Corlette Wreck

[twoblues]

Got up to the Bay again Friday night. It looked the better of the two nights to fish so we got the boat out and headed to shoal bay wharf to find some squid. Got one in about two hours so we headed back to the corlette wreck.

The low tide was at around 6.30am but we fished thru the night for a heap of pickers but not much else. I had my 15kg braid out with a two hook rig with the body of the squid on. We had used the head and lost it to the pickers.

I had learnt from my previous trip a few weeks ago to keep my bait off the bottom, and to slowly lift the rod up and drop it a few feet. We could see lots of fish on the sounder, but it wasn't until the first light that we started to get some action.

I got a good run but as I struck it I came up empty. A sleepy voice from the cabin said " you pulled the hook from its mouth." I thought they were asleep, but there is always one "know it all" to tell you what you are doing wrong!

So I calmly put the rod in the holder, loosened the drag, and said "it will be back".

Sure enough, a few minutes later and "zzzzz"......."zzzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZ". So I picked it up and struck and came up solid. Head shakes and all, and it felt like a good one. Jewfish...... YESSSSSSSSSSS.

Started to get a little line back and it was a bit of a tug-o-war for a few minutes and the rod was bent over. Then SNAP......... My Penn rod had broken between the third and fourth ferule. Dammit it wasn't that old or damaged

After more anxipus minutes, I started to win the battle, but as I was getting more line back, it stopped solid.

Hmmmmm, strange. I dropped the rid top and pulled again and it came solid again. No..... don't tell me its reefed me inside the wreck?

Handed my rod to "sleepy" who was now looking over my shoulder offering "encouragement" with well chosen language He let some freeeplay in the line and felt the head shakes, but as he pulled in it kept coming to a dead stop.

I took the rod back and locked up the drag, gave a solid pull and "ping", it went slack

Inspection of the line showed no teeth marks at all, no abrasions, but my lower hooks' knot had failed. This wasn't a bad thing though, as we were never going to get the fish aboard and it saved my terminal tackle and the fish would be ok.

We both agreed it was the big jewie we have been hunting for YEARS, but

Disappointing, but at least we now know where, when and how to catch them so we will be back in a few weeks.

As a sideline, just before we headed off we burleyed with the left over pillies and had a heap of livies at the back of the boat. We got about 10 slimies and 2 herring, but there were also some yakkas there as well (info for anyone needing live bait up in Port Stephens).

Hopefully I'll have a better report in a few weeks AND some pics

Two Blues.

[marcel haber]

Great report mate and that was a battle that the fish won...... however next time you will be more prepared and if you get the little things right such as knot tieing I am sure we are going to see that great jew report from your side if the fence.

Dont give up just keep at it.

Twin 1

[zen801]

Hey twoblues,

Bummer about the jew but as they say" better to have hooked and lost than to not hook at all"

Mate those big jews get me everytime. Schoolies are OK but the big mothers fight dirty and can puunish ya pretty quick.I have lost a few bigger ones in amongst moorings etc

You know your doing things right when you hook up, especiallyif your targeting them.

Cheers.

[Dezmo]

Good work, hope you have better luck with the big one next time.

Spend a fair bit of time at port stephens but I have never fished the wreck at corlette. Would love to know where it is if you could help?

Cheers

[OSHISWET]

Great report Pete. Beats driving a Tilt tray ah. Keep trying mate and I am sure soon you will be rewarded with that trophie jewie. The way it is going I think you will soon be teaching me a trick or two.

Cheers

Lumpookey

[twoblues]

Thanks for the encouragement guys.

Yes, I WILL get one soon, but thanks must go to all the posters with the tips in the jewie section. It showed me plenty and I doubt I would be as close as I am to getting the "big one" without the help.

The GPS marks are 32.43.11 s x 152.05.26 e. (These have been converted so I could key them into my mobile phone - It put me right on the wreck).

Cheers,

Two Blues

[jewiehaven]

Mate thats a great read!

Kinda reminiscent of some times past for me where I have lost good jewies to structure.

BIG ones will try anything to ping you, lol

next time you will know when to turn them, and thats all part of the learning curve.

Am so looking forwards to the next isntallment with you holding the 10kg+ model that dusted you.