Port Hacking

[Yowie]

Pumped a few nippers yesterday afternoon, so I could have a fish early this morning.

Drifted over the sand bank in Gunnamatta Bay from first light for 2 whiting around the 30cm mark, and 2 bream of 26cm. Not big fish and a few just undersize as well. When the light increased a bit, the bites stopped except for a few toads. Maybe a night time fish would be better.

Pulled out a 47cm flattie on the last nipper.

Also hooked a numb ray, managed to remove my hook while it was still in the water without getting zapped. They have a large mouth with many small sharp teeth, but are ugly looking bastards.

Cleaned the fish at mum's place on the bay and threw in the scraps, which attracted a few bream. Pulled out one of 30cm, and another one took the line around a mooring post and cut the line when I turned away from the line for a few seconds.

[Pongrass18ft]

Enjoyable weather to be out Dave.Fine table fish too.

I never knew those numb rays had teeth , i would of sent him on his way hook line and sinker.

Had three spikes off the red rock cods so far, can only imagine with those rays what the pain would be.

Chris.

[Yowie]

Chris, not often that I look into the mouth of a numb ray!

It was hooked in the bottom lip and turned upside down in the water, so I grabbed the hook, had a look inside the large mouth and then slipped the hook out.

Have stood on a few over the years while prawning, or pumping nippers, and the electric shock makes you move straight away.

[Krispy !]

Nice feed there mate, any gars or slimies around? Has the water cooled down much?

[Yowie]

Have not caught any slimies in the Port for several years.(may not be around where I fish, but the berley trails have not brought them around)

A couple of weeks ago in Gunnamatta Bay, saw a school of small gars jumping, 40 or 50 out of the water at the same time, so suspect kings were having a go at them. They were smallish, so think they were sea garfish, not the normal river garfish found in the Port. Also a few buzzing around near Lilli Pilli baths last week.

Water temperature is dropping slightly. After last weeks fishing trip, cleaning the fish, winding the boat up the ramp, jumped into Gunnamatta Bay to cool off and the temperature has dropped a little. Wanda Beach was also feeling slightly cooler last week, not many swimmers about mid week, mostly board riders with wetsuits.

[nosquid]

hi Just a question regarding the numb ray..... When you take out the hook , (being metal) does the numb ray not shock you? Saw a guy recently handle the numb ray and take out the hook and then kick it back into the water. I was waiting for him to be zapped as he had no idea of what it was.... Do they only zap you if you touch them on their back?

[Yowie]

Numb rays zap a passing fish, crab, etc, with an electric shock, without touching the fish, so the fish is momentarily stunned, then the big mouth grabs whatever and swallows it.

A few times over the years while fishing with larger baits, I have felt a jolt on the line, not a bite, then retrieved the line with a numb ray hanging off the end. The jolt on the line would be the electric shock given to the bait.

Numb rays also give off the electric shock in defence, such as standing on one buried in the sand. I once jabbed one with the metal nipper pump to see what would happen, and the electric shock transferred up the metal pump to my arm.

I would assume they would only give off the shock if they feel threatened, whereas the one I hooked yesterday was only trying to dislodge the hook in it's mouth.

The guy handling the numb ray was probably lucky not to get zapped. The charge is generated by a special organ in the body but given out around all the body, more so when in the water.

I saw 2 old fishos with a numb ray in a landing net many years ago, they told me it was a stingray that they were taking home to eat. I told them is was a numb ray which would zap them, both laughed at me and one fisho grabbed the numb ray with both hands. He immediately let it go and yelled out in pain, holding his head with both hands and yelling, "My head, my head." I had the last laugh and walked away, as he was still yelling for some time.