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.
