North Head Wednesday

[connolly]

Hello fellow raiders.

Just a quick run down on my first trip out since May.

Left Tunks Park ramp at about 4:45am. Trolled around North Head then up towards Manly. Saw a few Salmon schools but didn't see anyone actually land any. We eventually got one trolling a Mackeral coloured Tilson Barra. My mates first salmon. Pretty quiet after that except for 2 big slimies that didn't even seem to put a bend in the rod. Salmon released and slimies kept for the bait freezer.

Decided to head back into the harbour for some "eating" fish near a channel marker. Caught 4 nice leather jackets. Released heaps of well undersized red bream. My mate lands a silver trevally and I give it an accidental release that would make the three stooges look intelligent and sensible.

The breeze dropped after a while so we decided to head out to Northerners for some jigging. I didn't feel confident with what I was doing and soon got tired (reeltired) of it so my friend Dave has a try. Says he can't get the hang of it then hooks up! Don't you hate that? Unseen monster heads back for the bottom, drag gets tightened, monster still pulls 50lb braid towards bottom. In the excitement/confusion the line goes limp and I wind it in. Hmmm! No lure but the 70lb snap swivel is still attached but open and in good condition. Not sure what happened but I don't think I'll be using snaps on the end again.

Oh well! At least I know that 200g raiders with jig hooks and pink squid attached do the trick.

I guess it gave us 2 "the one that got away stories" and some motivation to go out again soon.

reeltired

[Gaff]

Good day Reeltired, top report mate, i cant help but get

the feeling that the snap lock swivell may not have been locked,

open (with no damage) hard to do underwater, but maybe not impossible

as those Kingies are pretty cluey.

Gaff

[connolly]

Yeah! I hate to admit it but I think you're probably right. Even if the fish rubbed or knocked the snap swivel against something and it opened there would at least be a bend or some sort of damage.

Thanks for your opinion. It helps me see things a bit more clearly and learn from my m m m m mis take and admit I was wr wr wr ongg!

reeltired

[namesay]

Ah those trusty snaps. It never fails to astonish me how they can magically come undone. I only use them on downriggers to attach the bomb and even then I don't trust them.

cheers kelvin