Whale Encounter!! While Snapper Fishing

[Larkin]

Gday All,

headed out on Sunday - plan was to fish behind jibbon bommie, but the swell in the morning was rolling in at 2-3m so changed plan and decided to head up to northern bate bay as it looked a bit calmer. The wave period was quite long, so even though the swells were rolling in, it wasn’t too bad.

Was fishing with salted slimies on one rod, while I worked a 5inch Zman streakz curly tail in pearl colour on the other.

I’ve been trying a few things out and have come to some conclusions. 
Smaller snapper seem to forage/scavenge along the bottom, while the larger fish seem to be more mid water and actively chase live food. I think this is why wafting out SP seems to get hit by the larger fish. The other thing I’ve noticed, they are hunting around and under bait balls.

Anyway, I launched out some long casts wafting the SP through any bait balls where I could see larger fish hovering around. I was working the area for about an hour - about ready to give up on the SP’s, but had scratchies words repeating in my head “just keep casting”, “just keep casting” and then it happened again - same as last week, rod buckles over and I’m onto a good fish. At the same time my second bait rod also goes off. 

while I was fighting the larger fish, the fish on the smaller rod got to reef, once the larger fish was landed - checked the second rod & the line felt snagged - I opened the bail and the fish has come back out of the snag.

Brought up a 60cm snapper on the SP & a 46cm on the bait rod.

I keep fishing, then out if the blue some large humpback whales surface about a hundred meters away.
They dive and I start to notice some turbulence on the surface about 20m away - the type caused by a large tail pumping underwater close to the surface.

im like… here we go again 

I stand up and focus my camera, and then a huge humpback whale swims under my JetSki - I could see it just a few meters under the water.

see vid.

Not sure what it is, just curiosity or maybe the yellow colour of my jet ski, but this is the second time this has happened to me at this location.

anyway a little while after that encounter I end up leaving and finish off at my flathead spot south of jibbon.

Result was 2 snappers (60cm & 46cm) & 7 flathead ranging from 40-45cm with a couple kept that were just under 40.
Released more flatties that were over legal, but too small to keep.

also caught a small trag on a SP, a flagfin wrasse & sweep

Here’s the fishing vid and some pics - didn’t have time to edit properly, so just a few raw clips put together.

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by Larkin

[Little_Flatty]

What a feed! And a whale sighting would just top it off.

Thanks for the report.

[Yowie]

A nice feed of fish, especially the reds.

Several years ago out in Bate Bay, I was drifting for flatties and felt something large swim into my line, seemed like it was just under the boat. A very short time later, a humpback surfaced about 30 feet in front of the boat. A very large critter compared to the size of my boat.

[Larkin]

32 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

What a feed! And a whale sighting would just top it off.

Thanks for the report.

Thanks Mike, a bit of a surprise visit for the day.

Battered up some of the flatty fillets last night with a side salad, chips and homemade tartare! Came up better than any fish n chips shop!

21 minutes ago, Yowie said:

A nice feed of fish, especially the reds.

Several years ago out in Bate Bay, I was drifting for flatties and felt something large swim into my line, seemed like it was just under the boat. A very short time later, a humpback surfaced about 30 feet in front of the boat. A very large critter compared to the size of my boat.

Thanks yowie - been working on cracking the snapper code!

Isn’t it a strange thing to have such a large intelligent animal that could easily tip you over just come over and swim under your vessel.

Curious as to what we’re doing - I wonder if they know we’re fishing 🤔 

[big Neil]

This is one of the best posts I have seen. A great recount of the action accompanied by excellent video footage. I have subscribed to your channel Larkin. Keep up the great posts. bn

[Isaac Ct]

Great report mate, nice haul of fish. That whale would’ve got the blood pumping. Interesting what you say about the snapper in mid water. @Yowie would this be the same for the bigger ones in the hacking?

[Rebel]

Top report.

Super videos

Nice haul.

Well done.

[Yowie]

2 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Great report mate, nice haul of fish. That whale would’ve got the blood pumping. Interesting what you say about the snapper in mid water. @Yowie would this be the same for the bigger ones in the hacking?

Most of my reddies have taken baits from the bottom, but that is not to say that reddies will not be swimmimng about at different depths.

Outside during late winter/early spring, the reddies will feed on dead cuttlefish drifting along the surface.

If there is a bait ball swimming about, the reddies will swim up to the school and feed.

[bessell1955]

Wow that whale was so close.

[Larkin]

6 hours ago, big Neil said:

This is one of the best posts I have seen. A great recount of the action accompanied by excellent video footage. I have subscribed to your channel Larkin. Keep up the great posts. bn

Thanks Neil, glad you enjoyed 👍

3 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Great report mate, nice haul of fish. That whale would’ve got the blood pumping. Interesting what you say about the snapper in mid water. @Yowie would this be the same for the bigger ones in the hacking?

Thanks Isaac, was a really good day out.

They are a bottom dwelling/feeding fish, just that I’ve noticed the larger fish are definitely coming up, and actively feeding at 10-15m off the bottom. I’ve been watching large fish on the sounder for the last few months, but they haven’t been interested in taking anything until i tried the SP’s.

I also notice they hit the SP’s a lot harder than cut baits - basically hooking themselves with the force they’re attacking the SP with, where as with cut baits I’m usually having to set the hook.

58 minutes ago, Rebel said:

Top report.

Super videos

Nice haul.

Well done.

Thanks Rebel 👍

24 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

Wow that whale was so close.

Yeah, just a few meters below the surface! 
was definitely an experience.

[Squidless]

Looks like an awesome day. Now that's a friendly whale saying hello!

[M1100S]

Nice Video... double hookup of 2 very nice snapper. i am very jealous.

I need to try the soft plastics out, all the snapper i get is bottom bashing on the paternoster but need to try the soft plastics. Also need to hit bate bay up more too.

One thing not sure how easy it in on the ski... but do you not brain spike and bleed your snapper? 

 

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, Squidless said:

Looks like an awesome day. Now that's a friendly whale saying hello!

Thanks @Squidless 👍, was a good day out on the water.

It wasn’t shy, came right over to see what I was doing.

2 hours ago, M1100S said:

Nice Video... double hookup of 2 very nice snapper. i am very jealous.

I need to try the soft plastics out, all the snapper i get is bottom bashing on the paternoster but need to try the soft plastics. Also need to hit bate bay up more too.

One thing not sure how easy it in on the ski... but do you not brain spike and bleed your snapper? 

 

Thanks M1100S, If you haven’t read scratchies article below - the info he provides on snapper fishing with soft plastics is absolute gold!!

My only addition would be to also try some 5inch streaks curly tails in pearl along with the Jerkshads. 

I don’t brain spike them - find this hard with snapper on the JetSki. (I do with flatties though). With snapper I cut the main artery underneath between the gills and put them in the ice. They bleed out very quickly.

 

 

 

[masterfisho7]

What a top effort great video and great photos 

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, masterfisho7 said:

What a top effort great video and great photos 

Thanks masterfisho!

[GordoRetired]

Sounds like a great day. It's always awesome to see whales out there. 🙂

[Pickles]

“Whale” of a report @Larkin great work

[jenno64]

Great report Larkin!

top reds and a whale experience that will with you forever!

[Larkin]

On 9/30/2022 at 11:12 AM, GordoRetired said:

Sounds like a great day. It's always awesome to see whales out there. 🙂

Good fun when the fish show up! 

Half the fun of fishing is being out there amongst nature 👍

19 hours ago, Pickles said:

“Whale” of a report @Larkin great work

Haha, yeah it was a bit of a long report! 👍

6 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Great report Larkin!

top reds and a whale experience that will with you forever!

Thanks Rob 👍, been getting onto a few good ones lately. 
Hadn’t seen whales for about a month, lately they seem to be back around the area.

[dlvbw]

Awesome report. Beautiful snaps.