enough to capture this event on my camera but relayed the info to Jim and Steve by radio. On his next cast Brian hooked up again and this time I was close enough so I paddled over with the camera running...
0758hrs. Brian fighting his second fish (Still from video).
Soon he boated another fat snapper. Both of these fish were hooked over the shallow reef which brought us success yesterday. On being told by radio of Brian's second fish, Jim and Steve forsook their fishing spots and headed over to where we were drifting. So by shortly after 0800 all five of us were fishing in a relatively small area so I was conveniently placed to record the next event.
Jim had paddled over to our spot towing a pilchard bait dressed up in a squid skirt and then decided to retrieve it for the drift over the shallow reef area. I was watching as, half way through the retrieve, his heavy trolling rod suddenly bent over and Jim leant back to take the weight of what was obviously a heavy strike. On seeing this, I retrieved my drifting soft plastic (again) and paddled over with the camera...
0808hrs. Jim boats a beautiful snapper. How big was it Jimbo? (Stills from video).
At about 0820 my turn came. I was working the soft plastic over the reef when it got picked up by something which at first applied very little pressure but then took off against the drag in the direction of Double Island Point. Shortly after the strike there was an eruption of fish behind me but by then my fish was about 100m away and still swimming and my reel drag was howling. I was pretty sure this wasn't a snapper as the fight was not typical of that species but I played him out steadily and patiently and eventually, after a ten minute or so tussle, a mackerel tuna was found to have eaten my soft plastic and come to a sticky end as a result. As I already had some snapper in the fridge I didn't need to keep the tuna so asked my companions if anyone wanted the fish, which are quite good as sashimi. Steve took up the offer and in due course I delivered the fish to his yak.
0830 hrs. Mackerel tuna taken on soft plastic.
From 0830 onward, things went quiet except for the occasional hit and drop or small fish. Jim left early to deliver his prize to his bride while the rest of us stayed on, being encouraged by teasing action from mainly small fish. At around 1015hrs I picked up a small but keeper snapper, again on the soft plastic.
0830. My only snapper for the day.
We started dwindling back from around 1100hrs onward, and all were safely back on the beach by 1230-ish, having had an easy ride through the diminishing swell in the surf zone.
Brian's two (larger snapper) and mine, back on the beach.
It was of note than none of us, yesterday or today, caught a sweetlip. They should be coming on, with the snapper, soon.
Video link (this is one of the most popular NY videos):
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
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