Tweed Snapper

[slinkymalinky]

Had a weird sort of session out from the Tweed with Jewhunter this morning. Last time out, JH had his mojo working while mine was left at home in the tackle cupboard. Today the situation was reversed but it wasn't any day to write home about.

I met JH at the Tweed ramp at 6am... I struggled for a while to find him in the early morning light but the wafting scent of Gulp juice that had liberally marinated his tackle bag gave him away

For once, we had no trouble outside the Tweed getting livies... all looking good at first light. We then ran to a mark we'd found on a previous trip to Fido's Reef where right on cue, good aches lit up the sounder... it's a big area yet the fish were tight into a very small area... Like everywhere, the fish up here hold in the prime spots on and reef system so it's worth putting in the time to find them.

I won't put too much on JH for leaving his mojo behind today as neither of us really did all that well... the water was ugly green and full of jelly blubbers, the current had turned around in the last 2 days from strong from the North to wimpy from the South. Apart from on our first mark it was pretty dead.

Suffice it to say that a succession of snags, flowerpots, broken knots, trouble tying rigs and general bad joo joo followed JH like a cloud today. Instead of thunder there was a pretty constant stream of curses and blue language coming from his side of the boat. He did catch what I think was his PB Red Rock Cod

When we got to our mark there were 1 or 2 boats just anchoring up in the area... we had a drift. By the time we started our second drift, there were 4 or 5 boats and the latest ones decided to anchor up right in our drift line so we moved. By the third there were 6 or 7 boats around and by the 4th the fish were goooooooone

I picked up one good fish though.... a nice red of around 3kg on our second drift... on a stinky 5" Gulp using my light outfit (10lb braid with 15lb Fluorocarbon leader). It certainly seemed to pay of in hits but it cost me when a second, bigger fish buried me in the reef.

One other highlight was Jewhunter getting a 18-20kg Wobbegong to the boat after it snaffled a whole live tailor. Big ugly bugger... and the wobby wasn't pretty either.

Finally we headed back in and crossing the Tweed bar I discovered a new and creative way to be a tool in a boat... We committed to the run in across the bar when some wombat came around the corner of the North Wall heading slowly across in front of us. We slowed down and asked each other what he was doing but as anyone who knows about the Tweed or any other bar crossing will tell you... once you're committed you don't stop and don't turn around... even when conditions are reasonably benign like today.

Back at the ramp the wombat came up to us bitching about us cutting of 2 trolling lines

Jewhunter was busily helping the wombat (who was very unamused) recover about 150m of braid from my motor that somehow hadn't wrapped the prop. To say that I was unimpressed is an understatement. What sort of idiot does a trolling run across a dicey bar entrance (the safe channel in is only about 30m wide!!) in front of another boat.

JH was polite but kind of pointed out that he didn't leave too many options. Yeah sure mate... next time I see you I'll just pull up in the bar with the sea behind me or maybe just turn around

The more I thought about it back at the ramp the more cranky I got that people can be such idiots. If the line had badly wrapped our prop we could have ended up without power in the middle of the Tweed Bar. Do I have any sympathy for the other spool full of braid he lost? What do you reckon

Hopefully a few more fish to report next time but I think JH and I might be just doing first light snapper runs for the next few months.

Cheers, Slinky

[Ray R]

Hi Slinky and JH, that was a great read mate, that's a nice reddie you caught on those great gulp plastics, don't ya just love 'em hey Tony, that bloke sounded like a real knucklehead , but you guys were obviously very diplomatic about the whole affair.

Great post and pics mate..

Cheers..

[Jewhunter]

It certainly did start out looking promising. If only that current was still running from the north.

That was the easiest I'd ever got livies out of the Tweed. Our Fidos mark showed some nice fish & we had a beaut slow drift. Unfortunately I spent most of the time during the first 3 drifts re-tying. I found every nook & cranny in the reef. Very strange.

Yes the mojo had gone & had returned to Slinky. Damn nice red on the light gear & the one that buried him was a fine fish. It didn't take long, as the sun got higher & the boats arriving on mass, to shut the reds down.

That bloody wobbegong took my livie straight back into his cave. I though it was yet another snag & dragged him out as I was trying to bust off. Fought like the true gamefish it is. Felt like the worlds' biggest flowerpot.

I'm still speechless about the dope trolling across the bar. He had some choice words for me at the ramp. He settled down once I explained to him that he was an IMBECILE!

Always a fun day Slinky. Frustrating at times but seeing that nice red makes the effort worth it.

I'll get my mojo back soon enough. Wanna go chase some Trags?!!

Cheers,

Grant

[jewgaffer]

Nice snapper Slinky, It's only a case of bad luck that Grant got a Port Jackson on one of his livebaits..... it's only a matter of time before Grant gets onto a few decent size fish around that snapper reef....

The skipper of the boat trolling lures and crossing in front of you as you were coming in over the bar, can only be described as having no brains at all as far as boats crossing bars are concerned...

Cheers mate

jewgaffer

[VA911]

great report slinky and even better Red!

[squid hunter]

nice reddie slinky

the wobby mustve felt like a log

regards

Squid Hunter

[Tiger Cam]

Slinky's stinky 5" gulp does it again.... Congrats on a beaut red

Hopefully the buffoon didn't stress you guys out too much after a pleasant day on the water

Cheers,

Cam

[brickman]

great read slinky and a top red there. there's an idiot born every hour lucky you did'nt do a prop seal

cherrs gary

[Hodgey]

Well done on the Red mate ... particularly enjoyed your text message while I was stuck at home

I hope there was no damage to the motor. On a different day in less manageable conditions; it could have been a damn site worse. Sounds like the ever 'diplomatic' Grant pointed out the error of his ways

Cheers

Skip

[arpie]

Hi ya

Sounds like an interesting day on the water, Slinky & JH! So glad no damage was done to the motor, or else the wombat would surely have been on the receiving end of some very explicit language & possibly a bill or two!!

Nice pinky too!! that Wobby would have been fun pulling in too - I hear they fight like a wet blanket!

Cheerio

Roberta

Heading south slowly ...... currently at Yepoon, leaving Thurs

[james7]

Great report Slinky! Good red too!

I can't believe anyone would troll near a bar ... crazy! Good on you for keeping your cool.

They're beautiful patterns on JH's wobbegong.

Cheers

Peter

[rooster]

Nice work,

Diplomacy is a great thing unless they walk a way still thinking they are right

at least next time he will think about his actions, I hope you gave him both barrels JH.

There is always bait at kirra straight out from KFC look for the dark patch, I always shoot out of currumbin bar

so it,s on the way to fidos and the nines. Only a couple minutes if baits scarce.

I love hearing your reports from those areas they are my favorite reefs.

[mr magoo]

nice red there slinky ,i bet you it had the spool spinning with only ten pound braid,they never ceise to amaze me in the amount of power they can get

cheers arman