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Back in the saddle - and how

SgtBundy

By SgtBundy
in Fishing Reports

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SgtBundy SNAPPER

SgtBundy

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Following last weeks capsize and dunking I had a few repairs to effect. The major one being my live bait tank "control" box, that also feeds power to my sounder, which got water logged. I had tried to build a timer for the tank but failed, so to rebuild I ordered a proper livewell timer and put together a new setup that was built a little better. By Saturday night it was done and tested.

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Keen to put to use I headed out again from Clontarf around 7am.

Checking the fridge I couldnt sound any bait so I moved over to Balmoral, and the sounder was doing its job as two times on the way I sounded bait balls but lost them by the time I turned to chase them. Finding none in multiple spots I trolled a lure out in front of middle head and then switched to dropping pilchard cubes while I planned to look for spots to try for squid.

Multiple times the sounder lit up with activity and a few times I could visually see schools under me and in the burley trail. I eventually got a hookup which I could only think was a very large slimey. Thinking it too big for live bait I released it. After that I got a steady stream of small trevally, shy of legal snapper and more bait balls. When I saw what appeared to be yakkas I dropped some burley and a jig and managed a large yakka that went into the tank. Unfortunately I ran out of burley before I could get any more and they moved on.

I stayed on cubing but kept getting pickers so I switched to a live bait hook and put the yakka out. I trolled it half way across middle head but conditions had got sloppy and after last week I opted not to push my luck so went back in towards cobblers. I prospected with plastics while letting the live yakka swim but nothing eventuated. As it was coming up to noon and I promised to be home for the arvo I headed back to clontarf still trailing the live yakka.

As I made my way I aimed to stay near the deeper water but was not in much hope of any action. The yakka was on a baitrunner type reel so every now and then it would pull a little of the light drag - not much just spots. Then half way back in woke up but was only a slow move but more than before. I picked up the rod, engaged drag and loaded up to significant weight.

It seemed to just sit so given the terrain I figured it for a ray, but it soon picked up and I was able to start raising it. As it came up I saw the biggest flathead I have ever seen in the flesh. Once I got it up she disagreed and took off peeling 20lb line. After a few yo yos I had her beside the yak but she refused the net and kept taking off. All this time I am trying to tell her soothing things like I only want to take a measure, half prayers really. The net shot was made harder by the fact I was using an 8ft rod. I finally got her head into my way too small net but a tangle ment I had to dump her and let her run and try all over again.

After about 5 minutes I finally had her caught.

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After I eventually figured out a way to measure her the only way I could snap it in frame was holding my phone as high above me as possible.

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I called it for 84cm which is 28cm above my previous best. Once I had the photo I didnt stress her any more and gently slid her off the mat and watched her swim off. Absolutely awesome - would never have thought a yakka as big as that (was at least 25cm) would be useful for flathead. It was also cool that all my new toys played a part - sounder on spotting the bait, live tank for keeping it and the bait teaser reel for running it out.

Happy for a good fishing brag on monday I headed home pretty chuffed. Big improvement on last weeks drama.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

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SgtBundy SNAPPER

SgtBundy

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Thanks all - it certainly was a moment when she first came into view - more so when I was able to get her on the mat :)

Very nice Adrian.
You gotta be happy with that.
It is surprising the size of the bait they will take.
Well played.

Thanks Andrew - very chuffed. With the head this girl had on her I am not surprised she took that yakka, but still I would not have figured a flathead going for a yakka that size.

Excellent work to pull out a big flattie, into the yak, and stay upright. :clapping:

Be nice - its only happened once so far! :) Thanks :)

Well done mate... that's a great result after the last trip.

BTW, if she was straight on the brag mat you may have got a few more cm's on the length! LOL

Cheers

Jim

I had her on straight without the photo to get the measure and it was enough of a task - I might have cheated myself a cm or two but I didn't want to stress her too much and I had no real options to get her onto a flat surface. I am contemplating making some sort of measuring board out of a large pipe section or something like I have seen other kayakers do.

Now that I think about it I am glad she was so sedate because otherwise I could have copped a nasty spike if she decided to thrash.

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Yowie WAHOO

Yowie

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Now that I think about it I am glad she was so sedate because otherwise I could have copped a nasty spike if she decided to thrash.

I have had the big ones thrash about wildly when in the boat. A mad one in the kayak would result in puncture wounds to the 'jatz crackers.'

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