Balmoral Land-based 11/02/10

[paulthetaffy]

Quick report from me today as I'm late for work!

Got to Balmoral at 6:20am to find the water still brown and full of rubbish but clearer than it has been. Managed to get a bucket of yakkas in quickfire fashion which I thought was a good sign for the day. None of those tiny chopper tailor around that has plagued us recently, thank god as they've taken me down to my last couple of size 12 hooks

First yakka out got munched within minutes - short run on the baitrunner but no hookup and didn't see the culprit. Second yakka I could see was getting mouthed around by something and thought I had lost it so reeled in to find that it was still on - for about 2 more seconds because then the first bonnie of the day grabbed it and whizzed off! Quick tussle and landed it.

Next livie out also got hit, but no hookup. Called it for a bonnie again as I could see it splashing the surface next to my float. There were a couple of other guys there (who read FR but have never posted so I made them promise to write a report!!!) who were bait fishing with pillies and not catching much so I suggested they try a lure for the bonnies. They only had one - a 20gm halco twist - which was perfect! They were getting into them pretty quickly so I grabbed the only metal I had with me - a 40gm twisty - and joined the fun.

All up I landed 6 bonnies, the biggest going 42cm, and dropped maybe another 5-6. Kept three for a feed for family and friends.

Met another raider there too - Dais (spelling?) - who got into the bonnies too with a twisty and managed a few. He also had something tear off with a livie that was unstoppable - no headshakes either so no idea what it was but it was big.

Finished up just after 9am when it was starting to get hot and the chopper tailor turned up. Just as I was leaving there was a large school of something I hadn't seen there before. They were quite big maybe 60-70cm+ and the school was at least 50 strong, but I couldn't make out what they were as they were too deep. Possibly large mullet or jews - moving quite slowly so not palagic. Who knows!

Long, storey short, Balmoral is firing despite the water colour!

And I just realised that wasn't a quick report either Oh well!

Paul

Edited February 11, 2010 by paulthetaffy

[DGF]

haha good report bud hope ur not late for work

[tide'n'knots]

good report paul, the harbour is on fire atm.

pete.

[A.dawg]

Awesome report....

I think they're mullet huges schools off em everywhere at the moment

[Krispy !]

Yeah, theres BIG mullet in the harbour atm.

[paulthetaffy]

Yeah, theres BIG mullet in the harbour atm.

Cool first time I've seen them - how are they for eating? Might have to go try tempt a few! I'm presuming bread would be the go for them, just like poddys?

[woodch0p]

Cool first time I've seen them - how are they for eating? Might have to go try tempt a few! I'm presuming bread would be the go for them, just like poddys?

Hey mate I caught a few at clifton gardens late yesterday, use bread on an unweighted line, and a small hook size10 did the trick for me. Keep the burley going also I had around 20 in my trail at one stage, and yakkas/slimeys feeding below them. Hope this helps.