Bate Bay

[Yowie]

Headed out to the northern end of Bate Bay just before sunrise. Started a drift in around 100 foot of water, wall to wall spikies until I drifted out a bit further, then pulled up the occasional blue spot in slightly deeper water. Wind a little bit stronger than forecast, but not too bad.

When I reached deeper water, I'm guessing 150 feet or more (no sounder), all bites stopped so I headed back in for another drift. Again plenty of spikies and a few more blue spots, to give me 8 in total. Not big fish but not complaining.

When I reached the 150 foot mark, all bites stopped again. Decided to keep drifting, to see if anything was out there. I'm guessing about the 200 foot mark, a few small bites and a hook up. Small tiger flatties around the 30cm mark, five or so, then one legal. They were very scattered. 
Also pulled up a marble flattie, not a big one, but decided to keep it to have a comparison of the 3 different fillets.

Very few boats out, none anywhere near me at all. Headed home late morning.

For the comparison, the fillets were crumbed and pan fried. The tiger flattie ranked at no.1, with the blue spot close behind. The marbled flattie was a bit further away at no.3, the skin being a bit tougher, and the flavour not as good. That is my opinion, the wife said they all tasted similar. 😁. 

[Scooter0069]

Nice feed Yowie was hoping to get out tomorrow but weather doesn’t look good 

[Yowie]

6 hours ago, Scooter0069 said:

Nice feed Yowie was hoping to get out tomorrow but weather doesn’t look good 

Thank you. Friday not looking good, the wind should push you towards N.Z.

[Crabstar]

Great feed.

[Little_Flatty]

Glad to see you found the blue spots again Yowie. Bet you your wife is disappointed that there’s no steak for dinner anymore 🤣

[Isaac Ct]

Good persistence for a feed Yowie, well done.

Hows the water colour up the river at the moment?

[Yowie]

1 hour ago, Crabstar said:

Great feed.

Thank you, a few feeds there.

13 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Glad to see you found the blue spots again Yowie. Bet you your wife is disappointed that there’s no steak for dinner anymore 🤣

Happy to find a few. Probably steak tonight, I do like fish but not every night. 😂

13 minutes ago, Isaac Ct said:

Good persistence for a feed Yowie, well done.

Hows the water colour up the river at the moment?

Thank you. Water is clear, though I have not fished up river for a month or more.

[kantong]

there's a good feed there. I had to google what a marbled flathead was, learnt something new!

Thanks for sharing.

[Yowie]

4 hours ago, kantong said:

there's a good feed there. I had to google what a marbled flathead was, learnt something new!

Thanks for sharing.

Not a common catch, as the marbled live in deeper water.

[Larkin]

Bit of work, but boated a good feed. 👍

I like your report on the eating qualities! Just missing the dusky and spikie. Get the wife to cook and do a five way blind comparison 😝. I recon you’d pick every one with the amount you’ve eaten over the years.
 

[Fab1]

Who needs a sounder when you catch fish like you do.I’d happily stay out for 3 days for the catch you got in a couple of hours in the morning.😂😂Good on you for being brave and getting out there as always.

[Yowie]

5 hours ago, Larkin said:

Bit of work, but boated a good feed. 👍

I like your report on the eating qualities! Just missing the dusky and spikie. Get the wife to cook and do a five way blind comparison 😝. I recon you’d pick every one with the amount you’ve eaten over the years.
 

A couple of feeds, so happy with that. Neighbour scored some fillets as well.

Spikies are small but tender, fiddly to remove the bones. One of them was 32cm.

As for the duskies, behind the blue spot but in front of the marbled.

1.  tiger

2.  blue spot

3.  spikey

4.  dusky

5.  marbled

[Yowie]

5 hours ago, Fab1 said:

Who needs a sounder when you catch fish like you do.I’d happily stay out for 3 days for the catch you got in a couple of hours in the morning.😂😂Good on you for being brave and getting out there as always.

A sounder is something else to break or not work.

If you drifted for 3 days, you would be nearing N.Z.  well, nearly. 🤣

[Fab1]

50 minutes ago, Yowie said:

A sounder is something else to break or not work.

If you drifted for 3 days, you would be nearing N.Z.  well, nearly. 🤣

I know that’s why I’m sticking to kite flying.

[jenno64]

Nice bag of assorted flatchaps Dave! My goal is to get out there soon and get into the deep water models🙏🏻

[Yowie]

54 minutes ago, jenno64 said:

Nice bag of assorted flatchaps Dave! My goal is to get out there soon and get into the deep water models🙏🏻

Thanks Rob. The flatties have been rather quiet of recent times, so happy with the catch. Can only get better. 

I rely on landmarks for my spots outside so a bit hard to advise you where they are - they do move around a bit.