First Ever Line In Harbour 16/2/08

[Tackle Junkie]

G'Day Raiders,

I have been veiwing these forums for a couple of months now - envious of all the quality fish being caught. I recently joined up and was waiting for THAT Perfect fish to be my first Post!!

I purchased a boat a couple of months back and have been fishing the hawksberry and cowan creek quite regularly with some good results - but it has been a long time goal to catch something that will put a real bend in the rod.

Saturday morning I was on the water at 6:00am with a fellow raider (fishy pete) who has been an inspiration for my fishing - but has cost me a fortune in new gear purchases so that i can keep up with his experience.

We proceeded to the infamous SPOT X and threw my first line in the water and first line ever in the harbour. After an hour or so - There it was the zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I had been hearing so much about, i was dissapointed it was not on my own new $600 outfit but none the less i was onto a decent fish.

After a freight train of a fight compared to my usual bream, flatties and tailor i was holding my first king - he went 65cm and i was thinking how proud i would be coming home with dinner this time, but before i could process what was happening the second rod buckled and i was onto it. My poor deckie did not get a look in as he was busy subjuing King #1. The second fish fought harder than the first but only went 62cm. I must admit it was hard throwing him back - but i did.

I will post a pick of my boat as it is not the first choice in a King hunting vessel - its funny i went out to buy a big tinnie to really get amongst it but made the mistake of taking with me. Ended up with a compromise but hey i can make any boat fish - its amazing the quality of some of the REMOVABLE gear available these days, and I don't mind cleaning up!!!

As with the compromise i do not have room for a decent esky / kill box but i was gloating that I had purchased a $3 esky - it is a green keeper net. No drama's King #1 was in the net and tied to the boat.

P.S. if anyone picked up a nice 65cm King floating near SPOT X you owe me a beer. Moral of the story never gloat and learn how to do a really good half hitch.

By the way i witnessed little slinky screaming how happy she was to catch a king - GREAT to see.

I will be on the harbour most weekends now and this time i will have a camera ready and a better fish storing device.

Come say G'Day

Cheers,

Josh

Edited February 18, 2008 by Tackle Junkie

[james7]

Welcome Josh

Great first post

There's no doubt about that "Spot X" - it's a great spot!

And don't worry about the keeper net. I left the net over the side once when moving between spots. It's amazing how a couple of big whiting can squeeze through the gaps! (very embarrassing!)

And looking forward to seeing some photos when you nail a couple of big kings next time!

Cheers

Peter

[fishypete]

Hey Josh

I told you the 3 Dollar esky was a bad idea - the look on your face was priceless when you realised that there was no Kingfish for the BBQ and it had done a Houdini and and escaped the keep net.

We also saw the down rigger boys at spot x (Cannon and Scotty)

Well done and I hope Bill believes you

Cheers

Pete

[gretsch]

Well done Tackle Junkie..

You will be an addict from now on!! I give your new boat a year tops before you will crack and buy a dedictaed fishing boat. From there, you will start to purchase so much gear you will have to rent a garage!!

[BrettP]

G'day mate,

I was with Slinky on Saturday, nice looking boat and congrats on your results.

Cheers

Brett

[ryhno]

Congrats Mate!!!

I'm jealous..

Gotta get out there next weekend and get me some Kingies!!

Cheers,

Ryhno

[slinkymalinky]

G'day Josh,

Nice looking rig... Spot X was on fire wasn't it!! Congrats on nailing a king first time in Sydney Harbour. I know a lot of guys and girls still looking. I don't think you were the only one to hear Little Slinky. BrettP's ears are probably still bleeding after she showed just how much she can talk when excited... she didn't stop all day.

Hope to see you out there again soon. Now that I know you're a Raider I'll swing over and say hi.

Cheers, Slinky

[saltrix]

Glad you caught a Kingfish.

You have a nice boat there.

Best to buy an esky and bring some ice, and kill, bleed and wash the fish, as the kings will die in the keeper net and it does them no good keeping them in water about 20 degrees, as well as that you sometimes forget to bring it in and it tears off, it snags the line as you handle a big fish, and there is a chance a shark will take the lot.

They might be OK for land based luderick fishermen but thats about all, in my opinion.

Sometimes kingfish have an internal parasite which turns the fish mushy and has a terrible hot taste when cooked, to avoid this I always keep the fillets seperate and try a small piece before cooking up a meal.

For further information on this look on the net for Kudoa thyrsites, or Myxozoan parasites. I have found about 1 in 10 larger kings infected and at first I thought I hadnt kept them cold enough but there is nothing you can do about it except find out which fish is crook and throw it out.

Has any other raider had this problem?

[inhlanzi]

Welcome to the Seriola Club Tackle Junkie

Now don't let that deckie teach you too many bad habits ( even if he does know where the fish are )

Here is a modified pic for you to remember the occasion!!!!

Cheers

scotty and cannon

Edited February 18, 2008 by inhlanzi

[Tackle Junkie]

Thanks Guys,

I had no idea about the parasites?????

The plan was to only keep the fish in the net for a short time then go back and get ice etc. It just was not to be.

I reckon my "ski locker" is a perfect built in underfloor fish storing device. Filled with ice and the hole plugged up temporarily it should hold at least 4 good kings - here's hoping. This is all sealed and can be hosed out later.

Cheers,

Josh

Welcome to the Seriola Club Tackle Junkie

Now don't let that deckie teach you too many bad habits ( even if he does know where the fish are )

Here is a modified pic for you to remember the occasion!!!!

Cheers

scotty and cannon

Mate from what I am aware - you should have trained him better. In all fairness he has not let me down yet - but i may as well blame him for losing the fish

[fishypete]

Thanks Guys,

I had no idea about the parasites?????

The plan was to only keep the fish in the net for a short time then go back and get ice etc. It just was not to be.

I reckon my "ski locker" is a perfect built in underfloor fish storing device. Filled with ice and the hole plugged up temporarily it should hold at least 4 good kings - here's hoping. This is all sealed and can be hosed out later.

Cheers,

Josh

Mate from what I am aware - you should have trained him better. In all fairness he has not let me down yet - but i may as well blame him for losing the fish

Josh

I think I can sense some sour grapes from the downrigger boys - when I am on board with them they show respect - The lads didnt catch any Kingies on Saterday .

I will be giving them both netting practice on the weekend - some of their technique is not up to scratch

Our mission on Saterday was to catch you your first KINGFISH and it was mission accomplished

Regards

Pete

[stives]

Well done with the first Kingie, sure beats tailor on the hawkesbury. Sure that this will now be the first of many Kingies.

Glad to see that my deckie (fishy pete) could show you spot x. I do however apologise for the lack of his netting and fish keeping skills - I have tried hard to train him but have obviously got some work to do yet.