Hey fellow raiders.
I’ve been a long time reader first time poster.
I finally caught something good enough to take home and brag about. Went out Monday night under Cpt. Cooks Bridge with my mates Abu, Penn and Okuma, on My Sanity (my pride and joy), to catch that mysterious Jew fish. We launched at 8:30pm from Oatley, arrived in 10 min to find the place to ourselves. Dropped anchor and baited with whole Squid on a two hook rig, Squid strip on a single hook and cast a pilchard tail out near the pylon on a small 4-8kg Ugly stick. To my surprise on the drop Abu screamed with excitement! (Or it could have been me?) With a little fight on 14lb fluro leader we landed a 36cm fat Bream.
Half-hour later, Penn let out a yell. I thought happy days are back again until we sighted a ray at the end of our line. Mongrel rays!
3 hours later on the top of the tide Okuma then screamed on the overhead. We took up the slack and felt the weight at the end of the line. Set the hook and held on. You beauty!! A heavy fish was bending the 7to 12kg rod. We had smiles from ear to ear (Well I did). It fought hard. I pumped and cranked. The last six trips we came home empty handed. This fish was coming home with us! It ran again and again! until we brought it up to the surface. The silver flash of a Jewie shone in the water two meters away. Then the horror hit me. The net. Damn net was on the other side of the boat. Ahh! I calmed myself. I’ll get the net. The fish is tired it’ll be fine. I went to put the rod in the holder and I saw weed and debris starting to float around me and get tangled up with the line. I caught the Jewies eye, he looked at me as if to say your not taking me home with you. He pulled for one more run, put his head down and lifted his tail out of the water and then the line went slack and the rod straitened, the 40lb leader broke.
All I could do was watch him slowly wave goodbye and disappear into the depths of the river. I let out a yell and put the rod down. I thought of what just happened when Penn yelled. I set the hook and felt the weight. I thought I’m landing this one. The determination was written on my face. You’re not getting away from me I thought. It pulled. I pulled back. It came to the surface. Damn Ray!
Well I landed the Bream. It’s not a Jewie but it’s a Bream.
Took off from there at about 0130 after another run but no hook up, and tried the 3rd runway. Put the baits in sat down and reminisced about the loss. Some time went by when I thought I’d check the baits. I had weight on one. It didn’t fight much and to my amazement I pulled out a cracking 44.5cm Whiting. Got to be my personal best.
Dropped it on the deck then it must have woken up. It flipped around like crazy.
Stayed for another hour without a bite then packed up for the ramp.
Oh well you win some you loose many. That’s
our great sport. As long as I’m out there doing what we love, I’m happy. There’s nothing else that keeps My Sanity.
Until next time
Jim.
