Trip Up To Ballina

[the1murph]

Hey guys drove out to Ballina last week to check out my dads new place and I was pritty keen to see what the fishing was like up there so I had organised to go out for a half day with the local charter bloke. Arrived at Ballina around 12am and was buggered but had to get all set up for the morning so i sat there very tired trying to put on heavy duty split rings to jigs, solid rings to split rings and assist hooks to solid rings without any pliers or scissors (wasn't much fun) managed to get to bed around 2 then managed a couple of hours sleep before the early start.

When we got to the ramp the next morning I was very excited to see that he had a sailfish boat because I usually never liked cats but I saw it at the boat show and fell in love with them so i was pritty keen to see how they went.

Leaving from Richmond River you have to cross a bar on the breakwalls so we all had to lifejacket up, first few waves it was fine then we hit a big wave which launched us into basically another double wave which when we hit for the first time in my life i was very happy to have a lifejacket on! We where up in the air for what seemed like an hour and basically on our side but somehow we managed to JUST land it and get out of there pretty quick hahah.

After a shaking start we went to the bait grounds where we stocked up on yakkas (well everyone else on the boat just watched me pull them all in) hahah they where hopeless! Then a 20min run out to the first reefs which stretched for a few km and and averaged snapper around 6-8 kilos (apparently). Just as we got out there the southerly started to kick up a bit so we were all quickly switched to about 100kilos of lead (i guess I wasn't going to be fishing the SP's)

With a few small fish on the boat already a big patch of bait appeared on the sounder so down with the 250g jig which I dont think could even get near the bottom (probably would have been more like a surface skip bait for marlin if there where any passing through!!) because of the speed of the drift and the charter bloke not wanting to hold me on the spot because he was hunting snapper and wasn't really to keen on the jigs. So found a dusty 400g jig in my tackle box which was going to get its first run! I knew i was going to be in for a very sore wrist the next day. Never -the- less down she went and a few jigs I was told that we where about to hit HUGE Sampson fish county so a few drops later I was on!

The first run got my hopes up but then I could tell it wasn't a MASSIVE fish but still a nice kingy was boated around the 80cm mark

Also got my very first pearly which was like on 30cm but still excited to add a new species to my resume and had to keep him to try it that night (was similar to snapper but better)

At the end of the day my dad and I where the only people on the charter to catch any fish... got a morowong, two pan sized snapper, big flatty (dad was very exited about that), pearly and the kingy

Im looking to going up there again and havin a shot at the big jewies you can get fishing LB in the river!!

Jack

Edited October 15, 2008 by Kingy Kid

[Day's Fishin]

Hi Kingy Kid,Twice I have tryed to fish there but with a lot smaller boat & havn't been able to get past the bar! Good to see if you do make it ,it's not a waste of time.I will have to take the trailblazer down & try again.

Regards Jeff

[slinkymalinky]

Great post KK,

A really good read. Sounds like you had a memorable day on the water... glad it wasn't in the water.

Cheers, Slinky

[the1murph]

Great post KK,

A really good read. Sounds like you had a memorable day on the water... glad it wasn't in the water.

Cheers, Slinky

cheers mate yeh certainly a memorable day.... also congrats on becomin a moderator!

Jack

[sanger]

Nice work jack! Hows pitwatter been fishing lately? I used to see you out there occasionaly when i was on baby blew my mates boat, but im overseas for a while at the moment and missing a good fish like you wouldn't believe!!!

[the1murph]

Nice work jack! Hows pitwatter been fishing lately? I used to see you out there occasionaly when i was on baby blew my mates boat, but im overseas for a while at the moment and missing a good fish like you wouldn't believe!!!

haha yeh mate I would go crazy if i couldnt get on the water! Yeh i havent had much luck in Pittwater lately.... I dont know if im the only one who is struggling but i recon it should start to fire up soon!

Just tryin to remember your boat..... is it like a 5m centre console?? and you guys caught some spotted mackeral that morning??

Jack

[sanger]

haha yeh mate I would go crazy if i couldnt get on the water! Yeh i havent had much luck in Pittwater lately.... I dont know if im the only one who is struggling but i recon it should start to fire up soon!

Just tryin to remember your boat..... is it like a 5m centre console?? and you guys caught some spotted mackeral that morning??

Jack

Its a little centre console tinny with light blue paint on the hull.... always chasing kings on the wrecks and we've seen you out there a few times with some of your mates!

[the1murph]

Its a little centre console tinny with light blue paint on the hull.... always chasing kings on the wrecks and we've seen you out there a few times with some of your mates!

oooo yeh i know that boat... u guys r champs! haha yeh we where downrigging the highway next to you boys.... havent seen you out for a while... u planning a pittwater session soon?

Jack