Port Stephens 20/5/2018

[Berleyguts]

Trying conditions today! I don’t normally fish weekends as I often work them and when I do get a weekend off, I normally spend it with the family. However, my wife is away in Thailand with my son so I thought I’d head out.

Headed for Little Beach ramp, stopping in for boat fuel on the way. Got to the service at 5 but it wasn’t open yet. They’ve been a few minutes late before. Due to the forecast, I wasn’t intending to go to Broughton, just the closer islands so figured 2/3 tank was OK anyway. Got to the ramp and the tide was well out with deep sand on the ramp so I figured I’ll launch at Soldiers Point and keep my feet dry. Also, it was heaps windier than I’d expected so I thought I’d fish in the Bay instead. Stopped in at the servo again (10 past 5) and someone was just arriving to open up. “We don’t open ‘til 6”, she said. “You opened at 5 the other week”, I said. “That’s on weekdays. Weekends we open at 6”. A bit inconvenient... if I decide to fish a weekend, I’m going to have to haul the trailer up the driveway and make a special trip during the week. Or fill up on the way home from a trip, I guess. I was so used to a 24 hour servo down the road in Sydney!

Anyway, I launched at Soldiers and headed down the Bay to a mark I’d been considering for jew and, I’ve heard, a sneaky inside red. The current was racing and the spot lock was working overtime to hold position. Would be better on the tide change, I reckon. The wind didn’t seem so bad so I decided to head outside . Tried a drift flicking plastics near Boondelbah (made it for sunrise) but it seemed worse than the other day when I fished there with Scratchie. The wind picked up again and I decided to troll for bonito. The gannets were dive bombing in a number of locations but predominately on the western (windward) side. No bonito but picked up 2 tailor on the trusty XRap. Promising. I want to get a decent length salmon for my club comp... maybe soon. Next pass, I heard the ratchet scream and I looked back to the lure but I couldn’t see it. Then I looked up... sure enough, it was in the air... attached to a friggin’ gannet! I played that sucker for about 5 minutes on 6kg mono, got him into the boat with some difficulty, threw a towel over his head and managed to get the treble out of his beak. However, another treble was stuck in his wing and I had trouble budging it. He bit me (just a bit) and took off again. I eventually got him back into the boat and finally got the treble out of his wing and he took off again. I saw him dive bombing on some bait so I hope he’s OK! It was no mean feat dealing with that sucker solo in a lot of slop and spray!

The wind was really picking up now, so I headed back towards the entrance but could only do 5 or 6 knots. Any faster and I’d get soaked! (Might have to get a cabin boat!). Found a bit of shelter in the lee of Tomaree Head around to Flyroads and Fingal Spit. Tried trolling and drifting for flathead but no luck... it was too uncomfortable and I headed back in. A very wet ride punching back into the westerly all the way back to Soldiers - not good when you’re battling a cold! Back at home by 11:15 to thoroughly clean the boat, have a shower and swallow some cold and flu tablets.

A trying day but, still, I enjoyed myself. The conditions don’t look so good outside for the rest of the week (typical - the rest of my holidays!) but maybe I can manage a session in the Bay.

Edited May 20, 2018 by Berleyguts

[wazatherfisherman]

1 hour ago, Berleyguts said:

Trying conditions today! I don’t normally fish weekends as I often work them and when I do get a weekend off, I normally spend it with the family. However, my wife is away in Thailand with my son so I thought I’d head out.

Headed for Little Beach ramp, stopping in for boat fuel on the way. Got to the service at 5 but it wasn’t open yet. They’ve been a few minutes late before. Due to the forecast, I wasn’t intending to go to Broughton, just the closer islands so figured 2/3 tank was OK anyway. Got to the ramp and the tide was well out with deep sand on the ramp so I figured I’ll launch at Soldiers Point and keep my feet dry. Also, it was heaps windier than I’d expected so I thought I’d fish in the Bay instead. Stopped in at the servo again (10 past 5) and someone was just arriving to open up. “We don’t open ‘til 6”, she said. “You opened at 5 the other week”, I said. “That’s on weekdays. Weekends we open at 6”. A bit inconvenient... if I decide to fish a weekend, I’m going to have to haul the trailer up the driveway and make a special trip during the week. Or fill up on the way home from a trip, I guess. I was so used to a 24 hour servo down the road in Sydney!

Anyway, I launched at Soldiers and headed down the Bay to a mark I’d been considering for jew and, I’ve heard, a sneaky inside red. The current was racing and the spot lock was working overtime to hold position. Would be better on the tide change, I reckon. The wind didn’t seem so bad so I decided to head outside . Tried a drift flicking plastics near Boondelbah (made it for sunrise) but it seemed worse than the other day when I fished there with Scratchie. The wind picked up again and I decided to troll for bonito. The gannets were dive bombing in a number of locations but predominately on the western (windward) side. No bonito but picked up 2 tailor on the trusty XRap. Promising. I want to get a decent length salmon for my club comp... maybe soon. Next pass, I heard the ratchet scream and I looked back to the lure but I couldn’t see it. Then I looked up... sure enough, it was in the air... attached to a friggin’ gannet! I played that sucker for about 5 minutes on 6kg mono, got him into the boat with some difficulty, threw a towel over his head and managed to get the treble out of his beak. However, another treble was stuck in his wing and I had trouble budging it. He bit me (just a bit) and took off again. I eventually got him back into the boat and finally got the treble out of his wing and he took off again. I saw him dive bombing on some bait so I hope he’s OK! It was no mean feat dealing with that sucker solo in a lot of slop and spray!

The wind was really picking up now, so I headed back towards the entrance but could only do 5 or 6 knots. Any faster and I’d get soaked! (Might have to get a cabin boat!). Found a bit of shelter in the lee of Tomaree Head around to Flyroads and Fingal Spit. Tried trolling and drifting for flathead but no luck... it was too uncomfortable and I headed back in. A very wet ride punching back into the westerly all the way back to Soldiers - not good when you’re battling a cold! Back at home by 11:15 to thoroughly clean the boat, have a shower and swallow some cold and flu tablets.

A trying day but, still, I enjoyed myself. The conditions don’t look so good outside for the rest of the week (typical - the rest of my holidays!) but maybe I can manage a session in the Bay.

Wonder what the ANSA rating is for a gannet on 6kg? Well done on the release, my mate got one on a popper and it went nuts in the boat

[big Neil]

A disappointing return to the far east eh Baz. Days like that make us appreciate the good ones all the more. Cheers, bn

[Scratchie]

Unlucky baz! It looked pretty lumpy and windy out there. I didn’t mind as I was working! 

The snapper are out there though. My mate headed south of Fingal and landed 7 snaps up to 60cm on sps! He said the ride back to soldiers was a challenging one though! 

I also seen a nice 8kg red come off the inner v on Friday! I can’t wait to get out there. Should be a cracking snapper season. 

Catch up soon!

cheers scratchie!!! 

[Berleyguts]

3 hours ago, Scratchie said:

Unlucky baz! It looked pretty lumpy and windy out there. I didn’t mind as I was working! 

The snapper are out there though. My mate headed south of Fingal and landed 7 snaps up to 60cm on sps! He said the ride back to soldiers was a challenging one though! 

I also seen a nice 8kg red come off the inner v on Friday! I can’t wait to get out there. Should be a cracking snapper season. 

Catch up soon!

cheers scratchie!!! 

Yep, I reckon they’re out there for sure! Ha! The ride back to Soldiers was almost as wet and lumpy as the ride from the island to Mrs Murphy’s!

I’ll get out again as soon as the seas drop off. Might get a session in inside the Bay in the meantime.

[JonD]

Reds were almost non existent down here on the south coast over the weekend, both charters and rec boats had a dismal catch. We dived Saturday and saw just one very small snapper in a location we normally see plenty. Sunday we fished hard over all the usual snapper areas and though we caught fish none were snapper.

[Berleyguts]

I should have stayed in the Bay yesterday. I dropped into my local tackle store this arvo to pick up my reel which had been waiting on a new bail arm. Got talking to Chris and he caught some nice jew yesterday. “Up around the island?”, I asked. “Oh yeah, up that way, sorta”. Was the reply. I should have stayed where I was for the tide change! The bottom of the tide was the go, he said. He also got some stonker bream on lures along the rock walls. Time to fish inside for a while, me thinks!

[Peter Nelson]

Hey Baz 

I went out today with pretty much the same results.

couple of Bonnie’s, hoping the weather man got the forecast wrong, nope he got it right , blowing hard and slop.

Did you find your leak?

[Berleyguts]

8 minutes ago, Peter Nelson said:

Hey Baz 

I went out today with pretty much the same results.

couple of Bonnie’s, hoping the weather man got the forecast wrong, nope he got it right , blowing hard and slop.

Did you find your leak?

It didn’t look too bad this arvo from my park (Barry Park) at Fingal.

The o ring on the bung plug looked a bit perished so I popped my spare in. Need to find the right o ring now. Didn’t seem to be getting any water in. Then I ran the bait tank for a while. Think there could be a leak in that system somewhere. Just couldn’t see it but when I turned the pump off there didn’t seem to be any more water in the bottom. I normally run the tank all day, so that might explain it the other day. Will have a closer look when I can. I’m getting the ETEC serviced on Thursday - maybe they can look at it too. Another concern is my Humminbird sounder is playing up, particularly at speed - it keeps sounding the depth alarm and says it’s 0.2m deep! I think there might be a loose wire where it connects to the transducer. Might have to get a new one. ?

[garfield28]

Good report Baz.

So you thinking of getting a cabin boat now mate? I've pretty much decided to stick with mine for now and put a few dollars into some new seats and a couple other bits and pieces, for the money I don't think I'd get something as good as I have.... Just put up with the heavy tow and hopefully have my son on board a few more times to help launch. 

[Berleyguts]

Just now, garfield28 said:

Good report Baz.

So you thinking of getting a cabin boat now mate? I've pretty much decided to stick with mine for now and put a few dollars into some new seats and a couple other bits and pieces, for the money I don't think I'd get something as good as I have.... Just put up with the heavy tow and hopefully have my son on board a few more times to help launch. 

Not really... mainly because there’s no way my wife would let me buy another boat AND the new vehicle to tow it! ? My boat serves me well and, really, how often am I going to go out in 20 knot winds? ? Ya just grit your teeth and get wet! ?