Hooked A Bullshark In The Hacking

[cut_loose]

Hey guys

Well, today me and dad decided to go for a fish around Port Hacking in search for Kings with some live bait. Got to the livie spot and started burleying up, couldn't believe the fish we seen near the sand-flats, 30cm Whiting, thousands of Bream near legal, Sting Rays, even a Goat Fish !the flats were alive with fish. We then managed to get a a school of Mullet around our boat, had some small hooks out and tried our test to fill the tank up, we got around 10 when all of a sudden the Mullet disappeared! then they appeared again, but this time they were jumping out the water, i was like what is hell is going on, when all of a sudden my dad spots a fin! yeap, it was a Shark, so i quickly grabbed the first rod ready (SOL with 15lb braid/20leader/unweighted 4/0 hook) and threw a Mullet out, he was floating on the surface swimming around and he looked injured so i tried to keep him away from the school, the Shark noticed this, and grabbed the Mullet a few times but kept dropping him, like he was playing with him, anyway, we managed to get the Shark right next to the boat (what a sight) and i noticed it was a Bulllshark, not long after this he took my Mullet and made a run for it! i felt the power of this thing overwhelm my rod and reel (thinking to myself why the ** did i pick this rod for) and want do you know, my drag completely seized up (this is a reel that has never been dunked in water and always washed after use) and the line snapped off, was spewing.. but alteast i got to see him, i called it for around a meteter, wouldn't be 100% sure, i got a vid of it which i will upload later after editing it, was kinda upset though as the video didn't turn out well, the water is dark and you can hardly see the Shark

Kept gathering bait hoping he would come back but nothing at all, so we got some more Mullet and headed off to Boat Harbour/Botany Bay mouth to soak them.

As you can tell from the photo, it really was flat out there and perfect conditions for fishing

But the day was slow, hooked up to one Kingie, or atleast i think it was, got me straight on the bottom. I need to upgrade my line i think, was using 30lb main/40 leader, which i should of grabbed for the Shark , still can't get over it)

Kept fishing for a few Rock Cod, and got some Leatherjackets (whole Mullet! they know how to eat these things) but nothing else really, was disappointing but i will think from now on

[hambo692]

The one time when you really don't want your $300 reel to let you down... That sucks. Would certainly have been fun though

[J Hooked]

Would have been an epic battle. Makes you more determined to do it again!

[Basil D]

Red rock cod or Eastern red scorpion fish, awesome on the chew, steam them by them selves then in a pan add 1/4 cup soy, 3/4 water, teaspoon brown sugar grated ginger and shallots, let simmer few minutes and pour it over the fish, enjoy, they don't call them poor mans lobster for nothing

[rjc123]

Hey mate,

Nice session. Just the other week i was spooled by a bigger shark in Middle Harbour. I was fishing a Baitrunner 1200 with 40lb braid and i couldn't stop it! I was fishing a butterflied slimy mackerel. I've caught smaller models before and this felt like them only 100x bigger!

[noah]

Red rock cod or Eastern red scorpion fish, awesome on the chew, steam them by them selves then in a pan add 1/4 cup soy, 3/4 water, teaspoon brown sugar grated ginger and shallots, let simmer few minutes and pour it over the fish, enjoy, they don't call them poor mans lobster for nothing

how do you clean the cod with the ever present dangerous spines ?

if i learn i will keep them myself