Snapper, flatties, and a seagull

[Jew Stalker]

Yesterday my friend and I decided it was a good day for a fish, so we were out on the water by 6am. At the reef for 30 minutes before sunrise throwing plastics around and managed two nice snapper. The first one caught on the second cast with a squidgy pilly flick bait 110mm and 3/8 jig head (fishing in less than 20 metres of water) I pulled up a 50cm version and thought to myself we are in for a good morning. Unfortunately that didn't turn out to be the case, at best it was OK. We were casting and casting into our berley trail for a a few bites and runs but no solid hookups (they just suddenly went very shy). As soon as sunrise was upon us we knew they wouldn't be on the reef much longer but we persisted and I managed a smaller 40cm version which was still a good looking little pinky.

Just before we decided to head to the flatty grounds for a bottom bash I was watching my squidgy on the back cast to make sure I didn't hook a mate and flicked it quite hard on the 45 degree ahead of the drift and when I look forward I see it heading straight for the only flying seagull within sight about 15 metres away. Before I had time to react and stop my line the squidgy hit it right in the head... I went over to check it but there was nothing I could do it was killed instantly. I felt like a turd and bad for the gull (I don't like to kill things I wont use, it is quite unethical) but there was nothing for it, it was a case of amazingly bad luck for the poor gull who was in the wrong place at precisely the wrong time.

After giving the gull back to the sea we went over to the flatty grounds and our luck changed immensely. We were pulling up a good fish every other drop within a very short space of about 100m. I ended up keeping 4 around 50cm and threw back the rest including a sarge, a couple of leatheries, a morwong, a dastardly barracuda, and about a dozen smaller flatties for when they grow up a bit.

Here is the bigger of the snapper on the day.

Edited May 21, 2012 by Jew Stalker

[pkat87]

Hey mate awesome report, shame about the gull wouldve been funny to see though lol. where abouts were ya fishing?

[Jew Stalker]

I was fishing out of Merimbula on the far south coast of NSW.

[zaki10]

Lol that poor gull it would have been funny watching it but still poor bugger but overall great catch keep it up and watch the gulls haha.

[Yowie]

Couple of nice reds. Could have had BBQ seagull as an entree. :074:

Yowie.

[paul.kenny]

Looked like a good session Jew Stalker, well done on those reds and flatties. Clearly it was the gull's day to die considering how unlucky it was.

[Jew Stalker]

Lol that poor gull it would have been funny watching it but still poor bugger but overall great catch keep it up and watch the gulls haha.

My mate nearly fell off the boat laughing when it happened... I am not sure if he was laughing at my reaction or the shot hehehe. I was a little cut over it.

Couple of nice reds. Could have had BBQ seagull as an entree. :074:

Yowie.

I think they would taste like McDonalds chips

Looked like a good session Jew Stalker, well done on those reds and flatties. Clearly it was the gull's day to die considering how unlucky it was.

I think so, you don't get much more unlucky than that. Pinpoint target the size of a bottle top in a great expanse of water with a jig head cast off a rod... million + to 1 odds I reckon. I should have bought a lotto ticket.

[denzor]

Hey Jew Stalker, great pair of Red's shame they[/url] didn't hang around....... just a quick one for ya, a mate and I will be heading down to Jervis Bay (Middle Grounds 20-30m of water) targeting some Reds and plan on using some plastics, just wondering what size jig head are you using? i was thinking 3/0 1/8th?

Thanks Mate.

[J Hooked]

Funny story Gull Stalker, I mean Jew Stalker. LOL That gull probably had it coming. Probably harassed some poor little kid for a chip and now has met his mach. Ha! Ha!

[Jew Stalker]

Hey Jew Stalker, great pair of Red's shame they[/url] didn't hang around....... just a quick one for ya, a mate and I will be heading down to Jervis Bay (Middle Grounds 20-30m of water) targeting some Reds and plan on using some plastics, just wondering what size jig head are you using? i was thinking 3/0 1/8th?

Thanks Mate.

I was using a size 3/0 hook on a 3/8oz fish shaped jig head for less than 20 metres and 4/0 hook on a 1/2oz for 20+ metres and use a range of plastics from 5" gulp jerk shads and moulting prawns to 110mm squidgy flick baits (personal fave is the pilly colour). DO enjoy Jervis, tis a nice place.

Funny story Gull Stalker, I mean Jew Stalker. LOL That gull probably had it coming. Probably harassed some poor little kid for a chip and now has met his mach. Ha! Ha!

It probably did, we all know how they are around your local coastal eateries. He probably thought I was throwing him a chip the poor little bugger.

[Dfishin]

Good report. Nice reds.

Dave

[denzor]

I was using a size 3/0 hook on a 3/8oz fish shaped jig head for less than 20 metres and 4/0 hook on a 1/2oz for 20+ metres and use a range of plastics from 5" gulp jerk shads and moulting prawns to 110mm squidgy flick baits (personal fave is the pilly colour). DO enjoy Jervis, tis a nice place.

It probably did, we all know how they are around your local coastal eateries. He probably thought I was throwing him a chip the poor little bugger.

Thanks Mate, love going down there, my mate has a holiday house in Vincentia so try and get down there often.