Bellambi Reds

[GoingFishing]

Gday Raiders

Headed down south to Bellambi today chasing snaps. Was joined by dad who was itching to get out too.

Arrival at the ramp we were met with a very low tide with some cross wash. Luckily for us we were one of the first ones there so we managed to unload quickly before the ramp gets blocked up.

Conditions this morning were better than forecast, which made for good irony because from 10am onwards the conditions were far worse than forecast. Steep stiff waves of 1.5m high about 5 seconds apart mixed with a gusty breeze which i estimate between 15 to 20 knots made for uncomfortable fishing.

But we slogged it out and managed a nice feed of reds. Some just legals and a few just under 50cm. Managed a nice calamari too which ordinarily would have been stripped for bait but he came aboard very late in the day so i decided to keep him for the table. Baits used were whole pillies and fresh caught slimey mackeral strips.

Also managed to witness a few whales jumping a little too close for comfort. But with two sea anchors and 6 rods in the water there was no time to tuck tail and run🤣

Thanks for reading 

Sam

[The Rev]

Nice haul there - well done 👍🏼 

[zmk1962]

Awesome reds. Well done. Especially given the conditions. 
cheers Zoran 

[kingie chaser]

A nice bag of reds there.

Great effort 

[Scratchie]

Some good pannies there Sam! That squid looks huge. Always great to spend some time on the water with the old man. 👍

cheers scratchie!!! 

[Welster]

Great work Sam in pretty challenging conditions. 

[JAKSShark]

Good snapper well done, must say that is a stonker squid!!!

[GoingFishing]

16 hours ago, The Rev said:

Nice haul there - well done 👍🏼 

Thanks Mate 

16 hours ago, zmk1962 said:

Awesome reds. Well done. Especially given the conditions. 
cheers Zoran 

Cheers Zoran - we almost turned green by the end of it. Pulled the pin a little earlier than usual at 1130am.

16 hours ago, kingie chaser said:

A nice bag of reds there.

Great effort 

thanks mate

15 hours ago, Scratchie said:

Some good pannies there Sam! That squid looks huge. Always great to spend some time on the water with the old man. 👍

cheers scratchie!!! 

Thanks Jeff - the squid is very large, its hood must have been nudging 35 or 40cm but i didnt measure it to be honest. salt and pepper squid tonight i will try to post up some photos.

14 hours ago, Welster said:

Great work Sam in pretty challenging conditions. 

thanks Welster - the reward made the hard slog worth while!

12 hours ago, JAKSShark said:

Good snapper well done, must say that is a stonker squid!!!

Cheers mate - we always manage a few squid at bellambi theyre top bait. i am thinking i might put a squid jig on a paternoster next time to see how it goes.

[masterfisho7]

Well done some great fish love the photos 

[Rebel]

Great day out and great report.

[Yowie]

Good work on the reds.

[Smobaby]

Nice fish battling those conditions ramp would have been challenging retrieving the boat poor ramp at the best of times Port Kembla A1 worth the extra travel safe launch and retrieve 

[GoingFishing]

5 hours ago, masterfisho7 said:

Well done some great fish love the photos 

Thanks Masterfisho

3 hours ago, Rebel said:

Great day out and great report.

Cheers Rebel. The whales were quite the sight. Because they were so close we were simultaneously excited and horrified 🤣

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

Good work on the reds.

Thanks Yowie. Always nice to get a bag after slogging it out.

1 hour ago, Smobaby said:

Nice fish battling those conditions ramp would have been challenging retrieving the boat poor ramp at the best of times Port Kembla A1 worth the extra travel safe launch and retrieve 

Thanks Smobaby.

Bellambi is certainly a difficult ramp to contend with, especially on a low tide..even worse when you add some cross wash.

Hoping i dont sound arrogant, but my launch and retrieve is very organised and very quick. Even yesterday in low tide with crosswash it only took me 2-3 minutes to get my 6.2m plate boat off the trailer. Once the trailer has been reversed far enough the engine is dropped to just below water line and put in idle (forward). I then climb up walk around the cabin and undo the chain and latch. Back infront of the steering i wait for a swell/surge to come up the ramp and hit reverse......she slides off very easily.

On retrieve its even easier as my trailer is fitted with a clip on latch, so i just drive the boat onto the trailer (i will get it centre first time most times), the latch keeps me in place while i climb to the front and do the chain and latch. Again all done in 2-3 minutes tops.

The biggest issues with Bellambi is when those inconsiderate folk tie up to the pontoon (for longer than necesarry) and leave no space for anyone to drop off. Or when its low tide and the sydney folk (like me) arrive and dont know how to drop their boats in the shallow water.

Edited June 29, 2020 by GoingFishing

[GoingFishing]

Speaking of whales dad snapped this photo a few weeks back. He was about 30 to 40m from  the boat ! Almost close enough to count the barnacles on his chin

 

Edited June 29, 2020 by GoingFishing

[Yowie]

1 minute ago, GoingFishing said:

Speaking of whales dad snapped this photo a few weeks back. He was about 30 to 40m from  the boat ! Almost close enough to count the barnacles on his chin

 

 

Fishing south of Jibbon last week (caught bugger all) one of those monsters jumped less than 50 feet from the boat, behind my back, caused me to turn around rather quickly to see what was happening. 

A short time later, a pair of them were fin slapping and heading straight for me, so I had to quickly start up and move. They were not deviating their course.

[GoingFishing]

Just now, Yowie said:

 

Fishing south of Jibbon last week (caught bugger all) one of those monsters jumped less than 50 feet from the boat, behind my back, caused me to turn around rather quickly to see what was happening. 

A short time later, a pair of them were fin slapping and heading straight for me, so I had to quickly start up and move. They were not deviating their course.

50 feet !!! Definately close enough to count the barnacles on his chin ! I would have rung the mrs and asked her to meet me at the ramp with a fresh pair of undies 😅

[Yowie]

1 minute ago, GoingFishing said:

50 feet !!! Definately close enough to count the barnacles on his chin ! I would have rung the mrs and asked her to meet me at the ramp with a fresh pair of undies 😅

He was f*&#$@*g close. 

A few years back, I was drifting off Jibbon, felt something brush my line (drifting under the boat for flatties) then a humpback surfaced about 30 feet (2 boat lengths) from the front of my boat. He had swum straight under my boat and obviously brushed the line with his body or fin. 

Certainly bigger than my little tinny. 🤣

[61 crusher]

Sounds like one of those days where the weatherman (person) tossed a coin for a bit of an each way, great bag considering & those whales when they come out of nowhere sure can get the old heart pumping 

nice report & photo 👍

[GoingFishing]

1 hour ago, 61 crusher said:

Sounds like one of those days where the weatherman (person) tossed a coin for a bit of an each way, great bag considering & those whales when they come out of nowhere sure can get the old heart pumping 

nice report & photo 👍

Thanks Crusher, the weather forecasts have been very hit and miss lately now that i think of it.

[Fun2fish]

Yeah whales can scare the crap  out of you had 1 come so close I could have poked it with fishing rod not fun