ok on with the report, I fished st leonards pier saturday night, it was a spur of the moment thing I virtually decided to go on the spot.
I got there about 7.30 pm, conditions where calm, I prefer choppy water but it was very calm, light wind from NNW, no surface activity present but I was hopeful.
I set up 3 whiting rods and one big cahoona penn 15kg rod, the whiting where very skittish, no smash and grab, just tap tap tap, I resorted to pulling the bait away slowly after the first bite, this seemed to be the tactic for the night, st leonards produces whiting all year round despite what is the norm, I put this to the location of st leonards and proximity to the heads and ocean.
bait was fresh pounded squid and mussels, for the big set up it was pilchards, tommy ruff fillets, squid heads.
the high light of the night was a skate caught on my catana coastal light 3 to 5 kilo, this is one of my whiting rods so after a 15 minute tussle and one sore rod arm he was next to the pier, then I thought crap I have no gaff man ! the gaff was on the fishing cart so I let out line so I could walk backwards to the cart to get the gaff, good I have the gaff now, I threw it to the lower landing and walked the skate over, I was careful to get the gaff in the side of it's mouth so gently lifted it onto the pier with no damage, a couple of pics and back in he went, by this time I had to shed some clothes I was a tad warm !
I no sooner re-baited and the big cahoona / penn set up howled, great I thought just what I needed another heavy beast without time to rest my arm ! after a lack luster fight it turned out to be a draft shark same thing again, gaff was back in the cart, had to let out line / walk backwards get the gaff throw to lower landing, these things are stupid, all they do is roll around and open there mouth wide, great another mouth gaff shot a few pics and back in he went.
in between all this action the whiting rods where getting slammed but no hook ups, all I could do is watch them bounce everywhere while I was tied up with the skate and draft shark, I baited the cahoona again and casted, walked back to my super cart to get a drink and the cahoona went off again ! crap now my arm is really sore !
Turned out to be another draft shark about the same size, same deal as before landing him like the others, pics and back in the drink.
at this stage I did not re-bait the big rod ! I concentrated on the whiting ( easier lighter quarry )
to recap the night I kept 6 whiting, released 1 skate and 2 draft sharks ... I got totally bitten off twice through the night after a solid hook up, I put this down to the toothy variety of shark, my 60 pound leader was no match, wire would have been the go but with no gaff man I was not going to attempt anything bigger.
squid activity was zero, none caught or saw anyone else catch any... some pics of the night below sorry about the quality I also need a camera man next time !
