Smithy
21-08-2006, 06:46 PM
Traffic accident on the Sunny Coast slowed the boys up Friday and we got to the Tin Can Bay boat ramp about ½ to an hour later than we wanted. Crossed Fisherman’s Gutter on a run in tide and skirted the outer bank to the bait grounds in flat conditions. Loaded up on liveys and started the 70km trek to the fishing grounds in twilight. Last 20kms the sea started to get up and it was pitch black. Sounded some new country and don’t Navonics cards make life easier. Every ridge was spot on. Looking at a 10” Lowrance also helped and we were out in a 6m Seafarer Victory with a Bombardier 175 and 260 litres of fuel. Took the boys to one of my good spots after searching for new ground. Big panic as the new GPS must have been on a different Datum and I couldn’t find it. Sea was a bit sloppy and being so dark I was panicking a bit that I wouldn’t find it. Stumbled onto is at last and plotted it in as it is about as big as half a footy field. Had a couple of goes at anchoring to get on the money and sorting anchors and things out in the dark none of us were feeling flash only to find the current absolutely raging. We all decided to have a camp and see what happens later.
I got up at 3.00a.m. to find the current had dropped in half but the swell up. It kept getting lighter all day. The fish were on straight away. Typical wide session. Couldn't get them away from the sharks. At one stage busted the dacron loop on a 400lb wind on on the deck winch, straightened 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks, pulled hooks through dropper loops etc. trying to get past the Sharks and having too much pressure on. Joined by the other fellas about then also experienced the same thing even with Stella 10000 80lb braid jigging outfits. Pulled a few undersize Reds as you could crank them quicker and a couple of just legals. Good a good Red Throat Sweetlip and some of the biggest Coronation Troat I have ever seen. One of the boys got this Red in the picture a while later drifting with a gang Snapper floatling style. Current was back to nothing by then and the sea dropped out all day.
Decided to try the 100m line for Pearlies but couldn't sound any with the Lowrance and had no started marks. Headed in to the next ridge south on the Navonics card and found Reef King there. Said g’day to Ty and kept looking to the south. Found a reef I had been looking for down South only to find the current ripping. Went to a good old spot a bit west and had no current but got no fish off it. Headed in and hit bar in twilight. Would have been good to get the afternoon session on them.
Two Up the cat cleaned up Sat. They got a mark out of Craig Tompkinson. They jigged bait and headed out north of us I am guessing. They got 12 Reds to 8kg or so, a 6.8kg Grassy, 21 Hussar around 2kg, few AJs, Jobbies etc. and were in by dark. Awesome trip for a day trip. We have only ever overnighted because of the distance. Another boat I know fished the northern spot or ones due east of the bar and got mega sharked but got 8 Snaps 8-9kg so they were happy.
I slept in car at the ramp and fished with the Baker family in the V19C. Went to Eurong Bommy. Shows up well. Acre of fish around it. All small. Undersize Reds and Pearlies. Pulled a few legal Pearlies. Lost a 10-12kg Kingie for Ronny in the net and had hits every drop from small stuff. Worked some numbers stopping and dropping all the way back to 10 mile off the bar country. Got on a good show. Full house of Slimeys every drop at one stage. Got 3 ripper Squire there to 78cm. Nearly lost one to a 10' Tiger right at the boat. Hooked him and some mates later on. Also jumbo Mack Tuna and a feed of Sweeties. Scratched up a feed in the end but didn't slap em and got to check out a lot of numbers I hadn't looked at before.
I got up at 3.00a.m. to find the current had dropped in half but the swell up. It kept getting lighter all day. The fish were on straight away. Typical wide session. Couldn't get them away from the sharks. At one stage busted the dacron loop on a 400lb wind on on the deck winch, straightened 10/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hooks, pulled hooks through dropper loops etc. trying to get past the Sharks and having too much pressure on. Joined by the other fellas about then also experienced the same thing even with Stella 10000 80lb braid jigging outfits. Pulled a few undersize Reds as you could crank them quicker and a couple of just legals. Good a good Red Throat Sweetlip and some of the biggest Coronation Troat I have ever seen. One of the boys got this Red in the picture a while later drifting with a gang Snapper floatling style. Current was back to nothing by then and the sea dropped out all day.
Decided to try the 100m line for Pearlies but couldn't sound any with the Lowrance and had no started marks. Headed in to the next ridge south on the Navonics card and found Reef King there. Said g’day to Ty and kept looking to the south. Found a reef I had been looking for down South only to find the current ripping. Went to a good old spot a bit west and had no current but got no fish off it. Headed in and hit bar in twilight. Would have been good to get the afternoon session on them.
Two Up the cat cleaned up Sat. They got a mark out of Craig Tompkinson. They jigged bait and headed out north of us I am guessing. They got 12 Reds to 8kg or so, a 6.8kg Grassy, 21 Hussar around 2kg, few AJs, Jobbies etc. and were in by dark. Awesome trip for a day trip. We have only ever overnighted because of the distance. Another boat I know fished the northern spot or ones due east of the bar and got mega sharked but got 8 Snaps 8-9kg so they were happy.
I slept in car at the ramp and fished with the Baker family in the V19C. Went to Eurong Bommy. Shows up well. Acre of fish around it. All small. Undersize Reds and Pearlies. Pulled a few legal Pearlies. Lost a 10-12kg Kingie for Ronny in the net and had hits every drop from small stuff. Worked some numbers stopping and dropping all the way back to 10 mile off the bar country. Got on a good show. Full house of Slimeys every drop at one stage. Got 3 ripper Squire there to 78cm. Nearly lost one to a 10' Tiger right at the boat. Hooked him and some mates later on. Also jumbo Mack Tuna and a feed of Sweeties. Scratched up a feed in the end but didn't slap em and got to check out a lot of numbers I hadn't looked at before.