Hi everyone, haven’t seen many reports of late so I thought I’d better set the trend.
I finally got out today for the first time since the Snapper and Pearlie ban.
The wind was shit, the water was a washing machine but we managed to troll up 2 Spanish around lunchtime from Middle Reef.
First went 78cm and the second 1m.
Was too rough to venture out further so we headed in at 1 just as the wind was starting to die off.
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Awesome catch, well done. I was thinking much the same as you, thought I kept logging on to Covid19 forum the way it's been going lately.
I snuck out the other day with a mate early and we got into a few snapper and some nice Pearlies. Then we couldn't get away from 35 cm babies, they were every where.
We came in and another mate went for the sfternoon shift and bagged out on snapper but couldn't find a decent pearlie. Don't take many pics these days, will see if my crew took any.
The plan was to make a day of it and do the morning and afternoon “shifts” but the ocean was that rough we pulled the pin at 1 and were happy to take home a few feeds of Spanish.
Good to know they are biting though.
I’ve done very few trips this year as having another new born seems to have slowed me down for a little.
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Mate had a photo, the biggest snap was 60 cm, didn't measure the pearlies.
Forgot to mention that while we were on a very slow drift another vessel came to within 20m of us on the bow, stopped, then proceeded to circle us twice before settling 20 metres behind us. Next time we moved he then came behind us again. Jiggy Jig was it's name, being polite though we just ignored him.
I remember catching my first pearl pearch it was at night in the dark i tried to tell my mates it was my first baby jewfish they didnt have a part of it haha
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That was me Dignity.
Apologies for getting too close, I thought you were on the anchor at first and didn't realise you had the sea anchor out doing slow drifts
I though you were okay with it when we had a yarn and we were onto the baby Pearlies, and you had a good morning session and you got some quality fish.
If I was cramping you a little too much, I would have been okay with a friendly word.
I also thought we had our drift lines sorted and had plenty of space and took turns at drifting the same patch.
Apologies once again.
No worries Tim, not used to fishing so close offshore, keeping baits in the water (at least your lady friend did) probably acted as burley at the time. Mind you if I was at anchor then words might have been exchanged, happens occasionally where we anchor, set out a burley trail and a boat will circle you or come across your burley trail and destroy the last hour of work to bring fish to the area. Generally Pearlies don't care but snappers, especially bigger ones can be spooked.
Don't know what happened to the bigger ones earlier, all we could find when you arrived (from memory another boat also came into the area) were the smaller variety, most of which would have been legal 18 months ago. The number of 37cm PP we threw back made us search further north, and managed a few more fish before heading home.
FWIW, went out 2 weeks ago and chased snaps and PP further north still didn't leave till lunch time and really struggled to lose bait. We could find the schools but nada, bait, SP's jigging but all we could get was one PP about 30 cm on SP and a marble Flathead on bait.
Talking to a few guys the morning apparently fished quite well till just before lunch, just my luck.
Since then haven't been able to to go fishing either inshore or offshore as I have been in bed with chronic bronchitis. Nearly over it.
Cheers, Sam