Warneet report 20 August
Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:23 pm
After weeks of seemingly crappy weather on weekends there was finally a good forecast last weekend. My plan was to head to quail bank and catch my first squid and then head to deeper water and see what was around. Get to the ramp at 1pm and conditions looked great. Carpark was pretty full as you would expect on the first good weather in a long time.
(Sorry if the pics are put of order but not 100% how all the posting works)
Threw out jigs and had one float behind the boat for an hour, drifting in 2-4 meters. Used 4 different jigs but not a hit of any kind. I must be squid poison because I can not get even close to catching one.
Gave that up and moved out to 16m of water and had pippie on small circle hooks and smoked eel on large circle hooks. Only had pippie out for a few minutes before the rod loads up. I start winding, things go weird and then a seal pops up holding a flatty in its mouth with my hook still in the flatty's mouth. I cut that that line. The seal plays with the fish, throwing it around for a minute and then swims off.
A rod with the eel loads up, I start winding and then seal comes back and takes that fish. I start peeling line, the rods get tangled and so I cut that too. It was annoying but also cool to see as this critter does multiple laps of the boat.
Next two hours were pretty good as we caught 6 couta, 6 flathead and one yakka. Only kept 2 couta and the yakka for bait and the 2 just legal flatty as my daughter wanted a small feed.
The weather stayed great and as you can see it was like a millpond. Headed beak to the ramp just before 5 with fish still biting. While we did not get any good table fish what we got was fun to catch and my daughter got to wind in several fish.
First time I have used circle hooks and I liked them more than the long shanks I usually use. the hookup rate seemed better and they were easier to get out so I could release fish with less damage. Only one flathead was hooked deep.
Hopefully the forecast for this weekend is correct and Sunday is good to get out. If anyone has a tip for squid I could bloody well use it.
(Sorry if the pics are put of order but not 100% how all the posting works)
Threw out jigs and had one float behind the boat for an hour, drifting in 2-4 meters. Used 4 different jigs but not a hit of any kind. I must be squid poison because I can not get even close to catching one.
Gave that up and moved out to 16m of water and had pippie on small circle hooks and smoked eel on large circle hooks. Only had pippie out for a few minutes before the rod loads up. I start winding, things go weird and then a seal pops up holding a flatty in its mouth with my hook still in the flatty's mouth. I cut that that line. The seal plays with the fish, throwing it around for a minute and then swims off.
A rod with the eel loads up, I start winding and then seal comes back and takes that fish. I start peeling line, the rods get tangled and so I cut that too. It was annoying but also cool to see as this critter does multiple laps of the boat.
Next two hours were pretty good as we caught 6 couta, 6 flathead and one yakka. Only kept 2 couta and the yakka for bait and the 2 just legal flatty as my daughter wanted a small feed.
The weather stayed great and as you can see it was like a millpond. Headed beak to the ramp just before 5 with fish still biting. While we did not get any good table fish what we got was fun to catch and my daughter got to wind in several fish.
First time I have used circle hooks and I liked them more than the long shanks I usually use. the hookup rate seemed better and they were easier to get out so I could release fish with less damage. Only one flathead was hooked deep.
Hopefully the forecast for this weekend is correct and Sunday is good to get out. If anyone has a tip for squid I could bloody well use it.