Participants: Cybertech, Jaro, Sully, Redwood, Tunny
Launch Site: MG
Destination: Jew Shoal
Conditions: No wind at launch, Light NW breeze of around 5 knots mid morning, strong current to the North
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| L2R - Jaro, Redwood, Sully, Tunny |
Cybertech was ready on the beach by 5.30am, just as the rest of us were arriving in the car park. This was Sully’s “maiden voyage” in the ocean, so we had a quick photo shoot on the beach before heading out.
The shore break was tiny, making it a very easy launch. Shortly after we started paddling for Jew Shoal Cybertech, who had already arrived there reported the presence of some whales. We trawled hard bodied lures out to Jew Shoal but with no success. While there was no surface action from either fish or birds, Jaro reported quite a lot of bait fish detected on his sounder.
Addition by Redwood: As I arrived at JS I paddled over to CyberTech to say g'day when 10 meters behind CyberTech a 1.5 metre ray launched itself 2 metres out of the air and almost landed on him!! One of the easier but more dangerous ways of catching a ray.
On arrival at Jew Shoal I packed away the hard bodied Rapala, and started jigging with a 5” soft plastic on a ½ Oz jig head, while at the same time drifted a lightly weighted prawn bait. After around 20 minutes the soft plastic was hit hard, the line screamed off the reel and the fight was on. My rig was a light snapper rod with a 4000 reel. The initial burst of speed from the fish made me think I had a really big one, but eventually it slowed and I managed to gradually gain line. As it got close to the Kayak I could see it was a Cobia / Black Kingfish. The fish must have found the idea of joining me on-board unattractive, as it took one look at me then headed off, stripping another 30m of line. But that was the final burst and a few minutes later it was gaffed and happily housed in my fish hatch. It must have been lonely in there as that was the only fish I got.
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| 1 x Cobia in the hatch for Tunny |
Cybertech caught a small Yellowfin Tuna which he released. Hopefully its older siblings will be around next time. Other fish of note were a Grinner by Jaro and Trigger Fish by Redwood.
The highlight of the day for all of us out there was the whale activity. Late in the morning Redwood came on the radio to let me know there was a whale heading my way. It passed about 30m in front of my Kayak, arched its back before disappearing below surface.
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| Whale pops out 20m in front of Tunny - good thing he was given that new camera for his birthday. |
On our way back to MG we passed another 2 whales. The beach landing was uneventful as conditions were still very calm. On arrival we measured the Cobia. At 103 cm it is 4cm shy of Pedro’s record. Bugger – should have waited another month or two before catching him.
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| 103cm Cobia caught by Tunny... 4cm short of the record |
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| Hannah from New Zealand posing with 'Slimy' the Cobia |
Thanks very much to David Irwin for sending this pic of his daughter Hannah holding the cobia. Tunny's pic of Hannah was unfortunately ruined due to water on the lens. However David looked up the trip report once he got back to New Zealand and saw the note about the smudgy pic and promptly sent his version from his phone camera. Thanks also to Hannah for holding what was one very slimy fish.
Great TR, Tunny and co. Lovely pics, too.
ReplyDeleteTunny was kind enough to give me some filleted Cobia and man, I've got to tell you, it was the nicest fish I've ever eaten, with the wife and kids in agreement. Thanks Tunny, thanks Cobia.
ReplyDeleteRedwood