Bate Bay Kings

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

First light headed over to the front of Gunnamatta Bay wharf to load up on Yakkas - they’re plentyfull just on sunrise, but scatter after around 7am, for anyone that’s interested. Used the old mince meat mixed with flour on a size 12 suicide hook/split shot & a hand line. Could have kept bringing them up, but thought 7-8 would be enough for a session.

Headed out to bate bay and tried for some snapper, but nothing was biting early on.

Left the snapper grounds and hit up some spots where I thought there may be some kings. Sounded up a huge bait ball - big marks everywhere. Tossed over the first livie and took all of 15 seconds, and the rod bent over and I was into a good king. The next hour or so I spent fighting king after king. As soon as I’d throw over a livie I was on, again and again. Kings ranged in size from 65 up. Hooked a big king on a livie, but couldn’t stop it and if wrapped me down on the reef. Unfortunately I ran out of livies and then started on the soft plastics. Hooked another big king on a SP, and it snapped my SP rod. 

kept a 65cm and a 68cm that were deep hooked for the table. All the rest were released.

@wazatherfisherman used one of wazzas special lures he had sent me to try out “the long tailed one” and it got engulfed by a 65cm king.
Some smaller kingies started to come around and hit the lures, so I left and headed over to the flatty grounds south of the bommie. 50-55m had good size fish around the 45cm mark.

Caught 8 flathead, then trolled back to see if any Bonnie’s around -  caught one on a halco hard body in gold.

LastIy wanted to see if the squid were back in the hacking - after a couple of drifts caught one green eye.

Water in the hacking is currently full of debris from the flooding - heaps of logs floating too, so be careful out there.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Larkin

[Scooter0069]

Nice fish Larkin looks like you had a great day.

[jenno64]

Great day out Chris! Shame about the broken rod and the kings dusting you…..I’m predicting you’ll buy a heavier set up🙏🏻

[Pickles]

Great report Chris - nothing better than those halcyon days when the kings are plentiful and hungry.

[Larkin]

25 minutes ago, Scooter0069 said:

Nice fish Larkin looks like you had a great day.

Thanks scooter - was good fun!

14 minutes ago, jenno64 said:

Great day out Chris! Shame about the broken rod and the kings dusting you…..I’m predicting you’ll buy a heavier set up🙏🏻

Thanks Rob, I needed an excuse to head to the tackle shop lol.

10 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Great report Chris - nothing better than those halcyon days when the kings are plentiful and hungry.

Thanks Bob, they were on today! as soon as the livie hit the water, the rod bent over.

Was cursing that I ran out of livies - just wasn’t expecting it. 

[Yowie]

Very nice there, flatties and kingies of different sizes.

The flatties have been sitting deeper than usual for the last several months, I uaually find them around the 30/35 metre mark but only spikies about in that depth.

[wazatherfisherman]

Great bag of eating fish there Chris- cool you got a King on one of the big plastics

[Larkin]

58 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Very nice there, flatties and kingies of different sizes.

The flatties have been sitting deeper than usual for the last several months, I uaually find them around the 30/35 metre mark but only spikies about in that depth.

Thanks yowie - was a very quiet start, but then it turned around, and it was on.

There are decent flatties at the 50-55m mark. Your right they have moved deeper lately - still not huge fish, but of good eating size.

56 minutes ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Great bag of eating fish there Chris- cool you got a King on one of the big plastics

thanks wazza! It sucked in the whole lure - was a good strike & fight!
I’ll see if I can get a pic off the go pro. Haven’t checked the footage yet.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Larkin

[Little_Flatty]

That's a superb bag of fish and a busy session @Larkin. I saw @wazatherfisherman's big long tailed lure and thought it must catch fish! Now we all knew that they would! I'd love to see the gopro footage as well if you managed to capture it.

[Isaac Ct]

Very impressive feed Larkin, well done.

Keep at it

[Bryant fish]

Great day well done

[big Neil]

That's what I would call a fabulous day on the water. You obviously know your target species and were able to go from place to place and achieve a result. That's the beauty of coastal saltwater fishing, being able to do that. The only part of the equation you have little control over is whether the fish are there and want to play. Obviously, they were there and hungry. Job well done, fresh fish for the family...top stuff.  bn

[Restyle]

nice haul of fish, seems bate bays been firing the last few days

[Rebel]

Great report & photos.

Top haul.

Well done.

 

[Larkin]

8 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

That's a superb bag of fish and a busy session @Larkin. I saw @wazatherfisherman's big long tailed lure and thought it must catch fish! Now we all knew that they would! I'd love to see the gopro footage as well if you managed to capture it.

Thanks mike!

I paired it with an internal weighted 7/0 jighead - wazzas lure has a really nice action. Will check the footage and put something up.

6 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Very impressive feed Larkin, well done.

Keep at it

Thanks Isaac, having fish for dinner tonight!

Mum and dad were after some fish too, so will keep everyone happy.

6 hours ago, Bryant fish said:

Great day well done

Thanks Bryant. Conditions were good and the fish turned up.

5 hours ago, big Neil said:

That's what I would call a fabulous day on the water. You obviously know your target species and were able to go from place to place and achieve a result. That's the beauty of coastal saltwater fishing, being able to do that. The only part of the equation you have little control over is whether the fish are there and want to play. Obviously, they were there and hungry. Job well done, fresh fish for the family...top stuff.  bn

thanks Neil!  got to switch it up if nothings happening.
For example, I’ve been testing for squid every time I head back in from a fish - finally got one! Next trip out I’ll target them specifically.

4 hours ago, Restyle said:

nice haul of fish, seems bate bays been firing the last few days

Thanks Restyle! Didn’t get a single fish up until around 9am, then it all turned around.

5 minutes ago, Rebel said:

Great report & photos.

Top haul.

Well done.

 

Thanks Rebel - was a top day on the water!

Edited February 11, 2023 by Larkin

[fish-aholic]

Good haul , well done