Late Peel Island reports - 23, 26, 30 July

[joeT]

Three late reports from my recent assaults on Peel Island.

23.7.05 – hit the western end of peel with a friend from work throwing plastics around. Nice overcast day. This was my friend’s first trip with plastics (or lures for that matter) and he was a bit skeptical. Fished the first hour from 6-7am with no luck and with me starting to lose faith in plastics. Then I decided to move to my other spot x. Anchored up and first cast and ‘zzzzzzzzzzzzzz’ I hooked onto a nice 41cm squire. The following hour or so was non-stop action with lots of squire and of course grinners. Ended up with 4 good keepers, 48cm, 42cm, 41cm, and 38cm. Pics below (fish always look smaller in pics ???).

26.7.05 – my dad heard about my squire action and wanted to get in on it. Up early again and onto my spot x at 6am. From the second cast we were on and there was some great action. Mostly undersize but 3 good keepers of 36-40cm. Was a bright sunny day so the bite was on for only a short time in the morning. My dad hooked onto something really big which took drag non-stop at high speed for about 30 seconds before the hook pulled – another story for the one that got away.

30.7.05 – up extremely early to try to catch the early bite. 4am at the Vicky pt ramp and my first drive to peel in total pitch darkness. Total contrast with previous trips with nothing notable all morning. At about 10am we moved to deeper water and were surrounded by schools of hundreds of undersize squire. We could see them all around the boat in the clear water. Hooked onto a few which was fun, but they were all very small 25-30cm. After losing a heap of plastics I decided to call it a day. Really low tide that day and I saw a heap of people stuck on the mudclumps around coochie.


Plastics used were 4” assassins in watermelon seed and pumpkinseed. Size 2/0 hooks and 1/8 jigheads. Lots of fun, and if the weather keeps up, will give it another bash this weekend.

See you out there!

[fritzy]

Good stuff - nice fish. Wondering what sort of jig heads you use?? Also what type of line and leader do you like to use?? Finally do you just use a slow retrieve to the boat, or mainly just jigging??
Any info would be much appreciated,
Cheers Fritzy

[chanquetas]

Woohoo! I'll be circling Peel Thur/Fri. Look out Snappers!

[skippa]

G'Day Joe,

Mate I was at Peel a few weeks ago and I know what you mean about schools of undewrsize squire. Behind the boat was so thick with them you coulda walked across 'em. They sure as hell blacked out the sounder. Makes a change from peskie grinners I suppose.

Cheers,
Tony 8)

[Fishin_Dan]

Good work mate! Bet you can't wait to get back out there!!!

[joeT]

Good stuff - nice fish. Wondering what sort of jig heads you use?? Also what type of line and leader do you like to use?? Finally do you just use a slow retrieve to the boat, or mainly just jigging??
Any info would be much appreciated,
Cheers Fritzy

Jigheads used were nitros 1/8 weight with 2/0 hook, but any brand will do, as long as the hook is sharp and doesn't bend. Line was 8lb fireline and 8lb berkley vanish leader (about 2m).

Retrieve is fairly random, sometimes just a dead slow retrieve, sometimes lift the rod and wind up the slack, and then let sink. I find the squire just smash the plastics (often as the lure hits the water and sinks) and I don't even have enough time to think about retrieve.