I was on the phone checking the weather and Friday the 26th of October looked to be a cracker. JT was thinking the same thing and the messages started about a possible red hunting mission. The only problem I had was that Friday is Amanda and my “kid free day”, it’s when both of our kids are at daycare and kindy and we get to do whatever. It was going to be a tough job but looking at the weather, tides and moon I pulled out every trick in the book and finally got the tick of approval.
I met JT at his place and we had the boat in the water about 3am. Oh and I thought I would mention that JT forgot the winch handle so the launch took a bit longer then expected, ha.
We were supposed to hit some close ground but bloody JT’s got that many marks in his gps that he couldn’t remember which was the right marks so we pushed straight out east to the 60-70km ground.
By 4.30 we could see as it is getting light really early these days. The sun was revealing the perfect day out on the water with a glass out and minimal swell.
Pulling up on the first mark JT was quick to say that this was prickly ground and he wasn’t joking with snags coming constantly. We had a few drifts and the place seemed dead.
After about a half hour a few bites started and I hooked up and swung a quality red throat aboard.
Some more drifts over the area and next was what a cracker of a grassie sweetlip of around 3kg’s. JT pulled a couple of undersize reds but things were still quiet though and JT said that we would put the anchor down as the the 2 fish and the small reds came from the same area.
Anchor set and the sounder showed JT was on the money. After about a half hour I was about to say to JT that we should think about moving when a bit of tampering started going on at the end of my line. I fed a bit of line out and then felt the weight and gave it a stab. “On” is all I could mumble with big weight and big head shakes. Colour showed red and up she came. A cracker of a red and when JT’s dad Bill set the gaff I think my yahoo could have been heard from the main land. At 11kg’s and 860mm it wasn’t my PB but my first legal red of 2012 and what a way to get the monkey off my back.
PE Tackle Red Zebra gang down the hatch which i couldn't retrieve
Some quick photo’s and we were back into it. The next hour went off with JT hooking up next and swinging a great schoolie red aboard. Bill was keeping the supply of bait healthy and a few red throat to go with the hussar.
The next 3 fish I caught went red, then a cod then another red and they were taken all off the same chunk of squid head, ha. A quick tip I’ll throw in is that JT keeps the squid heads off the squid that he gets from out at Keppel and cryo vacs them for bait and they are dynamite.
The bite died off and JT said that the bite was strange as it happened on the change of tide once the run slowed and hadn’t seen that before but we were satisfied with our session and moved on looking for more reefies.
We went from spot to spot and were getting chased by sharks. At one stage a big tiger came up behind the boat and took off with the floater which was unfortunate. JT estimated him to be about 4-5 meters which is a great reminder to stay in the boat. We caught whalers, tawny (spelling?) and I had the pleasure of pulling up about 3 meters of Hammerhead as well. We kept trying different spots and were putting dribs and drabs in the esky of red throat, hussar and tusk fish. Bill put a nice trout in the box as well.
JT's short stroker he broke this on a shark
The tide finally changed again and started running in and we fished some new ground that JT found while travelling and it looked the goods. Drifting along with not much happening and then it did happen with a triple hookup. Bill swung a nice schoolie red over the side and both me and JT were working hard. I finally had colour and a big cod was swung over the side. He was borderline of the size that I would keep but he had blown his guts and was stuffed so he joined his mate in the esky. I heard JT yell out f***ing big trout followed by some very colourful language. JT had dropped a monster trout boatside. I did feel for the poor fella as it does make you feel like shit when a quality fish is seen and dropped. I almost offered him a hug but thought best to stay clear for a while.
We anchored up and put a few more red throat in the box and JT hooks up solid with big head shakes. We were expecting red but were a bit disappointed when a big spangle hit the surface. I think JT was hoping for a second chance with that trout. A nice trout was added to the esky by yours truly and it was time to start heading back.
The water was glassed out until about 4pm then finally started to chop up but it didn’t matter with a quality esky full on board. I was amazed at how many sea snakes were out and about with I reakon close to 30 seen for the day. There were also birds and bait everywhere but we couldn’t raise a mackerel. We did cast some slugs at the bait schools for some little mack tuna for bait that were great fun.
The beauty of going fishing with JT for me is I don’t have to drive the boat or car so I can put the feet up and have a few beverages on the way home. There is nothing better then a few tins out on the big blue with glassed out conditions and a quality feed on board.
I’ll just point out that JT owes me 2 sratchies as that is the rules of the boat. A scratchie for biggest red, trout and large mouth. I think murf is cheering as he had to pay up last trip.
I was impressed with PE Tackle rig I was using as this was the first real test I had given the gang set up that I had added swivels in between the hooks. Hookup rate with the deep v’s were great and the fact that I pulled up a heap of sharks on them as well shows they are tough enough to handle anything.
I might add that I did give JT a rod I had rigged with a bait jig some time during the day. He hooked some livies only to have the line part ways. He looked at me with disgust as the knot I had tied must have been ordinary and I won’t live that one down for a while. I also wasn’t pulling the anchor in to standard as some more shit was given my way but great banter out on the boat and even Bill was getting in on the action.
I think that is about it and if I have missed anything I’m sure JT will add a few things but a top day out on the water with JT and Bill and always look forward to the next one. Cheers
schoolies
P.S got heaps of video and will post soon
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Originally Posted by TREVELLY
