Botany Bay Fad's

[TheDiko]

G'day Raiders,

Yesterday the plan was to get onto a few of these very elusive Mahi Mahi. We tried for some Yakka's all around Bare Island for 1 Trevally looking fish, not a good start.

Temperature at the heads was 22.5 degrees so it was looking good. Headed out to the near FAD, trolling from half way after we saw a school of baitfish jumping...nothing. Pulled up at the FAD in 23.4 degree water and while dad was pulling in the xmas tree he had a follow up from a decent Stripie. I threw on a 12g Maniac and dad had a squidgie. Cast in my spoon and the moment it hits the water it gets hit, still being half asleep he was off, but on the retreive about a metre from the boat I land a giant Samson Fish of about 20cm

Two more drifts with the same stuff for nothing but a few sniffs from the dollies, I try a small popper and dad goes for a smaller squidgie. I get a strike that misses the hooks by millimetres and dad a bite but no hookup. Next drift is peeled prawns for the both of us.... I get hit and after getting really excited in the hope of my first ever gamefish a 50cm Kingfish with a big tag sticking out the side of it is landed.

Next drift I'm on again, better fight this time, and I see the bright yellow zooming around in the water and I know this one is a dollie. After a bit of hassle trying to net him solo he's in the boat, measuring 64cm After a few YAHOO's and big smiles for the camera he's popped into the ice box. Another pass produces another dorado of 64cm by my old man, this one gave 3 jumps and put on a nice show for the 2 surrounding boats. Second last drift I land a 40cm Kingfish and send him back to annoy some other people.

The next part of the journey was trolling to the far FAD, 10 minutes in and the shotgun starts screaming. After almost leaping out of the boat to get to the rod I yank it out the holder and let it play it's tune. Pushing 8lb of drag this fish knew how to fight! After a couple of minutes and 3 fantastic runs a 3kg Stripie is landed, WOOHOOO! No more hits until the FAD.

24.3 degree water garunteed more fish than the close Fad but after 5 drifts we saw 1 fish landed by a nearby gamefisher and nothing for us. So we trolled to the 12 Mile. Halfway there the shotgun goes off again and dad leaps onto the rod. This one went straight down, if the gear was any lighter he would have reached the bottom no problems. This one gave 3 vertical runs and was a bit of a bugger to winch up, but after a good fight another 3kg Stripie was landed which earnt it's freedom.

The 12 Mile produced 1 very nice Leather J and another smaller one. I had a bit of a rest after a day of burleying

With a day like that you can't hope for anything more (if you have just caught your first gamefish after 4 months of trying). Now I'm busting to get out again and catch some more big fish with that super cool Strudwick Bluewater and Symetre, it wiped the floor with 'em Sam.

Pictures will be up by this afternoon

IFS

Edited April 14, 2007 by IFishSick

[KingsRule]

Nice one ifish!!

Souds like a great day!

Were you trolling with the symetre?

[domza]

good to see u have some luck finally, i got my first dolphin fish today close to 80cm on the first cast

[TheDiko]

[hustler57]

good to see that the bay is producing .