Hi Raiders,
I've been struggling lately so there hasn't been much to report.
It's been so bad that I have been put on notice, get some fish, or get...... lost.
Friday night I got the call from Royce, " We are fishing the lowest part of the harbour,
with this bump on the fish will come inside.
I don't argue, I know he knows his stuff, but then he goes further, " I reckon they are a good bet on fly"
I got to his place at 5.20 and he was at his desk tying weed flies. He explained why his are different to the ones you buy, and it made perfect sense. ( sorry trade secret). I haven't cast a fly in 15 years, so I was happy that our buddy Mark was at the spot with a good supply of weed and cabbage.
We get to the spot and there is a good wash, more like being out on the rocks than inside the harbour.
Royce starts getting takes from the get go, then he pulled the first fish, and the second...
Mark started getting them on cabbage while I was getting zip on weed.
When I did finally hook one, the mainline snapped. When re rigging it snapped every time I tried to tie a knot. I showed they guys, Royce pulled dragged the line off and snapped metre after metre, "It's Rotten"
Those guys kept going fish after fish, I changed to my backup reel, hooked another good fish only to snap the leader on the lift. I snapped off again and thought Stuff this and went to watch the action on the fly.
Royce offered me a go, which he soon regretted, as I left his leader a tangled mess that needed re rigging.
But he suggested I put on a fly instead of cabbage.
It worked, I got a good down, and pulled up tight on to a fish. It felt big as it took line and was playing hard.
I got him in and washed him up onto the ledge. Just legal,,30cm foul hooked under the gills.
First blackfish on a fly anyway. I'm starting to feel better.
Next drift I'm on again and the leader goes 'PING' FC Rock I hate you..
Swapped over Vanish, that Royce and Mark were using, and started getting a few fish.
Confidence building, then a couple more.
We called it around 10:30 both the guys bagged out, Royce purely on fly, Mark on cabbage, and I was happy just to contribute after all my dramas.
We kept 16 the rest went back in.
Ryder