Rod and I headed for Jervis Bay on Monday to fish out of Huskisson. We met up with my brother Paul who was joining us for a day's fishing on Tuesday.
We arrived just after a boat had been upended on the bar leaving Currambene Ck. There was a moderate swell coming in and the skipper apparently tried to turn around half way out when surprised by a breaker.
By the next morning the swell was gone and the exit was easy. Conditions were good but the fish were notable by their absence - Longnose Point, Middle Ground, Point Perpendicular, off Target Beach, the Tubes were all quiet. We only caught small flathead and some rubbish fish. The bombora at Longnose Point was very active with big swells breaking.
On Wednesday it was overcast with squalls coming through from time to time. At Longnose Point the bommie was quiet with only the occasional wave breaking. We trolled around for a while and Rod hooked up on a kingfish. Unfortunately for us it was only 63cm - so back it went. After checking out a few other spots we returned to Longnose where another boat had been trolling with some success - they had several kingies, some of which were keepers. They had then switched to jigging with soft plastics - once again with some success.
On the sounder there were literally dozens of fish showing along the reef either side of the bommie (and under the bommie as we later found out). We started jigging with hook-ups almost immediately. My first hook-up ended with a straightened snap swivel. Rod lost 2 in quick succession. We then found we had drifted almost onto the bommie which was thankfully quiet. As I retrieved my plastic to exit the break zone I hooked into a big one. Amazingly it swam with us as we motored away from the bombora. But as soon as I put pressure on it headed for the bottom. I tried to hold it but a knot gave way. Kingies 4, fishos 0. I then threw in some dried up squid that was on a snapper rig - another hook-up and another loss when the kingie headed for the bottom nearly taking me with it and then swam my line around the motor. 5 - 0. (Oh, I forgot the 63cm unit that went back so maybe it was 5 - 1)
We didn't catch anything at all, but felt we had learned an awful lot and we were looking forward to a return match on Thursday. Unfortunately the opposition forfeited. They did send their younger brothers and sisters to Middle Ground where I boated two 55cm jobs. Comparing the fight they put up with what we experienced the day before, I'd say the Wednesday fish were considerably bigger. A salmon, a trevally and a sweep finished the day for us.
The return to Currambene Ck was interesting as there was a strong run-out with large standing waves all thru the entrance, but we got in safely.
