A Whiting Christmas

[dnmn8r]

So after a few unsuccessful trips to the harbour, and having my motor crap itself right in-front of a sail boat, I've decided to head back into the hacking. Calmer waters greeted me today, despite the heavy winds. Started off just trying to find anywhere to hide behind, and worked the way up from NW arm to lilli pilli baths catching nothing but tiny snapper. Eventually, the tide dropped really low and went to get some nippers. With the tide being as low as it was, I felt like I was gathering yabbies from untouched places. Huge yabbies, hanging around the 10cm mark, and plenty of them. Pumped a few into the bucket, then anchored in the flats. First throw out, dad's on. It gets close to the boat, looks like a decent sized trevally, but dad let it wrap itself around the engine and it cut him off. This was his first time fishing with 4lb, so I didn't hear the end about that one.

Then it's just fish after fish.

First a flattie. Didn't get a measurement or photo, but I'd say it was getting close to the 60cm.

Then a bream at 30cm.

Then dad got cut off by another flattie (more yells about the 4lb).

Then a Tailor.

Then a trevally, though smaller than the one first lost.

Then I got taken by something big. It took lots of line, and then jumped to the surface so my first thought was Salmon. But then it jumped again, and I noticed it had an eel like body, long and slender. Then it came closer to the boat and it had a really long snout, but I was stupid and held the rod too high up, and it cut me off

Then, on my last yabbie, I pull in a monster of a whiting. Just what I'd been looking for all day. It's a bit curved in the photo, but I measured it as 38cm on the boat.

By the time we were finishing up, the wind had died down and it was glassy in the hacking.

Forgot how beautiful it was.

[harold]

What a great whiting. I haven't seen one that big for a while.

[Number1fisher]

Thats a great report mate and a great fish. Hope there are more days like that.

[fiveflies]

Beautiful fish! Love chasing whiting with nippers.

[Paikea]

A great post, thank for sharing what was obviously a top day. And a top fish!

The nippers do get big in the more remote parts, personally I like the medium sized ones.

Fishing in the Port should be A1 at present, especially if you can get away from the noisy marine rats with rooster tails (you know whar I mean)

Cheers

Paikea

[dnmn8r]

A great post, thank for sharing what was obviously a top day. And a top fish!

The nippers do get big in the more remote parts, personally I like the medium sized ones.

Fishing in the Port should be A1 at present, especially if you can get away from the noisy marine rats with rooster tails (you know whar I mean)

Cheers

Paikea

Thankfully with the wind being as high as it was, and the fact that it was Christmas eve meant that we were (for the most part) alone on the water. In general though, I do know what you mean but it's still better than being in the George's.

True about the size, these ones were really too big for the size of hook but I wasn't able to find any smaller ones :/

[Krispy !]

The thing you lost was a long Tom, not bad eating but too boney for me. If your flats fishing the hacking 4lb max which you can tell from the great bag you got. Well done mate