This trip had been planned since early February , we had organised that my old fishing buddy Josh and I were going to hit Monduran on the ANZAC day weekend. After 100 posts or so on Ausfish and the building of excitement, and about $1000.oo later on upgraded Certate 3500, lures and line, Josh arrived Thursday arvo from Melbourne town and we hit the road at 1.00pm. Sheite we were keen.
We had checked in and were on the dam in no time and I just had to stand back for a moment and take in the massive change that had taken place from all that water that had been injected into it.
New ball game I thought, BRING IT ON!!!!!!
We rounded the inside of the island [ first time I have done that for 2 years ] and made our way up to Bass Straight. I knew there were some islands I had marked from previous trips, and they were also surrounded by some underwater structure so we hit these first. A Stiffy in the green [ Thanks Steve and Jas ]was my weapon of choice and Josh used a black bills bug as the light was fading. Now I wasn’t 100% committed to the fishing , still getting the rust out from the underarms when the 4th cast was absolutely nailed and a silver streak was airborne, all on the new Certate, E Grell S 10 h and 30 lb braid. Yee Haa.Soon enough a lovely 97cm jobby slid into the net and the doughnut monkey was off my back. I was a happy little vegemite. No more action but the bait was aplenty, temps were 24-24.5 and some boofing was heard.
We fished here for a couple more hours and caught up with the news, drank a few coldies, had some laughs and hit the sack early [11.00 pm]
Bright and early [5.00am] we were mooching around the back of B Bay and we caught up with my old mate Eric Grell aka The BeaR. He had been fishing the previous week and had caught a couple so I got to pick his brain again which was again invaluable. He seriously knows his stuff!!!!
We were looking at the points to fish and we discovered a very boring little outcrop to the eye, but the underwater formation was exactly what we were after. It had warm water on the shallow point, 1.5 meters gradually going out to a channel either side, to about 3 meters which led into the main channel. It also held heaps of bait. This was the spot we concentrated on for every morning session. 10th cast in Josh was on to a really solid fish but as line was peeling away the Gold B52 nearly pinged him in the head, and it was gorn!! 5 minutes later he is on to another beast but drops it on the first jump Both of those fish were meterys. This session was pretty hot, with another 2 hits and heaps of swirls behind lures to keep us interested. The sun came up and we headed up to J bat for a flick but no action there. Spoke to Brian [ BR 65 ]briefly at the ramp and said gday. Back by 12.00.
Back on the water by 3.00 and back to the first session spot, and we didn’t even raise a scale so after dark it was back over to Bass straight and this time I accidentally went to a different spot to the previous night, but as luck would have it I got slammed 10th cast in and a 103cm was boated. There was bait everywhere again and some serious boofing but no more fish. In bed by 12.30am. Water temps 24.5 +
We had organised to meet Jamie [ Over Nova ] and Stuart from Ausfish and they punctually met us at 5.00 am sharp and they followed us to B Bay through the sticks by spot light for a bit of fun. Same point was fished and the boys fished along side us on a similar point. I dropped a big fish at the boat which really annoyed me, and Josh also had a couple more hits and swirls but no action.
We mooched around the back of B for nothing and then took a squiz at the recently drowned cattle yards. Talk about tiger country. Good luck landing any thing in there!!!!
In bed for a snooze at 1.45pm and back on the water by 3.00 to meet the boys again for a night session with placcys etc. over the weed beds of Bass straight. Total was 1 fish landed on a gold Stiffy which I had double split ringed the back treble to give it more room which worked for Josh as his fish went 92cm and a new pb. He was stoked. Tonnes of boofing to keep Jamie and Stuart excited, and they got to try all the funky lures they had bought up. Jamie had one solid hit which is a good thing to go on.! Bed by about 1.30am
We were back in to B bay our point by 5.00am and I landed a feisty little fella of 97 cm which liked to do braid knitting around any thing possible. Soon after young Josh is hooked up to a really solid fish, no jumps [ which is the first indicator of a big mumma ], so I am getting the sweaty palms trying to untie the rope and get the bow mount under way. By the time I was organised the beast had taken Josh under some unseen structure, but a little fancy work with the Minn Kota and he is back tight and still losing plenty of braid. The speed dial on the pedal is now on 10 and the fish is going left towards a big tree, Josh is calling RIGHT but I was wanting left to chase it, after a couple of stern words we are on the same page and I am going right and the fishes head is turned and we are now gaining line again. Several minutes of tooing and frowing and it still hasn’t jumped. Then it surfaced for the first time. Both our jaws dropped as she went around the boat a couple of times and slid perfectly into the net some what 75 meters from the origional spot. What a beast. I called if for 110 approx until I pulled the brag mat out and she went 123cm.
Back to the fish, obviously fish survival is paramount, a couple of quick piccies and she is on her way to fight again. She swam off really solidly which was great. We were soooo stoked that a beer was cracked at 5.45 am and Josh had landed his dream fish. The smile says it all. Well done son.
Another fish was landed in that session, didn’t really rate a mention after 123 but from memory it went 80.
In Beddy bies by 10.00am then out for the last session at 5 where I landed a 92, foul hooked. And Josh landed another. Plenty of wind tonight, hard to find bait and Josh has one jumped off at the boat.
Last session was interesting. We saw at least 4 barra swirl under the lures 1-2 meters away from the boat, which I had never witnessed, I hooked a small barra which gill raked 80 lb leader at the boat and also dropped a metery which stole my B 52 and then proceeded to show it to me by jumping all over the place trying to get rid of its new earring!!!!!!!!
Home beckoned and we left the water by 9.50 am, home by 2.30pm
Thanks go to Josh who has lifted the bar once again for our group, 123 is a massive Barra, and I was stoked to be apart of it. Gives us something to chase eh Paul, Nav Vin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks to Jamie and Stuart for giving us some laughs, you guys are as keen as beans, I reckon you guys are close to the mark, keep on persisting, I will give you a buzz next trip and see if we can organise something.
Cheers also for the beers!!!!!
Sorry about the length of this report!!!!
[ATTACH]sum[/ATTACH]
Attachment 25913
Attachment 25914
Attachment 25915
Attachment 25916
Attachment 25917
Attachment 25918
Cheers
Ben
Reply With Quote
You fished pretty hard & got the rewards
