A Good Hen & Chichen Afternoon 19 Oct

[Guest Squizy]

It was a late thought and wouldn’t have happened, if it wasn't for my wife who literally pushed me out of the house at around 12:30pm Friday as she ventured out to the supermarket . The only catch, I had to take out the three year old Daughter with her brand new "Pink" fishing rod and reel. We hit the boat ramp at Hen & Chicken around 1:00pm after stopping at the local bait and tackle store for some prawns for the Daughter to dangle. Yep, a little late to be going out to make a day of it, so I thought I would just potter around the bay and see what was on offer. The weather was fine, the baro was up around 1024, there was a slight breeze, I was here and not at work - everything was looking really good.

Then it came time to wet the boat. I diligently prepared the boat for launch and placed my Daughter in it, complete with life jacket and “pink” rod. I looped the bow rope off to the front of the trailer, as I have done many times over, and reversed the boat into the water where I watched it slowly float from its resting place. I then drove slowly forward and observed the boat continuing on its rearward path and not follow the trailer back to the ramp as expected…. OOPS! On moving the car to one side of the ramp and making my way back down to the boat ramp (stripping off preparing for a little swim) I looked across at my Daughter who was sitting rather contently and undeterred by the whole situation, finding it humorous in her own little three year old way as ‘Dear old Dad’ stripped off to his jocks and entered the water (sorry folks no pics).

After retrieving the boat and Daughter and attempting to retrieve what was left of my dignity, we set off across the bay. We commenced a nice steady drift through some moored boats along the north eastern end of the bay, the Daughter bouncing a prawn and me flicking around a rather ominous looking SP, I don’t know the name of it, a sort of prawn looking thing that was deadly on the flatties in Tuross last week… (Thanks Hodgey and family for a great time while there). On the first drift, the Daughters’ bait was pinched on a number of occasions, leaving the SP high and dry as I continued to rebait. Then all of a sudden there was a little action along with a nice bend in the pink rod resulting in one not too bad 40cm - first ever - flattie to christen the Daughters’ new rod and reel. As dad quickened his retrieve in order to assist said daughter Bang! Another nice little flattie (smaller than the Daughters’ but Shhh I won’t tell if you don’t). So now Daughter has a fish and dad has a fish! Both were released and the drift was repeated resulting in another on bait and another two on SP. The day was starting to look worthwhile, with five fish in the boat in under the first hour. As we set up for a third drift through the same area, the wind changed and instead of pushing us to the north had us heading in more of a westerly direction. Not only did it change the direction of our drift but it swung all of the boats around on their moorings. I don’t know if it was the sudden change in weather (baro now 1018) or if it was that I was now no longer in the right spot but it was very quiet for the next couple of drifts.

Deciding that a change in tactic may be needed, I headed over to some private jetties along the Abbotsford side of H&C where I jagged of a couple of good casts up underneath the jetty and between pylons. I was rewarded with three flatties in three casts, all on the drop, not big fish but all somewhere between the 30 - 45cm mark - who cares? I was having a great time! This was followed, a short time later by a huge hit alongside a pylon, no hook-up and no tail left on the SP. That is now eight flatties in the boat, dad is happy and Daughter is content to flail her little pink rod through the air as though she had been scripted in the next Harry Potter movie.

By now Mum has finished the groceries and school had finished, meaning it was time to motor over to the boat ramp to see how things were going. This ended with yet another daughter in the boat for a fish, not too bad a deal as the wife sweetened it all with a few beers and some snacks. Two girls now in the boat, the pressure was on…… Where could I go to try and get the girls a fish? I zipped across to Looking Glass Bay, anchored off between the boat shed and the moored vessels, and let the girls sink a prawn. As I did so, I noticed a heap of small white bait bursting from the surface along the bank down from the boat shed. Being in the need for a new SP and looking for a bit of fun, I loaded the jig head up with dark coloured Flick bait and managed to land two small bream and 14 Tailor ranging from a mammoth 8cm through to about 35cm and had an absolute wow of a time in the process. With the day drawing to a close, it was time to head back to the boat ramp, and off home for a great steak and a bottle or two of Shiraz. All in all a good day was had by all:

8 Flathead + 2 Bream + 14 chopper Tailor, all in just over four hours = a top afternoon.

This one fell to the Pink Rod

Another little lizard

This one is from an earlier outing, I just thought I should share the daughter's PB Bream at 43 to the fork. Yep puts me to shame, although I did have to help her with it.

Thanks

Squizy

Edited October 20, 2007 by Squizy

[mrmoshe]

Hi Squizy and to the site.

Great day on the water Squizy and a terrific report.

The daughters must have had just as much fun I bet.

A great tally of fish in a short time...well done!!

Looking forward to the pics.

Cheers,

Pete.

Edited October 20, 2007 by MallacootaPete

[roosterman]

to the site...

thats a great arvo you had there with your girls ..

i had a big smile on the dial reading that,its a great buzz seeing the little ones face light up when they catch a fish isnt it...

i know i get a great buzz even if one of my boys is catching a lowly ol yakka

sounds like you got some good deckies there.. and we wont tell anyone who prob got the biggest ones eh

cheers...steve.....

Edited October 20, 2007 by roosterman

[Hodgey]

Great report Squizy, and to the site!

Littlie looks chuffed with her latest conquest. A little Leanne Payne of the future I reckon! Looking forward to more reports from H & C before you re-locate back to Toowoomba and start slaying the bass, ya lucky bugger!!

Hodgey

Edited October 21, 2007 by Hodgey