Some snappers (almost a disaster back at the ramp)

[quintrex480]

Hi Raiders,

I wasn't going to make a post but seeing that I've had a few PMs asking what happened at the ramp, I decided just to make this post to warn others about what can happen back at the ramp at Bellambi when the swell is up.

But to start off with, I'll just start with the fishing report seeing that I am in this section...

Headed out on Friday morning with my dad to see if I can put him onto some reds, my dad is an old school fisho, so just bait all the way! and he's seen my recent collection of plastics and been quite skeptical with the reds I've been landing recently with them. (NO WAY you have been catching those snappers with these plastic things! he says). Well I wanted to show him and prove to him how effective they are.

Swell was a little up in the morning but manageable, so we headed out. First cast with the nemesis nuc chicken, and I am on and it's a big mutha!! runs, head shakes, runs, and doesn't stop. I am just about to palm the spool and then pop. Leader comes back all frayed, and nothing but coming from me. Then it goes all quiet, knowing the high was at 1pm, we moved to deeper waters (50m), and the sounder shows some good readings. By now, my dad's gone green from being seasick and he's on the floor LOL. So I am fishing on my own, land a couple of pannies, a mowie, and then a pigeon pair of 67cm snappers. Still not the 70+ or 80+ ones I am after but pretty happy nonetheless and happy to prove to my dad that reds can be landed on plastics.

Decide to drop my dad back at the ramp as he is totally gonskies! and he decides that he'll just go walkabouts around Bellambi whilst I head back for a couple more hours, but nothing. Headed back in around 3 and the swell has gone up and this is when it get's quite hairy with the following seas coming back in, you need to watch out for those big swells following you! so keeping an eye on the swell behind you is essential! seen enough of those videos on youtube with guys trying to cross bars to make you crap your pants!

Finally made it back to the ramp, and thinking to myself, how the hell am I going to manage getting the boat back on the trailer myself, but I had no choice. Quickly tied the boat onto the wharf and ran to the car, looking back I can see the boat being smashed around DOH!!!! quickly backed the trailer down and jumped into the water to try and quickly get the boat on, and then a massive surge comes in and the bow is centimetres away from smashing into the back of the car, and then another one coming so close again. Thinking to myself, I am F!@#!@##!@#!@, then out of no where, fellow raider marto1976 jumps in the water and helps me out, we finally get the boat on the trailer and I jump in the car quickly to get out, but another massive surge comes in and picks the boat up off the trailer and wedges the boat against the wharf and trailer, the boat is basically stuck now, I am really F@#&*@#^@#&* now! then marto's mates come to the rescue, and we finally manage to get the boat unstuck and finally onto the trailer!

Oh man, what a relief when I finally get it off the ramp. Quick inspection sees a broken rod holder, scuff marks and a damaged mud guard but nothing else, so all good. Thanked all involved in helping me out and spent the next 30 mins having a chat to marto and his mates, top top guys! Picked my dad up from the RSL and so relieved to be driving home with my boat on the back. Dad asked how it went, and my reply was, ah all good no dramas

Well, sorry for the long post, but just hope I have passed on some warnings about what can happen at an exposed ramp when the swell is up. Just a quick pic of the pigeon pair of reds.

Edited October 27, 2013 by quintrex480

[chewie]

nice work braining the reds!

thanks for sharing your dramas. surge is a nightmare when retrieving boats, especially where a break wall is involved. we had a bad time at coffs this year!

no solution unless you pull your boat out from a shallow water trailer or buy a polycraft!

[Basil D]

Do you Remember when I said I wont go down there alone, now you know why, or anywhere else, you need an offsider when on the water, safty in numbers and company, there is no way I would go out alone, Any Im glad you got out safely with a couple of good reds and Im sorry to hear about your boat damage.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Groper

[brunny23]

Well done again mate! I fished there last weekend and caught 2 reds 58cm both out in deep water-220ft. Both fish caught on 140mm wrigglers.

Both fish hooked close to bottom, have you been getting hits mid water or near bottom?

Also when your looking for reds on the sounder do you search for bait schools or big shows hugging the bottom.

Keep the reports coming great reading...

[MV Sunray]

Nice reds m8. Good to hear you came out relatively unscathed. Should have called your old man from the RSL to drive the car and trailer around to Wollongong harbour lol...

[Simda]

Sounds real bad and could have been mych worse

I have been wanting to try launching my boat at bellamby but will think twice after reading what happened since my boat is heavy and not cooperative at slow speeds

Best news is no body got hurt

Stay safe

Best regards Dave

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Simda]

Sounds real bad and could have been much worse

I have been wanting to try launching my boat at bellamby but will think twice after reading what happened since my boat is heavy and not cooperative at slow speeds

Best news is no body got hurt

Stay safe

Best regards Dave

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Scratchie]

We'll done on the fish mate and the compassion you showed for your father! As for the retrieve, I bet you were pretty freaked out by the prospect of a solo job and who comes to the rescue???

Another raider!!! We'll done guys, it just shows the spirit of the members on this site!

Cheers scratchie!!!

[quintrex480]

nice work braining the reds!

thanks for sharing your dramas. surge is a nightmare when retrieving boats, especially where a break wall is involved. we had a bad time at coffs this year!

no solution unless you pull your boat out from a shallow water trailer or buy a polycraft!

cheers chewie, yeah we know how tough those poly's are. They can withstand being dropped off the trailer whilst driving and still be ok as a fellow raider has proven earlier this year

Do you Remember when I said I wont go down there alone, now you know why, or anywhere else, you need an offsider when I the water, there is no way I would go out alone, Any Im glad you got out safely with a couple of good reds and Im sorry to hear about your boat damage.

yes I do remember. I do take every precaution when I go out solo, having all the necessary safety gear and logging in with the coastguard. For those that don't know already, there is an smartphone application called SafeTrx, let's you log in and out easily with the coastguard. Real simple to use as well.

Well done again mate! I fished there last weekend and caught 2 reds 58cm both out in deep water-220ft. Both fish caught on 140mm wrigglers.

Both fish hooked close to bottom, have you been getting hits mid water or near bottom?

Also when your looking for reds on the sounder do you search for bait schools or big shows hugging the bottom.

Keep the reports coming great reading...

well done on those solid reds, I reckon they taste the best at that size. Those wrigglers are pretty good, but I usually do better with the berkley jerk shads in the 7inch. Give them a go next time, make sure you work them real good. I always seem to hit the fish in the bottom 1/3 of the water column. Usually the big bait schools I see on the sounder are jackets, so I steer clear away from them. I look for defined arches hugging the bottom.

Nice reds m8. Good to hear you came out relatively unscathed. Should have called your old man from the RSL to drive the car and trailer around to Wollongong harbour lol...

thanks mate, just a couple of scratches here and there, no biggie.

Sounds real bad and could have been mych worse

I have been wanting to try launching my boat at bellamby but will think twice after reading what happened since my boat is heavy and not cooperative at slow speeds

Best news is no body got hurt

Stay safe

Best regards Dave

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

wayyyy worse! yeah the bigger the boat, the worse it'll be on that ramp. I did see some smaller tinnies come in after me, and they didn't have too many issues in getting in.

We'll done on the fish mate and the compassion you showed for your father! As for the retrieve, I bet you were pretty freaked out by the prospect of a solo job and who comes to the rescue???

Another raider!!! We'll done guys, it just shows the spirit of the members on this site!

Cheers scratchie!!!

LOL, yeah felt like I was torturing him keeping him on the water, so I did the humane thing and ditched him at the ramp Edited October 28, 2013 by quintrex480

[marto1976]

Good report. I couldn't think of a better way of meeting a fellow fisho then to giving a hand when in need. I must say that living in the area my whole life that was a pretty bad day at the ramp. You could have surfed on that surge. Anyway all good brother and I would imagine any decent person would have done the same thing.

.

Hopefully see you soon.

.

MARTO

[Basil D]

Its great to help a fellow fisho on the water. Last time I was down there I ended towing someone back to the ramp. Well done fellow fishos who have helped someone out.

Edited October 28, 2013 by Groper

[erroll]

nice work braining the reds!

thanks for sharing your dramas. surge is a nightmare when retrieving boats, especially where a break wall is involved. we had a bad time at coffs this year!

no solution unless you pull your boat out from a shallow water trailer or buy a polycraft!

Mate, did you have to mention that??? I am now reliving the trauma. Thankfully if was cosmetic and the Seafarer is back in fine fettle.