Having just been away for work for the last 3 months, and not wetting a line at all in that time, the forecast of 5/10knt winds AND a day off got me pretty excited. Early plans were to head up to lucinda pre-dawn, hit the reef early, and hopefully be back in by mid afternoon with a bagfull of fish (ever optimistic......).
Headed out to bramble for a quick lookaround. Lures went out the back and started the troll working the 50-100ft dropoff. Plenty of bait everywhere on the sounder, and within abotu 5 mins, big rapala goes screaming off. up comes a decent sized mackeral (~100cm), and big shake of its head say it's freedom. bugger it!
Lures back out and troll the same area in figure 8's. Another 10mins or so and a small spanish 80cm is in the icebox. Trolling again and lost another two good sized somethings, just thrown hooks (think it's time to change the hooks over on those lures!).
Anchor up off bramble on some good shows. Not a lot happening right away so wanteed to have a look around brittomart for a few new spots.
Head across the brittomart and start fishing slightly deeper. Right away we were onto some good fish, with a couple of redthroat hitting the ice, and plenty more lost. Hightlight of this drop was losing a semi decent sized somethgin off the bottom to a big mackeral/cuda right at the back of the boat. After a couple of minute fight on the big handline, and my poor hands now resembling miced meat, bite off ensured. Surprisingly, couldn't find any trout in the deep, and with the current pushing through, headed up to the shallows to drift some baits amongst the bommies. Got some redthroat (those damn things are everywhere!), and still no trout.
Headed back to bramble for one last drop before heading in to fix the trailer and found the whole north/western corner with scattered bait, with small mack/tuna working in scattered patches. Another quick troll (another lost something, really need to change thos hooks!) and anchor up again on some good shows. Couple of bust offs and rockings, then the mother of all strickes on the big handline saw me dragged all around the back of the boat, slammed knees into gunwales, and again, shredded hands. couldn't stop whatever it was and thought it had burried me in the rocks so proceded to try and bust off 100lb handline.
Very next drop and another good take on the handline and manage to turn it. COME ON TROUTY! To my surprise up comes a purple cod, first time catch for me.
Not long after this, a dark shaddow appears at the back of the boat showing some interest in the baits being pulled past. Close inspection revealed a big groper ~6ft long just hovering at the back of the boat. Fishing slowed down at this stage while the big girl was hovering at the back of the baot waiting for an easy picking to come from below. THe big girl was soon joined by another dark shadow, with an 8/0mustad hook and 100lb handline hanging out it's gob!!! No wonder i couldn't stop that bugger!
Highlights of the trip were the 1st purple cod, the two big groper, and seeing a pod of 6 whales frolicking on the way back in with millpond conditions.
Southwind SF20 'Piscatoreous'
Savage 14ft tinny "About Time'
great report mate sounds like a great day wish i was able to get out there. good to hear you seen some big groper they are wonderfull big fish even when they steal a fish or twostrange you did get any trout were there any pro's around???
have a good one
casey
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