east of point lookout

[mackmauler]

The target was Marlin today, A complicated mess of lures decorated the wash behind the boat at 8 knots.

Early on it was rather lumpy and rain was a concern, not as we had hoped, the sea settled a little by 9 and cleared, we started to get some action, bonito were hungry, caught quiet a few, the first big run came soon after, a torpedo striped tuna of 4 kilos singled out the purple pusher on the long rod, then it was yellowfin tuna of similar size, again the same lure, the bonito preffered a weighted lure.

So we caught bait and will eat same for dinner, not a sniff of the marlin or dolphin fish we asked santa for but there you go.

Cheers, Rob

[predator]

ditto with the weather up at flinders!!

lumpy and only raised moses pearch at hutchinson shoals....moved to smiths rock off cape moreton and pulled in 40 - 50 pearl pearch (28 32cm) all released bar a couple of 40cm+ ones. also scored a couple of dolphin fish
102cm,108cm

[predator]

the sons .......102cm

[stu68]

Hi Predator
I was at Smiths rock on sunday as well but didn't have as much luck as you,or should I say skill.
I think I recall seeing your boat out there.We where in a red and white Savage Osprey 550.It was the 1st time out there.(thanks to lucky phill's gps marks)
I was wondering if you would help me out with what rigs you use for pearles and dolphin fish.We had 6 cobia come up to the back of the boat but by the time we got our baits in they where gone.
Cheers stu68

[predator]

hi stu68

the pearlies were caught on 2 x 5/0 hook paternoster rig, using squid and pillies....

the 1st dolphin fish took a floating pilly under a piece of polystyrene (as there was no current) rigged on a set of gangs.... berly of cooked prawns and pillies..
when I brought it along side the boat the other was with it, so the lad dragged a pilly in front of it and whatta ya know #
had a bugger of a time with two 1m + dolphin thrashin around the back of the boat #

we never seen any cobia #

[Ron_Collins]

Hi Predator

I'm keen to know the depth of water you were fishing when you caught the pearlies, and the stage of the tide. Do you think tide makes a difference in comparatively shallow water when fishing for pearlies? I think it does, but have nothing to prove the theory. I don't want your GPS marks, but am also interested in knowing if you were actually at Smiths or in the general vicinity?

A mate fished the 100m-plus grounds east of Lookout recently and scored pearlies around 3kg and snapper around 6kg. I wish there was some decent research done on pearlies to tell us about their habits etc.

Your comments will be appreciated. - Ron Collins, Ed.

[predator]

Hi Ron

time of day was between 6am and 8am and was in approx 30m of water SE of smiths, which was closer to brennans... tide was less than half way to high tide. I think high tide was approx 11.14am at 2.41m..
depth dropped from 15m to 30m within approx 20m
I can pm you gps marks if u like (IN THE NAME OF RESEARCH) # #so if you have a gps with maps you can see it.
seeya #Wayne

[jaybee]

Hey Predator were you in the wire weed near smiths. Been a long time since i fished that area, there is a big patch of wire weed that usually fishes well for perlies, problem is it was so thick you tend to lose a few rigs. If i recall though it was to the north of smiths.
cheers.

[mackmauler]

The times I've fished around Smiths has been lots of small fish, can't beat the lookout wide spots for big pearlys around here, do any of you guys fish out past 110meters? Been thinking about trying some further out spots when the current allows, hardly ever see anyone out on the lookout wide spots and its pretty good, I reckon the 60s would produce even more big pearlies.

Rob

[jaybee]

Problem with the wider grounds mack is finding a day where the current is light enough where you don't need a housebrick. have some gps for some pinnacles on deep dempest that rise 90 mtrs and produce good pearlies and snapper, but then it depends on the current and the bloody great tigers. pm me if you would like em, i dont go there anymore.
cheers
joe.

[predator]

we fished the eastern side of smiths 10m - 12m and like ya said Rob they were tiddlers so moved SE on to this bit of a ledge (10m - 15m drop)down to 30m and started to get the larger fish!

didn't expect any pearlies there,we've always got em in the deeper water but glad we got a couple of legals ..

no wire weed Joe, never lost a rig all morning....but i think ur right the wire is north of smiths

[mackmauler]

Any legal Pearlies are fought over on my boat, never caught a decent one in the shallows around there always a lot of pickers beating them.

Did you pickup the Df at hutchies Predator, be good if our clubs round here sponsored some fads.

Braid has been tops in the deepstuff with a drogue out if the current is on, most of the times i went out to the lookout spots this last winter spring the current was behaving, with the braid i can feel bites while dropping back up to 150m of line and there is usually something attatched by then, so I think even deeper is viable if its a good day.

Rob

[predator]

some fads would be great out there, not just for dolphin fish, but other species also........dont ya just love the aerials of the dolphin.....(top sportfish!!) #

ours were caught SE of smiths in 30m

Im not using braid yet shit scared of being spooled with 100 bucks worth of braid

[mackmauler]

They are normally out in the deep water, its peak season now for them at the moment but its been a slow start for them, last year they were getting caught everywhere, the new waverider off lookout isn't attracting them yet. Not many better all round fish than a good dolphin

[mackmauler]

If your fishn deeper than 60 mts braid is the go, don't no whats going to spool you, ive had the same 300 yard spool of 24kg bionic on for 3 years and never got down near the backing, I do chase the big ones though. I've stopped using it for trolling, found on the bad tangles I was cutting valuable line back to often...

Cheers