Monster WP Top end Gummy Shark!
Posted: Sat May 18, 2019 3:42 pm
G'day everyone! Haven't been active on here the past 2 months, being stuck working and needed a bit of a break from chasing that gummy.
Having not hit the water for 5 weeks, the week off work, and the nice sunny calm days the port has had to offer.. the stars pretty much aligned.
Sunday 12/5/19:
With finding some motivation back to continue the hunt for the nice big gummy ive been chasing, a north wind and the perfect size tides to fish my favourite gummy hole, it was go time.
Launched at 9am, and headed down to BP Jetty just to the right of the mouth of the Hastings ramp channel. Worked hard for the bait all morning, taking 3 hours of my time.. but luckily enough the yakkas and slimies swarmed at the very end of the run out. Motored back up the north arm, and anchored on my mark ready to soak baits for the next 6 hours. The weed floating through was frustarting, covering my baits within 10 minutes. As well as the huge Skates which seem to be back in full force. Back breaking!!
The only thing getting me through the hours was knowing that once the water just starts to slow down, a fish will come through for a feed. Right on queue at the perfect stage of tide, i turned around to the saragossa howling in the rod holder. Picked it up, eliminated the possibility of a Ray, a very thumpy sort of a run. Eliminated it for a gummy, it just kept going and going, with 130m of line easy, stripped off, down the spool. As it turned and charged the boat, the head shakes began and this is when i knew. It cruised back to the boat completed out of breath. As i was slowly pumping it up from the depths, its grey figure came through the water column.. Honestly couldn't believe it. Kept my cool, leader'd it to the boat, grabbed its tail and yank her in. I dont think i've ever screamed so hard for so long, or shed a tear over a fish. Chasing this one for the last 6 months, many hours later, finally done it! I did half want to release her, but after getting some photos and weighing her in my net, as well as it being my first ever female of that size, i kept it. and it didnt have pups! I weighed it back in at the marina, and it went 17.17kg. over 160 long. Feels even better from it being off the back of my own hard work and effort, in an area in the top end of the port.
Having not hit the water for 5 weeks, the week off work, and the nice sunny calm days the port has had to offer.. the stars pretty much aligned.
Sunday 12/5/19:
With finding some motivation back to continue the hunt for the nice big gummy ive been chasing, a north wind and the perfect size tides to fish my favourite gummy hole, it was go time.
Launched at 9am, and headed down to BP Jetty just to the right of the mouth of the Hastings ramp channel. Worked hard for the bait all morning, taking 3 hours of my time.. but luckily enough the yakkas and slimies swarmed at the very end of the run out. Motored back up the north arm, and anchored on my mark ready to soak baits for the next 6 hours. The weed floating through was frustarting, covering my baits within 10 minutes. As well as the huge Skates which seem to be back in full force. Back breaking!!
The only thing getting me through the hours was knowing that once the water just starts to slow down, a fish will come through for a feed. Right on queue at the perfect stage of tide, i turned around to the saragossa howling in the rod holder. Picked it up, eliminated the possibility of a Ray, a very thumpy sort of a run. Eliminated it for a gummy, it just kept going and going, with 130m of line easy, stripped off, down the spool. As it turned and charged the boat, the head shakes began and this is when i knew. It cruised back to the boat completed out of breath. As i was slowly pumping it up from the depths, its grey figure came through the water column.. Honestly couldn't believe it. Kept my cool, leader'd it to the boat, grabbed its tail and yank her in. I dont think i've ever screamed so hard for so long, or shed a tear over a fish. Chasing this one for the last 6 months, many hours later, finally done it! I did half want to release her, but after getting some photos and weighing her in my net, as well as it being my first ever female of that size, i kept it. and it didnt have pups! I weighed it back in at the marina, and it went 17.17kg. over 160 long. Feels even better from it being off the back of my own hard work and effort, in an area in the top end of the port.