a wedding and a camping trip

[tide'n'knots]

gday raiders, my daughter got married on 10/11/12 and the wedding was just beautiful (and so was my daughter)and the reception went off a treat with everyone dancing , drinking and having fun until around midnight, after the wedding I headed up for 4 days at patonga from tuesday and came home this morning, and although it was very relaxing ( when it wasnt raining or windy) all was a bit quite on the fishing front. My partner rosetta was only able to swing tuesday and wednesday off work so from wednesday night I was on my pat malone. Tuesday saw us arrive around lunch time and set up camp battling the wind. After a cuppa we drove into town and went shopping as it was far to windy to be out on the water. Finally around 10pm the wind died down to a little more than a cyclone so we decided to have a crack at fishing. we dropped the boat in at the ramp in patonga creek and the back of the boat crashed onto the concrete ramp with a crunch!!! oops! we chugged out through the creek mouth and started heading towards juno point, half way along I noticed that the boat was struggling to plane and on closer inspection noticed the boat was half full of water...WTF?? I immediately thought that the hull was damaged when we launched but then realised that the scoop for the live bait tank was filling into the tank, and the tank had no bung in it,so the water was pouring straight out on to the floor!!after bailing out for 5 mins and unplugging the hose we set off again. We fished for about two hours with squid, hoping for a nice big jew and due to my own stupidity I lost what was undoubtably the fish of the trip. Rosetta had caught a catfish on one of the small rods with a prawn and as I had my head down and bum up scratching around for a pair of long handled plyers to get it off, I heard a groaning noise like a tree about to snap in the wind and realised that one of my rods was bent over almost touching the water and line was being pulled off what was obviously a very tight drag. Just as I went to grab the rod POP!!

I didnt check the drag before fishing and I dont understand how it happened but the drag was done up so tight that I couldnt even pull line with my hand....gggrrr! what a great start to the trip. To add salt into the wound when we arrived back at the creek mouth the large tide had left the creek basically landlocked, with just a trickle of water flowing out, so I had to take the boat out at dark corner and walk back to the camp ground to get the car and trailer.The weather was pretty crappy for most of the trip and I spent a fair bit of time battling the elements and in amongst it I only managed a couple of small fish a few small jew and flathead and the occasional small bream. fed up with it all on friday morning I didnt even get out of bed until around 10am, then around midday, miraculously the wind dropped and a little bit of sun was peaking through the clouds so I quickly put the boat in and headed straight over to flint and steel. The water was glassed off and although I had just missed the turn of tide it was only just starting to run out and things looked fishy. Within 10 mins I had a legal snapper and a nice bream in the boat then the current started to pick up and the bites disappeared so I headed up to cowan to fish the slower running water during the big tide. I managed 4 or 5 small soapys and a couple of small bream but nothing legal, then back to flint and steel for the next turn of tide. finally some success! I managed 10 jew all between 46 and 53cm. I threw back all but 3 and got back to the ramp in torrential rain just as the thunder and lightning arrived... scary stuff!

pete

the catch on the last day/night.

Edited November 17, 2012 by tide'n'knots

[tide'n'knots]

I have more photos but cant get them to load as they are too big

[tide'n'knots]

[tide'n'knots]

my daughter her husband and the two kids

Edited November 17, 2012 by tide'n'knots

[Ray R]

Good onya Pete, mate looks you got a few nice fish in the end. Sorry I couldn't manage a fish with you..

Good report and pics mate..

[mrsswordfisherman]

my daughter her husband and the two kids

Lovely photo Pete (can see the resemblance) and congrats

[col35]

great report but too bad about the weather you certainly gave it a good try

[kymbo56]

Daughter looks by far to be the best 'Catch of the Day'.

Congrats.

[tide'n'knots]

Daughter looks by far to be the best 'Catch of the Day'.

Congrats.

thanks mate, I have to agree with that - I told her husband during the (father of the bride)speech that I believe he has hit the jackpot!! and I meant it to! she is a wonderful daughter and obviously gets her good looks from dad!!

pete

[josamill]

Great Report Pete......sums up the highs and lows of fishing beautifully.

I am interested in 2 things....what bait for the jews on this occasion......was the squid live or bought? And, did you put any crab nets out during your stay. I caught a solid crab in an hour 2 weeks ago, then nothing since despite many hours of 'net time'.

[zen801]

Hi Pete,

Glad the big day went well. I look forward to seeing my daughters as happy as the pic of your daughter. Well done mate.

I have been getting a few Jews at my spot and as usual manage to always stuff up the big ones.

Mike

[Basil D]

congratulations on your daughters wedding Pete and the fish as well

I can see the resemblance