zmk1962 Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 (edited) Hey Raiders, After the recent rain and rough seas earlier in the week, Maria and I were glad to see the offshore conditions forecast for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday looked promising for a possible trip out wide to Browns. I had also been chatting to my long time buddies @Fishingwazza2019 and @Gilbur who had been monitoring the weather and a plan was hatched that they would take Gil's Bertram down from Woy Woy and we would rendezvous at Browns 930am. BTW, Gil was the man that taught me the ropes on deep dropping Browns many many years ago...firstly on his boat and then on mine. So this trip felt special. Well Wednesday deteriorated and was a no go, but Thursday was holding up..... Come Wednesday night .... Thursday was touch and go ... but there was a morning window back-ended by a southerly change in the afternoon ... .quick chat with Gil and Wazza and the trip was confirmed on... It was a cold morning in Sydney, with lots of fog, so we timed our trip to arrive at Roseville boat ramp after first light to give us better visibility heading out (rower alert 😳). Here's Maria (three layers warm) - ".... it's fishin' not fashion ! " she says. Well the trip out to Brown's was uneventful, quite a few potholes with conditions and chop pretty much as forecast ... we got there just on 930am to find Browns a calm sea again as forecast.... saw 4 boats and the first boat we came across being the fellow raiders in the Bertie who had arrived 5min before us. Yet to start their first drift. Anyway, we quickly set up the electrics and bait (salted pillies and frozen squid). Noted water temp was 19C and that the GPS indicated there was a N-S 1-2km current running, so we headed to the North mark to drift the east side, while Gil and Wazza drifted the west side. First drift nothing on both boats. Second drift down the middle, Maria lost her sinker, then I lost mine (long sinker traces work - lost sinkers but no lost rigs so far). We continued different drifts across the mount for small picker bites on the baits, I also gave slow jigging a go ... but no fish. We could see the other boats around us were working hard criss crossing the drifts but no sign of gems or blue-eye. Finally around 1230pm we let Barrycuda drift way past the south end into deep water and I managed to bring up a pair of Ocean Perch ... our only fish for the day... but at least we have a feed ! By 1pm, the Bertie crew also managed one Ocean Perch and then called it a day snapping this photo of Barrycuda as they departed - would you believe this is the ONLY photo I have of Barrycuda in action on the water ..... Not even ten minutes later as we finished stowing all the fishing gear the southerly change came - right on time as forecast - and everyone left including us. It wasn't an overly strong wind, but the southerly 15kts winds crossed with the easterly 1.1m waves to create an - uncomfortable - short - sharp - bone jarring -chop that lasted from Browns for every single meter back to Sydney middle harbour .... a Thumper-of-a-ride Thursday for sure. Cheers Zoran and Maria Edited June 13, 2020 by zmk1962 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Awesome stuff guys! The fishing might have been slow but you look like you enjoyed yourselves and that’s the main thing! 👍 cheers scratchie!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 And that’s a wrap! An excellent report Zoran. Tell Mrs zmk she looks warm, comfy and fashionable 👏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Nice trip & report, except for the ride home by the sounds of it. I think I would be hurting for days with a return tip like that! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Both of you had a great day out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welster Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Great report Zoran getting a feed was a pretty good result by the sounds of it. The ride home would of been a bit of a punish. Is the Bertram a 25? What length sinker trace do you use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonD Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 It's a long run when conditions are like that, good to see you get out there to give it a try. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Glad to see you get out Z ! Great write up too No better way to spend quality time with the Mrs than on the water. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 14 hours ago, kingie chaser said: Nice trip & report, except for the ride home by the sounds of it. I think I would be hurting for days with a return tip like that! A ride like that is a total workout .. it closed all the exercise rings on my Apple watch !!! We try to stay fit and both came up pretty good the next day surprisingly. However, today I removed the extra swivel that came with the new boat seats i recently installed as at one stage Maria thought she was a battling top. Cheers Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 11 hours ago, Welster said: Is the Bertram a 25? What length sinker trace do you use? Thanks Jason. I think Bertie is a 25 - I have not had the pleasure to crew it as yet - its a relatively new acquisition for Gil ... probs best to ask @Gilbur All I know is from what they told me they had a cruisey run back up to woy woy with the southerly tail wind sipping tea, wine and other beverages ... but it may just be fisho tales for all I know. Regarding sinker traces - after the last trip where I lost a fair bit of braid and the deep drop rigs - I switched up to 3m 30lb sinker traces and managed to lose sinkers but no other gear. Cheers Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 1 hour ago, GoingFishing said: No better way to spend quality time with the Mrs than on the water. .... hmmmm let me think about that 🤔 😜 Cheers Z 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Signing Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 Your boat is a nice deep boat. Tough day at the office trying to hold onto a beak over the side of it. Everything is a trade off with boats isnt it. I'm a firm believer when conditions are crap like that just set the spread and troll your way home 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rey05 Posted June 14, 2020 Share Posted June 14, 2020 great report.... I spy a barratech cap there? (fridgies can pick another a mile away) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 59 minutes ago, New Signing said: Your boat is a nice deep boat. Tough day at the office trying to hold onto a beak over the side of it. Everything is a trade off with boats isnt it. I'm a firm believer when conditions are crap like that just set the spread and troll your way home Yes ... its deep and looks even deeper coz we are so short ! .... agree 100% everything is a trade off on boats - I just have the attitude to work with it and enjoy ! Agree 100% about putting out the trolling gear - I actually had the gear onboard in case we bagged out on deep stuff, but we had commitments in the evening so had to race back and it was a harsh 30-40km/h bash back to heads. Re holding on to a beak ... it's doable - here's a report from 2015 - ffwd video to 6:50 ... I just make sure to pack a crew with long arms along with all the other gear 🤣 33 minutes ago, Rey05 said: great report.... I spy a barratech cap there? (fridgies can pick another a mile away) Hey @Rey05, yes its a Baratech cap given to me by a good buddy of mine .... he features in the above Stripey video... infact there are 2 fridgies in that video .... so although I'm not a fridgie ... maybe hanging around them has rubbed off to make me look like one ! Cheers Zoran 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted June 15, 2020 Share Posted June 15, 2020 Good on you both for getting out there & having a go, great write up & photos, the marinade in your other thread sounds delicious I’ll definitely be giving that go Zoran 13 hours ago, zmk1962 said: after the last trip where I lost a fair bit of braid and the deep drop rigs - I switched up to 3m 30lb sinker traces and managed to lose sinkers but no other gear. Good to hear you’ve sorted the tackle issues out, that hook set up I suggested might be more suited to using for livies when bridled for kings & beakies. 2 hours ago, zmk1962 said: its deep and looks even deeper coz we are so short ! .... agree 100% everything is a trade off on boats - I just have the attitude to work with it and enjoy ! Agree 100% about putting out the trolling gear Good attitude to have & besides us short people don’t have as far to go when gravity is against us 😂 Great editing, running footage & release on you first beakie 👍 Saw the ramora slide out on the deck but didn’t notice the release until the end good effort trying to get it back on its ride 😂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 Thanks Dieter.... that beak experience was a while back .... I've hooked up since but have not managed to get them to the boat ... for me a beak has always been a by catch - last hookup I was targeting dollies at the FAD ... maybe this summer it's time to go and specifically target them - well anyway its definitely time to repeat the experience. Cheers Zoran 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antonywardle Posted June 16, 2020 Share Posted June 16, 2020 Great report - great beard! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 16, 2020 Author Share Posted June 16, 2020 2 hours ago, antonywardle said: Great report - great beard! Thanks Antony - yes a case of covid inspired hairy faciatis since we last met. cheers Z 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishingwazza2019 Posted June 17, 2020 Share Posted June 17, 2020 Heh Zoran Great write-up .. I think you said it all. Slow fishing .. but always better to be on the water. Gil's boat is a 25 Bertie .. very solid sea boat , though bit slow at times .. just have to sit back and have a beer and a snooze at times 🙂 . Like you, we headed south with big expectations, left the land fog, and then into the sea fog for some time. With the wind behind us on the way south, and then when the wind turned it was a similar run back to Woy Woy Bay with the wind behind us , about a 3 hour run . Strange day at browns - lost rigs, bait bitten off on way down it seemed , and no fish to write home about. Till next time ... Cheers Wazza 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 17, 2020 Author Share Posted June 17, 2020 Cheers Wazza ( @Fishingwazza2019) .... good to see you on the water and on here mate. There'll be other Brown's sessions for sure. Z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordoRetired Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Sounds like a good day out even if the ride back was rough. Couple of nice fish too. 🙂 While you were out there did you not try leaving a couple of pillies floating behind you on the drift n case there were any Yellow Fin around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted June 18, 2020 Author Share Posted June 18, 2020 Hey Gordo, actually this time nope. I was trying to slow jig 200m down on the side though and that kept me busy enough. Also now that we are using 2 deep drop rigs, I've realised they are facing straight back a bit more then I like -- there is not much separation between the lines and they did cross over on one of the drops. Until I angle to rods out a bit more, I think drifting another line down the middle would be asking for more trouble.... especially on a hook up. Cheers Zoran PS - I've already ordered 2 rod holder swivel inserts which will be a simple fix for the rod angles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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