Off Crookhaven Heads...

[michaelrdoyle@gmail.com]

Was down at Orient Point this week, and headed out twice.

On Wednesday morning - the predicted weather of 5-10k winds had changed to 15-20k - not so nice. So at 4am we made a quick decision to forgo the banks - and just fish for flatties in front of the Shoalhaven Heads Surf club.

We first went for livebait in front of the heads - burleyed up for nothing - very frustrating. Sometimes they're easy to find, sometimes not. The good that came out of going for livies is one in the boat got very badly sea-sick - so we were able to drop him off at the ramp at 5am - before heading further from the entrance.

Headed out to the clubhouse, and started drifting for flatheads at the 20m mark. The weather didn't know what to do. At times, there was no wind, and it felt like it was going to flatten right out. But at other times, it was over 20k - with whitecaps - and you start thinking "umm - time to call it a day?".

Never-the-less - started pulling in 20cm flattie after 20cm flattie. They just kept coming. And then livebait - heaps of it! Livies and Slimies everywhere - don't even know why we tried in front of the headland!

We moved to the 30m mark, and started getting some decent sized ones. Biggest went to 52cm.

And since we had livebait - we thought - why not? Dropped a yellowtail to the bottom, and a slimey on the surface.

And just as we were falling asleep - ZZZZZZZZZZZ - the line started peeling off like no tomorrow! Jumped up - grabbed the rod - and tightened the drag as tight as I dared...yet the line kept peeling like I had no drag a all! Training hard, I had that worried panicked look in my eyes - what to do? Lukily my mate up front was yelling at me "Relax - let him run - you have plenty of line!". My senses kicked in - and I realised I had put on 300m of line on this rod for a reason! My mates pulling in the other lines - and the fun began.

Finally the run slowed - then stopped - and the fight was on. I assumed a shark early - as I had heard there were some in the area (including a 5m thresher caught a few weeks ago). It circled the boat, and I narrowly missed getting the line caught on the boat - but kept it together. After an exhilarating fight - we got it to the boat - a large hammerhead!

Then the discussion began on what to do with it. Cut it free? Or fill the freezer with shark flesh? No one was offering to pull the hook out. One of us had heard this size hammerhead was good eating - and a quick check of the fisheries sticker found it to be legal, we decided to keep it. What a way to learn how to use a gaff! We put on gloves, got the gaff, and a "priest" (a hard wood mini baseball bat for fish who misbehave!). But this stage it was 20mins since hooking it - and it was no longer kicking so hard. Still - we had heard warnings about certain sharks! We gaffed it, grabbed it, and priested it. Pulled it in, and put a knife in the gills - and priested it again just to make sure.

and we had one shark - about 1.4m!

Later, when pulling in another live bait, we saw another shark follow it in - but no go!

Anyway - here's a picture of me and my shark :-)

Good luck for the Christmas Fishing!

Mike

Edited December 15, 2007 by Mike Doyle

[Steve07]

those little hammerheads can go pretty hard & have a good run in them,at least it gave you some fun out

there & a few shark steaks for the freezer.

well done mate!

[BRUTUS]

Top little Hammer, There great to eat at that size. The Big ones are like eating Tennis Balls

Looks like a better start to the season around Crookhaven heads area this year, hope it continues to improve right through. Be down that way shortly ! !

Ken

[IWANNABROCK]

Top stuff mate, I cant wait one more week of work and ill be down there to catch a feed.