Based on speculation that the bad weather we'd been having earlier in the week might have bought the tuna in close a bunch of kayakers headed down to Warrnambool to try our luck. The conditions were perfect, 3m swell but very light winds meaning it was almost glassed out at times.
The tuna were nowhere to be found despite some blokes paddling/peddling out to the 50m mark, there were a few pike and couta around so at least some fish were landed. No one had any luck bottom bouncing with fresh pike as bait either and the flathead never woke up. All I caught in the morning session was a very angry gannet which got itself hooked dive bombing my lure and proceeded to peck me while I unhooked it.
After a few hours of catching **** all at Warrnambool a few of us made the move down the highway to Port Fairy to try our luck there. I stopped a few km out in 37m, mainly because my hands were cut up from dealing with the gannet and I really couldn't be bothered paddling any further. I'd caught a stinky pike on the way out so it went over the side as bait. I caught a skate which took a lot of effort to bring to the surface, then I had one solid run that felt like a big gummy but it spat the pike head without being hooked. I tried for some squid in close but small couta were hitting the jig and eventually bit it off.
Pretty poor return for so much driving but it was still a good day. Offshore kayaking in these conditions is really fun, when there aren't any boats it's very quiet with only the distant roar of the breakers as swells that look like walls of water from the seated position roll through silently. I'm keen to try Portland again next time, it's apparently a much shorter paddle to the 50m south of Lawrence Rocks. Just waiting for the right conditions for a surf launch down there.
Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
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Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
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Re: Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
Nice report, sorry about the lack of fish though. It's very adventurous to be paddling around out there so low in the water in such a small craft, I'd be just looking over my shoulder the whole time.
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Re: Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
Shane was saying the seal breeding season is not the time to be kayaking in that part of the world...
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
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Re: Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
ive said it before,and ill say it again, you and the likes of cheater are a different breed. if i win tattslotto, ill get you a hobie with the pedals :thumbsup: cause you seem to be full on into the kayaking thing, imaging what the pedals will get you doing
shame there was no big fish, but cant always win.
those waves look quite tame, compared to what mornington threw at me yesterday, was like a washing machine.
shame there was no big fish, but cant always win.
those waves look quite tame, compared to what mornington threw at me yesterday, was like a washing machine.
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Re: Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
Looks like an awesome trip, even without a lot of fish. Unlucky with the gannet, wait until you catch an albatross, they get mighty unhappy about being unhooked.
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Re: Warrnambool and Port Fairy 7/4
Horses for courses with the Hobies vs paddle kayaks. I've never been on a Hobie but from what I've read they aren't as stable as a paddle yak because the paddle acts a bit like an outrigger whenever it is in the water. Not being able to move with your hands free does suck though.purple5ive wrote:ive said it before,and ill say it again, you and the likes of cheater are a different breed. if i win tattslotto, ill get you a hobie with the pedals :thumbsup: cause you seem to be full on into the kayaking thing, imaging what the pedals will get you doing
shame there was no big fish, but cant always win.
those waves look quite tame, compared to what mornington threw at me yesterday, was like a washing machine.
It was pretty tame, when the wind it down the swell is just a smooth mountain of water that picks you up and puts you back down again. I was out at Portland in higher swell than that earlier in the year and it was fine, but .5m of chop is on the verge of being unfishable and is quite uncomfortable.
Not looking forward to my first albatross. I'm glad my first bird was something manageable like a gannet and not something with a beak like a meat cleaver.Scraglor wrote:Looks like an awesome trip, even without a lot of fish. Unlucky with the gannet, wait until you catch an albatross, they get mighty unhappy about being unhooked.
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle