hookerbruce Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 (edited) The weather and family commitments aligned on tues and I made my first Dollie trip for the year. Went and caught my live bait on Monday arvo to save time on tues morning. Got to the FAD at 6:45 good conditions and first boat there. Didn’t see or catch any big fish but content with a steady stream of fish 55cm to 67cm. Kept 7 then left the FAD at 9:15 and headed in to fish for some flathead. Caught 10 keepers in an hour and headed for the ramp at 11:00 after an on water safety check by water police (all in order). While at the Fad said hello to the next boat that arrived and went over before I left he had kept 3 thought a quick flat tie fish on the way back in sounded ok. Never know who you will bump into out on the water. Edited April 10, 2019 by hookerbruce photo 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big Neil Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Looks like you chose the right chooseday to get on the water. Quite a few good feeds in that lot too. Job well done I'd say. Cheers, bn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Good report hookerbruce,, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 Well done and great report. .. it's an awesome feeling when you have a FAD all to yourself even if only for a while eh? ... but then as Raiders we don't mind sharing especially with another Raider. You are both going to have quite a few chews-days from those catches ! Cheers Zoran 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 That's a great result mate. Awesome work. What depth did you find the flatties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welster Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 8 hours ago, hookerbruce said: The weather and family commitments aligned on tues and I made my first Dollie trip for the year. Went and caught my live bait on Monday arvo to save time on tues morning. Got to the FAD at 6:45 good conditions and first boat there. Didn’t see or catch any big fish but content with a steady stream of fish 55cm to 67cm. Kept 7 then left the FAD at 9:15 and headed in to fish for some flathead. Caught 10 keepers in an hour and headed for the ramp at 11:00 after an on water safety check by water police (all in order). While at the Fad said hello to the next boat that arrived and went over before I left he had kept 3 thought a quick flat tie fish on the way back in sounded ok. Never know who you will bump into out on the water. Ha ha. It sure was a good day on the water. Nice to meet you. It’s so good out of the rat race getting to chat with people with that casual feel about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookerbruce Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 Thanks for the replies Had fish for dinner last night with the grandkids, gave some to couple of neighbours who keep an eye on the place when we’re away and froze 4 meals. With 1 Dollie the flesh was inedible soft like jelly. Nice getting to the fad first doesn’t happen often not even midweek. Maybe the approaching southerly deterred some. Had first flatly drift in 35m for all throwbacks. Started next drift in 40m and there were plenty of fish. It is nice midweek on the water Can actually say hello to. The boat next door even if you don’t know he is a raider. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackfish Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 Quality fish there Bruce.. On another note, a mate got a good size Dolphin fish a the fad last season and it’s flesh did the same, turned to Jelly. A bit like what can happen to the flesh on those North Coast Kings. He was disappointed ...... putting it mildly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berleyguts Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 A couple of dollies I caught at the Port Stephens FAD the other week seemed a bit mushy when I filleted them, too. It made it hard to skin them. After a few hours in the fridge they were easier to skin. They seemed to cook up OK though but the former fillets certainly were better. My wife loved them all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted April 11, 2019 Share Posted April 11, 2019 A very nice catch there Bruce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookerbruce Posted April 11, 2019 Author Share Posted April 11, 2019 I’ve had the odd Dollie with soft flesh before. Also back in the 80s had a few kings from the Peak that were inedible. Probably good to get the diseased fish out of the water. The carcass is going in the bin not back through the barley bucket. Thanks Dave I was quite pleased as it was a short trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted April 12, 2019 Share Posted April 12, 2019 Great report & a good feed for a quick session on the water, how did you keep the livies going all night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted April 13, 2019 Share Posted April 13, 2019 Fantastic haul @hookerbruce Looking forward to some Mahi Mahi tonight that swordie caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lakelad Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 On 4/10/2019 at 10:26 PM, hookerbruce said: a quick flattie fish on the way back in sounded ok Nice work with that haul @hookerbruce. What was the flattie rig you used, and what was the bait? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickmarlin62 Posted April 16, 2019 Share Posted April 16, 2019 Drop your mahis in a saltwater n ice slurry as soon as you bleed them they will be firm as Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookerbruce Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 2 hours ago, rickmarlin62 said: Drop your mahis in a saltwater n ice slurry as soon as you bleed them they will be firm as All my fish go straight into an ice slurry with salt water. Six fish were perfect one when I went to fillet it the same day the flesh was like jelly/Ousey. Have had a couple like this over the years. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookerbruce Posted April 16, 2019 Author Share Posted April 16, 2019 3 hours ago, lakelad said: Nice work with that haul @hookerbruce. What was the flattie rig you used, and what was the bait? Just a standard paternoster rig two 3/0 suicide hooks 20lb fluorocarbon trace fished on 20lb braid and a 6 ounce sinker. Used bonito strips for bait because this is what I had. Any tough fish bait will do. I quite often use sweep fillets or mahi belly flaps Bruce 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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