Thursday, Island Fishing - Wet Bum

[Berleyguts]

Nothing to report really because I had a pretty unsuccessful day but what the heck. 🤷‍♂️ With a few days off work but that east coast low heading our way, today was the only chance I thought I’d have to get out with light winds and a low swell but with a chance of rain. The rain forecast has been wrong before so I thought I’d chance it. An exchange of texts with @Scratchie yesterday and I decided I’d try Broughton Island early for snapper up to the tide change, then try and get a longtail tuna, while they’re still around and before this low moves them on. That was the plan anyway.

Left Little Beach ramp at 5:15am and with no moon and a cloudy sky it was as black as the ace of spades heading out, so I had to take it easy. Not just because I couldn’t see the swells but also because it’s whale season (even if the whale watching cruises aren’t running). So it was a cautious ride out to the bait grounds. The only light around was the occasional flash of lightning on the horizon. Ominous perhaps. 🤔 I spent a little longer than I wanted to catching a few slimies and a couple of yakkas but I then had enough pre dawn glow to confidently make the run to Broughton, whale free at 20 knots. 😎 Hit the spot for the first drift. What drift? Current was 1/2 knot or less and just seemed to take me in small circles. I repositioned and got a slightly better drift but each drift seemed to take me in a different direction. Weird. I fished plastics and mixed the colours up a bit - coconut ice, white, pilchard (and, yes, I found my pilchard Z mans, Jeff). Scratchie was sending me lots of tips via text while he was at work and I put in a lot of casts but the only hits were from a sergeant baker and an octopus. This occy was released but it was the first of 3 on lures for the day. I kept the later 2 for something different. More on that later. Another text from Scratchie and I put a slimey fillet on the jig head instead of the plastic. First cast and I had a solid hit. I struck hard (well I thought I did) and felt the bump, bump of a reasonable snapper, a short tussle and a little line lost against a fairly heavy drag, then the hook pulled - so, I guess I didn’t set the hook properly! That was my chance and I blew it! 😖 A few more fruitless drifts, then a small shark turned up so I headed on to another spot to try for longtail. Got to the spot, found the bait, sat on spot lock and floated out a live slimey. There were two other boats in the area. No action for any of us. By now, the rain was getting heavier and I was getting colder, so I pulled up stumps and headed for home. Tried a short flathead drift on the way, managing four blue spots at 33cm, legal but I released them as I find them a bit small. Also those two other occies caught on the jig I use instead of a sinker on my paternoster. Finished the run home in stinging rain and was back at the house after filling the tank by 12.

Not a successful day but it was still good to get out, even with the rain. 🌧 😎

Many thanks to Scratchie for his great tips during the morning! So, all I came home with, apart from a few slimies and yakkas (future bait) were a couple of octopus, which I’ve decided to cook up. I’ve only barbecued baby octopus before. Does anyone have any octopus recipes? @kingie chaser perhaps?

Edited May 21, 2020 by Berleyguts

[Scratchie]

Baz, you had a fair crack and that’s the main thing. I knew you’d end up with a wet bum but early morning looked real good. Sorry for bombarding you with texts but I really wanted to see you get a good fish! Sometimes you need to adapt. At least you hooked something decent so that’s a start. The longtail usually frequent that spot on a tide change so you might have just missed out. 
I’ll endeavour to get you out there soon for a bit more tuition. We’ll get you a good one on sps, that’s my mission! 
 

cheers scratchie!!! 

[noelm]

There's a couple of simple Octopus "things" a few of my mates do, one boils them in plain water for about 15 minutes, then charcoal BBQs them, the BBQ is extra hot, because the Octopus is already cooked and only needs the "char" the other mate boils them longer with a dash of vinegar in the water, cuts them into small bits (with scissors) adds Olive Oil and salt and pepper and then eats them

[noelm]

Just a side note...has anyone noticed a lot of Octopus around these days? Going back years ago, catching one would be a pretty strange thing (in the ocean this is) but now, every Flathead drifter that comes in has a couple, and I have caught a few, I wonder if it's because most of the big trawlers are gone? you would think the Leather Jackets would keep the numbers down? but then, maybe that's why the dreaded jackets are here?

[Berleyguts]

2 hours ago, noelm said:

There's a couple of simple Octopus "things" a few of my mates do, one boils them in plain water for about 15 minutes, then charcoal BBQs them, the BBQ is extra hot, because the Octopus is already cooked and only needs the "char" the other mate boils them longer with a dash of vinegar in the water, cuts them into small bits (with scissors) adds Olive Oil and salt and pepper and then eats them

Thanks Noel. Yes, I’ve already cleaned them and separated the legs. Tried skinning the legs but it was too much of a stuff around so left them. I’ve been googling recipes. I think I’ll boil them in water with garlic, onion and aromatics then char grill them. Although my mother-in-law has her eye on some for one of her noodle dishes. 😎

Edited May 21, 2020 by Berleyguts

[zmk1962]

Great report Baz. You gave it a go and had a day fishing - how bad can that be.  
As per my reports I’ve brought back occies on the last two trips. @joshGTV suggests freezing to tenderize so I’m giving that a go this time. 
cheers Zoran 

[Blackfish]

You had a go and thats what matters, plus I recon it was better than my day at work BG.

Not complaining really about work because at least I have a job, but fishing sounds better.

 

On another note I read the Title and thought how did you get up to Thursday Island. 😄

[Berleyguts]

9 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

On another note I read the Title and thought how did you get up to Thursday Island. 😄

It’s all about the punctuation. 😉 A bit like capitals. Imagine if you wrote the following sentence without capitals: “I helped my Uncle Jack off a horse”. 😂

[Blackfish]

Bahhhaaaaaaa

[kingie chaser]

Hi Baz, the day may not have panned out as you hoped but hey that's fishing & a bad days fishing is better than a day at spent work!

Just for you @Berleyguts

I just spent 2hours putting this together-

 

[Yowie]

At least you managed something, better than nothing at all.

33cm Blue Spots are small, but if they are legal and nothing else is about, then you have something to put on a plate.

[PaddyT]

If it makes you feel better Baz i hit Longie on Monday for 3 Sgt BAkers and a Butchers !@#$% , same deal no current, no reddies.

[Berleyguts]

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

At least you managed something, better than nothing at all.

33cm Blue Spots are small, but if they are legal and nothing else is about, then you have something to put on a plate.

Yes, Yowie, in hindsight maybe I should have kept them but I couldn’t really be bothered filleting and deboning them (the only way certain family members will eat them) as I was really cold and wet and wanted to get home. The missus said, “Two octopuses?! After all that time out on the water?!” I was going to reply, “I wanted to come home with something different this time, like a big snapper or tuna. I guess octopus is different.” But I thought better of it. I was also going to say, “The correct plural of octopus is octopi.” But again, I thought better of it. 🤷‍♂️ 😂

Edited May 22, 2020 by Berleyguts

[Rebel]

Great story.

[61 crusher]

Good to here you got out & caught something even if it wasn’t the target species, great read 👍