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View Full Version : Iluka Breakwall Report, Storm, what storm?



wiseguy67
16-11-2005, 01:37 PM
So last night we went fishing :), what a night.... :o
The spot we went to was 3/4 down the breakwall, its about 700 meters from the car park, the last 300m are treacherous; big slippery when wet sandstone boulders haphazardly piled up to creat the breakwall.

Well, we have a few favorite spots to fish along this wall. The night befor we fished the ocean side and did quite well; small tailor, nice rock cod, couple unkown bite offs you know the usual for a full moon on the wall. With many hook ups and a few fish to take home we were ready to return the next night for full moon madness.

Weather prevailing one can fish from both sides of the wall, but if the wind is blowing you chose the leewards side. Last night it was the river side, the night prior was the ocean side.
When we got there the full moon was getting high in the night sky and the air was warm. As I set up my livebait rod katrina remarked on the weather system to the south asking me how far away it was. I replied that it looked to be about 20kms away and moving our way. Bolts of lightning showing the clouds size and progress. I commented casualy we will have to pack up and go befor it gets too close. Saying we should be fine for a hour or two depending.

Not much happening on the fishing side(likely due to the nature of the approaching weather, some know when to stay home ;)) so we chatted away while the storm got bigger and bigger.
I had a good hit and lost the livebait so i went about trying to catch another. I was about to give up and head back to the carpark or at least to a location closer to the car park making the hike out shorter to escape the ever growing bolts of lightning and for certain wind that accompanied the storm when i got another livebait. #:) So back out it goes.
At this point the storm was getting a bit too close for comfort. I said five minutes and we have to go so better to start packing up. 30 seconds later i said hmmm #:-?lets go!
By the time I had my two rods, the gaff, backpack, etc shouldered the wind hit us.

Now its one thing to negotiate the wall with no wind on a clear moonlit night and entirely another to do it with no moon and gusting winds into the Force 7 to 10 (40 to 55 knots) Bloody hell poor katrina is only 5ft nothing and she was getting blown about like a rag doll, her only advantage was being short meaning she is low to the ground so the wind does not hit her as hard, but on the other hand she only weighs about 112lbs.
We both got completely and brutaly knocked to the ground a few times. No fun, the rods and gaff over my shoulder were making it very hard to keep my balance and i was about to say lets hide behind a big rock until it blows over when i could see we only had 100m to go to get to the even surface of the breakwall where the it's leveled it off with small rocks and in some places sand making the walking surface easy going.
That is on a fine day! From there we had 400m to the car. Onwards we made our way....

It is truely amaizing how much force the wind has. Twice again knocked down befor making it to the troopy.
By running/skipping with the wind at our backs we could actual float along, good fun if your not loaded with fishing gear!

When we got to the carpark the sand coming off the beach was stinging fiercly. Fortuneatly I had parked behind a hill and the paint and glass was ok this morning when i checked. The short drive home was a case of dodging falling branches and debris. When we go home Katrina had trouble walking, she said her legs would not stop shaking and her ankle was giving her grief; one of the falls had left her with a level one sprain in her ankle, ice pack kept the swelling to a minimum but she feels it this morning. Limping around the house...

Next time i will read the weather and take no chances. ::)

As for hiding behind a rock for it to blow over it would of been a long night as its blowing the bloomin 40's this arvo ;)

Be good to get out there as soon as the wind dies off though ;D

rando
16-11-2005, 03:25 PM
Hi Wise67
what were you targeting at this time of year.?
Sorry to hear you got knocked about,
Thats a hard walk out along that breakwall but a top spot to fish.
We are camping at Iluka in Jan for two weeks so I hope you leave some for me ;)

theoldlegend
16-11-2005, 07:12 PM
Hi Gerard,

I know what the both of you must have gone through. It's hard enough walking on the rough stuff when conditions are good, without having to put up with that! It would be easy to roll an ankle. I reckon we should all petition the local council and get the walking surface upgraded to the standard of the silvertails' side on the other side of the river.

Were you out at your secret rock with the holder cemented in? That's the one with my initials (JM) scratched into it. We were there in June and I reckon it must have been Katrina(?) right out on the very end beside the green beacon late one afternoon. She was getting some good bream until the swell started to come over the top.

Don't know when we'll be down there again, but I hope it's not too long.

John Miller
TOL

Seamus
16-11-2005, 09:18 PM
Mate, sounds like one of those nights that * rum never tasted so good. Just remember to include it when you're sitting around telling the war stories. ;)
(* - insert chosen poison here!)

Seamus

stonecold
17-11-2005, 10:43 AM
Mate it never ceases to amaze me the lengths we as fishermen will go to in an effort to catch a fish. I was at Ballina yesterday for a look and at that time it was UGLY!

I also reckon I can speak for a few other blokes and say has Katrina got a sister? If she was there with you last night shes a keeper, sounds like a top class fishin mate.

wiseguy67
17-11-2005, 07:11 PM
hi Rando, I have yet to catch a jewie and they are around so with livebait and time i expect one day it will happen. While waiting i tend to catch tailor and salmon etc. I use 24kg leader and what ever livebait is available.
That night i had a 25cm whiting on that got chomped just shot of the hook :(
Katrina like to chase bream and so she has 1/0 baitkeeper with 6kg leader, bait tends to be fresh pippis, chunks of salmon, etc. She does well, an assortment of catches, keeping me busy at times flipping shovelnose and rays back as well as a few nice cod. She loves to fish and has come a long way in the year i have been taking her out, funny how she got over not willing to touch a fish let along killing cleaning and eating the fish she catches! Now she does it all if i don't assist, she still prefers me to do the deed but has understood its all part of fishing.

One day she had her reel spooled and insisted i load it up with line that will stop anything ;)

G'day TOL
Yes thats the same katrina ('Bream Hunter') ;)
Upgrade the track would be good but on the ohter hand i tend to go beyond the halfway mark as there are no crowds and i have a couple spots that i like. Great to have access three minutes drive from the house.
see you when you come this way.

G'day Stonecold your not far off she is a good fishing buddy to say the least.

stonecold
17-11-2005, 09:31 PM
G'Day wise67

Its hard yakka hauling your butt back in off there with a pack full gear and both the wind and rain doing their best to make things miserable.
Its hard not to get knocked about on a good day let alone in weather like the last couple of days.

Its coming up to one of the prime time for jew on the Iluka wall.
Stick with the livies and in the meantime get the bream hunter in the back yard with a spud swinging on the closeline and practice her gaffing skills.

JayT
18-11-2005, 01:44 AM
Hey dudes an Katrina, a mate owned a house an a little shack directly opposite the bowls club, loved goin down there every now an then, got my biggest bream there, 52cm (Browns Rocks) an my best lizard 5.2kg which I jagged from a 40 ft hole up the feeder creek where the cane barges are, on the same day my mate scored a keeper cobia in the same spot!
Fancy a blackie that far up river, but for the mighty clarence anything is possible!
I will be back!
P.S wat about the hole up near the highway bridge? Am sure my sounder read 90ft. (big jew?)
Cheers Jason

mattooty
18-11-2005, 04:20 PM
Around Harwood bridge, max depth is 9m. bout 27feet. Almost positive theres no holes around there at 90feet, but you never know. There are always good jew around the bridge. Best bets are the walls, but bridges provide the calmer alternative. Herring are usually abundant around the bridges.
Matt