Wello Reef Report 19th October

[aquarius]

Hi There fellow anglers, A workmate and myself heard that the sweetlip had arrived around the bay shallows so we decided to see for ourselves. We left the Wello boat ramp at 5am and motored towards a favourite location on the edge of the Wello reef....The wind speed was 10 knots from the northwest and the tide was also running in our favour.
It wasn't long before the whole squid baits were snapped up and we had several just under size squire caught and released.....This went on for about 4 hours before we boated a 33 and 34 cm squire and sweetlip.....Got busted off 4 times with what i reckon were mackerel or sharks....Broke 17lb vanish at the swivel.
The sand crabs were very plentiful but just that 1 cm short of throwing in the esky....next time i will definately take the crab pots.
Other fish caught and realesed were grinners and bream.
Baits used today were WA Pillies, frog mouth pillies and whole small squid.....Gave my new TICA SPORTERA BAITRUNNER A workout for the first time and i must say its as good if not smoother than my shimano baitrunner that ive been using for the last few years.
The grassies should start to show now the water is warming up and i hope this season is as good as the last one.
Cheers Brent

[argonautical]

Hi Brent

Thanks for replying to my email. You talked me into joining. I've got a couple of (thousand) questions.

1.Can you give me some info on the rig you use - line breaking strain etc

2. Do you anchor on top of the reef or beside it.

Thanks Phil

[aquarius]

Hello again Phil, Great to see your've joined the site mate.
OK the rig i use is 6 kilo main line attached to a swivell and then half a metre of 17 lb vanish as my trace.
A small pea sinker on top of either 1 single of 2 ganged no; 3 hooks.
Try and hide your hooks inside the squid tube as the bigger fish have good eyesight and shy away.
The key to success is to stay put and use lots of berley to attract the fish to your boat.
I fish just on the edge of the drop off in about 4.5 to 5 metres.
When you go through the leads at Wello head to the right and anchor about half way to ormiston point.
Good luck mate and let me know how you go.
Cheers #Brent

[Dominator]

Hey Brent were you at the same spot as last time?

Sam and i are going to give it another go when we get some spare time. ???

Cheers,

Dominator.

[adriancorrea]

Hey there Brent
Good to see you too had a good time in the bay
As I wrote in my post I think they were mac tunas that busted you off.
Did they take off like a freight train???

I hope your right and it is a good season for the sweetlip

Tight Lines
Adrian

[aquarius]

Hi Sam ...yes mate get out there early this time and im sure you will come home with a feed.
Adrian you could be right about the Mac tuna although i suspect they were big sweetlip...The run was straight for the bottom structure and the rest is history.
Sam just one thing mate....the fish like a calm morning and go off the bite when the sea becomes choppy.
Cheers Brent

[argonautical]

Brent, Lined up a mate to go fishing with me this thursday night off Wello. Intend to put a few crab pots down while we have a fish. Let you know Friday how many grassies we caught. (positive thinking!).

By the way , what is "vanish".

Will use the remains of the last couple of mud crab sandwiches in our burley.

Phil

[aquarius]

Good Luck for Thursday night's trip Phil....Don't be surprised if ya catch some monster shovelnose at low tide.
Vanish is fishing line made by Berkley of America...great stuff mate....as the name suggests its hard for the fish to see!!
Look forward to your post on Friday.
Cheers Brent

[argonautical]

Slipped the "dart" into the water about 8.00pm. Nor-easter had kicked in and was really too rough for the tinny. However I needed a fishing fix so we headed out through the leads and turned toward Ormiston. The full moon was nice, but conditons were otherwise unpleasant.

Caught a variety of fish, the best being a squire which measured 29.99999cms but nothing we could take home. Caught fish on pillies and squid.

Next time I'll get up early in the morning when it ain't so windy. Maybe next friday morning.

cya
Phil

[jaybee]

hi phil
seems to be the typical these days, full moon, wind blows its guts out, cant remember when we last had a full moon with no wind, however have found back of green in 15 knots with a raging tide on the moon very productive. uncomfortable yes, and back then i had a 18' 6" cruise craft reef ranger, and have fished nights on the moon where water was coming over the gunnel, not so silly these days. now i look at it as ..there will be another time.
cheers.

[argonautical]

Thanks JB

When you say the back of Green Is do you mean the south-west side. I have thought about nicking over there from Wello in the late arvo before the wind picks up. The run back home would be with the wind and probably safely manageable. When you are in less than 4 metres of tinny you need to be out of the wind plus I hate fishing with a wet arse.

Phil

[jaybee]

hey argo have you got a gps i can send u a mark if not fish around centre to s e of the island there are some pine trees in the centre line em astern till the water tank is over them then head back toward them until you come up on the drop off, there is a gutter that runs through the coral towards the island that fishes well. My brothers first boat was a 10 foot seafarer with a 4hp mcullough, use to take and hour from wynnum just to reach the western side, we use to hang our clothes on the swings to dry then head out the back LOL.
cheers.

[argonautical]

Hi JB
Yes the Dart has a GPS - will have to look up the manual to work out how to put in your mark but would appreciate the tip.

Thanks
Phil
ps I keep wet weather gear and a spare set of clothes up underneath the pointy end.