West coast bash for the long weekend
I had tried to get out on the coast over the holiday break but timing just didn’t work out so with easterlies on the weather forecast it was looking good swell wise but the wind forecast varied so much it was frustrating on the days leading up to the weekend, The plan was hatched to hit the river at low tide 7am (not enough water earlier) and beat the wind on Saturday morning….. Well someone set the alarm early for the wind, Launched at the port store (second boat in so still parking available) and popped out to look at the bar.. All good so Michael and I crossed but with stiff off shore winds we were not going to be going far out, there was no flat water so we anchored up on some sign at 10 meters deep and started to pull in fish… not to comfortable with tide and wind leading us to the odd snap on the anchor rope but the boy was happy as we were still pulling in fish.
After an hour of the choppy shitty conditions I decided it was time to head in as we had a good feed, Plenty of day left to tidy up the gear and then get ready for a Mad party, So back through the bar… well the flat opening and in the river, Michael wanted to eat something so we anchored up set the lines and had a graze ourselves and pulled in a Trev.. then packed up and home james. Messy conditions at the ramp but we managed to sort the boat on the trailer ..
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Sunday Family gathering…who plans one in the middle of a long weekend…especially with easterlies blowing :-/
Monday and the winds are down so we were off, Normie joining the crew this time, a little early as the ramp has a hole to avoid….. and I had until the ute slid down the ramp with the wheels locked up…..Oh well still managed to get the boat off and the ute out (4x4) and we were off (first boat so plenty of parking again) the Bar was flat again and conditions couldn’t be much better but I decided to try the fish in close again… Not likely to get monsters and the average size will be down… but so will the fuel bill ;)
Dropped the pick at spot X and not long after we started to pull in fish… nothing big and with a couple in the bin I had a average bite… pulled it in and about half way up it pulled a bit of line.. up the drag to strike and the fish did a couple of loops under the boat…Called it a kahawai.. Oh well we got none Saturday so that’s cool…. Until I saw colour :D :D :D
Huge snapper 8-) Normie was quick with the net and after a couple of loops the fish was in the boat … the hook hadn't even set with it falling out when I went to remove it... Lucky I managed to keep the tension on :D
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This was easily my best fish and with no scales on the boat he was destined for the smoker… only a couple of fish had made the fish bin so they were removed to let this sit on the bottom and the tail rolled up the end… the Ice and other fish back in. With a feed in the bin the min size going in the bin was lifted to 330 and on we went, Michael caught his first hammer head shark
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and a few school sharks along with snaps, Kawai, good sized Mackerel and Gurnard, Normie was pulling in fish as well but finding the non re-curve hooks didn’t always hook the side of the mouth like our flashers so had fun unhooking fish.
After a while we had used the mullet up so I put a hook in the head and biffed it out on the Avet beast, Set the drag to bait with the clicker on… with no weight expecting to land a shark…. But it actually made the bottom which was a surprise as we had seen several sharks around the boat… after a while line started to peel out with the clicker going nuts… waited until it stoped then on the second run set the hook and off it steamed…. Only to find the hook wasn’t set and the bait spat… Pulled it in and checked the hook and re cast it out and it reached the bottom again… and agai the line started to disappear, waited and set the hook n the second run… felt it pull but weight still on, half way up I called it a shark… then a foul hooked fish as it just didn’t feel right, heavy weight but strait runs without the big head shakes… as it got to the boat I could see why, hook was in the side on the fish about 2/3rds down, another good snap too.
Netted photos taken
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over the side to revive, first release and it keeled over, grabbed it and more water through the gills and release again and it started to swim down….it got quite deep then flopped on it side and floated up….just in reach of the net. So in the bin he went and with the bin full it was time to pack up and go home… not even high tide yet… Great day on the water
Some pics from the house
Second biggest fish on top
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The dog patiently waiting for the fish to be filleted… She loves the scraps
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Re: West coast bash for the long weekend
Nice couple of days fishing there. Well done.
The boy would have been rapt
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