Feels good to be back

[SummerTrance]

Hey ausfishers,

So almost two years ago I made the sad decision sell my boat. Didnt really want to, but sometimes these things need to be done. As I dont know anyone with a boat, I havent fished once since then. About a months or so ago, I jumped back on ausfish for a look and soon the interest came back.

New ausfish member solemandownunder kindly invited me onto his boat for a trip out. The plan for sunday went sour with the weather, but we then planned to hit up Mud Island today, which was a first for soleman.

Left Manly harbour about 5:15 am and went out to mud. First drift saw an undersize for soleman, and a 52 cm snap for me. I was pretty dam happy with that.
Next hour or so we were getting the odd undersize and I got another for the esky at 35cm.
Then I got a very good hit and line was peeling fast, but it spat the hook. About 10 minutes later on the same drift line my 4" lime tiger got monstered. About 8 minutes later after a solid fight, my new PB Snapper at 85 cm came aboard.

To say I was happy is an understatement. First trip in two years and I got a mud island horse. We fished for another few hours but things had shut down, with only a few more undersize squire caught. Unfortunately soleman didnt catch any keepers, but he still went home with feed of fish and my most sincere thanks for taking me out.

Feels so good to get back on the water and get amongst it again. The bay was flat as a tack all day and we didnt even get rained on.

Thanks heaps again soleman

Cheers ST

[Dylan_Rylatt]

woweeeeee what a monster.!@!@!@@! awesome fish and welcomeback......!@@!@!

[rosco1974]

well done mate nice fish

[netmaker]

that's a great comeback fish and pb to boot! way to go.

[dayoo]

Very nice fish mate. Pleasure to meet you at Mud this morning.

Cheers
Bazza

[BAR UP]

Hey ST good read and some nice fish mate. Will have to blood the SEA ROD with some Mud snaps , Peter.

[aus2045]

Awesome just awesome, makes me homesick.

[SummerTrance]

Thanks everyone. Was just happy to get out there again, and I was stoked with the 52 on the first drift. Then to upgrade my PB by 8cm Im pretty much blown away.
Now and again Ive said to the missus how much I miss the zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Well that one fish gave me enough zzzzz to make up for 2 years of no fishing. Im saving hard to get myself another boat and in the meantime soleman has offered to take me again, so hopefully more reports to come.

[BLOOEY]

Great stuff that is a horse of a snap! Ben

[Back In Black]

Nice to see Netmaker left one for you!!

Tony

[Peter4]

Absolute cracker - makes my PB of 60cm look like a tiddler!

Great work ST and a top pic of you holding the beast...

Oh, and tops marks to soleman and his generosity to help a fellow Ausfisher.

[solemandownunder]

Absolute cracker - makes my PB of 60cm look like a tiddler!

Great work ST and a top pic of you holding the beast...

Oh, and tops marks to soleman and his generosity to help a fellow Ausfisher.

Thanks Peter, but the TOP marks MUST go to the young gentleman ST for introducing me to some new areas & FINALLY soft plastics

I was KEEN as to get out....maybe just as keen as ST, but that is OMO....

Truth is this....the young man that I took out in the "LadyK" was not only true to his word regards soft plastics, but also was considerate of my own choice in fishing patanosta rigs with mullet fillet.

After my 1st REAL intro to soft plastics, I have now decided to play the eachway bet on future trips....ALTHOUGH...and I must say, the only thing in STs' tackle box was copious amounts of SPs'......AND he proved his point in spectacular fashion, landing 3 keeper Snaps, 37, 52 & finally the 85......from memory he threw back at least 3 undersize.

NOW, while I caught 7 undersize Snapps/Pinkies/Squire on flesh.....the point remains.....he caught ALL his on SPs'.....and bought 3 home....ME-NOTHING

However, I learned a hell of a lot on this trip & ST is welcome aboard ANY time we can organise another run......work commitments for the both of us will decide the next outing.

Between LOCATION, SPs' & line selection, I am grateful that the young fella is teaching an old dog new tricks.

still will have an each-way but........

Cheers, Ray.

[Peter4]

Goodonya Ray - I ditched bait in 2007 and have done much better on soft plastics and hardbodied lures ever since. The quality of fish on artificial offerings seems to be much better as well and you don't attract rays, pike eels and shovelies!

Ditch the each way bet and go to the dark side!

Cheers

Pete

[solemandownunder]

Goodonya Ray - I ditched bait in 2007 and have done much better on soft plastics and hardbodied lures ever since. The quality of fish on artificial offerings seems to be much better as well and you don't attract rays, pike eels and shovelies!

Ditch the each way bet and go to the dark side!

Cheers

Pete

DEF no argument THERE Pete....and I think the writing is on the wall....

But not sure if I wanna switch sides JUST yet

I mean....even got my FIRST double hook up in the Bay on the patanosta....and even though both were undersize by about 5cm, it was still exciting.

Maybe a few more trips with ST and I will have NO argument left....

In the middle of re-stocking the tackle box with SPs' & Braid as we speak.

Thanks & Cheers, Ray.

[ddobson]

Good to see yah back and with a solid PB to boot. Mud is really producing for the boya of late. Cheers DD.....