Wendy & I Go Yakking ...... Popping & Prawning

[arpie]

Hi guys

On Monday evening, I went down to a local wharf & started scooping some prawns, as they were running (being the dark of the moon!) I got about 1/2kg in 2hrs, which wasn't bad, given that the Pros virtually net half of the lake & others in boats would have been scooping further up the channel than we were!

I kept some ribbon weed & poured out most of the water & kept them in an icecream container in the fridge overnight & they all survived til the next morning, when Wendy & I met up to catch us some fish on live bait! It is a long time since I had bait fished, so it felt quite weird & I had to deliberately leave my sps at home!!

We fished the Breck Channel & as I drifted over the weed beds, I must have spooked about 10 flatties!!! Couldn't even guess the size - lots of sand puffs tho! I got into some small flatties (just legal) and less than legal bream & some nice whiting, whilst Wendy got into bream & flatties. We both had enough fish in the fridge, so pretty well all (bar one flattie for Wendy) went back! Then, I hooked into a fish that I 'called' for a flattie, but it was a reasonably sized flounder!!

29cm flounder - a new PB for yak, boat or land fishing!

Wendy had never tried flounder before, so I gave it to her & she cooked it up in some butter, lemon & chilli sauce & said it was terrific eating!

Yesterday, as Wendy had another day off, we hit the shores in our yaks, up river in Tuncurry & Wendy immediately felt very comfortable fishing there, as it was similar to the rivers she is used to fishing up the North Coast around Macksville!

I went left & Wendy went right - I lost 2 flattie rigs to snags and Wendy was getting into fish!!! I followed her lead & headed up river, by which point, Wendy had already caught & released 2 bream on poppers & had just landed a flattie on popper as well! Given that this is the first time that Wendy has used poppers ...... that is a terrific result!

Wendy's first flattie on popper

I was having mediocre succes (make that NO success) and was getting a bit despondent when SPLASH

A big fish boofed my popper AND MISSED!! Obviously it was not going to be my day! Even Wendy heard the splash & wheeled around to check it out!

Then I found out Wendy's secret weapon! SHE WAS EATING BANANAS!!! At this point in time, I was wondering if I had any on board, being the cause of my fishless outing! But no - I had none & Wendy was eating her banana & hooking up on every 2nd cast!! She'd never seen bream climbing all over her lures like they were yesterday!! Her big one really whacked it!!!

Wendy & her Banana

I was popping under some trees & could hear a comotion above & looked up, expecting to see a couple of birds having a tiff, but no! There was a big crow attacking a little furry critter in the tree! First off, I thought it was a big water rat, but it had a very rotund lower body & the tail, instead of being long & thin from the rump was very broad & fat to start off with, going thinner as it went longer! The critter was squeaking loudly & giving it back to the crow, just as much as it was receiving & the crow was flying away & coming back for more! Unfortunately they were so far up the tree, I didn't think a photo would have done it justice, so I just sat there watching! Eventually the furry critter won & the crow flew off!

Then I changed from a regular popper to a little prawny looking thing (using my Starlo stick I am now able to toss the lighter lures) and as I'd seen some prawns skipping along the bank with bream in hot pursuit, I tossed this one in & got immediate hits! None were of any size, but I ended up with about 6 bream all up. Very exciting watching them chase my lure down.

Wendy was casting towards the bank & having lots of fun, getting lots of smaller fish, too, then got a really nice one, about 30cm just before we headed back home ..... all of a sudden, it was nearly 4pm!! Time flies when you are having fun.

I had a great day on the water, with a good buddy - what more could I ask for??

Cheerio

Roberta

Edited November 27, 2008 by swordfisherman

[james7]

Wendy sure proved the banana jinx doesn't exist. She's had a lot of "firsts" lately. (She must be close to running out of them! )

Anyway, her first flattie on a popper looked like a ripper. Well done Wendy!

Congrats on your pb flounder Roberta. One of the best eating fish around, providing you don't over cook them.

Time flies when you are having fun.

I had a great day on the water, with a good buddy - what more could I ask for??

I think you've summed up the day well Roberta. You both had a top session. I wish I was there!

Thanks again for a great report with terrific pictures.

Cheers

Peter

PS Any more thoughts on what the "furry critter" was?

[arpie]

....Any more thoughts on what the "furry critter" was?.....

I was thinking a possum or a bandicoot, but it didn't really look like a possum either!! Not sure if bandicoots climb right up trees like this critter did!! It was very agile & jumping from branch to branch quite easily!

I will look up some marsupials on the net & see if any look like it ....... it'll have to be a photo from underneath, tho, so I can recognise their 'butt!"

Cheerio

Roberta

[slicendice]

A great read as usual. Sounds like you both had a great time.

Was it a sugar glider?

Edited November 27, 2008 by Slicendice

[Mondo Rock]

Great report Roberta - entertaining and informative as always!

I don't know what the critter was, but I'll bet the farm that it was poaching eggs from the crow's nest.

[arpie]

I think you may be right there, Mondo - the crow eventually gave up tho!!

Hi S&D - I think it was a bit big for a sugar glider. This critter was quite well built, but the head seemed to be the wrong shape for a possum & was very much at home in the trees.

Couldn't see any Aussie animals that matched it!! SHould have taken a photo!! Duh!

Roberta

[pelican]

Good time on the yak. Soulds like a ringtail possum. The little encounters on a yak whether it be an eagle or lizards by the stream makke up for the days when there are no fish bout.

[arpie]

I think you may be right there, Pel!! It had a big Butt & small head!!

Roberta

[arpie]

Yep Scrubworm - she still caught heaps! I was comprehensively outfished on that occasion!! She had never heard of Bananas being considered Bad Luck on fishing boats, let alone the smell being a problem!

Roberta