The Very Deep Drop - GC

[onerabbit]

Yes , guys the arms were sore as there were no electric reels to be seen on our boat. We were in the 34' Blackwatch.

A couple of Tcurve Roads with TLD50's loaded with 80 pound Braid. The young blokes ground it our in high gear , while the older blokes sort refuge in low gear.

Awesome fun , but all the action started right on the tide change.

CONGRATULATIONS,
and as Noelm said, welcome to the world of REAL deep water fishing.

I was worried at first that this was going to be another "electric reel" capture thread,
I was going to ask for a photo of the reel holding the fish that it caught,

but you guys are to be commended on a fantastic effort...WELL DONE.

I am also interested as to how you found the Blue-eye to eat, southerners say they are the business,
but I found them to be less so,
would like your opinion.

Muzz

[DALEPRICE]

top catch and that is a ridgey dige effort to hand haul those bad boys
from thoses depths.

muzz and wayne, i have eaten blue eye the next day after we caught it and
my family rated it as the best fish we have eaten. Then you here of other reports like you guys about them chewing not so good.
i kept the smallest of the fish we had on board and i would guess the weight to
have only been a 6 kilo ish fish. I guess a bit like the bass gropers and pukas, seem to get tough when they put some size on.

thanks for the report
cheers dale

[Pinguu]

Guys ,

We were about 30nm's from the seaway. The fish is very good eating actually nearly like chicken really. I ended up with three fillets to take home all the size of my torso, took some time to clean, skin and fillet into steaks. They looked like eye fillets and rib fillets in size and that was after I cut them down the middle.

I have given a lot away as it would take me a month of Sundays to eat it all. I am also interest in the feedback on the chew from my friends, family and clients who were the happy receipients of the days catch.

Im not sure if the Keith's previous boat was X Factor, but i will ask him.

It was hard work , but I was having so much fun it didnt really seem that hard once I had boated the fish. Just to prove no electric reels I will post a photo of me mid fight with the rod loaded.

To answer one of your questions , I didnt feel the bite , the rod just loaded up and it was obvious the fish was on due the bend in the rod and the sheer weight of it even though we were also hauling back the very large sinker used to get down to 550m.

What a great day out and it glassed off for us on the trip home which allowed our master fish filleter Steve, to complete the job on the way in. What an effort fillet such monsters it was a pleasure to watch him work. And I definitely learned a lot that day.

Warwick

[bondy99]

Pinguu

Was you down towards Tweed Heads? It's the only seamount that I'm aware of and its about that depth.

Peter

[Smithy]

Wayne,

since I have known Keith he originally had a 6.5m KC, "Mad Catter" then a 26' Black Watch flybridge also called "In Deep" with a big single shaft Iveco now this "In Deep" which is a 30' with twin diesel Volvo shafts.

Peter,

these guys are marlin trollers so they would be punching in marks on good structure all the time as they troll over the top during summer. There is plenty of ground off the Gold Coast if you know where to look.

Warwick,

well done. At least Low Gear Trev had a reason to go low gear this time!

[Pinguu]

Smithy,

You obviously know the boys well, yes Trev did have the green eye shark and the blue eye Travella on at the same time, so his low gear effort was warranted.

Peter,

We were NE of the Seaway about 30nm's, hope that helps.

Warwick

[Pinguu]

For the doubters, evidence of the rigg used.

Warwick

[bondy99]

Pinguu. Can you get in contact with the vessel owner to ask him if he is going out there next and pm me the details and cost?

I caught Green Eye Dogfish before and have fished those depths so I know what it's about.

Cheers, Peter

[bondy99]

Smithy, thanks for the info mate.

I'll catch up with you eventually to go out on a charter and catch a few reds and coral trout (if any). Full day job, I dont know what day as yet.

Send me a pm with your info and contact details.

Cheers, Peter

[onerabbit]

For the doubters, evidence of the rigg used.

Warwick

Just one look at that photo, pinguu, is all that is needed to see you are genuine,
your face is redder than a pommy after a hot day on Bondi,
I also see that you had the kidney belt AND the bum belt....in case of a rupture....hehehehehe.

Seriously though,

Terrific effort, I love the days when we get out to the deep water looking for Bar Cod, although we dont go quite as deep as you have.
To get so many good Trevalla, you must have been on the edge of a good drop-off?

Muzz

[bondy99]

Yeah he does look like he's straining, that's what I call ring of confidence

Peter

As onerabbit said, the sun worshippers at Bondi would be envious of you

[Getout]

Hey Pinguu, at that depth, do these fish show on the sounder? Just interested, cause I went out there once and my poor sounder just flat lined!!

[bondy99]

Hey Getout,

It wont show on your sounder unless your sounder is capable of going down that far.

Furuno (not sure on spelling) sounders are good and easily see the fish, then again I'm talking about seamounts where it rises from the seafloor to about 650metres below the surface. Barco and Taupo Seamounts shows up like a Christmas Tree.

Depth of water out there is over 1,450 metres if you go past these seamounts.

Cheers, Peter