Cape Woolamai 2/3

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4liters
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Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by 4liters » Thu Mar 03, 2016 12:21 am

A few days back Mingle suggested a trip around Cape Woolamai as the weather forecast was looking pretty good mid week. I wasn't sure if I could make it because of uni but fortunately my reading comprehension is shithouse and I got the dates wrong (uni starts next week), leaving me free to fish.

I launched at Cleeland Bight and did a couple of drifts straight out among the moorings hoping for some squid, to no avail. I got a couple between the launch and the red marker but they were few and far between. Then it occurred to me that most of my squid come at the end of the drift in deeper water, normally I have to pull the lines in and reset to avoid drifting into the standing waves (no fun in the yak) but they weren't an issue today so I started drifting in 7-10m down the channel. Good move apparently because I almost bagged out between the red marker and Red Point, and one short drift later and I had my bag of squid, the first time I've bagged out on anything.
Quite nice conditions in Cleeland Bight
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Mingle caught up with me near the red marker, we had a chat before he headed around the corner and left me to my squidding.

Some decent squid mixed in with the smaller ones
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They did a bit of redecorating, the PFD is starting to take on a camo pattern.
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I quick pit stop before heading around the corner and a quick count to make sure I had counted correctly and I was on my way,trolling plastics along under the cliffs. Conditions were absolutely mint, hardly a wave in sight
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I was hoping for kingies, but had to be content with a stinky pike that ate a big Zman paddle tail. Decent chompers on those things, but the plastic survived unscathed. I'd never caught a pike before so it was bled and gutted and has a date with the deepfrier tomorrow night.
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I caught up with Mingle again about 1km out from the Cape, we decided to troll along the drop-off 60m or so out from the rocks
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I picked up a few arches that might have been kings but I couldn't tempt whatever they were with a micro jig and the squid strip I drifted down the current just hooked a wrasse. After trolling to the end of the rocks we then headed out to the pinnacle, it was a bit of a p**** to find but I think we found it in the end. No fish there though. At this point I was over chasing kingfish so I changed the rigs over to running sinkers and did some bottom bashing. Turns out it's pretty reefy south of the cape and I nearly pulled the kayak over trying to free one of the lines from a snag, eventually I hauled up what looked like a warty **** which I assume was some kind of coral. I lost sight of Mingle around this time, presumably he made it back alive.

I made the move to about 2.5km south east of the Cape and started drifting from there. It was in 45m of water and the flathead started biting straight away. I ended up with two keeper flatties and my first silver whiting, but the wind was blowing me out towards Kilcunda instead of north towards San Remo so I pulled the lines in and called it a day.

Cape Woolamai from a fair way out
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Could not ask for better conditions. Tasmania is somewhere out there.
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On the way back the wind really picked up and a lazy paddle had me travelling at 7km/h all the way back to the car. Stopped off at Cheater's place on the way back to get the kayak measured up for a better mount for the rod holders. The tally for the day was 10 squid, 2 flatties and a pike.
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
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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by seephil » Thu Mar 03, 2016 1:19 am

Nice bag of squid 4L.

Great report with some cool pics. You boys sure chose a good day to be out. Looks calm and flat. Pity the kingies didnt want to play.

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by Raulfc7 » Thu Mar 03, 2016 6:48 am

Well done on the bag out and some great looking pics. No banana prawn for bait this time?
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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by Nude up » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:07 am

Conditions look perfect one of my favorite places cape woolami. I have caught quite a few silver whiting there more so between the cape and punchbowl. Great report nice bag

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by Buckle&scream » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:34 am

Nice work there mate!

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by poodoo » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:40 am

Nice one Ian. Conditions look mint!

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by DougieK » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:50 am

Nice Goonbag. What a ripper day to be out. Woolamai is stunning.

Decent sized squid? Seen some monsters about recently.
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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by 4liters » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:56 am

Raulfc7 wrote:Well done on the bag out and some great looking pics. No banana prawn for bait this time?
Yeah, it wasn't fresh though. I had a bunch left over from various trips that I thought had stayed cold enough but maybe it hadn't. The flathead seemed to prefer the squid. Next time I'll just use it for berley
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

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by 4liters » Thu Mar 03, 2016 7:58 am

DougieK wrote:Nice Goonbag. What a ripper day to be out. Woolamai is stunning.

Decent sized squid? Seen some monsters about recently.
I didn't measure them but I'd guess the bigger ones were about 25cm hoods. Not huge, but decent considering we're still a way off from the prime squidding season. There must be plenty of food around for them to get this big since spring.
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

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Re: Cape Woolamai 2/3

Post by barra mick » Thu Mar 03, 2016 8:06 am

Now thats a perfect fishing day !!
you gotta hav a crack even if yr just pissin in the wind

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