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Hawkesbury Surprise


ajb

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Hi Raiders,

Well after 3 months i finally managed to get a day off and give the boat a much needed run and as always when i plan a fishing trip, the wind blows its arse off. Short of a cyclone, i was determined to get out there and after dropping my son off at my in laws, a quick stop over at work and quick top up of fuel i was at Mooney Mooney ramp and was on the water at 10.30.

The wind was already a good 20 knots from the west and i spent the next half hour upriver searching for a protected spot but failed. I decided to head downstream in the hope of finding some protection which i finally found.

I rigged up a 2 inch gulp shrimp on a 1/6th jighead and flicked out a cast along the steep bank. It felt good to be using the electric again, and as i was adjusting the boat my shrimp got whacked hard, i struck and came up tight on a solid fish. It instantly dove for cover and i struggled to control the fish which was peeling drag and had me dancing around the boat, twice i had to dunk the rod as it changed direction and went beneath the boat. Im now thinking big bream and as it neared the boat i see a glimpse of colour, i thought #$%^ this is one massive bream until it surfaced and i realised this was no bream..it was a BIG Estuary Perch :1yikes:

I was shaking as i lunged for the environet and prayed the 6lb leader would hold, i slipped the net in the water and steered the big girl in :yahoo: To say i was ecstatic is an understatement. First cast of the day, and ive landed a cracker EP, my first. Not wanting to distress the fish too much as they are obviously in spawning mode at his time of year. I tried to get some quick pics on the phone but i could not get a good shot in the crappy conditions. They would have to do, i swam the fish for a few moments and she kicked and swam back to the depths which was a pleasure to see.

Shaking, i motored back to the spot and fired off a cast to the same spot. Two flicks and i was whacked again, but this fish just headed straight for home, shredding my 6lb leader. It was another EP for sure, possibly bigger :ranting2: Losing this fish must have spooked the school as i never got a touch after that. After a couple of hours the wind got the better of me and i decided to call it a day, over the moon on getting my first EP.

As i feared the pics came out crap and does not do the fish justice. Id confidently say she would have weighed 2kg or better. Came in at 49.5cm on the bragmat and was in superb condition :thumbup:

post-7357-1248256757_thumb.jpg

Edited by ajb
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Congrats on getting the magic Double .... no, make that triple win!!

First EP, Instant PB & Biggest FR EP to boot!!! :thumbup::yahoo:

I have yet to catch an ep, but it is on my list! :) Well done on landing the beast! your heart would have been in your throat!! :biggrin2:

Roberta

ps If you measure to the tail, it sure looks 50cm to me!! :1prop:

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Thanks for the kind words, im still smiling now :thumbup:

Roberta, i wanted to measure nose to shadow of tail, then shes 50cm :1prop:

I now know why some consider them the Holy Grail, they put up an almighty fight and are a great looking fish, hope i have the pleasure of landing some more :1fishing1:

FISHRIGHT...i wish you were there to mate, i sure could have done with some help today, maybe on the weekend :1fishing1:

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That is a freakin cracker....great report.....

Wow that's unusual that an EP unusual would whack you that hard....when I've caught them the bite was so fine and all you would see was the slightest twitch in your braid on the drop and then you'd whack em'....I'm told they basically suck and spit...suck it all the way into their big bogs and spit it out once they worked out its a placcy.....2' shrimp in natural/new penny/molting is my pick for EP placcy's matched with a 1 gram jig head.

49.5cm dam am I jealous....

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