A quick report from the weekend before I hit the sack. Saturday, we decided to go to Somerset instead of the bay, not really relevant here in the saltwater reports, but I scored 4 bass.
Sunday we launch from wello not long after sun up and motor north for a flick around the beacon. Chris and I both got a couple of fish each, the biggest just under 40cm the others in the 20s, all going back. After drifting a few more times we decide to make the run over to Harries, with the conditions being so good. Around halfway over, we slowed to watch a flock of birds, then the water beneath them starts to be carved up by some big fish, they disappear before we can get in position. Hanging around for a bit, we are presented with a couple more chances to cast, but nothing doing, not interested in our plastics rigged for harrys. They appeared to be large mackerel, what sort I've no idea, unmistakeable profile though, easily 1mt fish.
Continue on to harrys, and start to drift in with the tide, the wind hadn't really begun to get up yet, the first few were quiet, then Chris hooks up to our only fish from there. In 20 mtrs, with the bail arm open to let the plastic sink, were just drifting, as he closes the bail arm and before it closes completely, the lure is belted big time, enough to load the rod, fire the bail arm back open and make the braid crack like a whip. It goes limp right away, chris closes the bail shaking his head thinking the fish was gone, but right away, the rod loads again and his poor little penn accord 2000 starts to wail, and wail, and the fish just keeps going and going straight down, big thumps of the rod when it finally stopped running after what seemed like ages. By now we realise that we can see the backing through the remaining braid, but it doesnt run again and chris gets back maybe half before its off again.
This fish took some huge runs and it wasn't until we saw it coming up under the boat that it was definately a snapper. Once on the surface it was as stuffed as chris was, we orientated it to the net and I scooped it in. We thought it was going to be bigger than it was because of the runs, but when we lifted it in, it turned out to be a very broad and fat snapper. Any wonder it managed the runs it did. Chris has 4 red welts on his stomach from holding the rack raider against it. The fish went just shy of 81cms, equalling his pb of 80.5. We need to buy some decent scales but we estimate around 6kg?
After a fewmore fishless drifts, we decided to move to St helena, but during the move, the wind really kicks in, so we head back to wello and pull out. Stopped for a quick flick on the way home in Tingalpa creek but no fish there. The snapper was caught on 20lb main line to 12lb fluoro leader 1/8th 5/0 TT at 10:30 am, but the placcy that did the damage I'll keep mum on.
simon
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