Wello Pt Overnighter 24-25 Oct

[Big_Al_2]

Won't get to go fishing for a couple of months so headed down to Wello Point to fish - to avoid the Indy traffic down the Coast. Wasn't windy at home, but almost surf conditions on the bay. In desperation to get some fishing in I bit the bullet and put the boat in, but stayed in reasonably close. Caught nothing but vermin - rays, shovelnose sharks/rays, Wobbegongs, etc.

Fortunately by around 8pm the wind had eased and the white caps had disappeared so headed out at tried a couple of the drains south of the leads. Nothing but vermin again - including two hookups at the same time that had line peeling off at a rate of knots. Somehow managed to hold onto the two rods and land the one on the 30lb fireline first - bit of a skull drag. A bit excited to start with when I saw the flashes of silver in my headlamp, but only short lived as a 4kg catfish went into the net. I turned my attention to the other rod - a light whiting rod with 8lb line. After a 20 minute battle and several laps of the boat another huge catfish alongside, this one just under 7kg - a big catch on light line, just a pity it wasn't a "real" fish.

I moved north of the leads and tried the deeper drop off up towards Huybers beacon - the vermin continued, including 2 sharks to about one metre that took pillies I had under a float. I suppose they were keepers, but I don't know enough about what sharks are good to eat or how to clean them, so they went back in - with hook as I wasn't getting near their choppers. The reef fish started to bite in the hour before dawn, but only managed one keeper squire around 36cm. A few throwbacks around the 30cm and none of the sweetlip even close to being a keeper.

Keepers - one squire, one bream & 2 legal sandcrabs. Throwbacks - 11 shovel nose sharks, 8 wobbegongs, 3 sharks, 3 rays, grinners, puffers, etc. Never caught so much crap in my life including dozen or so previous trips to Wello Point.

Always next time ...

Cheers

Big Al 2

[-spiro-]

Should have taken kev he dont mind those catties as table fish.

[bidkev]

Should have taken kev he dont mind those catties as table fish.

Damn! Did I miss a good feed? ;-)

They give you a bit of sport though don't they Big Al? Don't they just go off on light gear? :-) Never seen so many big catties as there has been around this year.......means more bloody little ones next year I suppose :-(

[Big_Al_2]

Kingtin - can't complain about the fight. The only other comparable fight I've had was a 7kg Golden Trevally that nearly spooled me on 15lb line before I turned its head. Certainly had me working up a sweat with high expectations - was hoping for a stray mackeral. However, the first catfish dulled expecations as I figured they normally travel in schools and two screaming runs at the same time was too coincidental. These were the first catties I've ever pulled in from Wello so certainly not what I expected when they went off.

The slime they left all over the carpet on the floor of the boat is enough to turn me off any thoughts of eating them.

Cheers

Big Al 2

[gunna]

You reckon they fight . Many many many many years ago as a nipper I would stand on the drains at the abattoir as they emptied all the blood and crap into the Brissy river and use big trebles on a 60lb hand line and jag catties. Let me tell you, a 5lb catty goes bloody hard when hooked through the tail & you are trying to drag it backwards - particularly if you are only 12 years old . Jeez now I am starting to sound like one of them 'back in my days' fellas .

[bidkev]

<snip>

The slime they left all over the carpet on the floor of the boat is enough to turn me off any thoughts of eating them.

Cheers

Big Al 2

The Japanese cook squid in their own ink.........the deckie was wondering what catties tasted like cooked in their own slime..........I ain't volunteering! :-)

cheers

kev

[bidkev]

<snip>

Jeez now I am starting to sound like one of them 'back in my days' fellas # .

Comes to us all mate........sooner or later ;-)

cheers

kev