Yakking With Gdcalmer On Wallis Lake

[arpie]

Hi guys

An early start this morning ..... I'd told Wendy to be there at 7am That's an early start for her!! Then she beat me to it!! It was raining lightly but it looked like it would clear nicely! At this point in time, we didn't have the wind that plagued us here yesterday! Glad I wasn't on the water then!

Keith dropped me & my 2 yaks at my usual departure spot & I ran Wendy thru some basic yakking info - she was keen as!! Went to set up my 'special mullet float' that I had made yesterday for her .... couldn't find either of them!! Aaaagh! Back home I go .... not there .... bring some bodgie bits to try & rig up something else that would work .... they were on the back of the Hobie all along! Going blind as well as mad!

We head across the channel to one of my favourite mullet leases. The plan was to try for some fresh mullet first, then do some popping or sps! The mullet were everywhere! Almost jumping into the yaks! Huge swirls every time a bird flew over - big boil ups everywhere .... but not near our floats! I reckon they were all the really big ones, as the smaller ones (30cm & smaller) would have been all over the floats & bread!

Wendy hooks up to a small bream that gets released, then her float went ballistic!! Her rod doubled over & as she was not tied to a post or lease, got pulled 180 degrees before managing to control the fish & get it into the yak! A nice big (almost) bully mullet!! Her first ever mullet!! Now she knows where they are & how to get them, She'll be back!!

At this point, I'd been moving all round the lease, as I couldn't catch a cold! Normally as the tide tops high, you get a fish with every other cast ... not today!! Then the tide turned & we went to the fence & actually fished the other side of it! Suddenly, we were onto regular fish! In fairly short time, I got 3 & dropped about 5 (one was a big one that jumped out of the net to freedom!) Wendy was getting hits & dropped a couple as well. Then, a couple more fish. At last we were getting some action!!

By now it was about 11am & we noticed the wind had picked up dramatically & dark thunderclouds were gathering above! The water was getting choppy & so decided it was time to head towards home ..... we had one last toss in the main channel on the way back, but no more fish.

New found friends!

Final tally

I have them filleted & in the fridge, ready to be smoked for Wendy & her folks for dinner tomorrow! Yum!!

I had a terrific time on the water with Wendy - she is a natural in a yak & I know when she gets out on the Hobie next time, she'll be stoked!!

Till next time

CHeerio

ROberta

[luderick59]

hi roberta

nice catch of mullet ,dont they fight well

well done to both of you saw some mullet in the blackie spot at mona yesterday will try for some in the morn

peter

[slinkymalinky]

Nice work Wendy... congrats on your first Mullet and (I think) your first experience of Yak fishing. Not something I know anything about and the average Yak would probably die of fright if it thought I was going to sit on it, but mucho respect for catching fish that way.

Roberta... when I fished Cape York with Mrs Slinky 2 years ago one of the other fishos caught a mullet that would have been all of 4kg (I think I've got a pic on my computer at home)... I wish they grew like that in the local estuaries. The humble mullet is one of the most underrated 'sport's fish swimming (mainly I guess because they're not exactly an easy prospect of typical sport fishing gear).

Never tried them smoked... I'll have to give them a go. I'm guessing with their oily flesh they're really yummy.

Cheers, Slinky

[arpie]

Good luck Peter - hope you get into some!! Still waiting for the blackies to run

Hi SLinky - there are some huge bully mullet in the lake just now - would easily go over 1kg! You just rarely catch them unless out off the headlands & got a spear! A buddy reckons is like a duck shoot out there just now - they don't even scatter when you fire into them! They got a nice lot of bait!

Cheerio

Roberta

[youngy555]

Hey nice write up Roberta, i think the oldies are getting me a yak for by birthday next month, gave it a shot over xmas with a relo and loved the "stalking" style of fishing, what do the mullet take, just bread?

[luderick59]

hi roberta

used to get a lot of big bulley mullet in manly lagoon up to 1kgs t rick was to use floating berley smallest blackie float 6inchs under float the bigger fish seemed to like the surface bread [crust floated better]

peter

[harold]

good on you

[jewgaffer]

Nice to see you and Wendy fishing together in the yaks. Mullet must be good for you because they serve them up to patients in hospitals I believe

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Hodgey]

Yay Wendy! Well done on your first (and successful) yak sojourn!

Looks like you have found a kindred spirit, Roberta. You must be quite chuffed, knowing you have helped Wendy catch her first mullet. That would make it a PB!

Keep the reports coming, ladies!

Hodgey

[james7]

Great report Roberta. That’s a nice haul of mullet for you and Wendy. I think you’ve made another “conversion”.

I guess this is just the beginning of the “Roberta and Wendy Yak Show”. I’m looking forward to many more reports. Nice photos too.

Cheers

Peter

[gdcalmer]

Hi guys and gals

I"m feeling quite full after a scrumpsious feed of smoked mullet.

Thanks Roberta my mum and dad thought the fish was great,we have only ever had smoked cod, you will have to show me how to smoke fish .

What a day we had out in the kayaks. I love being able to croooze in and out of those leases. Its funny, I was to exited with the great fight the mullet was giving to realise it was taking me for a ride

You must have been cracking up!!

I must admit I did get a little nervous when the wind blew up all of a sudden, but I knew my new buddy was keeping an eye on me , all the same , I was sure glad to light that smoke when we got back to shore.

Tomorro the gals are in the Quinni and I'm going to make sure Roberta has something to eat and drink.That girl would fish all day without a thing to eat :thumbdown:Gotta keek up your streanth to pull those big black fish in!

Lets see if we can have as much fun in the boat as we did in the yaks.

Wendy

[arpie]

Hi Wendy

That's a cert!! Glad you & your folks enjoyed the mullet - it is sooo easy & only takes 20 mins to cook! (Check out the Recipe section for the recipe!) WIll show you how to do it, too!

Done heaps more bread for tomorrow ... look forward to catching those pesky mullet again & blackies! Make sure you bring the float! Anything else we catch will be a bonus! I will bring those meuslie bars & water I didn't eat/drink yesterday!!

See ya on the water!

Cheerio

Roberta

[jewgaffer]

Hi Roberta and Wendy. Might pay to use a few big mullet fillets at some time in the session tomorrow.

Hope you get onto some good size fish.

Cheers

jewgaffer

[arpie]

hehehe Jewgaffer .... I am putting in a strong handline .... just in case!!! :) Also some chicken to tempt the breambos!!

Roberta

[gdcalmer]

Hi Jewgaffer

Way ahead of you ,got the fresh mullet fillets this avo.

Roberta may be introducing me to the world of kayaking but I going to coaks her into using the goog old mullet for bait. I always catch my bream and flatties on it. Car'nt beat it.

Wendy.