I arrived at Middle Groyne early and went down to check out the beach before the other yakkers arrived.bThe forecast was for light winds from the NE and about .6 metre waves. The bit about waves was right but the breeze was stiffening by the minute. Sunshiner arrived, followed by Jimbo soon after, so with good mornings completed we set up for the day. Steve (couta) from Brisbane turned up about now and also prepared for launch.
Couta launched into the dark first, followed by me and it turned out to be a fairly easy launch followed by a 4 km slog into an increasing head wind.
Tunny, aussie stu, doc dog, stormin and sparky followed at regular intervals.
I deployed a TT jig head/gang set up with a nice pike I put on ice about three months ago. Add a new rod and reel from Santa I couldn't miss.
I hit Jew Shoal at 0450 and the new overhead reel went off at about the same time, beauty. The new 5'6" boat rod and overhead reel made short work of a 89cm cobia. No more messing around and trying to tire them out, I have lost too many that way. As soon as I got it to the surface I gaffed it and into the ice box it went.
The weather is deteriorating by the minute, the wind is still blowing from the NE and it's now also also raining and the visibility is down to fifty metres. The sea flattens out with the rain and takes on an oily look, really good shark conditions.
Visibility from my camera's perspective
AussieStu has had his share of dramas. He has lost what he thought was a Spaniard then lands a spottie and in the process he ends up in the drink. He didn't lose the spottie but apparently it was the shortest swim on record, barely got wet. Where was Stormin with his shark shield?
I paddle past tunny and he tells me he hasn't had a touch, same goes for jimbo, sunshiner, stormin and doc dog.
Sparky picks up a Cobia at about 0615 and couta gets into the cobia as well. He ends up with two.
Sunshiner has to leave early for a family function and soon after jimbo decides it is a bad joke and pulls the pin.
Weather is not getting any better and I have fed all the baby fish on Jew Shoal a kilo of bait, so at 0800 I pull up stumps and this starts a mass exodus.
Probable redthroat emperor (released)
The wind has now shifted a full 180° and now we have to slog into the wind again to get home. There is a lesson in there!
We arrive in dribs and drabs back at the groyne and swap stories before heading home. A few happy faces and a few unhappy faces, but that's fishing. We will all come back for more next time.
Stormin charging in (pic by sunshiner, frame from video)
My cobia cuddling Stew's cute spotty mac
Just another day in paradise.
diesel
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