The smiles are as big as the fish . Well done guys and great post.
My BIrthday coincided with the East coast low last weekend so my fishing day had to be postponed till Wednesday 8/6/2016.
Well after years of throwing back hundreds of small Red Emperor and telling them, as they flew through the air, that I would like to see them when they've grow up, it finally happened yesterday. After catching a few smaller Hussar and Parrot this fellow took a small 4/0 hook and mullet fillet bait and headed back under the boat. My good deckie Robert, pulled all the lines in and we began the battle. It wasn't a Shark, it not a Trout, it could be a big Cod, but the big head shakes didn't stop so I started to believe it had to be a Red. As I worked it up off the bottom I just kept praying for it to stay connected and not get sharked. Rob got the gaff in on the first strike and it was in the boat.
We just looked at each other and let out some very interesting adjectives at the sheer size of this fish. With a combined fishing age of about 110 years this was the first time that either of us had caught one of these renowned species at this size. Weight 13.2kg/29.3lb and 85cm.(one foot over legal size of 55cm)
After this one it didn't matter what happened for the rest of the day. Next spot saw a double header of 2 kg Parrot. They played a good game of tag team and I didn't have a clue what I was pulling up. We finished the day with 21 fish in the esky and decided to come home early instead of overnighting. We had a 5kt SW on the way out to the Barwon Banks and a 2kt Nth on the way home and only saw one other boat all day.
This was definitely my best birthday present and a tick off the bucket list. I thank the big fellow upstairs for blessing this day.
Enjoy the pics.
It isn't the water on the outside of the boat that sinks it, its the water on the inside! Life is like that!
The smiles are as big as the fish . Well done guys and great post.
That looks like a cracking trip well done.
Great read, great fish well done mate that's awesome ...
Well done Salty2 when i get them they all seem to be 54cm. Awesome fish mate. If you've got a line in the water there is always a chance. Yet to score a legal one at the banks but you've given me hope
Great fish mate. What a birthday present.
what depth did you get it??
thanks
rob
Good trip there Salty.
Thanks for the report.
Is it just me or does anyone else think that large red emps are up with the ugliest fish in the sea?
Jack.
About 50m I think.
The photo of me with boat in background definitely makes the Red look strange due to the lighting on the scales, but I must say I thought it was the best looking fish I had ever caught.
It isn't the water on the outside of the boat that sinks it, its the water on the inside! Life is like that!
How good is that, way to go Salty
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Great read there Salty -- Happy Birthday, and cracking Red.
"Reef Hustler" - Seafarer Victory 6.0m & 225hp Honda
Well done on the red mate. Top effort.