Wello Pt Sat Night

[Big_Al_2]

Fished Wello Pt all Sat night from about 1830 til 0830 Sun morning. Fished a couple of the small slopes in about 5m of water about half way to Huybers beacon until about 0100 with only the odd very undersize squire and a couple of pike of soft plastics to show for it. Had one big run on a floating hardihead, but you could guarantee the biggest fish of the night would take the lighest line (8lb mone with no trace) and it bit me off as soon as I tried to put a stop to the fast disappearing line.

About 6 other boats out there until midnight, but all seemed to head back in by midnight - perhaps it was quiet for everyone.

Moved to the first deep drain about 400m south of the leads. The numbers of fish picked up, but still no size. Biggest squire went around 29cm, and got a couple of nice pike over 40cm on 2 inch Berkely Powerbait grubs. Fortunately as the sun was coming up I managed one keeper squire at 40cm (bait was a grinner caught about 5 min previously - at least they're good for something).

60+ fish. 1 for the plate and 7 pike added to to the bait collection for the next trip. Last trip to Wello was 100+ fish for 4 for the plate & 37 pike for the bait collection. Keepers seem to be a bit far and few between.

Cheers

Big Al 2

[aquarius]

Hi Big-Al,
We need some rain to fire up the fish i reckon......Never caught much around Wello on a full moon at night......Better to fish the area on a dark moon and go into the shallows.
1, 40cm squire is ok for 2 people to have a fillet each.
What baits did you use?
I usually take fresh squid and WA pillies.
Hope you have better luck on your next trip to Wello.
You get squire there all year round but the big grass sweetlip are only there in numbers during the hot summer months.
Cheers Brent

[Big_Al_2]

Thanks Brent. Water is crystal clear everywhere and unfortunately I don't often get to pick when I can fish - generally whenever the opportunity arises regardless of moon or tides.

Couldn't go out until after dark so Wello is easy for someone who generally fishes by themself and doesn't have a decent spotlight. The Pin, my other usual haunt, is a bit interesting to navigate at night from Cabbage Tree Pt as so few of the markers/beacons have lights.

For bait I had fresh squid & hardiheads and 1 kg of mullet from the fish shop (so I hope it was fresh). Also had a heap of pike from the last trip and a large collection of SPs. Nearly all bites were on cut flesh baits - squid nearly untouched. All pike on SPs. No shortage of bites, just short on size - usual collection of small squire, sweetlip & moses perch. Not expecting any big snapper, but was hoping for a few squire - but then I've never caught more than 2 keepers on any one trip.

Tried floating one of the smaller pike all night, but untouched. Wasn't expecting sweetlip at this time of year, but was surprised that there were absolutely no tailor or bream around, not even one undersize bream.

Cheers

Big Al 2

[aquarius]

Mate you had the right bait, i'm surprised the squid was untouched.
Big snapper at Wello are rare but i have caught some small ones up to 2 kilo during the daylight hours(midday actually)
Fresh mullet strips work well on the squire and the squid would be my choice for the grassies.
Certain area's around the reef hold good populations of legal size moses perch and the odd bream or tawhine.
On 1 occassion i managed 5 DART on a paternoster rig dropped beneath the boat, all fish were the same size (35cm).
The Wello reef has a wide variety of fish species and you never know whats going to come into the boat.......I guess thats what draws the fisherman back time after time.
Not sure if you have seen this pic but just to show you there are some good squire around here goes.
Cheers Brent

[Big_Al_2]

Thanks Brent. Nice fish. It's the live in hope that keeps drawing me back to Wello. Biggest squire I've got to date at Wello is 46cm.

Can't ever complain about the variety and even quantity of fish on offer - just a pity most of them are still in the kindergarten, with the odd primary school version.

Big Al 2

[vertico]

biggest squire i have landed at wello was 47cm on 2kg spin gear
was alot of fun and i would recommend it to anyone
was caught on a zoom super fluke jr in watermelon seed

[bazzaman]

Gday Boys!

Ive fished wello a fair bit myself and have found down sizing baits to for eg......strips of squid instead of whole on a single hook and little to no weight has accounted for more legal fish than bigger baits! A pillie floated under a balloon almost guarantees a tailor....Last time the other week i was at peel this worked effectively on the tailor! Also found fish of better quality were caught on sand just off the reef .......I dont usually fish right on top of the reef! Same goes for Harrys! ......

Good fish Brent!

Hope this helps a little and improve your legal catch rates!

[vertico]

move off the reef into around 7 -9 metres of water and burley like a mad man on an incoming current! this will be very effective in the last run of the high tide

[Big_Al_2]

Bazzaman & Vertico

Thanks for the tips - seen a few boats out in the deeper water, but have never tried it. Will give it a go next time - I basically thought you had to be on the structure to get the fish - I imagine you have to be on the reef come sweetlip season though.

Generally use heaps of burley - probably why I get the small fish. Any secrets in the burley? I tend to use chook laying pellets, tuna oil, any stale bread left over during the week and any bait left over from last time.

In addition to the Wello tips, any generally hints for better areas on Peel to give a go. Have tried near the beacon at SW rocks - sharks galore - and the mouth of Lazzarets Gutter (kindergarten factory only and snags galore).

Thanks for the help guys - any further tips to imporve my catch and help me get further afield would be appreciated.

Cheers

Big Al 2

[bazzaman]

Big Al!

If you know any divers ask them where they see all th quality fish sitting on the reef or on sand just off the reef and im sure theyll tell you on sand thats what ive found when diving.....Even with sweetlip! I never burley at wello just because of all the smaller fish! Each to their own in that dept though!

I tried the hole in the wall a few weeks ago at peel in about four metres of water and the tailor were on the chew big time! Missed some really good fish but only managed a couplle of legal squire! Had two choppers live under a balloon and all that wanted a go at them was a silly old shag! >

cheers Shane

[bugman]

I'll back Shane up on the "where fish live rule"

[Big_Al_2]

Thanks for the input guys - it sounds like I need to move off the reef and try to find the edge over sand. Also sounds appealing from the gear saved perspective as well - wouldn't be uncommon to use a box of 50 hooks in an all nighter where I currently anchor.

I suppose the theory with berley is to attract the smaller fish which in turn attract the larger fish - don't think I've ever got past the first stage though. I suppose my fear is no berley, no fish.

Cheers

Big Al 2

[vertico]

the reason i burley at wello is to bring on the hardy heads and bait fish. this in turn brings on the better sized fish. For burley mince up some pilchards with a mincer.
fish as light as possible, I fish sometimes at wello with just a hook and no sinker and big baits like whole pencil squid / whole yakkas etc

[aquarius]

One thing you guys did not mention about fishing over the sand was you do tend to catch a heap of shovel nose rays... my experience at Wello.... I believe the burley works well but i also reckon the bigger fish are always on the move around the bay.
Some days they are around and others you can't raise a scale.

Big Al try the spit beacon on the western side of Peel.......Can produce good fish at times.
You mentioned about catching heaps of undersize fish when you burley up but usually once the small ones have had there fill the bigger fish will move on in so be ready.
Find the bait schools and the fish should be close by!!!!!
Cheers Brent
PS..Brett are you saying the fish are feeding on the sand?
and how far would you say are they from structure?
I can imagine a whiting digging into the sand but not a snapper.

[Big_Al_2]

Thanks again guys.

Tend to use no sinkers or no bigger than 00 to get some of the baits down a bit when the tide is running. Anything bigger at Wello guarantees a snag sooner or later (generally sooner for me).

Shovelies on the sand or Wobbegongs on the reef (have caught 5 - 10 wobbies some nights on the reef) & pike eels & rays if I fish the Pin or Pimpama - you always catch some crap wherever you go.

Will have to find a weekend with no wind and give spit beacon & hole in the wall a go.

The NE corner of Coochie near the red beacons also seems to get a fair mention in some reports. Is this area worth a try?

Cheers

Big Al 2