Wollongong FAD and flatty drift, sat 12th jan

[okt824]

On the water at 5.30am saturday morning and headed out to wollongong FAD with my brother in search of some mahi mahi or a stray small stripped marlin. First time heading out that far so was more of a trial run than anything, seas were fairly calm with a smallish north easterly swell and light easterly winds.

3km from the FAD dropped 2 sqirted lures out with no success. When we arrived at the FAD there was lots of bird life with them swooping down and circling at various spots. None were diving though. This continued over the next 2 hours without a bite with various lure changes. Big south westerly hit just before 9 so headed back in, getting drenched as we went. Was very pleased with how the boat went and gave me some confidence in the 40+ year old wodern girl.

Picked my sister and dad up from the jetty at wollongong harbour and targeted flattys in close ( seeking protection from the wind). Using pilchards on patanosta rig drifted along fairy meadow beach. Started off a bit slow and as always a competition broke out of who has caught the most fish and who has the biggest.

By the end of the 3 hour session we had all lost count as we were pulling them in thick and fast. an estimated gues between the four of us is around 40. sizes ranged from 10cm (with the hook and bait being half the size of them....crazy) up to 45cm . the majority were on or near that 36cm legal size.... we kept 5 to cook up as a late lunch (38cm, 40cm, 43cm, 44cm and 45cm).

hadnt had a family fish in over 5 years so in all was a great day on the water!

sorry no pics.