Many thanks for enquiring about the Royal Red Prawns for me. Mutton bird Island, hmmmm, at least my working memory is still good, must be a good 30 years since I've been down there. Might see you in Ballina on the next leather run.
Sleepygreg,
Just goes to show there are a lot of things that goes on behind closed doors to the general public.
Interesting idea about the "leather jacket", although I'm not sure how prestigious the title would be....
How would this be decided?
Who could catch their 20 the fastest, (easy, just use a 20 hook trace & get them all in 1 drop)?
Possibly for the biggest, or the biggest total weight for 20?
I imagine that once the weather cheers up the water will be thick with them,
so anyone interested in being involved in a M&G to get a box full should watch this thread for more details as they are decided.
I am thinking of coming up for a look around in the morning of the day before the jacket slaughter with old mate Les (he is always keen as for a fish), will come and say gday and work out some details etc.
I Can't see a close by cheap (read free camp) so will probably put boat in the drink and sleep on her.
Will then come home on the afternoon after the catch/clean
so Muzz do you burley these fish up to the boat?
there will be one spot left in the boat if needed Muzz
The best line for jackets down that way is anywhere between 58 and 72 fathom.
The 60 fathom reef runs along the entire Eastern Seaboard so its not hard to find and you wont need any marks to start finding Jackets out there.
We used to trap up to 800kg a of tails a day and most of these fish were bought and shipped overseas for processing and imported back by the container load as boxed fillets.
It was by far a lot cheaper than processing them here.
The best line for jackets down that way is anywhere between 58 and 72 fathom.
Ahhhhh.....dont think I want to wind them that far when we can get plenty in 60 mtrs,
in fact the 32 fathom mark usually seems to have more big ones, 1.5 kg +
haha I just got PM from you Muzz
Cool.....chat soon, I think best in the next 2-3 weeks, depending on weather
I have not checked to see if the wire will go through the eye of the hook I will be using as yet.
I was contemplating of placing a crimp above and below the hook so the hook stays in position on the wire with another 2 hooks about a foot below. all up dropwire / leader is about 4 foot, Snap on swivel up top and large sinker below.
you said once before 1/0 big gun, they have a big gape for a leather jacket's mouth although I have caught them on 7/0 octopus hooks before, are the Big Guns the hook?
I was contemplating of placing a crimp above and below the hook so the hook stays in position on the wire with another 2 hooks about a foot below
Is a lot of stuffing around if you get your line bitten,
but I doubt that the 285lb will go through the hook eye when doubled,
is the main reason I only use 160-180.
Murf, make sure you have a supply of Big Gun 1/0,
they are the only hooks that I have found that they dont bite in half.
Im sure we can avoid that date, they will be here for a while.
Will be going for a look this w'end, just to see how thick they are.