St Leonards 24/4
Posted: Mon Apr 25, 2016 10:51 pm
Hi All
I experienced one of the best sessions on the 'ting I've ever had on Sunday morning. Went out again solo to the usual spot for an early tide change and was anchored and the berley pot down before 4am. It took probably all of a minute before the light stick on the tip of the first rod in to dip down into the water and what followed was just mayhem. I was using two rods with two KL 1/0's on short, twisted dropper loops to help minimize tangles in the dark and had several double hookups, it was just incredible fishing. By dawn the 'ting had slowed down and all my lines started mysteriously getting snipped off, I lost rigs at the sinker, the top swivel, my whiting snatcher, which I didn't bother with in the dark, got both the flies removed promptly, then I managed to land one of the culprits, a Couta. By this stage I had 18 KGW on board, a nice Flattie and a couple of squid which fell to a jig hanging out the back in the tide and only had a couple of my pre-tied rigs remaining so I decided to go out deeper and tried a spot in 8m. I was hoping to perhaps get onto a couple of leatherjackets or even some Pinkies for a bit more variety but it wasn't to be, I couldn't not catch whiting! The conditions were just fantastic for fishing, the sun was mostly hidden by thick, patchy cloud, the wind had dropped out and the water was as smooth as oil and dark but incredibly clear. As soon as my bait hit the bottom I had a solid bite and boated a 40cm ting, it put up a great fight and I could see it way down, looked like a meter long due to the magnification. Landed another great specimen the same size straight away so had now reached the limit. I couldn't help my self and dropped my line down one more time just for fun and bang, hooked up straight away, the fish again 40+cm was released and I decided to leave them alone and head back in and face the now chaotic ramp and the tedious task of cleaning the catch.
The moon was just past being full and provided good light early.
Another awesome sunrise, then an ominous looking shadow cruised by (above and left of bowsprit.)
I had mussels, pippies and squid candles but best bait hands down were pilchard fillets cut into halves.
Love conditions like this:
And the catch...
:cheers:
I experienced one of the best sessions on the 'ting I've ever had on Sunday morning. Went out again solo to the usual spot for an early tide change and was anchored and the berley pot down before 4am. It took probably all of a minute before the light stick on the tip of the first rod in to dip down into the water and what followed was just mayhem. I was using two rods with two KL 1/0's on short, twisted dropper loops to help minimize tangles in the dark and had several double hookups, it was just incredible fishing. By dawn the 'ting had slowed down and all my lines started mysteriously getting snipped off, I lost rigs at the sinker, the top swivel, my whiting snatcher, which I didn't bother with in the dark, got both the flies removed promptly, then I managed to land one of the culprits, a Couta. By this stage I had 18 KGW on board, a nice Flattie and a couple of squid which fell to a jig hanging out the back in the tide and only had a couple of my pre-tied rigs remaining so I decided to go out deeper and tried a spot in 8m. I was hoping to perhaps get onto a couple of leatherjackets or even some Pinkies for a bit more variety but it wasn't to be, I couldn't not catch whiting! The conditions were just fantastic for fishing, the sun was mostly hidden by thick, patchy cloud, the wind had dropped out and the water was as smooth as oil and dark but incredibly clear. As soon as my bait hit the bottom I had a solid bite and boated a 40cm ting, it put up a great fight and I could see it way down, looked like a meter long due to the magnification. Landed another great specimen the same size straight away so had now reached the limit. I couldn't help my self and dropped my line down one more time just for fun and bang, hooked up straight away, the fish again 40+cm was released and I decided to leave them alone and head back in and face the now chaotic ramp and the tedious task of cleaning the catch.
The moon was just past being full and provided good light early.
Another awesome sunrise, then an ominous looking shadow cruised by (above and left of bowsprit.)
I had mussels, pippies and squid candles but best bait hands down were pilchard fillets cut into halves.
Love conditions like this:
And the catch...
:cheers:
