Easter Hat parade fishing

[Oscarthebeagle]

Took Monday off work as it was my little boys Easter hat parade/concert at preschool. Day was off to a poor start with Baxter getting upset and distressed at the thought of the concert and not even making it to dropoff. We tried all sorts of encouragement and support to help him but he was having none it. Decided to offer up the biggest carrot we have, wife told him " if you go to preschool and just try, daddy will take you fishing ". 

He reluctantly agreed and off we went. Not only did he try, he went great and sung/dancedto all the songs.

Now it was time for a fishing trip, with 20 knots of westerly and run in tide it was going to be challenging. Had to wait till his brother  was asleep, 2 year old hates seeing the boat leave without him.

Launched at Grays Point, only one trailer in the carpark. Started off pumping nippers, where he managed to trip and fall in the water moments after I put him down, always happens when you don't have a change of clothes. Dried his face and started pumping nippers and he soon forgot about being wet.

Found a spot where tide and wind were kind of together and started to fish. First thing in the burly trail was a school of mullet, fishing unweighted bread at least the wind helped cast. First fish a legal mullet which he was excited about, he had caught heaps of poddies previously, but this was his first legal size one. Caught more mullet till he was bored of them, with just one more legal the rest going back.

Also picked up a few bream, garfish and a mid 40's flathead in that spot, with alot undersize. He was tired of catching fish so swapped to just netting my fish, including the flathead which on 6lb trace tested my nerves.

Also caught 2 big blue swimmers (60 & 62 cm claw tip to tip), which he was disappointed i wouldn't let him help. He asked why and i said it takes alot of practice to do, so he followed up with "then how did you learn" very astute for a 4 year old. I learned by my dad letting me practice on the female crabs, which we planned to release and smaller crabs.

With the wind dropping we moved to another spot. Had a drift hoping for whiting but no bites, anchored up again and burley this spot produced a few more bream that went back, a good whiting and a 50cm flathead.

Was nearly home time when Baxter confidently told me there was a crab on the handline. He was right, another blue swimmer, decided to let him have it. Told him to pull it in slowly at  steady speed don't rush, he did it perfect stopping just below the surface where i could net it. 

Home time after that, pulled the boat out around 6ish and headed home with a very tired excited boy.

Thanks for reading 

Ash

Edited March 27, 2018 by Oscarthebeagle
grammer and add photos

[big Neil]

Great read Ash and good on Baxter for getting in and doing it...both the concert and the fishing. You must be very proud of him, bn

[MainframeJames]

Sounds like it was a good deal for his dad too

[hookerbruce]

NOT AN EASTER HAT IN SIGHT.

 

Nice mix of fish.

bruce

[Guest Guest123456789]

Great read Ash the young bloke looks stoked

[rickmarlin62]

not much beats fishing with your boy..mines 21 and we still do....nice trip and hope u have many more...rick

[Berleyguts]

Great stuff!

[masterfisho7]

Top read well done on the fishing 

[mrsswordfisherman]

Always love seeing our little raiders excited about fishing. 

Well done Baxter and Ash

[Yowie]

A great feed there Ash, crab entrees and some good fillets for mains.

I beat the westerly wind home on Monday by a couple of minutes.

[Oscarthebeagle]

Thanks for reading and thankyou for the replies.

It was a great afternoon on the river. Lots of fun and challenge fishing with a 4 year old but will be worth it in the years to come when i have a little fishing buddy.

Gives me some idea what  me and my brother must of put my dad through.