Scratchie Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 G'day raiders, WARNING: this is a long post but worth the read, I think. If not just look at the pictures! It was such an awesome trip, it's very hard to know where to start!!! I left port stephens Thursday at 7pm for a solo night practice before the social began on Friday. Dropped the boat in at parsley bay at 930 and zoomed out to JB and moored up for the night with the anticipation of landing a hairtail. I managed a few yakkas, sent one out and a ganged pilly on the other. Not even a bite for 2hrs, so with freezing conditions, it was off to bed!! Just as I fell asleep, the bait runner starts singing, I jump up, set the hook and after a short fight up comes a huge flatty. Whilst trying to grab the net to land this monster solo, rookie mistake- lifted the rod to high, then lost pressure and spat the hook! Oh well, just would have loved a photo! The next morning with gorgeous conditions, it was time to pick up nbdshroom at 7am with the need of a nice hot coffee in mind, it was just a shame that Pete didn't have the same desire as me and bloody forgot to grab one! So quick trip around the corner and got my own! So we headed off to the lighthouse and was greeted by fabulous conditions for trolling! Pete had never trolled before, so after a few quick instructions the lines were out and within 5 mins we're on! And Pete landed his first ever sambo on the troll and a decent one at that going 58cm and a PB. I managed 1 at 55cm and Pete got another at 52cm. We dropped 3 more but a great little hour session and many firsts for Pete. Then with a plan in mind, I thought we'd hit pittwater but the wind was not in our favour do we headed into the hawkesbo to a few spots around but there was no action at all except for a few dolphins splashing about, at first we thought wrong tide but after sitting there anchored up, we noticed 2 trawlers working the whole channel and surrounds, which gave us our answer! It was then time to find the mothership and say hi to mr & mrs swordy and co. We were warmly greeted to a cuppa and a few sandwiches which went down a treat. After some great conversation and signing in, it was time to embark on what we were there for HAIRTAIL!!! We moved into JB to a spot that we had selected earlier thanks to a pm from fellow raider kyngfish!!! Mate your a legend!!! So we started about 330, burlying up lightly and soaking a few baits waiting for hairtailing to begin! I managed a nice trevally that went like the clappers on my 4lb line and was very pleased to see him netted successfully by Pete! Pete is always land based and has never caught a hairtail. I have caught many and have a pretty solid technique and just love everything about targeting them. So after a quick tutorial on rigs and technique the lines went out. Then an hour later the fun began!! And my god were we in for a treat! At about 5pm, I noticed my rod tip bouncing and I said to Pete, here they are! Bounce, bounce pull and whack, I'm on!!! And shortly after was team scratchies first boat hairtail. A short while later, after some rod and line issues, it's Pete's turn! And after a good fight Pete has successfully boated his first ever hairtail. High 5's all round. What proceeded after this can only be described as the "Hottest Bite Ever". For the next 2 hrs, Pete and I were on within seconds of our baits hitting their spot! So much so that we ran out of bait and needed to place a call to stewy on the mothership. Thank god stewy answered and the conversation went something like this..... Me: stewy, got any bait? We run out, we're getting smashed. Stewy: how many you got? Me: about 20??? Stewy: are they still biting? Yep! See you in 2mins! He and Reggie turned up to our aid, tied of to us handed over some bait, and now four rods are out! Now for the next hour and a half, without exaggerating we were all into them, single, double even triple hook ups! The laughter from us all could be heard for miles! I then thought it would be interesting to rig up my 4lb line to see if I could land one. 4lb, single 1/0 on steel trace and fillet of pillie! 2seconds later, yep I'm on! Stewy reckoned I had no chance of landing it and after a 5min fight 3 meters from the boat it's off, stewy says, see I told you. But I'd liked to think it was more of a quick release. Not long after we called it a night and left them there biting. All in all, I hooked 40+ landed 30 and kept 8. Pete hooked 30+ landed 20 and kept 4. Stewy and Reggie can't count but they did well too! Was an absolute magic night on the hairtail and great to share it with my fellow raiders! Here are a few pictures of our trip! Put simply, Donna and stewy, thanks for everything! It was great to meet some fellow raiders. And to nbdshroom, you were a pleasure to fish with mate! It was great to get you a few PB's and firsts. Next time, just make sure you bring me a coffee and I hope you now know what a suckworth is! Thanks for reading and for those of you raiders who missed out or weren't sure whether to go or not, clear your calendar now for next years social. Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Stalker Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 That is an awesome haul Scratchy, I just wish you left a couple for me and Diesel the following night, it seems like you caught almost every fish in the bay hehe. There were only a few taken all up last night. I think someone was smiling on you the night before and wish I could have been there to experience it. Congrats on a solid effort bud and thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. You are a champion! Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Wow Jeff and Pete that was such a buzz smashing those silver beasties right next to you both and us laughing our guts out all the time it was going OFF!!!! They didn't bite as well on Saturday night but we got into quite a few again. Cheers Stewy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hawkesbass Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Nice effort the trip down was worth it i see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV Sunray Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Well done Scratchie. Good on you for taking Pete along.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbdshroom Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 (edited) Too many things to say but I'll try to be quick! - Bad luck on the flatty (~90cm), you'll get her next time! - The coffee story went like this: Drove past maccas at thornleigh thinking there was one further up the road because I didn't want to get it to get cold. That was a mistake, as I pulled off the F3 and went to a couple of marinas and that petrol place asking for non-existent coffee. - That salmon was probably 60-61 cm - Really thankful for the company and amenities onboard the mothership. p.s. just quietly, I think Stuey knows what I'm taking about LOL - Heaps of dolphin pods all over the Hawksbury. Just puts you in a relaxed mood. - Hairtail fishing is like very unique, when they find your bait, that is when the game begins. - Scratchie was contemplating a name change to hairtail king. - Hottest bite I ever had and not a boat in the vicinity! Actually had my back get tired from pumping up hairtail all night. Glad to have had Stuey and Reggie join in on that special moment! Didn't get a picture of Stuey unfortunately but he was like a kid in a candy store! - Beware of the piecost... Last but not least, thanks to Jeff for taking me and to the Fishraider crew who made the event possible, Stuey, Donna and co.! Edited August 2, 2013 by nbdshroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quintrex480 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Now that is one big haul of haries, congrats mate! P.S. think you need a bigger and longer esky next time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tswiggs Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 cracking session! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reubs Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Cracker effort Jeff and Pete! Was great to meet you both and join you for a quick fish at the bridge! Cheers for sharing your catch around I gave one to my neighbours and they cooked it up a treat and gave me some back to try and it was amazing... mums also been busy getting her cook on! Reubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swano Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Great report and photos, Good to see the social weekend was a success. Regards Deano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbf1 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Great night. Well done guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baithoven Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 What a hall. It's been a few years since I chased hairtial ...... brings back memories of cold nights in the hawksbury. Great to see them in such good numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Formosan Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Well done..Sounds like an awsome time. A Jedi master showing the young Jedi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Incredible Hull Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Nice job guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aboz Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 lol... a suckworth!!! scratch you the man for writing up post.. congrats on wat seemed to be awesome social sesh!! ill be joining in the next social and keen to meet some fellow raiders. cheers spotie!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRED-ATOR Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Nice work lads thats a cracker session! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Thanks all for your comments. It was certainly a hairtail session of a lifetime. And to share it with 3 other raiders was special. We were all laughing so hard, that we forgot how cold it was! Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DTROJAN Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Sounds like a top nights fishing. Good job on the post scratchie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbdshroom Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Cracker effort Jeff and Pete! Was great to meet you both and join you for a quick fish at the bridge! Cheers for sharing your catch around I gave one to my neighbours and they cooked it up a treat and gave me some back to try and it was amazing... mums also been busy getting her cook on! Reubs Really enjoyed both you and your friend's company when fishing the bridge even though it was only for catties for us. Well done on the soapies, too bad for us they didn't take our squid or my soft plastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadamson Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 (edited) As everybody has said in this post it was a great weekend plenty of fish caught and a lot of new friends made. The house boat is the way to go, somewhere warm to come back to after freezing your back side off out on the water. But we caught fish so you did not feel the cold as much. Many thanks to Donna and Stewy for hosting this event this was the second year we have been on the house boat with them lots of laughs all round. The first night was slow until scratchie gave us the call to bring bait as the fish were almost jumping into the boat. thanks boys we had a ball. Saturday night started the same Stewy and I went out for a late session with Dhype and Trout stalker and Diesel. lots of sledging and between the boats Stewy/Reggies boat 4 Hairtail the others well lets say thanks for berleying for us. Great weekend thanks to everybody who took part.. Edited July 30, 2013 by Reggie the Rabbit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robinsoi Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 What a session and sensational report guys! Congratulations on the PB's and firsts!! Well done. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tide'n'knots Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 wow what a great social!!! i am sorry I missed it. sounds like you guys had a great time and by the way I totally understand the jokes about piecost etc! I dont know if you guys remember phil sigsworth who played for newtown and the magpies (nrl) - his knick name was whats a pakka! thanks for sharing. pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelguyau Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 What a great result Jeff, good work mate. Makes the cold worth while. Noel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VBCB Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Looks like a serious session there ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col35 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 great report guys and congratz on all those hairies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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