JonD

Been good numbers of small blue eye down here, mostly in the 3-4kg size. Whats been strange though is they are over flat ground just about anywhere in 300m. In regards to little boats, Ive been doing runs to the Vic border from Eden lately, which gets a few funny looks. I experimented with many props and found a small 15 pitch mercury spitfire x7 is amazing in rough conditions. Im able to hold lower speeds and far better control when conditions get really messy. Obviously though some conditions really shouldn't be tackled in small boats, a strong westerly all the way from sea mounts would be horrible in such small boats.

Im quite surprised by many of the comments on this, yes it was someone who obviously didn't understand the local fishing rules and regs. However if it had been a rod and reel angler catching any of the gropers I so often see and hand feed while on scuba or spearfishing it would be considered quite ok for them to catch and kill it. For years I dived with both scuba and free dive a location which had a fair sized groper of just under 15kg which I would never consider targeting with rod and line. It was a rod and line angler who killed it for a inter club competition where he was congratulated by just about every person from all clubs on his catch. It was also the species he targets more than any other species of fish. Personally even though I have my favourite species to interact with under water, I see no difference in catching and keeping a kingfish, tuna, marlin etc over a groper. Those who get under the surface will also know that kingfish can be just as curious and interact with you much like groper. Wrasse are even more interactive than groper, yet people will often discard them as a rubbish catch for the cat. Unfortunately for some fish if they don't look the part they aren't treated with the same respect all fish should have. Over this Xmas holiday fisheries have been catching many anglers in my area for having undersized kingfish. There have been a fair amount of undersized flathead and snapper also among local catches. There have been numerous boats in the various sanctuaries here also fishing, to the point I can guarantee seeing boats in these areas on every trip. Yes fisheries hand out warnings to people from outside the area but then come down harder on second offences. What Im saying here is this is a daily thing happening here not a mistake someone has made for the first time on a 40yr old fish, if they had it wouldn't of been 40 years old. I would be extremely surprised if this person was aware he had done wrong until he got mobbed on the rocks as many other states allow for them to be speared. Yes someone made a mistake and he now needs executing by the angry mob with any other fishing person who may of ever drifted into a marine sanctuary, exceeded a no wash speed limit or forgotten to check the dates of their life jackets. https://www.theinertia.com/environment/why-spearfishing-isnt-all-just-blood-and-guts/

Its much the same down here in the south with lots of small fish, however there have been a few bigger ones that have smoked most anglers. The sharks haven't really made much of an appearance though yet.

You measure from the furtherest parts of the boat.

Ive owned Lowrance and simrad products for around 30yrs but moved over to Garmin 5yrs ago which was the best thing I did. Before you spend money though, maybe when you turned off your H bird you accidentally turned the brightness down so dark you can't see the screen. This is something Ive seen people do on various sounders over the years and having the screen turned down you obviously can't see the brighten button depending on the model. If this is the case google how to brighten the screen in that situation.

This was on my boat when I first purchased it.

Have you measured the boat, its only 10cm bigger than my boat which seems way bigger. Those older clark boats certainly had better aluminium than boats these days.

Just be aware that the tap on those clear bowl filters is very flimsy and if its kept close to the floor where a thrashing fish tail or a big foot can knock it you will need to do repairs tog get running again. The thread only needs a gentle tighten on the tap. I carry a spare bottom bowl incase of any mishaps.

Good to see you getting out there again and getting a decent feed of quality eating fish. Might be worth buying an epipen to keep onboard with those hook cutting pliers!!!! My daughter has also had reactions to certain things which end up with paramedics and hospital.

Tailor

A couple more recent ones from my old phone. Any guesses on the jaws ?

A few more abstract images I snapped on my phone while picking up some timber at a hardware yard. An old steel shipping container pained brown had some signage written on it. The paint had worn and shrunk over the years leaving these patterns. I told my wife they were artworks in a shop down where I had been working and they were $1100 each, she said she liked them and believed they were worth it🤭

I haven't eaten that species of wrasse but others such as maori wrasse are at the top of my list for eating, above flathead, whiting and even blue eye. For years a family I fish with took the pee out of me for rating them so high but around 12 months ago were at my house just after I had crumbed a heap of wrasse fillets, everyone of them agreed it was the best fish they had eaten. These are people who regularly eat the various deep drop species. Wrasse fetch good money commercially and are unfortunately targeted heavily now in my area, so far less common. In comparison to kingfish or snapper, no thanks. Just about to head up north where I will be targeting coral trout, red emperor and large mouth nani etc, all of which taste much like wrasse, only far bigger and better sport.

She's the most jammiest person you are likely to come across and has already had so many fish and experiences it really wouldn't surprise me if she tops this before she heads home.