Ettalong Channel, Broken Bay and Lion Island Sun 9/8

[kiwicraig]

Managed to hit the water this morning with anthonywardle. The plan was to drift for flatties on the run out tide. We started out off Ettalong beach, with baits out behind the boat and casting out soft plastics. My first catch was a bit of a laugh - some kind of weird sea cucumber thing that had attached itself to a pillie tail.

The conditions were not ideal - while the current took us out the wind was pushing us up on to the sandbank. Dispite that I managed to hook into a small flathead on a 3 inch Squidgie paddle tail plastic. A couple casts later this same plastic had his little tail neatly nipped off - probably by a tailor - but he missed the hook unfortunately. I didn't even feel it.

Getting sick of the sandbank we decided to head outside to a mark that I had seen on Navionics labelled Broken Bay Flathead. Sounded promising. Unfortunately the swell was not insignificant and the wind was pushing us along so fast that the bait was not staying on the bottom, even with a big snapper lead on it.

For a bit of a change of pace I suggested we pull in behind Lion Island to get out of the wind and bottom bash for a bit. So we moved again. There seemed to be lots of bait around on the sounder so we tried a few different things. I put a rod with a Paternoster down with a couple of half pillies on it and dropped that into a rod holder. I then tried scouting around with the soft plastic rod. I'd seen a couple of little taps on the rod in the holder, but suddenly it buckled over. I grabbed the rod and struck and I was on. I was not getting a lot head shaking but it could pull. I worked it up to the surface and was surprised to see the distinctive gray and white of a small shark. He tried for another run by the boat so I was busy keeping the line off the edges of the boat when Anthony made the call - "It's a hammerhead".

Well that's a first for me. Should be worth a photo! He was only little. I never measured him but I would put it around the 70cm mark. I tried to lift him out of the water but when he broke the surface he went absolutely nuts. I dropped him back down and Anthony took the rod and handed me the net.

We got it aboard and it continued it's psychotic episode - biting the line and severing it like nothing. I don't know how he managed to hook himself without snipping the line. It was only 15lb flouro leader.

The hookup was nice and clean in the corner of the mouth - gotta love circle hooks. I could see that I was not going to be able to back it out without doing some damage so grabbed the wire cutters and snipped the barb off the hook. A couple of quick photos and he was returned to the deep to grow a bit bigger.

[harold]

It is sort of cute!

You did better than us, with the best of intentions we didn't even make it onto the water this weekend.

[GreyNurse]

It reminds me of Stewie in Family Guy. Nice little pick up, Craig.

[antonywardle]

Thanks for the day out. Pity we didn't get too much action,

I guess that means they will be a bit bigger the next time we go!

[kiwicraig]

Thanks for the day out. Pity we didn't get too much action,

I guess that means they will be a bit bigger the next time we go!

Here's hoping!

[Scratchie]

Great stuff guys! It's great to see a couple of raiders get together and go on the hunt! Those hammers do go nuts! Well done

Cheers scratchie!!!

[Guest no one]

It reminds me of Stewie in Family Guy. Nice little pick up, Craig.

That's the first thing I thought!

Good experience Craig! Well done!

[Yowie]

Small hammerheads, and some other small sharks, can be very agro when pulled on board, and have quite a bit of strength for their size.

Have caught them before, and I grab then across the back in front of the dorsal fin to lift them into the boat ( if you are not happy doing that, then don't try it) but I have found I keep those teeth away from me doing it that way. Obviously with the bigger ones, keep your hands away from the bitey end, and don't grab them by the tail either, as the head can whip around and bite you very quickly.