Quiet on the Hump.

[NaClH2OK9]

Having not had the boat out for a month. And being told the wife needs the car next Sunday I needed to head off some fishing withdrawal before it gets worse.

I fished off stanwell a month ago and the snapper were starting to show so a revisit was my plan.

I was on the water for 7:30 (a little later than usual but getting set up solo in the dark and cold wasn't very enticing.) I headed straight for jibbon moorings To try for a couple of fresh squid but with murky water and no takes for 20 mins I set up a couple of lures and was off round the corner. Water was a pretty steady 21.5 all day but a heavy green with no clarity and a lot of protein scum on the way down.

I was reasonably confident I'd hit something trolling at my favourite headland on the way south but nothing

This was starting to take too long so I pulled the skirts in and managed 15 kts in a very lumpy sea heading straight to a 80 M mark I wanted to try East of the Hump. It was best part of 10:30 for my first drop

Sog was 1knt but with 1lb sinker my line was out at 30 deg and I was up off bottom as soon as the bail arm went over.....

That said the sounder was showing nothing under me.

Time to move to the hump...

Drop one and the current was a little easier in 55m and nearing the tide change 12oz then 8oz got me down But the sounder still showed zilch and I was a little way past) drifting North) before I hit 3 Flatties 5 minutes apart.

Not what I'd been looking for but they had supper written all over them.

Tried a different drift which did show a school of small fish but no arches around them

3 more drifts produced nothing except a very large fat slimey mackerel. And a 25cm pinkie.

Somehow it was now 1:30 and I knew it was going to be a slow trip back with the sea having got a bit washing machine again.

I headed closer in and tried a 4knt troll with the nose pinned slimey which I'd kept alive. But after 10 mins it was Skipping. I pulled it in to find a big chunk missing from its tail end. A tailor?

Switching to a repala magnum ( and a pink skirt on the other) did nothing for 15 mins then I looked back to see my line flapping in the wind ( bugger $30 gone)

Lines in and time to give up.

About half way back I could see birds starting to gather and work. Lure back out and found a dirty water line full of debris and 6 foot wide. At 25m It stretched about 1k with birds going mad and tiny bait fish jumping everywhere but the sounder showed o bigger fish and no takes saw me hit the hacking for 3:30 in time to pick the wife. Daughter and dog up from bundeena and taxi them back to gunamatta

Feels like a long day out for no excitement but that's fishing.

Steve

Edited May 24, 2015 by NaClH2OK9

[dogbox]

That's a shame Steve your not coming next weekend and unfortunate day on the water today. It can be a long hard day when the water is like a washing machine and I saw on the news tonight two boats overturned today one off Sydney and one off central coast. Hopefully if we get a nice number of boats coming out next Sunday we can cover more water and get on the fish.

I don't think anyone would mind if we don't make the hump if we find fish on the way, I mean that is the purpose "Catching."

What bait where you using?

doxbox

[NaClH2OK9]

All salted bait. Bought fresh or caught. Pillie. Garfish . Mac tuna.

I was seeing more activity closer in. Ulladulla wreck and a couple of other marks but the clock beat me to try them.

Like you say. With a few boats you can prospect more marks and see what's happening.

[grandad]

Sounds like most of my trips down there, Its a long way to go in a sloppy sea for three flathead.

But if you don't try you'll never know, and the view along the cliffs make it worthwhile.

These are my excuses, when I go down there, It's never me.

If the sea wasn't sloppy

If the wind was a bit less

if the current wasn't as strong

if the barometer was rising

If the bloody Jackets would go away

If the Hump was a bit closer.

If I had the right bait.

Hope the other Raiders have better luck at the weekend

[Ryder]

Good effort mate, but when there is strong current, potential wind etc etc.

Stick to the inshore reefs around Stanwell , Headlands, and Bellambi.

.

[JohnDory]

Nice report Steve

JD

[adamski]

Flatties are always a welcome feed. Sorry you didn't manage anything bigger, but well done on getting out- sounds like tricky conditions.

[Paikea]

Good feed Salty, which Hump did you fish?

As far as I know there are several with the most fished one closer in to Stanwell Park.

Cheers

Paikea

[NaClH2OK9]

I had two gps marks one 55m which showed structure one at 75 is m but no structure on plotter and couldn't keep bottom anyway. There is another reef spot in around 90m that has been dynamite before but no coordinates and not enough prospecting time.