Port Hacking Friday 27th

[Oscarthebeagle]

With a RDO today and low tide at 11 decided it was a good day for a family boating trip, lots of exposed sand to play on. Launched from Grays Point at 10.30 with my little girl, collected 6 poddies for live bait and headed off to pump some nippers. After stopping for a swim and a play on the sand it was time to pick up wife and the one year old from lilli pilli. Stopped for lunch, cast out a couple of lines while eating caught a nice long tom (released) and undersized bream. Of to the sand flat for another swim and play on the sand, wife took a rod and the nippers and waded the shallows for a few small whiting and a nice bream. Ran out of nippers and fed the burley and bait to the pelicans and it was time to head home, dropped of wife and youngest and headed for the ramp. Mouth of yowie bay was alive with surface fish, which disappeared before a got there. Flick out a metal slice on 2kg outfit (chasing tailor), hook up first cast and it screams off into the moorings chased in after it and was able to lead the fish back out into safer water. Settle into the fight and next problem occurred, little girl was hungry and needed food she didn't seem that excited that I was fighting a fish. Managed to open the esky one handed and get some food out for her. After another ten minutes got the fish up and first shot with the net in it go's, kingfish 67cm on 2kg line.

Regretted not bringing a heavy rod with me, but had a go slow trolling the poddies on a 4kg rod. Hooked up three times almost instantly and got blown away each time, light line, kingfish and moorings is never a good combination. Have to try again with more suitable tackle.

Ran out of poddies, so headed for home having enjoyed a nice family day, had lilli pilli sand flat to ourselves and a kingfish in the esky.

Cheers

Ash

[Welster]

Nice report ash and a legal king on 2kg would of be great fun. Did you use a bait trap for the poddies?

[sebcox]

Sounds like alot of fun with the family!

What kind of rig do you use to slow troll the poddies?

[Yowie]

Good work on the kingie.

Kingies, light line and mooring ropes do not go together. If you try light line, you have to chase them straight away to keep them out of the moorings. It becomes even more complicated, steering the boat, adjusting the throttle speed, holding the rod and winding the reel, all at the same time.

[fragmeister]

What a great place that is on a low tide for the kids ( and dad of course)

Great job on the kingie on 2kg

Cheers

Jim

[Guest no one]

Good read, looks like Yowie hasn't caught all the fish in the hacking after all

[Oscarthebeagle]

Thanks for the replies

The poddies were caught on a rod and reel, 1kg line and #14 hook. Bait gathering is my little girls (3 years old) favorite part of fishing I think.

The poddies were slow trolled on a simple rig. Main line, short double, swivel, 50cm 30lb fluorocarbon trace, 4/0 suicide hook. Short cast behind the boat, idle speed, holding the rod in my hand with the bail arm open holding the line, feel a tug release the line for a few seconds put reel in gear and strike.

Didn't mean to target kingies on light line it just kind of happened. I'm in a tiller stear boat so I find chasing fish easiest in reverse facing backwards sitting down using one foot to steer the boat. I was just lucky that this fish allowed itself to be led out of the moorings on light line.

Lilli Pilli sand flat is a great place to take the family. Big expanse of shallow clear water, that gets warmed by the sun, exposed sand towards low tide and a good chance of whiting and bream. It was my wife who took the nippers and a rod to wade the shallows while I built sandcastles with the kids.

All in all a great day on the water.