Score 1-2 Stockton flathead Vs me

[fisherman666]

About two weeks ago I lone-fished a jetty near the Stockton ferry terminal. Late into a Saturday night I was using small baits and probably my favourite rod at the moment, a 1-3kg bream stick. 1000 symetre reel too. My most expensive setup to date. Anyhow, I had left it against the metal railing whilst I went for a leak nearby. Of course after having no bream by this stage over about 15cm, and I was possibly a bit tired and careless, I thought this perfectly safe to do.

So I am just tucking my shirt in and I here the tink tink tink of the rod jumping around. I rush over and splash I am too late.

Flathead 1, me nil.

Its pitch black and I torch to the water but I cant see the rod so I swear and sulk for a bit and then keep fishing with a second rod. Flathead seemed to be on from here on so I guessing that's what took my treasured rod and reel. None legal size however. Went home without a feed.

Ventured out again saturday night to the breakwall. Just relaxing soaking some salted pillies and this strange fish is landed. ID please.

After a while no bites I feel that I am over the breakwall because I dropped my car keys out of my pocket but luckily they landed an inch from disaster between rocks. Time to head back to the ferry terminal and show em whos boss hey.

I have a brand new combo now this time a 7ft 2-4 kg stick which I think will suit me much better. Tide was starting to flood now. On slow retrieve I managed a nice fun fight with a 46cm flattie which was netted. Then a 36cm one. Tried really hard for a hat trick so I could just go to bed but I just couldn't find it and by about 2am gave up but this time I felt like I got back two points on those Newcastle harbour flatties. Bugger you to take my rod ha ha!

Good to get a feed

[sam bros]

bad luck on the rod

i too have a lost a rod in the water after not paying attention to it

you still got a feed which is great

and good on ya for your persistence

btw there is no pic to ID

cheers

[thefisherman6784]

Unfortunate losing the rod but you still got a feed of flatties

And there is no ID pic

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dave_]

Off the rocks right next to the ferry terminal can be a really good spot for big Flathead at night using plastics. I used to cast right at and under the ferry jetty and ferry platform but mostly in the warmer months.

Of course, you just have to do it in between when people are boarding the ferry haha. There are some big girls under there but it's been a fair while since I fished it.

Edited June 24, 2014 by Dave_

[fisherman666]

Here is the pic

[Ojay Samson]

bad luck about losing a rod, i think we've all been there before at one point or another... my very first rod when i was a kid was a nice jarvis walker at the time and i stupidly wedged that on the railing of a ferry wharf... sure enough something took it and into the drink it went hahah...lost a few other disposables in my time (i call them these because they are inexpensive enough that if something bad happened to them i wouldnt really mind...therye jsut el cheapo combos u get form all the usual retail stores or ones ive found in the bin and fixed up or jsut purely found [doesnt happen often but does happen]) and use them primarily for catching live bait or to lend to others lol.
also to hazard a guess to the fish you caught, and by no means am i an expert but my first thought was a juvenile potato cod... no idea for sure though.

[Dave_]

The fish is a Wirrah cod, also known as an old boot or boot cod due to it's poor eating quality. Sometimes they're brown with spots and other times they look like this one. They are a real pest fish, sometimes even taking your livies. Biggest I've seen is 40cm.

[Devil Ray]

Flip thebail arm over next time you go for a squirt

[fisherman666]

Heard of the wirrah cod before. Now I know. Good idea on the bail arm.