Swansea Wide 19/1/16 it looked so promising

[NaClH2OK9]

After finally getting a week off work, i was determined to get a fish in this week. I checked the forecast Sunday night and was stoked when i saw the BOM water temp map.

Really warm water close in off Lake Macquarie.

Wind and swell looked good so Tuesday was my pick (allowing a lazy Monday to prep)

I left Swansea heads at 8am with the sea a little shorter than anticipated but managed a good 16 knots heading out to the FAD. Temp was a steady 23 and dirty brown green.

a couple of miles shy of the FAD i started setting my rods ready to put a spread out. i still have so many lures i haven't tried yet but decided on yeloow/green (to mimic a baby dollie) diver for under the teaser. Evil Dingo and Scent blazer chain on shotgun. When i looked back up the ocean was a beautiful cobalt blue and 23.9 i'd missed where it changed but immediately put the lures in.

It cant have been 10 minutes and the shotgun started taking line. I cleared the other rods just in time for the shotgun setup to stop. Winding like mad i slowly got weight back but with the fish swimming towards me it wasn't much of a fight. 5 minutes later i had a 57cm striped Tuna. Not what i was hoping for but i was on the board.

i reached the deserted FAD and nothing on the sounder, one lap and pushed further east eventually hitting 120M and the water dropping temp the further i went. I contemplated heading out towards the shelf but with the temp dropping and recent calls that the fish were close in turned north instead. there were no current lines, no bait and only the occasional bird.

I changed direction NW and after a while could see the water break between the cobalt and cold green water, just then a pod of dolphins came right next to the boat.

Feeling inspired i swung south and followed the water break (the difference between the two currents was like oil and water) but over an hour and a half heading south produced nothing.

the wind had picked up a little now 13:30 with white horses everywhere so i decided to head in towards the shore and see if there were any Bonito close in (having swapped the bigger lures for christmas trees ). somewhere between the wind picking up, heading north instead of south and the water being shallower, it became quite a choppy ride back.

i brought the lines in and spent the next hour in washing machine conditions back to the heads.

It looked so promising,

at least i've got some gun salted bait for the next reef session.

Thanks for reading

Steve

Edited January 20, 2016 by NaClH2OK9

[Yowie]

Well, that's a bugger. One stripey for all that time.

[Scratchie]

That's gamefishing for you! Zeros are just a part of it. It makes the good days worthwhile. Still looks like a nice time on the water. I've had a capt once say to me "it's 95% waiting for 5% mayhem". Ain't that the truth. Keep at it Steve, your time will come! Great report.

Cheers scratchie!!!

[GoingFishing]

Better luck next time Steve

And as you say- at least u got your next reef bait sorted

[NaClH2OK9]

Your not wrong Jeff.

Perhaps next time. ..

Edited January 20, 2016 by NaClH2OK9