Stuff the rain and wind, sometimes you just have to go, no excuses.
Jacks were the target, starting with lures from 5pm till dark for no action.
Anchored up and set up the big guns, two rods running 50lb braid, 50lb leader, drag was tightened up till I couldn't pull line off the spool, then I tightened again.
Action on the bait was instant and regular, two eels, then a bream, then more eels. As usual things went quiet on the tide change. As I repositioned the boat to suit the run, the wind and rain picked up and was now in my face.
I stuck with it, a few more eels, then a Grassy Sweetlip! just legal even.
The next bite felt a bit bigger, as I struck hard I straight away knew I had what I was after, the rod loaded fully, the reel groaned and clicked once, but held its ground, and I managed to stop the fish and turn it.
I cranked hard and had him coming, but it still had so much power. Half way in I fumbled for the net, which gave him half a chance and he angled for the bank and there was one pylon to watch. Back into him hard and I managed to arc him away from danger and to the net.
Woooohoooooo! what an animal. The adrenaline was fully pumping, as I got him out of the net I was sure he would be 50 plus easy. On the mat, the truth was revealed and I fell 1cm short. Still an awesome fish and my best for a few seasons.
The rest of the night was uneventful, the eel tally grew to 11 or 12, and the rain continued on and off until I finally pulled the pin around midnight, a very tired, wet, but happy fisherman.
Cheers,
Matt
Congrats Matt. Cracker fish! My mate hooked into one (or what he believes was a jack) couple weeks back but was unable to stop it. Fight was all but over in seconds. He reckons the fish pulled like a big tuna and he was never in control. Couldnt stop shaking either. Never caught one myself but definately keen as to get my first. Not the easiest fish to catch..we fished for 4 hours for one big run and that was it
Hello Matt,
You are now on my list of top 50 heroes.
There was NO WAY I would be going out last night.
( I would not even let my wife go out to pick up my pizza)
And I fail to appreciate eels so much, that I would have left already, anyway.
Great fish.
I hope you catch another.
Pauly
A Proud Member of
"The Rebel Alliance"
stella effort Matt...nice jack.
went to a spot thursday morning with my new raider rod , lucky craft lure , braid , leader and the only thing that wasn't new was the reel...any way I worked the lures with the intention of nailing my first lure caught jack and finally scored a nice little one that was a flysh1t short of legal but I reached my goal and released it happy as a pig in sh1t...missed another hit and one that crushed my trebble so quickly replaced it with a stronger one ..... cant wait to tangle with a 50 on lure as there's no mistaking that hit.
Paul
Great read and fish matt. The jacks love a bit of rain. I was out in it this morning for a 50 on livie, a bustoff on a larger fish and a 40 on a jackall floating doozer. Same as you,wet as a shag with a big grin. Ben
Hi Matt im glad you have finally taken my title as eel boy thats something i wanted to get rid of . Nice jack mate they are very different once they get to around 50 cm great reward for your persistance cheers Rod
Thanks, they are unbelievably strong for their size, bloody hard to stop, and you have to put some time in for them. The two Js, Jacks and Jewies are the top of the estuary sportfish list IMHO.Originally Posted by Jigsrule
Hey Pauly, the weather wasn't as bad as I expected when I got to the ramp it was actually dry on the Goldy. But rain started not long after I launched. A good set of wet weather gear certainly made the rain bearable, it helped that I found a spot tucked out of the wind as much as possible.
Congrats Paul, that's great work on your first effort. It took me nearly a year to get my first legal on a lure. They are addictive!
Great work Ben, good to see I'm not the only mad bugger. Sounds like you've got 'em well sussed, well done!
Hey Rod, That is my record for one session! I went through some hooks cutting them off at the side of the boat....
Cheers
Matt
I take my hat off to you mate, out in last nights shit, for puting up with the weather, a just reward.
cheers
Cudos to you Matt and Ben as well, even i didn't bother going for a fish this weekend. Enjoy
You definitely deserved a reward for that effort. I have tried hard and failed so far this season. The old man got 4 in an hour on Xmas eve. Awesome fish.
Matt
I know some guys down the coast that are out nearly every day and get more jacks than you can poke a stick at...one that was landed the other evening went 62cm on the mat and it's mate went 58cm....awsome fish...yet this bloke is being blown away by bigger fish than that...I'm scared
Paul
Hey Wayne and Carnster, it was Friday night, before the weather really kicked in. I wouldn't have tried it Saturday night.
Paul, they are some awesome Jacks! and I know there are bigger animals out there. I've been smashed several times on 30lb braid/leader, that's why I'm now fishing 50 on bigger outfits. It would be nice to live there and get every other day.
Cheers,
Matt
Nice fish. Makes me realise how light I
fish though. My first jack was 2 months ago and went 50cm. 8lb braid 17lb leader . Caught 10 or so since then mainly 30-42cm. Bricked a few times also! Love jacks!
The jack's have been goin orrrfff this year, landed them to 58cm and worked aN ABSOLUTE ANIMAL of a fish to within a meter of the bank the other day on a 250mm live mullet before it threw the hook.Absolutely devo'd!! That is off the cards now though with this rain. Ben
Nice work mate.. them eels are a pain in the a#@. Big live mullet is the go for a reduction in the pickers.
dont knock on deaths door... ring the doorbell and run... death hates that!!
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