It's a gummy sort of morning

[re-tyred]

With all the fresh water coming through the system the. KGWs have been a bit scarce. Flat calm warm day forecast so I was up at sparrow's fart. Piece of toast and a cuppa in the travel mug. Bait ,rods and ice and down to the ramp as it's getting light. Nice flat bar, out and down a cpl of miles to the pines in 24mtrs. Drifted for 5 minutes but a 5-10 nw breeze was pushing me a bit fast. So over went the anchor. No bites for 10 minutes. Started fiddling around clean up the console. Heard a bit of a creaking noise and looked around. One rod is bent double and the bolt on rod holder is twisting around the rail. Hmm drag too tight.Getting slack in my old age. Anyway no harm done. Picked up the rod and the usual gummy slow head shakes and circle work. Cpl of minutes of wrestling and it's in the net. The usual twisting and tangling of hooks sinker ,net and gummy. Quick well timed donk with the attitude adjuster, then untangle. Headed and gutted and in the Esky. 10 minutes and repeat the above only with the drag set at a better tension. So what now. Only 7am.flat calm. Headed in closer to look for some flatties. Pulled up next to another boat for a chat and to let them know I had gummies out a bit further. They were somewhat less than chatty. I never understand this. Anyway one of them caught a gummy while I was there. They said they hadn't seen a flathead, but I got the impression they wouldn't have told me anyway. So in closer to 12 MTRS. Chucked them in and got a sibiki rig out to see if I could catch a bit of bait. No flathead or bites. Thinking I may as well head home, when I got a little nudge on the sabiki. It was on the bottom at the time. Waited a moment and another nudge. Gave it a flix and some weight there. Definitely not bait fish or a flatty. Wound up a cpl of MTRS and Oh ****, it's taking line. Only 8lb line on a whiting rod. With considerably patience and a lot of win some lose some, I had a gummy alongside the boat. Well number 3 so I cut the line next to the very tiny hook. He headed off with his new lip piercing. Coolest dude in the ocean.

[Tim399]

They look like good size gummys, well done

[snapflat]

Hoping to replicate this very post someday (maybe tomorrow) @Retyred... First post here on the forum, but have been reading yours and Pirkz for the last couple years with great enthusiasm. Living locally and definitely looking for gummy spots now that we have nailed snapper and flatties whenever we go out... Keep an eye out for a little green yanky centre console floating around out there - you will find a friendly chat Cheers!

[Lightningx]

Plenty of fresh flake there mate.
Well done.
Cheers

[ohbouy]

A couple of very nice looking gummies, well done, question for you re-tyred, I thought with the gummies you had to leave the carcass in tack meaning the head had to still be on until you got back to the ramp, is that true or did I dream that up, or is that dependant on the size? I suppose if it is just size that might be the case but if it is definitely size without the head that’s not the case?

Cheers

[denis barden]

Kool Fushin

[re-tyred]

A couple of very nice looking gummies, well done, question for you re-tyred, I thought with the gummies you had to leave the carcass in tack meaning the head had to still be on until you got back to the ramp, is that true or did I dream that up, or is that dependant on the size? I suppose if it is just size that might be the case but if it is definitely size without the head that’s not the case?

Cheers

Carcass is head off. Measure from last Gill slit to base of tail. I kill head and gut as soon as I catch them. Then put the carcass in iced sea water. You can see the difference in the pic. No red blotchy skin and they are stiff. I shake my head at some of the beautiful gummies that some people bring in. Blotchy red and soft.

[ohbouy]

Thanks for the clarification re-tyred, I hadn't been taking the head off or guts out untill I got back to the ramp, will head and gut now. Do you cut the belly flap out as a whole or do you slit the belly and remove the guts?

[re-tyred]

I slit the belly and remove the gut, scrape out all the blood membrane in the gut cavity.
If you want a picture for your "trophy" collection, just do that first while they are alive.