Port Stephens- Not our day today!

[Scratchie]

Gday raiders, 

Headed out today with Backcruncher and his mate and we hit the island. Hopes were high for a few good snapper especially with the sudden drop of the east coast low we’ve been enduring. First drift at first light and Micks line is screaming. Set the hook, set the hook. Well he did and after a good tussle up comes a 70 model, nice! Not in the net yet it takes a roll and pop! Gooooooooone! Oh well, at least we found something. Ended up changing locations and we managed a good size bonito on a livie and kept casting sps! Then I load up and boy did this thing pull string. After a decent scrap and a bit of manoeuvring I get a decent look at it boatside (80 plus) and can feel the crunching on the jig and with one more crunch, boom.... the leader gave way! Damn! 
We moved a few spots due to either,  a lack of bait or lack of current, then decided to try for longtail. 
Hit our mark and set the livies out! They looked good swimming perfectly. So much so that we couldn’t get away from the tuna birds diving on them at will. After hour we called it quits but managed to land two birds!! 🤔 

Headed home at a leisurely pace with a beer in hand and a good day had by all. 
 

cheers scratchie!!! 
 

[Berleyguts]

It’s magic weather today. Would have been fantastic to be out there. At least you got a few. 😎 Me? I got a request for a smoked brisket. Hope it’s ready for dinner time! 🤷‍♂️😂

[kingie chaser]

As they say, if it was easy everyone would be doing it.

I think its the near misses that draws you back in for another round, again & again wanting to better your last attempt

 

As you say, just getting out there & enjoying the day & the company is what it is all about, having something for the table is just a bonus.

 

@Berleyguts, looking good.

Do you use a spice rub on it & or have a bbq sauce or glaze going on it?  

[Mr Squidy]

1 hour ago, Scratchie said:

Well he did and after a good tussle up comes a 70 model, nice! Not in the net yet it takes a roll and pop! Gooooooooone! Oh well, at least we found something.

Oh well? Oh well?!?! Most of us down here in Sydney would be close to tears loosing a 70cm red boat side haha. You guys sure have a great fishery up there. Shame to loose a couple of good fish but still a nice feed to come home with, top stuff as always.

Rich

[Rebel]

Win some, lose some. But you are still a Mile in front.

Cheers.

[Berleyguts]

1 hour ago, kingie chaser said:

@Berleyguts, looking good.

Do you use a spice rub on it & or have a bbq sauce or glaze going on it?  

I used a dry rub. But then I decided to do a little glaze as well and baste it occasionally with a mop and bucket. First time I’ve done a brisket. Bit worried it’ll be too dry. Cooked a lot quicker than I intended. 🤷‍♂️ Damn thermometer on the smoker’s all over the place!😡 Need to upgrade and get one I can calibrate! Shoulda gone fishing instead! 😂

Edited May 28, 2020 by Berleyguts

[Yowie]

You've got fish in the fish box, so better than no fish in the fish box.

[zmk1962]

Just now, Yowie said:

You've got fish in the fish box, so better than no fish in the fish box.

.....and a day on the water breathing the fresh salt air.  Can’t beat that. 
cheers Zoran 

[Guest Guest123456789]

Good to hear you didn’t catch much for once 

[back cruncher]

Hi all...Jeff lost a cracker of a snapper today...had the motor started ready to chase it.

mite have been whiskers.lol.

[Scratchie]

3 hours ago, Mr Squidy said:

Oh well? Oh well?!?! Most of us down here in Sydney would be close to tears loosing a 70cm red boat side haha. You guys sure have a great fishery up there. Shame to loose a couple of good fish but still a nice feed to come home with, top stuff as always.

Rich

Cheers Rich! It was pretty devastating to lose two good fish especially when you have sight of them. It doesn’t happen often. Just one of those days! 

2 hours ago, Rebel said:

Win some, lose some. But you are still a Mile in front.

Cheers.

Cheers Rebel. Time to let a few grow 🤣

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

You've got fish in the fish box, so better than no fish in the fish box.

True yowie! We don’t mind losing one but two is a tragedy 😢

2 hours ago, zmk1962 said:

.....and a day on the water breathing the fresh salt air.  Can’t beat that. 
cheers Zoran 

Couldn’t agree more! 👍

1 hour ago, flatheadluke said:

Good to hear you didn’t catch much for once 

Haha 😂 we could have waited for the arvo bite and filled the box. 🤪

48 minutes ago, back cruncher said:

Hi all...Jeff lost a cracker of a snapper today...had the motor started ready to chase it.

mite have been whiskers.lol.

Definitely related to whiskers! At least my knots didn’t fail. Just one of those things! 
Great day in the water all the same champ! And we scored to PB tuna birds 🤣

[Guest Guest123456789]

Whenever @back cruncher comes up your way it either pisses down with rain or you lose good fish. Perhaps Dieter is a Port Stephens jinx? 

[rickmarlin62]

I think i would be happy just to get up there  fish or not  i will give the long wknd a big miss so maybe the second wknd will come good  heres hopin

[Scratchie]

1 hour ago, flatheadluke said:

Whenever @back cruncher comes up your way it either pisses down with rain or you lose good fish. Perhaps Dieter is a Port Stephens jinx? 

Think you got them confused Luke. Dieter is @61 crusher and Mick is @back cruncher 👍👍👍. Either way they always bring crap weather! 🤪

[GoingFishing]

Bummer on the lost string pullers fellas, but hey, i guess you gotta leave some of those bigguns for someone else have a turn for once 🤣

a day on the water is still better than a day in the office..... cracking weather today

[61 crusher]

That would have to be gut wrenching seeing two cracker reds & losing them both, hear I was thinking you weren’t a mere mortal chasing snapper, but you are just a damn good one. Looks like you guys still had a great day with the weather, a few fish, company & a new PB😂

22 hours ago, Scratchie said:

Think you got them confused Luke. Dieter is @61 crusher and Mick is @back cruncher 👍👍👍. Either way they always bring crap weather! 🤪

Thanks for clearing that up with Luke 👍, maybe I need to get up your way again & change those odds 😁

[Drought Breaker]

Hi Scratchie. Unlucky mate. Are you still running the 20/20 Lb braid/leader from your pinned article?

 

[Scratchie]

2 minutes ago, Drought Breaker said:

Hi Scratchie. Unlucky mate. Are you still running the 20/20 Lb braid/leader from your pinned article?

 

You win some you lose some! Makes me more determined. Yes mate, I still use that combination. Once the water cools down and the big girls move into the shallows I might up it to 30lb! 

[Peter Nelson]

Unlucky mate but at least yourve been getting out there.

Hopefully I'll get out Friday. Was there much bait at cabbage tree?

 

[Jiggy]

Next time you cook a brisket try this:

Season (dry rub, salt pepper whatever you prefer)  then put in the fridge overnight. If possible rest on a rack so that it stays dry.

Pre heat your oven to 165 C.

Slice up an union than fry that in butter until it softens then add some garlic, rosemary and a cup of apple juice. Cook until the juice is reduced by half. Put half on this in a roasting tray, put the brisket on top then pour the rest over the brisket. You want the brisket to be fat side up.

Cover the tin in foil then bake in the oven for 1.5 hours. After this reduce to 120 C and cook for another 2.5 hours.

What you get is very tender, juicy and tasty. I've done this with just salt and pepper and it's great. Largest brisket I've cooked like this is 2.5 kilos but larger should be fine; maybe cook for a little longer.

[Scratchie]

On 5/31/2020 at 7:00 PM, Peter Nelson said:

Unlucky mate but at least yourve been getting out there.

Hopefully I'll get out Friday. Was there much bait at cabbage tree?

 

Still plenty of bait at cabbage tree. Slimies were in the northern side of the bar. Heaps at the little gibber too! 

[kingie chaser]

On 6/1/2020 at 9:29 AM, Jiggy said:

Next time you cook a brisket try this:

Season (dry rub, salt pepper whatever you prefer)  then put in the fridge overnight. If possible rest on a rack so that it stays dry.

Pre heat your oven to 165 C.

Slice up an union than fry that in butter until it softens then add some garlic, rosemary and a cup of apple juice. Cook until the juice is reduced by half. Put half on this in a roasting tray, put the brisket on top then pour the rest over the brisket. You want the brisket to be fat side up.

Cover the tin in foil then bake in the oven for 1.5 hours. After this reduce to 120 C and cook for another 2.5 hours.

What you get is very tender, juicy and tasty. I've done this with just salt and pepper and it's great. Largest brisket I've cooked like this is 2.5 kilos but larger should be fine; maybe cook for a little longer.

Very good tips on the brisket @Jiggy might be worth putting this into the cooking section for all to use.

 

I know we tend to talk about fish cooking on this site but I think it is open to any kind of cooking ideas? 

[mrsswordfisherman]

7 minutes ago, kingie chaser said:

Very good tips on the brisket @Jiggy might be worth putting this into the cooking section for all to use.

 

I know we tend to talk about fish cooking on this site but I think it is open to any kind of cooking ideas? 

All good with me :)

[Berleyguts]

59 minutes ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

All good with me

Yes, but it’s my bad for hijacking Scratchie’s thread. Didn’t mean to! Sorry!