Sunday 1 April - Sydney Harbour

[tonez]

Hey Raiders

As the subtitle suggests, Sunday morning was a cracker for my mate and I on Sydney Harbour. We headed out super early from Drummoyne boat ramp. It was still pitch black dark when we cruised away from the ramp and i found myself dodging half a dozen boats on the water with absolutely no lights whatsoeverer. Crikey, do they have a death wish or what. One guy even started shining a torch at me to let me know he was there.

Anyway, the plan was drift the sandy areas around mosman and drift past the usual harbour markers in the hope of catching a king or 2. We were armed with fresh squid for the kingies and live nippers and prawns for the sand drifting. I also had my trusty soft plastics outfit which consists of a Shimano Starlo Stix rod, Stradic 2500 reel, 6 pound Finns braid, 12 pound flouro leader. I tried a few plastics while drifting but the one which fired on the day was a Squidgy wriggler in sparkle black and orange.

No Kings at the markers unfortunately. Our squid baits kept getting demolished by juvenile snapper. So back to drifting the sandy flats around mosman. First drift, baits ouI'mand im flicking my plastic. The rod with the live nipper goes off. Line is peeling and we are thinking rat king. Eventually saw colour and i initially thought rat king when i saw it. Once it was in the net, we realised that this was no king, but the biggest fattest whiting we had ever seen. measured 45 cms and was fat. my mate claims a PB whiting. (sorry no pic of that one). I also picked up a couple of undersize snapper and flatties on the plastic.

Drift no 2, same area, baits in and im flicking plastics. Not much biting on the baits except juvenile snapper. We were drifting into a shallow area and I called last cast before we would start the motor and take off. Flicked the wriggler, hit the bottom, turn the reel slowly, slight flick of the rod and 1 second later im on. Felt heavy, drag peeling slowly with the odd shake. When it saw the boat (and we saw it) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz back to the bottom. I must have got it to the surface about 3 or 4 times and each time it zipped straight back down when the net came within a metre of it. We were seriously running out time before the boat was going to bottom out on the sand and rock. My mate nets eventually and i drop the rod, start the boat, pop it in reverse and just make it out of there before we hit. Real James Bond sort of timing and suspense and excitement all at once (you had to be there i guess).

Here she is. My personal best Flathead at 61cm caught on a squidgy wriggler (no monster i know but i am fairly new to lure fishing). The wriggler which i caught it on is also in the picture. The can is for the COTM. My first attempt at that.

Cheers and tight lines all.

Tony

Edited April 2, 2012 by tonez

[Blood Knot]

Nice flatty Tony - congrats on your PB

Blood Knot

[tomski]

congrats on your PB Flathead..