Jewhunter Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 G'day Raiders. The plan was set to fish the Gold Coast Seaway tonight. Slinky would bring the boat to our 'herring" bridge, we'de get some livies & then drift the seaway to do our best. We met at the ramp at 5.00pm & Slinky & FIL Pete were waiting. While Slinky was teaching FIL to cast the cast net from the jetty a school of herring made the mistake of swimming by. They already had 8 livies in the tank when I got there. The herring played ball with Slinky getting about 20 with his 1st cast near the bridge pylons. We then headed outside to get some bigger baits. It was nearly dark & the bait was in tight balls but we managed 2 slimies, a yakka & 2 pike. I liked the pike! We hit the seaway but it was near impossible to fish with a huge 2.32mtr tide roaring through. Crossed lines & a few muttered swear words saw us head under the relative shelter of a bridge to wait for the tide to slow for the 8.30pm high. The water was a beaut coulour at the seaway & 25 degrees. We decided to rig up & get ready for our next assault & have a bite to eat. I upped the ante with my eyes on the pike & rigged up the 50lb stick with 100lb trace & 2 x 8/0's snooded at the end. Slinky got his rigs set & at 7.45pm we headed back out. The tide was still pushing fairly hard so we decided to anchor. After a couple of botched efforts we got it right & were sitting pretty. Slinky put out a slimy, I cut the tail off a pike & put it out whole & FIL had a live herring on. After 15 mins the tide slowed. Pete tells me his livie is going nuts. Sure enough a couple of minutes later he is on in a big way. The fish drags him all around the back of boat & then decides to wake up & screames off. This is a BIG fish. Of course it did all the wrong things & ends up wrapping itself in the motor. Gone. I saw a bump on my bait & then nothing. Wound up to find only the head left. Mmmm. The other pike goes out & gets cast closer to the wall. All baits are back in & the anticipation was high. I see my rod bump again. I pick it up, get weight, but it's a dead weight. I wind hard & hit it again. Ohh yeah here we go. Zzzzzzzzz this is a good fish I think & I start giving it to it. Bad move.Zzzzzzzz off it goes again. Then it stops again & feels a bit like a dead weight. " Might be a ray" I say to Slinky. Zzzzzzzzzzzz The massive headshakes can be seen through the rod. It's a Jew for sure & not a good one, a massive one. I gave this fish all I had & I could not get it to turn. It would bore off & then slug it out for a bit & as soon as I worked it off it would go again. I have never been connected to a Jew this big. It's power was unbelievable. I was on this fish for 10 minutes under hard drag on 50lb braid & it was giving me heaps. It kept arcing forward & toward the wall but I had it under control. It wasn't going to get to the bottom or the wall but it did get to the anchor rope. Ping. Heartbreak. I REALLY wanted that fish. It was the biggest Jew I've ever hooked & I can't even estimate the size. I've knocked over 20kg + fish on lighter gear. I'm still shaking now. Slinkys' next up. Yep he's on as well. "big fish" I ask. "Nah" was the reply. Umm maybe not that little as it wakes up as well. He knocks it over pretty quickly & I slip the gaff into his new p.b Jew. Nice 5kg fish. Well done mate! The tide starts to run & I look at the sounder & there are arches stacked under us. We start to swing closer to the front of the wall. Pete drops another schoolie. " Gotta get out of here" Slinky calls as the waves start to stand up with the tide pushing against the swell. "Ahh ohh" I hear. " I'm on & I'm in trouble" Slinky says. He had no hope. Another big Jew & it just arced, swam into the wall & bricked him. Grrrrrrrr. Slinky went to pull the anchor & all was going well until it pulled, the current pushed it under the boat & I drove over it. Crap, wrapped around the prop in an ugly sea & the current pushing us to New Zealand!! I got out the back & unwrapped us while Slinky cut it. Time to go home. The good: Livies playing ball, finding the fish & Slinky getting a p.b. The bad: Losing 3 really good Jew. The ugly: Driving over the anchor rope & wrapping the prop in an increasingly ugly bar sitiuation! Had a blast though. Thanks heaps Slinky. What a hoot!! : Cheers, Grant. I'll add the pics when I wake up. I'm shattered!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Thanks for sharing a top evening Jewhunter. We weren't ideally prepared. Still in 'learning the way round/prospecting mode' I don't have the boat set up right for the pandemonium we had going on. For half an hour to 45 minutes there wasn't a 5 minute period when we didn't have a fish on. Next time out it'll be heavy gear only, minimum gear, clear decks and straight to the never fail (so far at least) secret bait spot for more pike, slimeys and yakkas. I might even try to rig up a float and clip for the anchor so we can dump it if we hook in big again. Raiders... there's always the 'one that got away' syndrome but I want to let you know that Jewhunter's fish was truly big. Not 'Oh my gosh, that's a great fish' big... or even 'that's amazing' big... but truly huge. I've seen Jewhunter knock over an 8kg Cobia on the same Loomis outfit in around 60 seconds basically without it ever taking drag. This fish completely did what it wanted and ripped line off in head shaking runs time and again. The tragedy of it was that JEwhunter had just managed to turn the fish for the first time and it had come up to the surface before showing his contempt and tearing off again to do some laps of the anchor line. There's a horrible, sick feeling fishos get when you know you've lost a truly great fish. You know there's no going back but boy... do you wish you could. The adrenalin had Jewhunter literally shaking for a good 20 minutes afterwards. Awesome fishing tonight though. Hardly spot X but there were all the conditions tonight that are meant to be good for Jew and for a window during the tide change, that was one of the most out of control sessions I've had. Got to do it again and get a look as some of those big fish. What have I got on tomorrow night I wonder?? PB Jew and my first for QLD... ticking off those species up here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick59 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 great post next trip will come up trumps after that experience i love those pike as a live bait hope you both land monster jew next timpeter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wantingaboat Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Jewhunter sounds like an up and down night for sure. I dont know if its more frustrating hooking and losing a big one or just not getting anything at all. When i lost my first big fish i went home and relived the moment for the next week in my mind before bed to try and figure what i should do next time. Didnt help. Great report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 What a report! The biggest kick in the guts is not even getting to see the fish. I find I can cope a lot better with losing a fish if I have had the opportunity to see it Better luck next time Grant .... I'm sure you will come up trumps. Then you'll need the combined strenght of the three of you to lift your trophy into the boat! Congrats on the new PB Tony. Great stuff mate. Another entertaining and memorable trip for the QLD Connection. Keep 'em coming fellas Cheers Skip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennmreid Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Great report Grant. Congratulations on your pb for a jew Tony. That fish you lost Grant sounds like a monster Shame you lost the fish. I wonder how big it was. Maybe next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zen801 Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Great report with plenty of action. Man that lost jew sounded huge. You know you have had an awesome battle with a fish when it leaves you shaking. I relate to that. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat-as-trophy Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Terrific report guys, and congratulations on the fantastic PB Tony. Absolutely amazing looking fish. Pity about the one that got away Grant, but there is always next time. Can't wait to read the next QLD reort, keep em coming guys. Cheers Mrs Flightmanager Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted March 26, 2009 Share Posted March 26, 2009 Hi Jewhunter and Slinky That was an awesome experience and a very exciting Gold Coast jewfish session indeed!! Tony congratulations on your personal best jewfish As I said, Grant's jew sounds like it's a very big northern jew with heaps of power in its tail and I reckon it was only a matter of bad luck that it found a way to get free. I can just picture you all boating all your jewfish using big game wind ons in future Terrific report back and good information for our Queensland connection and our Gold Coast visitors. After all the unexpected happenings and bust offs, I hope luck's on your side next time, and going on all the action last night especially during the next new moon period. I'll bet Slinky's father in law Peter can hardly wait for the next seaway session with his new mate Grant and his old mate Slinky Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcel haber Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Great report Grant..... I hope you and the lads get amongst them real soon you have helped alot of raiders and you deserve it. Would have been great to just see the fish but hey thats fishing for you. Marcel Twin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajb Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Great report fellas, i feel your pain!! I have fished the seaway many times with my good mate and local guide Thomas (i know Tony knows who im talking about). Weve landed jews to 17kg (another bloke on the charter with me) and have been comprehensively dusted many times by jews and jacks in the seaway on both walls and the pipeline. It is without doubt one of the most amazing spots to fish and i even know of a black marlin landed within the seaway!! My fave fishing spot, lucky for you guys you live there!! Well done and hope you stop em next time. Anthony.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SZ1 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 HI Guys, That was an exciting reading, pity about the big one that got away from the sounds of thing must have been a monster. Non the less still got some awsome fish, next time bring out the heavy weights. Cheers, Sz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Cam Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 What an entertaining read and of course terrific session! Congrats Slinky on your PB Terrible bad luck Jewhunter .... I feel your pain.... How long before you guys hit that spot again? Cheers, Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray R Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Good read Grant, sounds like you blokes had a busy evening, shame about the jews, hope you nail them next time.. Cheers.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Nice report guys and a nice reward Tony with your PB jew Geez Grant you need to H.T.F.U mate, 50lb braid should have ripped that schoolie a new A hole More drag mate,since leaving five dock you have gone soft It was probably just a decent bream you had on Better luck next time donut boy. Cheers Stewy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) Nice report guys and a nice reward Tony with your PB jew Geez Grant you need to H.T.F.U mate, 50lb braid should have ripped that schoolie a new A hole More drag mate,since leaving five dock you have gone soft It was probably just a decent bream you had on Better luck next time donut boy. Cheers Stewy It sounds like a case of stiff cheddar on the jew and a case of more drag needed on the donuts of the bull sharks. Cheers jewgaffer Edited March 27, 2009 by jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrettP Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Sounds like a good night out. Will be working on the missus and I think I will see you soon Tony. Cheers Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrew399 Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Great report Jewhunter, was a great read! That sounds like a dream sesh with so many hookups! good luck next time landing them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 Sounds like a great night! Bad luck on the one that got away!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted March 27, 2009 Author Share Posted March 27, 2009 Thanks for the replies & condolonces all. Yes, it really is an amazing fishery. Not easy to fish, small windows of opportunity on the bigger tides & it can get a bit messy but it's a whole world of fun!! That was one of those rare periods that it all lines up. Night of the new moon. 1st big tides after the Autumn equinox. Barometer 1020. Hight tide an hour or so after dark. Perfect Jew conditions & when they came on they were everywhere. When we left they had gone from the sounder & I don't think we would have got another run even if we could have stayed. I'm still trying to get my head around the size of that Jew. I reckon it was at the very least 60 old fashioned pounds. Probably bigger & very fit. I want a 30kg Jew for a wall mount. I'll get one sooner or later. Here's a pic of Slinkys' fish straight out of the water. Well done again mate & bad luck on the one that bricked you as well. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 In spite of the bust offs on the jewfish, it was still a great session Grant and a very memorable one. I'll bet money that a big Mulloway will be mounted up on the wall sooner than you think Cheers mate jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tide'n'knots Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 unlucky on losing that big one grant! but a great session all the same. I bet it wont be too long before the 30kg jew is mounted on your wall. well done to slinky and pete, I bet slinky is stoked even though you are probably slightly disapointed. I once had a similar session at south west rocks where my mate and i had a triple hook up, we had no choice but to put the heavy gear in the rod holder and land the fish on the lighter gear, a 12lber and a20lber the heavy overhead gear got busted around the motor and in the next half hour I dropped 2 good ones right near the boat and my mate landed a 32lber! the hottest session I have ever witnessed. By the sound of things it wont be long before you encounter a session similar where you are. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Awesome report, but what a bummer!! That would have been heartbreaking, Grant - Pete as well, then Tony! The Trifecta you don't want to get! Congrats on your new PB Jewie tho, Tony!! Shame about the anchor & rope! Glad it all turned out ok tho! Once those currents pick up, all mayhem lets loose!! CHeerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted March 28, 2009 Share Posted March 28, 2009 Great report guys! and nice fish! Busted up on big Jew!.......isn't it heartbreaking! I don't doubt that they were big Jewies.....but another contender that cruises and eats baits in the Seaway at night are MASSIVE cobes. I've caught cobia along that wall, smaller models, whilst bream fishing....and we've seen em' at night going berko on the markers (left hand side heading out to sea).............. Possible chance you could've been done over by big Cobia???? Cheers, Wacko Thought crossed our minds while we were out there Wacko but it didn't fight like one. I don't think any of us would have minded if it had been though. Next time out there in those conditions though and I'm not mucking around... Stella 20000 is coming out to play loaded with 80. Cheers mate, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted March 28, 2009 Author Share Posted March 28, 2009 Great report guys! and nice fish! Busted up on big Jew!.......isn't it heartbreaking! I don't doubt that they were big Jewies.....but another contender that cruises and eats baits in the Seaway at night are MASSIVE cobes. I've caught cobia along that wall, smaller models, whilst bream fishing....and we've seen em' at night going berko on the markers (left hand side heading out to sea).............. Possible chance you could've been done over by big Cobia???? Cheers, Wacko I know what your saying mate. The thought entered my mind early in the fight. But the big headshakes & low down grunt of the fish tells me it was a jew. I've caught plenty of them & this fight was just a stronger & longer version of how a 20kg jew fights. The head shakes were visible through the rod to the other boys. Unmistakable!!! Massive cobes sound like a nice by catch!!!! Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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