5 Days at The Pin

[bidkev]

The plan was to simply to give the deckie a well-earned rest after her working New Year and to drag the kids around (on whatever) behind Sole to Sole. Fishing was to take a back seat to crabbing and exploring for future crabbing venues.

Day 1. It was really great to meet fellow ausfishers and I was pleasantly surprised at their showing. Good conversation and quite a few laughs, all achieved without opening a stubby I made up for it in the evening though, just a shame they weren't there Gave Ausfishers a run to show how well the Whittley handles. Someone, I can''t remeber who, nearly put me on my arse First time I've had to pull anchor with 4 crew on board

Crabbing result....4 cocks and plenty undersized and jennies returned.

Standard breambo results for the kids when fishing from bank during day

Big Beach rod out into the main channel in the evening with live poddies on size 10/gamakatsku octopus rigged via running ledger to 25lb mono. Four runs.....2 drops, 2 break-offs!

[bidkev]

Day 2: and more crabbing in old venue. Seems to have tailed off with only 2 cosks to show although I think a couple of the pots had been got at.

Same fishing proceedure at evening resulted in 2 runs and drops the third run pulling the rod out of it's rest and down the beach. With me shouting "Fetch the gaff" I proceeded to wind in my jew which looked surprisngly like a small blue spot ray. Them jews sure are good at camouflage

Rain!

Day 3: Put rod out at 6.15 with 25 cm bream livebait and it was hit within 10 minutes stripping 2 m of mono from the screaming reel. Couldn't hold it and Ross shouted for Rocco to fetch the edge trekker. We jumped into it and gunned it for me to tretrieve line just as I was being spooled. That kid's only 15 and he's a wizz at handling that small rig taking it to port or starboard just as I asked and slowing speeding when appropriate. For the next hour we were dragged from Cruso to Squire and then back again without seeing what it was, despite the leader being out of the water. It hugged the bottom a couple of times and I put pressure on rather that allow it to rest. I was convinced that it was a large shovelly or stingy. It surfaced exactly an hor from when it first struck and we could see that it was a huge whaler going over 10 foot. I got it aside a few times with the intention of tailing it and dragging it back to camp as there was no way we could lift it.

I had visions of enough crab bait to tke us through, but that was just wihful thinking. Another 40 minutes saw us at Slipping sands and with one quick about turn the whaler crossed the line, tailed it, and it was gone. I was so relieved as I thought she really deserved her freedom after such a tussle and I didn't really want to decide whether crab bait and the photo of a life time was worth more than this magnificent creature. I can honestly say, that I've never had a shark fight as this one did. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and recovering as I ached all over.

Still had to pull the pots later though and we were rewarded with another 4 bucks.

[bidkev]

Day 4. Same time, same hit, large poody as bait. Into the stessl and off we went. This was definately a ray. It was half an hour before Rocco got to see it as I was seated on the floor of the boat hanging on for dear life. Down to squire, over the flats and back into deep and all I could see was a bow wave in front of the boat as she towed us backwards and forwards.

Rocco shouted, "Manta, going a good 2 metres across" and as we had seen some very large Eagle rays jumping the day before I reckoned on that. Anyway, she tokk and hour and 10-minutes to gain her freedom which she did rather cunningly.

I had tried to keep her in deep water to prevent her sinking in the bottom but she managed to pull us to the bank behing the cross maker where she only had to gain 3 feet to get her wings into the sand. I thought she was going to take us out the Pin bar at that time so in a way was relieved that she got loose. I just applied pressure to try and lift her but with only 25lb mono I could see that a break-off was inevitable.

Back top camp and another rest and brekky and 2 more hits and drops.

Relaxing day breaming and crabbing and only 2 bucks so decided to move the pots. Found a hidden creek that's only accesible on a king and gave that a whirl.

[bidkev]

Rest of Day 4:

Spent in water sports. The kids loved being pulled behind Sole to Sole and I'm glad I went for the 25 merc as opposed to the 15. She pulls well. Even the dogs had a go

Heavy storm that night but the tents and tarps held well.

[bidkev]

Day 5: Looking for future likely crabbing spots and our best haul of cocks to date at our new venue. Motored round and fished off the point of crusoe just a few feet from bank on high water. The sounder blacked out and in 20 minutes we'd gone through a full bag of whitebait and a bag of small pillies. Result for 3 rods was nigh on 60 mixed bag of bream, tarwhine and butter bream all shoaled together. Only 5 keepers form the lot but the kids had a ball.

The last night's haul of crab. Ross had cooked 'em before I got a look in with the camera. he doesn't hang about when the Colac Girl is screaming for her feed

[bidkev]

Day 5 cont: helluva storm that night but once again we survived. Our investment in small mountain tents and our decision to dump family sized tents has payed off.

At one stage we had to bail Sole to Sole as she was full of water. Luckily, Ross always carries rollers with him so we managed to get StoS up the beach so that if she filled during the night, it wouldn't matter. Next job is to put an auto bilge pump into her.

Within a minute of the first break in the storm my reel started screaming (32cm tailor bait) and after a short struggle I was yet again broken.

I've decided the way to go will be to use heavier gear, which unfortunately won't allow the long distance cast into the spot where I get the hits. We'll have to use the tinny to take the baits out and have it ready for any future action.

Another nice break at the pin but still no jewey but hey, good company, kids having fun, meeting fellow aushfishers, plenty of crab, what more could one ask for?

The highlight though, is the looks on the faces of the other folk in boats as we got dragged past them Me in the bow of a little 10ft stessl with a huge 12ft European beach rod, bent double and steaming past with the engine turned off. They must've wondered what kind of creature dwells at the Pin to be able to do that.............trust me, on past experience, there's more to the Pin than meets the eye

cheers

kev

[longtail]

good to see you all had a good break kev, nice to meet you and the deckies mate.
i must say you did look a little concerned when we were beaching right in front of your camp
catch up again mate

cheers
jason

[indy]

Good to see you got some crabs kev try the pine if you get a chance seems to be a few around now.

[skippa]

First time I've had to pull anchor with 4 crew on board

Sad Kev, sad. Definately a case of too many skippers and not enough deckies cheers for the run, she's one nice rig mate.

Good to meet u guys and by the sound if it you all had a great time too. Glad you made back home safe n sound and I knew those hiking tents would get thru those storms, but I did worry about you guys getting flooded out, not a lot of dry ground there Kev.


Catchup again some day.


Cheers,
Tony

[brentasauros]

Rest of Day 4:

Spent in water sports. The kids loved being pulled behind Sole to Sole and I'm glad I went for the 25 merc as opposed to the 15. She pulls well. Even the dogs had a go

Heavy storm that night but the tents and tarps held well.

surfer...dog..is..way..cool

[JasonT]

Great Report mate! Sounds like you all had a good break with some big fish fun to boot!
Cheers!
Jason

[JB]

Ripper report there kev, the effort your family puts into thier fishing and camping is a credit to ya mate, the kids must have a ball.

[Figjamm]

Day 2: ....

Same fishing proceedure at evening resulted in 2 runs and drops the third run pulling the rod out of it's rest and down the beach. With me shouting "Fetch the gaff" I proceeded to wind in my jew which looked surprisngly like a small blue spot ray. Them jews sure are good at camouflage

Kev sure did look surprised when he beached his "jew"

[bidkev]

[quote author=kingtin link=1136681247/0#1 date=1136682284]Day 2: ....

Same fishing proceedure at evening resulted in 2 runs and drops the third run pulling the rod out of it's rest and down the beach. With me shouting "Fetch the gaff" I proceeded to wind in my jew which looked surprisngly like a small blue spot ray. Them jews sure are good at camouflage

Kev sure did look surprised when he beached his "jew" [/quote]

That's the brandy me dear :-)

[bidkev]

Forgot to mention. A special thanks to Myurray judd who kindly came out and gave each of the kids a ride on his jet ski. The deckie looks happy here but you should've seen her face when she thought she was going over the Pin Bar

kev