Clifton Gardens 10/3/07

PPSGT · March 10, 2007

Headed of to Clifton Gardens this morning - via the wedding cake to get some livies.

My mate Dan seems to be bad luck when out on the boat - the last two time we couldnt

lose a bait and things werent looking any better for him today - Some bait showed on the sounder so

I dropped the bait jig to the bottom and pulled up a XOS sized yakka straight away which was thrown

back and the rod handed to Dan so he could start filling the tank,

But he couldnt get a nibble, so off to Watsons bay but after 15 minutes we gave up as

the last time he came out it took 3 hours to catch one yakka....

We motored over to Clifton Gardens , and anchored up 50 metres east of the big white can a "safe" distance

to avoid bust offs and dropped out pilchard heads over the side. The sounder was showing zilch

so more pillies went out and the wait was on. 15 minutes later the sounder fills up with fish and Dan's rod

loads up and heres on his first king. After a good battle on the ugly stick with 6kg straight to the hook no trace, a nice king just over 60cm is boated, photo'd, kissed and sent back.

The sounders gone dead and the waiting game is on again an hour later the sounders fills up and Dans

on again to another king which spat the hook after about a minute.

10 Minutes later he hooks up yet another fish - which bust him off almost straight away.

Sowe rerigged his line with 25lbs trace and send it back out - 5 Minutes later he's on to a really good king,

it heads straight to the bottom then makes a 50metre run straight out from stern, turns left and heads straight for the big white cans mooring rope - Dans concentrating on trying to stop the fish while Ross and I

are laughing as which watch where the lines heading. The lines goes limp and its gone. It was a really good

fish, but there was no way he was going to stop it - the sound of the drag screaming faster and faster

as he wound it up tighter and tighter was fun to watch. 50 metres was too close!

My nibble tip with the same hook and rig from Monday was also given a work out and I landed 2 watsons leaping bonito ( a first for me) , a good sized bream and a nice bonito that just wouldnt come to the net,

it made five runs to the bottom before we could get it to the net - it was about 60cm.

So thats 8 good fish on the 3kg "trace" with it wearing through or busting off, and my cheapo gear is

holding it own against the expensive

Going to go back to chemically sharpened hooks though - the $2 for a box of 100 ones didnt hold on

few fish and they spat the hooks on the first run.

Also a well over legal snapper was landed by Ross

All fish were released to increase their dioxin count and be caught another day...

The kings seemed to be swimming through about every hour and when we were hooked up all the other boats around were also hooked up. Also watched a guy pull in 4 samsons in about 15 minutes from right next/under

the white can

All in all a great day on the water - Dan was on fire! And the monkey is now officially off his back ,