Trip To Browns, 13/08/06

[netic]

Hey guys,

Decided late last night that we would make a trip to browns in hope of getting some yellowfin after some good reports recently, weather reports were perfect and we were at the ramp at 5.30am.

Reached the shelf and got the lures out and trolled all the way to browns without a touch, trolled around browns for an hours or so then decided to give cubing a go.

Started cubing and threw out the lines, and this is when things got interesting.

My mate who works next door to a fish shop got 2 bucket loads of fishguts, bits etc. We loaded them into a bucket with drill holes all over it and sat and wait.

Around 45 minutes into it my mates rachet goes off for around 3 seconds, we all look and notice a large fin circling the drifting fish bits bucket. Quickly realised it was a mako and i then pulled the Tyrnos 30 back in and got the wire trace on with 12/0 massive hook and lached a dead 50cm mullet onto it and threw it at the mako.

Now this thing was massive, and it gobbed the mullet almost immediately, didnt seem to realise it was hook for around 3 minutes and then once it did it went ballistic.

Over the next 2 hours and ten mintes me and 2 mates fought this beast with it making 2 spectular breaches and leaving me with nithing but 50 metres of line on the spool at one stage.

The problem for us was that we didnt have nothing but a normal gaf which we planned to use for YFT.

During the fight we bought it beside the boat 2 times and this thing was the exactly half the length of our boat which is a 575 Stacer.

After the second visit beside our boat it went for a good run and it took us 45 minutes to bring him back, but thiis time we knew we gotta get him on board, the other problem we had was that the wire trace was 5 metres in length so my snap swivel would hit the tip and then we had to use our hands to bring the next 5 metres back in.

We lined him up with the front of the boat and got the wire trace onto the roller that the anchor uses, wrapped the trace around a stick and tried to force him up.

Now i know this is definately not the best way to approach ths but we had no other option as we were unprepared for catching big mako.

We got him around half way up and then pop he went, He bent the giant hook that is supposed to be unbendable and won his freedom.

Damn we were spewing, now as mentioned this whole process took 2 hours 10 minutes and that really took a large chunk or of our trolling time.

I have included some pics of the battle and a pic of the hook, also a small vid that is quite small but you can hear that rachet roar.

Continue to troll for another 2 hours without a touch, about 5 kms from Botany heads on our way home we heard boats on the radio getting triple hook ups on YFT 4 miles south of browns but unfirtunately we didnt have enough fuel to turn back.

Still it was a great fight that was great fun and we did have the damn thing hanging off the side of our boat so i do count it as a capture.

Sorry there are no clear pics of the mako but when he was out of the water i was too busy trying to lift him with my mates.

Link to quick vid

Pics fighting the bastard

Link to quick vid

Pics fighting the bastard

Edited August 13, 2006 by netic

[TunOFun]

Great report Netic well done

We gave the fin another go today aswell and also lucked out, but had some fun on the stripies

Edited August 13, 2006 by TunOFun

[netic]

Link to quick vid

Pics fighting the bastard

The damaged hook

Edited August 13, 2006 by netic

[gio]

Sounds like a heap of fun netic well done spewin that hook bent though

[njsconst]

Sounds like a heap of fun netic well done spewin that hook bent though

Great report NETIC!

How long does it take to get out to Browns?

[netic]

It is 37kms from Botany Heads, today was smooth so we got there quite fast, but on a normal day it will take around 2 hours, but we started trolling at the shelf so we got there slower then we could have

[gengiz]

yeh bro thanx for not taking me with you today but next week you better invite me still spewing you guys didnt bring it back would have been great hanging off the X5's roof racks

[Outnumbered]

top effort netic

i love fishing for big shark but its been many years since i've done it. we didnt use gaffs on the big ones, prefering to use tail ropes (after the shark was well worn out) then dragging the beast backwards leaving the hook lodged until it was drowned.

before we started doing that many the time we thought we had beaten a shark only to have all hell brake loose after bringing it aboard.

especially with big hammerheads its a good idea to have someone belt them with a priest when you have them alongside as they tend to come to the boat very green the first couple of times.

pity about missing out on the fin but honestly i would prefer to be hooked up to a big mako when it comes to the adrenalin rush. (and despite what some people say about the mercury i think they are a top feed)

[keenas]

Well done on hooking a mako, nettic, next to the boat is as good

as landing it, it's a pity it chewed up valuable fishing time as

most sharks do; anyway a good workout on the gear.

Personaly if i hook a shark i just lock up and usually

bust off , better off letting them go anyway.

Looked as flat as back outhere hoping it stays that

way till tuesday.

[CR@ZY OS@M@]

still that sounds awsome to have been there to see it

you sick bas****

[James]

mate seems like you had an awesome day and beside the fact you went out there targeting yft you still managed a reasonbale bi catch in a mako.

looks like you guys had heaps of fun and the seas looked great.

better luck next time but thats

[Sammy]

Top report Netic Sounds like an action packed day, better luck on the fin next time mate

[njsconst]

Netic,

My boat is similar in size. What HP/Motor have you got on the back of your Stacer? How much fuel did it burn going out to Browns and back?

Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just trying to gauge it for my own boat.

I live in South West Sydney as well. I would love to tag along with you guys for a trip out.......just to build my confidence! I regularly hit the FADS of Sydney and Port Stephens, but never gone that bit further to the shelf.

Your reports have made me very keen to get out there!

NJSCONST

[Flattieman]

Damn unbendable hooks!!! Sounds like a good experience regardless. Geez, the bluewater action is hot!!!

Flattieman.

[gengiz]

Netic,

My boat is similar in size. What HP/Motor have you got on the back of your Stacer? How much fuel did it burn going out to Browns and back?

Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just trying to gauge it for my own boat.

I live in South West Sydney as well. I would love to tag along with you guys for a trip out.......just to build my confidence! I regularly hit the FADS of Sydney and Port Stephens, but never gone that bit further to the shelf.

Your reports have made me very keen to get out there!

NJSCONST

the boat he went on has a 115hp and ive gone out past the shelf on that boat trolling from the shelf onwards and we wasted 60 litres or so there and back but the day netic went out would have been abit more they just used a full tank from what i saw when they got back so 100 litres or close but they always carry 2 spare portable tanks 30 ltrs each his boat is very fuel efficient.

[netic]

Netic,

My boat is similar in size. What HP/Motor have you got on the back of your Stacer? How much fuel did it burn going out to Browns and back?

Sorry about all the questions, but I'm just trying to gauge it for my own boat.

I live in South West Sydney as well. I would love to tag along with you guys for a trip out.......just to build my confidence! I regularly hit the FADS of Sydney and Port Stephens, but never gone that bit further to the shelf.

Your reports have made me very keen to get out there!

NJSCONST

The boat has a 115 Yamma on it, we burnt just on 110 litres, what we do is fill the 120 litre tank up which the boat has then also take an additional 60 litres of fuel which we put in jerry cans we got at bunnings for $15 each for a 20 litre.

Its good to have way extra fuel then less fuel.

Mate we are hoping to get out this weekend again so keep an eye of the trips section and you can buddy up with our boat.

[njsconst]

Thanks NETIC,

My boat is a 5.5m Seafarer, also with a 115hp Yamaha (2 stroke) on the back. It has a 120 litre S/S underfloor tank. I have a plastic 40ltr tank which I put spare fuel in up the front, for those longer trips.

From what you've told me...... sounds like I am worried about nothing.

Keep me posted. If the weather is kind to us on the weekend I'll be interested to tag along.

Thanks

NJSCONT.

Thanks NETIC,

My boat is a 5.5m Seafarer also with a 115hp Yamaha (2-Stroke) on the back. It is fitted with a 110ltr S/S underfloor tank. I have a spare 40ltr plastic fuel tank which I put up the front for those longer trips.

From what your boat is burning I am guessing it is also a 2-Stroke?

From the info your given me sounds like my boat is more than capable of making the trip out to Browns.

Hope I can have only half the luck that you've had!

Can you confirm I have the right mark for Browns -

34 02 200S 151 39 500E

Keep me posted.... if the weather is kind on the weekend I'll be keen to make a trip out.

NJSCONT.

[harold]

great story and what a fabulous rush that would be. There is always a next time.

[netic]

Thanks NETIC,

My boat is a 5.5m Seafarer, also with a 115hp Yamaha (2 stroke) on the back. It has a 120 litre S/S underfloor tank. I have a plastic 40ltr tank which I put spare fuel in up the front, for those longer trips.

From what you've told me...... sounds like I am worried about nothing.

Keep me posted. If the weather is kind to us on the weekend I'll be interested to tag along.

Thanks

NJSCONT.

Thanks NETIC,

My boat is a 5.5m Seafarer also with a 115hp Yamaha (2-Stroke) on the back. It is fitted with a 110ltr S/S underfloor tank. I have a spare 40ltr plastic fuel tank which I put up the front for those longer trips.

From what your boat is burning I am guessing it is also a 2-Stroke?

From the info your given me sounds like my boat is more than capable of making the trip out to Browns.

Hope I can have only half the luck that you've had!

Can you confirm I have the right mark for Browns -

34 02 200S 151 39 500E

Keep me posted.... if the weather is kind on the weekend I'll be keen to make a trip out.

NJSCONT.

Mate i will check the co-ordinates for you when i get home..

Yes the boat we go in is a 2 stroke, so far the weather looks great for the weekend so hopefully we can organise a ofshore raider social....

great story and what a fabulous rush that would be. There is always a next time.

Harold, yeah i know there's always next time but how many times does a person get onto a 150 kg plus mako......whilst fighting it i was thinking about how good it would have looked in the Pic of the month comp.