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keepitreel
17-11-2007, 01:52 PM
Me and a mate decided it was time he got his first Jack so I took him to my Secret Livie gathering spot for some mullet & herring. To get there you have to wade accross a small creek that is usually no deeper than your knees.
Well it seems after some good rain it is a little deeper now and we both went in up to our plums and I soon realised mobiles don't like salt water! At least no one could interupt our trip tonight!
One cast of the net saw us with 30 odd mullet and herring and a couple of bigger mullet that were ideal for fresh slabs.

Headed down to the passage and into my favourite little piece of water that has produced some nice red fish over the years.

Started off with my mate hooking into a solid fish that spat the hook straight back at him seconds later.
He know knew what he was up against and was keen for another.
I was dead set on using the mullet strips as the fish are sometimes a little shy with the liveys but he was losing them at a rate of knots.
The score was 2 bust ups and 1 eel to him and me without a touch.

A move was in order so we motored to a nice fallen tree in about 13ft of water and within 5 minutes he came up solid and after a short but spirited fight on his 14lb mono a nice 38cm fish was in the net.
I pursauded him to release the little fella and he was stoked to have his first Jack. I was stoked to be a part of it.

We moved to another bunch of snags as the tide bottomed out and I was enjoying my last CC and dry can when a huge eruption occured in amongst the snag pile.
I took my sh!tty mullet slab off and pinned a 75mm live mullet through the top lip and lobbed him in.
5 mins later and my baitrunner came to life, the 20lb tufline burning my index finger as I clicked the reel into gear and leant back on my 6ft starlo stix coming up tight.
The line burned from the reel as I locked the drag and felt the fish brushing the submerged trees on his way home.
A few tense moments and his head was turned with some line coming back onto my spool.
My expert net man slid the net under a beautiful 53cm red devil.
There was so serious shouts coming from both of us and high fives all round.
I don't know who was more pumped me or Todd.
Unfortunately he had swallowed the 4/0 deep down and in the fight it had made a fair mess of his gills so the painful decision was made to put this fella in the esky.
I am still a little sad that I could not return him but he will make a tasty dinner for us both tonight with a few ales.

Cheers

sharkbaithoohaha
17-11-2007, 01:58 PM
Well done mate.That's a well conditioned fish with good colour.

theVan
17-11-2007, 03:11 PM
Beautiful fish mate...... and great story... thanks for sharing

5cougarsthanx
17-11-2007, 04:12 PM
Well done mate top story
Cougarman

rabbitohbill
17-11-2007, 04:20 PM
Never tire of the jack stories. Always a bit of action & the unexpected.
Pity about his wounds but a good feed no doubt.

Flattie Assassin
17-11-2007, 04:54 PM
Yes a quality read and another great jack.

cheers
FA

Fish_gutz
17-11-2007, 05:05 PM
top jack well done!

ffejsmada
17-11-2007, 08:47 PM
Nice fish mate, I haven't cracked the 50 yet this season, it won't be far away.

Cheers Jeff.

chrisallangler
18-11-2007, 07:15 AM
Good Jack mate, they are such a great looking fish, good Work. Cheers Chris

keepitreel
18-11-2007, 07:36 AM
Thanks fellas.
It is always good when you target a fish and it comes off.
Putting my mate onto his first was just as satisfying as landing the big fella.
It is funny how the whole catch and release thing is these days.
I still feel a little down about not being able to release him:( when really I should be stoked and enjoy the chance of fresh, free jack fillets.

Didley
18-11-2007, 11:14 AM
Sounds like a great fishin trip to me, mate.

ddobson
18-11-2007, 12:03 PM
Great story and a nice fish. I think i will need some one in the know to help with the bagging of my first jack because i am still enjoying the islands on the snapper but am starting to feel a bit left out and yerning for my first red of the inlet kind. I have even bought my new 3 to 5 t curve baitcaster with a shimano curuxis ready for the time to come. Cheers.

fishingjew
18-11-2007, 01:03 PM
Good one great story love the jacks hell just love fishing!