First Botany Bay boat trip 30-12-14

[NaClH2OK9]

I was on the water at mainbar with the family doing the swimming and sight seeing thing when my phone rang. Paikea had noticed my boat gone and was checking in to see if I was out fishing. I advised otherwise but intended going out the following day for some me time...

As a coincidence. He was planning a day in Botany with a couple of boys from his family ( Simon and Thad) and asked if I'd like to come along. Much as I enjoy my own company. I'm also keen to fish with experienced fishos so sized the oppertunity to tag along.

6 am came round a little to quick for me and I felt a little unprepared as I threw my unsorted fishing gear into the car. I'm a bit of a tackle hoarder and like to feel I'm prepared for anything.

Fortunately it's only a 500m drive ( I would have walked but did I mention the size of my tackle box? ) saw me at Paikea place with his boat hitched ready but his boys scoffing quells like smarties. Hmm this could go sideways I thought.

The plan was to hit multiple marks around Botany and outside untill we scored. It's a beautiful boat with plenty of grunt so distance prospecting wasn't going to be an issue.

First stop was to be just out the heads. I love open water fishing and was hoping for good water. Unfortunately things were lumpy and Paikea lads were not looking great. I seemed to be on within a few minutes of each drop but only hitting slightly undersize flatties. Simon and Thad also brought a couple in and although the idea of going in wasn't my first choice. I was the guest and to be honest a short sea wasn't the easiest fishing for anyone.

Around the time it was shouted to give it ten minutes. My rod loaded up and I was onto something a little bigger.

I got around 5-10 M of line in when the first run went. This is when I started feeling uncertain as I hadn't checked my drag. Was I too loose or was this bigger than I thought. I was telling Simon how twice I'd been smoked on this outfit which made me decide to just leave things alone. A couple more good runs and plenty of head shakes left me thinking I had a good fish ( probably snapper or mowie) but playing it slowly I finaly saw colour.

I don't think I was the only one to be surprised or excited to see a king come to the surface. Paikea was quick with the net and I was soon holding my prize

A solid fish just over 68

For me this was a prize fish. It also created a lot of fuss as Simon and Paikea had not long returned from NZ where the big fish had evaded them.

Txt messages along the lines of ' 5k $5 fuel 15 minutes to get there and bloody Kings on board went out to others lol.

Much as I hate leaving a spot that has produced it certainly took the edge off as we headed for calmer waters and calmer stomachs inside.

I'm not familiar with any of the marks in Botany so Appologies if I get some of these wrong.

First spot was just off kurnell where we tried for squid for a while. But no dice on this one.

Then we put a couple of lures out and trolled across the bay and around some bouys to see if Simon or Thad could pick up a specimen. ( All the time Paikea not fishing but playing host to the three of us).

This gave us a chance to chat and notice ( take the piss out of the skipper) that the very nice repalas out back had been quoted at 2 different prices. A full onslaught of inflation continued and with the unfortunate loss if a lure as we approached the Runway Simon was looking to pay for the $100 stick bait :@)

A call from Jocler who was also out saw us heading for the cockle beds at dolls point.

Bream fishing is a bit new to me. And true to form Paikea advised on rig and technique. I switched to my daughters light outfit and I'm sure I was doing everything the same as the others. But I managed a rather spectacular nothing more than a coral encrusted bottle. Simon and Thad on the other hand pulled in fish every 10 mins or so. Various bream but nearly all just shy of pan sized. Thad who "seemed" the least experienced was almost on fire. Out fishing everyone.

He also lost a good octopus boat side

Slack water saw the fish switch off so after a little perseverance we headed to a spot the other side of the Runway.

Bream tactics again saw me blank. Again Simon and Thad pulled in the odd fish producing 1 each snapper. Bream and tarwine for the table.

Sick of not getting hits I switched back to my main rod 2 hook paternoster setup but with lighter 15lb flouro and 2/0 circles.

As my rod was in the holder everyone seemed to turn thier eyes to it as it bent over give a little and bend again then nothing. Bringing it in I was snapped between the snoods at this point I realised I hadn't adjusted the drag from the previous 30lb setting

We called it quits and had a lovely run back across the bay and a chance to play getting the boat on the trailer where we think we have got to the bottom of the trailer retrieval issues. It seems there is very bad roller / straker alignment which continually pushes the boat on the piss.

Paikea was the perfect host and it was great meeting his family ( real good guys. And a good shared sense of humour . We all took great joy in laughing at the boss strike on a circle hooked bait after spending hours telling us "just leave it. The fish will hook it self"

Fishing don't get much better than this. Prize fish for me. Great weather ( mostly) and amazing company.

Thanks Paikea

Edited January 1, 2015 by NaClH2OK9

[Guest no one]

I saw you boys out at the runways with some balloons out while I was on my way back in. Was going to shout over but thought it mightbe an awkward intro with my friend on the boat with me.

Glad you got into them!!

[NaClH2OK9]

Should have pulled over. Nothing awkward between Raiders. Yea we chanced a balloon but no takes. How did you go? We only saw one solo guy by the Runway. Spent ten mins in front of us on the phone before asking if we were casting that way???????!!!!!!! When we shouted well yes he moved and all was good.

Edited January 1, 2015 by NaClH2OK9

[Yowie]

1 nice fish, a few others and a good day out.

[Guest no one]

I was outside Steve, I don't like the runways. Caught a few flatties on jigs while jigging for kings, had a big hit on a slomo but didn't hook up. But it was a bit bumpy out there so came in early. Didn't realise you were on board else is definitely have come over!

[Guest Aussie007]

good report mate, occys everywhere at the bream and snapper location i thought i had chucked one back in but landed in the back of the boat it crawled under my flooring and up my leg one time littlerly scared the shit out of me and i yelled like a little bitch LOL

thats a nice kingy good to see some size to them this year

[Paikea]

Good post Steve, and thank you for not mentioning that I had a "Poppy Nap" in the cabin at the runway hence the pic looking aft from the cabin when I woke up.

A good day in good company, showed the boys how to take clean fillets of Slimeys bought from the fish shop. Top quality human consumption fish. Worked well all day but like all Slimeys got a little soggy toward the end of our 8 hour plus day.

You should have taken a pic of your "bottle" fish, it looked awesome, rusty red, totally covered in all manner of sea life and fought all the way to the boat. Did Thad actually net it for you thinking it was an Octopus?

Full of confidence to try my new Boat Catch system and drive the boat onto the trailer. But, no go, As Steve pointed out the wobble rollers are positioned in a way that as the boat goes onto the trailer two sets of rollers have to skip over a planning strake which immediately causes the boat to slew. Tried several times with the trailer at different depths but no good. So, had a great vocal rant instead cursing the Trailer gods and all who set them up. Anyway we now think that we know what is wrong and working on a plan to fix it all, once and for all.

Thanks for your kind words Steve, we will go out again soon. And take Jocler if he is available.

Cheers

Paikea

[eZy123]

I also had my first trip out on Botany Bay on the 30th. As you say it was a bit choppy which was hard on the stomach. Managed to get a few legal flatties and flounder between 6-8am but then things died off. We were up agains the cliffs at Kurnell. We didn't see many boats around the artificial reefs, and didn't get a chance to try it out, do you get many fish over there?