very big red spot whiting - minutes after having marlin beside boat.

[the producer]

Hi ALL

Headed out to 12 mile yesterday. Got a few dollies of some traps north of 12 mile... nothing huge all around 60 - 65 cm.

Tried 12 mile..... lost 7 complete rigs to tha jackets. So decided to head back in for a few flathead and some kings.

Got half way back and saw a nice marlin sunning itself on the surface. I grabbed my tiagra and had a livie out in seconds

but it just kept swimming just in front of the boat and we could not get it to come to the back of the boat or get the boat

in front of it. I have seen them do this so many times and have never hooked them in this situation.

They are smart ...they know when to feed and when to relax. They will only use energy to chase prey when they think they

have the best chance of getting a good feed. These in between times it can be hard to switch them on.

So we came back in to 60m and I pulled this big red spot up in between a few tiger flathead.

They are a very small species of whiting that I have caught along the east coast of nsw in depths between 30m

and 90m. This one went 26.5cm. Massive for this species.

Not sure if there is a raider record for Red Spot Whiting but this is surely rare thing to see one this size.

Some of you would have caught these and most of you would have seen them at the fish market rarely exceeding 20cm.

Water temps to 23 but first ten miles around the 21.5

starting to hot up out there....

[stevefish]

if they are tailing down sea at speed its a bit impossible but,

if you can get in front of them, nice and gently so they dont sink out. drop a livie back so its right in their face and control your boat so the bait stays in their eyes and they might eat it cos its just pissing them off.

ive seen it work elsewhere, never tried it here.

[fishmaniac]

Hey mate,

Sounds like you ended up with a nice feed. After i spoke to you at 12 mile we trolled about 20km NE, then back to the waverider for 0-0-0. Then shot inshore and landed some rat kings and nice sized samson fish. Bad luck on the marlin but at least you got to see one, hopefully they are in the mood to feed next trip out.

Andrew

Edited January 11, 2012 by fishmaniac