Woody head 04/08 - 07/08

[martoiscool]

Hey raiders,

Headed down to woody head with a bunch of mates for a fishing/camping trip over the last few days. Weather was really good with light winds and sunshine most of the time. We only had one big shower on the first night with our half arsed attempt at putting up a tarp filling with a little water.... Funny stuff at 4am in the morning!!! Anyway to the fishing... If you didn't already know there is a little beach bay at woody heady which has a protected from the south boat ramp. This gave us good access to the ocean and we hit the seas every morning in our tinnys.. We didn't have many marks as it was our first time but we still managed some very small snappper and alot of rock cod. We did find it to be a very quick drift... we were mixing it up to with plastics and baits..

Anyway we didn't do any good outside but all these old local blokes kept coming back in every day either around lunch or mid arvo with big snapper and trag.. One boat managed a 9kg snapper and a metro plus Jew..... Lucky buggers...

Our camp was right near the ramp so we were constantly talking to these blokes and trying to get a hint of a good spot but they are pretty protective of there spots... I would be to if I was getting fish that good!!!

The general area it seemed was a fair way north like off jerusalem creek and south of Evans head... We all decided to fish the river at iluka in the arvos with better success.

We mainly fished the middle wall drifting with baits and flicking a mixture of lures. Some of us managed a couple of flathead and some legal bream but nothing spectacular. We did have a good time though with plenty of sledging between the three boats..

On the Tuesday arvo I decided to launch my boat into the esk river and have a crack there. This river runs off the main one is is quite tannin stained...

We decided to head down stream to meet up with the others.. Man I tell ya it has some damn shallow parts with us all getting out to push over mud flats at times and getting freaked out by big stingrays shooting off inchs from our feet... It made for some funny moments..

After fishing in the river for a while my two companions hitched a lift back with the others and I decided to keep fishing and making my way back up river to the car.

I as flicking a tt swicthblade around near the mouth of the esk when it got wacked what I thought was an ok flattie. It started off with some head shakes then started to head towards te boat.

It quickly made some strong runs and big head shakes and I was thinking now it's proably a PB flathead. I fought it for a good five minutes slowly bringing it to the boat.. Waiting to see that big shovel sized head...

Much to my dissapointment I landed this massive catfish.... I only had a measure stick and I figured it was between 60 - 65 cm and it weighed a ton as it was super fat..

Anyway I have submitted it as a possible record... Even though it's a cattie... A record is a record!!!

Even though the fishing wasn't that great we still had a damn good time

[hamerz84]

fanastic read mate nothing better than camping and fishing, sure as hell beats working regardless whether u catch a few or not. good on ya.

cheers hamerz.

[Pongrass18ft]

Nice trip guys,

Time out camping and fishing new spots is great fun , seeing locals with nice fish caught will definately bring you back .

Definately one fat healty catfish ,

Chris.

[eastwood1980]

Can you eat cat fish? any good eating?

[martoiscool]

Yeah seein those big snapper means I'll defiantly be back but with some gos marks next time!!!

I know some people eat catfish but I never have and I it doesn't sound very appetizing. I released it anyhow