First catch on Alvey

[savit]

After a couple of recent high swell night  fishing sessions I realized that my cheap JW 2500 spin reel may not survive another 3 years of bi-weekly abuse. I decided to try Alvey side caster though my love to traditional reels was very limited. I got a used 500 size Alvey, cleaned and oiled it, changed the index plate for left hand retrieve, practiced casting for 1.5 hour to understand the potential 'challenges' from a borrowed yak in the mid-day heat  last week.

So, equipped with safety and waterproof gear and  1/2 year  frozen prawns I headed with Alvey to the Northern Beaches rock spot last weekend. The Alvey casting distance was sufficient for me despite unweighted bait rig and there was not much line twist in the beginning. The high swell  was regularly washing my new reel without damage. In 10 min I landed 32 cm drummer. Then I lost a fish due to broken leader (bad knots). In an hour or so I got a 36 cm bream. The bream pooled the drag and I felt how it was running into the open ocean in the night. The drag was smooth and 1:1 retrieve was easy. Then I landed a 36 cm rock cod  that 'stole' my hook earlier. The rock cod was quickly released, bream and drummer were kept.           

Edited January 4, 2017 by savit

[dododog]

 Nice fish

 

[savit]

Thanks dododog.

 

[Wellzy94]

Some nice fish, Savit!

By any chance, was the rock cod one of these? If so, they're actually really nice to eat. "Poor man's lobster".

[savit]

Thanks Wellzy94.

No, it was one of those threatened of protected species  - goldspotted or black rock cod. It was just too dark for clear identification.  I avoid using headlight at night, as it is easier to monitor the swell and rod on rocks  when the eyes got used to darkness.

I caught  'poor man lobsters' a few times and always let them go. Will check their eating qualities next time.