Awesome Iluka

[Freeeedom]

Just spent a few days at Iluka. See my report "Iluka revisited" for an account of the fishing. The swell during my stay was big, and at some times HUGE. These pics show the Iluka bluff on Thursday last week when it was running as big as I've seen it. Those who know the area will know that it's not as dangerous as it looks, but it still looks pretty impressive and you do have to be careful. Fortunately this is just the weather you need to bring on the luderick at this time of year.
Cheers Freeeedom.
This is how it normally looks - this was Saturday. That's me collecting cabbage on the right.

[Freeeedom]

Thursday morning about 8am.

[Freeeedom]

"Who's that idiot?" the tourists were asking the missus, who was taking the photos.

[Freeeedom]

Moving back to a safer position as the tide gets higher

[Birdy]

Freeeedom .


Great pics.When i lived down there i spent countless hours fishing exactly where you are in the pics in big southern swells,the bigger the better untill they get to about 3 meters and then it starts pumping over the front of the bluff from the south and gets too big.
In calm weather get into that gutter you are fishing and have a snorkel about........be suprised who lives in there.

Love it....

Birdy

[Freeeedom]

Hi Birdy
A lot of the luderick being caught there at the moment have bits chewed out of their fins. I wouldn't be surprised if there are some decent jew there. I've brought luderick to the surface there on previous trips only to have something large eat them and take off at high speed. I've also had a bag of bleeding luderick tied to my waist while I've been fishing there and looked down to find a wobbegong shark hanging onto a fish through the bag. I picked it up by the tail and shook it loose and threw it back into the gutter. Five minutes later it was back doing the same thing. I ended up having to shake it off my fish three times.
Love the place - can't get enough of it
Cheers Freeeedom

[Commodore]

Geeeessss Freeedom you are keen , fished the Bluff and woody since i was a little scrubber, seen too many fisher folk get bowled over down there and get a very wet crack , but you look like you know what your doing , i like boats better .
Cheers,
Chong
ps, was there any color in the river??

[Freeeedom]

No Chong, the river was pretty clean even though the bar was breaking right across. I saw one trawler take three goes to try and get back in and another have a look at the bar on the way out and turn round and go home.
On Saturday, when things had eased down quite a bit, the guy in the middle of the top picture went for a swim as the tide rose, and the guy in the red jumper (his dad) almost went in as well trying to help him. After that we all moved up the gutter a bit. At least the water wasn't too cold since the winter has been so mild
Cheers Freeeedom

[Adamy]

Are those waves or mountains in the background of those photos??? ... or maybe just mountainous waves. Looks a bit scary too me - must be getting old!

[Bundy_Burp]

Those pics are fantastic I would say you are a brave man to be out there with waves like those .
I hope you got a good feed of fish considering the danger as they say you only live once I suppose.

Bundy

[Freeeedom]

Yeah Bundy, the fishing was great in those conditions. The luderick go mad when the water is stirred up like that and the fish are of beautiful quality. If you have a look at the report "Iluka revisited", which is on page 2, at the moment you'll see one day's catch of luderick from the gutter plus some bream from the breakwater
Cheers Freeeedom