Subject: Fishing today -- Wed 15Oct08
Date: Wednesday, 15 October 2008 4:48 PM
Somebody mentioned to me that these fishing reports may be depressing to some addressees and perhaps I shouldn't send them out. Please let me know if you find the reports depressing and I'll leave you off the list, unless you enjoy feeling depressed, in which case, don't tell me to leave you off the list and I'll continue to send you depressing reports which you'll really enjoy -- go figure!
Another great day today. Only three of us fronted, Harry, Mike and I. We were also joined for a while by some ultra newbies -- a couple of young guys, Charles and Steven, from Peregian who were mounted on a double Viking Nemo.
We launched at around 0545 through a messy shorebreak and Mike and I, at least, got a little wet on the way out but no cause for concern, although it was necessary to time one's run in order to avoid the odd nasty curling dumper --- you know, those that can blow you out of the seat if they drop on top of you.
The light breeze was initially from the SW and there was a partial overcast with resulting low light levels as the sun was still low on the horizon. Harry got about a 10 minute start on Mike, and Mike about a 5 minute start on me as I had a bit of rigging up to do. About 1.5km from shore I caught up with Mike who revealed that had been busted by a fast running fish in the short distance from the beach. He put the bust-off down to a too tightly set drag...
At about the 3km mark Mike and I caught sight of Harry bobbing in the ocean on his Swing. Once we caught up with him, at the edge of the reef, I found he had, amazingly without GPS, navigated to a position very close to one of my GPS marks. He'd already started fishing and so I left him to move to one of my other marks nearby, intending to take advantage of the SW breeze to drift me over the reef in a NE direction.
Harry very shortly afterward reported, by yelling, a keeper sweetlip and this was before I'd even settled down to fishing. My first cast proved fruitless but conditions looked great and so I laid out a second cast which attracted the attention of a nice fat sweetlip which soon was secured on my stringer. I laid out the next cast and well before the jig had got to the bottom the line tightened abruptly and I felt the weight of a nice snapper as the reel gave line in response to the surging run. A couple of minutes later a very nice 50cm snapper joined the sweetie on the stringer...
I'm experimenting with a new (and hopefully better) method of securing fish (see pic) and it took me a while to sort out the technique, but I soon stuffed him in the fishbox and laid out another cast to come up trumps immediately with another sweetlip. Three keepers in three casts and it wasn't even 0700! Harry, meanwhile was specializing in sweetlip, in response to an order from SWMBO...
As the drift took us away from the initial fishing area, the bites slowed noticeably. Mike caught a small bream, using prawn bait on a bottom bouncing rig, and later reported a keeper bream, before turning a bit green around the gills and deciding to head back to do battle with the shore break. Any more action on the way home, Mike?
The drop-off in the bites didn't bother Harry and me at all as we already had a feed each in the bag, and besides, a pod of whales appeared right on top of the reef just as Harry and I decided to change position. This action took us very close to their anticipated track. So for a few minutes we were entertained intimately by an adult and two calves, the latter of which were having fun leaping partially clear of the water. A very pale sample of some of the action...
Whales up close...
And so the morning meandered along. At one stage I had another powerful run from a strong fish, almost certainly a snapper, only to have the hook pull free (yes, again). And Harry caught on a soft plastic a small but keeper yellowtail kingfish (min size 50cm) which put up a spirited fight. Harry is becoming converted to SPs I think!! We both caught several reefies and small snapper which were returned to the water. Oh, and a small mac tuna which scoffed my jig, was boated and returned to the water.
Harry Crockford and a small kingie taken on SP, and the sun had come out.
By now it was 0930, and we were both very happy with the couple of hours we'd spent out there. Mindful of the strong wind warning, we decided to call it a day and had a very pleasant paddle home with the breeze, which had now swung around to the NE. Having both chosen to land on the beach to the east of the groyne, I have to report that one of us got a wet arse on the way in, but nothing was lost from the Swing in the process ;-).
Here's our take home catch, the bottom three being mine. The better fish were taken on SPs.
Another wonderful morning in Laguna Bay. Does it get any better than this? Tune in for the next episode sometime next week and find out.
Monday and Tuesday are both looking good for next week so who's interested in getting out there? The shoal seems to be fishing really well at the moment.
Oh and best wishes to our yakkers currently waylaid with injury and illness. Get well soon guys.
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
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