You Know You've Got It Bad When...

[humesy]

You know when you've got it bad when you are standing on a long, empty beach, with lightning all around and you're holding a 12 foot rod in the air.

Was determined to get a session in with favourable tides and the beaches starting to fire up again. The first of yesterday's thunderstorms had passed through and I hit Roseville boat ramp in the knowledge (from the BOM radar) that another one would be coming through at some stage. Could only manage 4 yakkas, each of which would meet an untimely demise.

Left the ramp at 7.00, with storm #2 starting to fire up. Drove down to Long Reef in TEEMING rain, thinking all the while, you idiot, just turn around. The ball was rolling though and there would be no stopping me.

The rain let up as I arrived at the beach but there was still the lightning. Yakka #1 is cast out and MOST unhappy to be out in the surf. What do you do but hang on and tell yourself, at least my friends will say "he died doing what he loved."

Yakka #1 gets hit by a juicy salmon. The good samaritan gets the better of me and he goes back instead of being kept as bait. Soon regretted that one.

Yakka #2 gets smashed and a 3ft bronzie is hauled onto the sand.

Yakka #3 gets smashed by another shark and it is a bust off.

Yakka #4 is nervous again, gets picked, run stops. run starts, run stops. Must be jewie says I and as the next run starts, I strike but come up empty handed and out of bait.

The depths of my obsession will be clear when I tell you that the obvious thing to do was to chuck my gear into the bushes and leap in my car in search of a servo. (the lightning had died down by now by the way).

Back in 20 minute with a packet of pillies and some nice (frozen) mullet fillets. (from mobil at DY)

Back to find my gear, fairly safe in the knowledge that I was the only one insane enough to be out on the beach. Pillies didn't get much action but the mullet gets hit by another juicy salmon. This guy isn't so lucky and he gets slabbed. It was getting later by now and it was a school night so I thought about packing up. Put the rod in a holder with light drag and set about packing up. turned back to check the rod and saw the sickening sight of a rod in the sand, with the drag going off. Luckily it wasn't in the drink but whatever had hit had disappeared.

Stuck it out for another 5 minutes and get hit one last time by another bronzie who became foul hooked and was dragged all the way to the shore.

Great action, should never have been out there, but I'm glad I was in the end.

Cheers, Humesy.

PS Zenman, 1st shark behaved exactly as yours did on Sunday night. Bolted straight out to sea then turned back and headed towards the sand. My bet would be shark not Jewie, the other night. I'd say you were right though, the buggers are out there.

Edited March 20, 2007 by humesy

[Guest dicko1]

Great report mate! would'v been funny to see you out fishing in the middle of a lighning storm with a 12ft lightning rod in your hand!! didnt get the jew you were after but i bet it would still be good fun catchin the sharks!

[Mondo Rock]

I'm impressed that you're able to get the yakkas from Rose Bay to DY without them dying!

But sounds like there was plenty of action - more than I got the other night - great to see the beaches FINALLY starting to fish well.

[houmous2001]

Hey Hummsy

what rig do you use of long reef .. i have fished there alot and only get moorwong lol

[frankp]

quality report and great reading.

shame about the jewie but at least the sharks wanted to play ball.

Edited March 20, 2007 by frankp

[humesy]

I'm impressed that you're able to get the yakkas from Rose Bay to DY without them dying!

But sounds like there was plenty of action - more than I got the other night - great to see the beaches FINALLY starting to fish well.

That was Roseville boat ramp mate. 4 or 5 yakkas in a bucket with an aerator will last a 1/2 drive. Any more than that, they start to die.

Keep at it mate, would be happy to join you and Zenman on a mission some time.

[zen801]

Humesy,

Man you got the fishing bug bad mate. It certainly can be an obssesion. I dont blame you for going out again to that spot as it is fishing well. The jewies are there for sure.

Dont forget your new best fishing mate when ya go out.

Yeah the other night it was probably a shark. But testing yourself on a shark is a good idea as when you get a jewie on the line chances are your gear will handle it all the way onto the sand.

My cats just loved the salmon, when i got home the other night i watched them scoff the salmon cubes.

I am keen on fishing but not in a lightning storm. I got zapped by lightning a couple of weeks ago when i put my hand in a overflowing blocked box gutter during a storm. The second i reached to clear the block a lightning strike overhead electrified my colourbond roof and water filled gutter. It burnt my hand. Come on mate i told you that story and ya still went fishing in a lightning strike.

All the best mate. Mondo i will give ya a ring next time to see if ya wanna join in on the chase.

Zenman

[mcownage]

now thats determination I cant say that i would have the balls to be standing out in a thunder storm with a 12ft fishing i mean lightning rod. Great report loved every minute of it

[Penguin]

Mate u r mad,fishing mad,I was on a boat when that storm started to

hit and we bolted for home,but sounds like u had fun so good on you.

penguin

[ophet]

Funny story and well written. You are a mad bugger !!!! Great action though.

[Flattieman]

Jewie fever - it can get you doing some crazy things. I once just started screaming when I couldn't catch any squid for jewie bait - there's a real committment and drive to catch them in every jewie fishermen. Some don't stand out in thunderstorms but we all know the feeling. Must... catch... jewie! Nice report, humesy.

Flattieman.

Edited March 22, 2007 by Flattieman