Broken Bay 18/6/06

[Scienceman]

Saturday at 5am with the wind pusing 20 knots on the hill I called my mate and suggested we go on Sunday instead.

Sunday at 5am, pretty calm so out we go. Still a 2 m swell running so it must have been at least 3 m on Sat. First tried in close off Putty beach in 18 m of water. Plenty of fish on the sounder but nothing much biting - except red rockies. I recon these guys were schooling under the boat 'cos I caught about 6 in 20 min.

Put a 3' minnow SP down near the bottom on my bream gear and stuck the rod in the holder to let the swell work the lure. After 30 min it goes off - a small reddie. Another 20 min and the rod doubles over the real screams. I picked it up and felt a very solid weight. Big but not too big (I hoped). A gained quite a bit of line after the first run and then it took off to the surface - a big tailor? Then again down deep again. It was not too big that I could not gain some line between runs so I thought I was in with a chance. Finally got it to the surface, and as we went to net it - you guessed it, the hook straightens - BUGGER . Got a good look and it was a mac tuna, about 70 - 80 cm (3 - 5 kg??)

Wind droped to about 5 knots by mid morning and we decided move on as only 1 small mowie in the esky. Tried a spot on East reef in ~20 m of water. A few fish on the sounder but not a big school. I decided to fish with an estury rig (hook, trace, swivel and small bean sinker) as the fish would be more timid so long after sun-up. Slight current to the south. Tried a variety of baits but it wasnt until I put some fresh, skinned yakka on the hook that I go the first reddie. Over the next 1.5 hours I caught a total of 5 going 32 - 35 cm - not a great catch but better than going home with nothing. All caught on fresh yakka. My mate got zip and I think it was because he continued with a patternoster rig with heavy mono.

Cheers,

Scienceman

[kantong]

good report, a few reddies showing up. hopefully they keep coming.

[Flattieman]

Sounds like a good day, Scienceman. Shame that you couldn't land the tuna . Nice reddies there.

Flattieman.