Tuesday Harbour session

[GordoRetired]

After last weeks trip out with Zoran, zmk1962   and Bob,  Pickles  I wanted to go and see if I could manage Kingies out of my own boat. Tuesdays forecast was good so launched around 6.15am and headed to the Balmoral bait grounds. As I am pulling in I thought, I recognise that boat, it was Zoran on Barrycuda who had obviously got out of bed way earlier than me. 🙂 

I pull alongside and was told that it was quiet and they were headed to another spot, however I decided to give it a try there first. It took a while but with one of my homemade burley bombs sending a nice steady flow out the back the Yakkas turned up. By the time I had been there for around an hour I had 15 on the live-bait tank and decided that was enough so headed off to my first spot. The first spot that we fished last week under the guidance of Sensei Bob.

I slow trolled and drifted for a while before I get a nice bend in one of the rods. After a short fight I then boated a nice, but undersize, Kingfish, it went just under 60cm. Not too bad for my first one of the session. Also worth mentioning was that it was hooked on the stinger again, just like both fish last week.

I spent another hour or so there with the only hits being something that just smashed the live-bait, I suspect that they were good size Tailor.

This poor Yakka came back headless! ! !

I decided that it was time to move spots so I motored off to the second spot that we fished last week. Dropped anchor and set out 2 livies.

While I was relaxing, listening to Christmas songs on the radio and watching the harbour traffic I got another good rod bend. When I pulled it out of the rod holder I was immediately feeling excited, it was pulling hard. It felt to me like a real solid fish but after a couple of pump and wind's I got slack line. I reel in and saw that the bottom hook on my double hook set-up was gone. This really pissed me off as I am meticulous when it comes to tying my rigs, they are all pre-tied at home to minimise knot failure, and can not remember the last time I had one just pull off like that. What I could not fathom was that that specific rig caught 2 King's last week and the one earlier that day, yet on the 4th fish it failed. Go figure.

I sat there for a while longer but no further action, other than a charter boat setting up shop about 30 foot from me, so it was off to another spot.

As I got there the Water Police dropped by to wish me a Merry Christmas and asked me to count into their machine, not sure what that had to do with Christmas but I complied as they seem like a nice bunch of fellas. Good to see them out there on the water keeping us all safe.

After they were gone I got a couple of hits, but I am sure that it was Tailor again as all I was getting back were pieces of my live bait.

As I was just about out of baits I started heading home, had a short drift around near the Spit and another slow troll around near water ski alley but nothing else.

So all in all it was not a big fishing catching day but it was a beautiful day out of Sydney harbour and at least I managed 1 Kingie all on my own 🙂

Merry Christmas to everyone, hope you all catch heaps over the festive season and Santa brings you nice fishing gear for Christmas.

Tight lines
Gordo 

 

[blaxland]

Good to see you putting into practice what other raiders have passed on and nice report

 

[Yowie]

One kingie is better than none, so you put in the effort, however, one of those days the kingies don't bite.

[Larkin]

Still good to land one 👍 that’s fishin

[Little_Flatty]

Well done Gordo...hard to get the first kingie on your own. I'm only on one hookup so far (nothing landed!).

Bummer about the rig busting. Maybe rigs (or knots) have a shelf life....bit too much success for one piece of leader! Still...may all your future leaders get stretched! 

[Pickles]

Way to go Gordo - you’re off and away now mate- go get ‘em.

[GordoRetired]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

Way to go Gordo - you’re off and away now mate- go get ‘em.

Thanks Sensei Bob, King of the Kingies. 🙂