Big Bull Run!

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders, I’ve been closely watching the current charts waiting for the first push down of the warm water from up north. On Monday I saw exactly what ive been waiting for. These early November currents usually dissipate in a week or two, but bring down some big fish with them. The difference in temperature is 21/22 degrees within the current and outside it drops down to around 18/19 degrees.

I told my mate about it - and he was super keen to get out - don’t think he slept much in anticipation after I told him I thought it would be bringing down some large fish from the north. 

We dropped some crab pots before heading out, then loaded up on yakkas. The yakkas were larger, but figured they’d be perfect for the larger fish we planned on chasing.

As soon as we get out there, we sound up a large school of fish with some very large marks showing up.  My mate casts out a shallow diver & hooks up straight away to a good sized fish.

I rig up and toss out a large unweighted yakka, a couple of seconds later the rod taps a few times and then goes parabolic!

I knew I hooked a big bull when it flared its fin on the surface, then took off like a freight train! Big bursting runs & had my jetski turning left and right under the fish’s pull. What a fight it put up!!

Mate kept fishing - he got 3 cows 110cm, 90cm, 60cm, while I trolled a couple of large skirts out wide for a couple of hours looking for something bigger.

With enough fish in the bag, we decided to head back in.

Took my mate past a deep water squid spot for a couple drifts & he picks up 2 good sized calamari in succession.

As a bonus I brought up a nice blue swimmer crab in one of the pots.

Dolly went 122cm and weighed 9.5kg

Terminal - Trokar 8/0 TK4 eagle claw circle, momoi 60lb trace.

Edited November 5, 2023 by Larkin

[XD351]

Awesome Dolly Larkin! 

[big Neil]

Wow, what a super fish, and a great recount of the capture. How will you prepare it for the table? Steaks or filleted? How do you cook it?

I don't recall ever tasting it, certainly never caught one.

bn

[Pickles]

Outstanding result Chris - a “Big Angry Fish” and spectacular eating. I don’t think there is a better eating fish (to my taste) than a bled and chilled dollie. Well done mate.

I guess you’re up to speed with the “Big Warm” headed down on the EAC offshore at present)

https://theconversation.com/a-monster-eddy-current-is-spinning-into-existence-off-the-coast-of-sydney-will-it-bring-a-new-marine-heatwave-216625

Edited November 4, 2023 by Pickles
Spelling

[Little_Flatty]

Well done Chris! What a cracker fish and topped off with an entree of crab. Bet you that will feed your family for a while.

I'm sure you know this already, but others might be interested to know that Mahi Mahi grow incredibly fast, up to a centimetre a day: Mahi-mahi and FADs (nsw.gov.au).

What were you fishing for with the skirts?

[bessell1955]

A great fish.  A plan that bore fruit.

[Isaac Ct]

Great stuff mate, excellent fish. Good few feeds of that one.

Well done.

[Blackfish]

That’s a great fish and from a Jet Ski. That’s awesome.

[zmk1962]

Sensational fish Chris - a Ballistic Bull to kick off the summer dollie season- way to go 🤙👍. 
Enjoy the feast(s). 
cheers Zoran 

[Larkin]

8 hours ago, XD351 said:

Awesome Dolly Larkin! 

Thanks XD. Smashed my previous PB dolly!

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

Wow, what a super fish, and a great recount of the capture. How will you prepare it for the table? Steaks or filleted? How do you cook it?

I don't recall ever tasting it, certainly never caught one.

bn

Thanks Neil - they’re great fun to catch

I’ve filleted it up, and cut into portions. Plenty to go round, some to my parents & friends too.

Great eating - cooking some up for dinner tonight. 

57 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Outstanding result Chris - a “Big Angry Fish” and spectacular eating. I don’t think there is a better eating fish (to my taste) than a bled and chilled dollie. Well done mate.

I guess you’re up to speed with the “Big Warm” headed down on the EAC offshore at present)

https://theconversation.com/a-monster-eddy-current-is-spinning-into-existence-off-the-coast-of-sydney-will-it-bring-a-new-marine-heatwave-216625

Thanks Bob!

it was a firm fleshed fish - perfect for the table. 
 

I’ve been watching the currents for the last few years - seeing how they flow down at the start of November and throughout the summer. I also keep an eye on the chlorophyll maps. This week both lined up. Lots of plankton on the surface off Sydney attracting plenty of baitfish coupled with a warm current pushing down very close to land.

51 minutes ago, Little_Flatty said:

Well done Chris! What a cracker fish and topped off with an entree of crab. Bet you that will feed your family for a while.

What were you fishing for with the skirts?

Thank Mike! 
Crab was delicious - made a crab linguine for the wife - was chock full of meat. 
Fish for dinner tonight for the whole family.

Im chasing a billfish - if the conditions are right I’m trying to spend a couple of hours trolling skirts or looking for bait out there that I can drop a livie down into.

On the ride back in, 50m away we both saw fins and splashing on the surface. I saw one fin and large splash, my mate saw two - dorsal and tail in the splashing. He thought it was a shark, but I believe it was a marlin - I was pulling a single skirt (normally I’m pulling two) but I don’t think I was close enough and most likely they were onto baitfish. What we should have done is turn around - and tossed out a livie. Always next time.
 

53 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

A great fish.  A plan that bore fruit.

Thanks Bessell - was waiting for the warm water to come down to go on the chase. Happy with a PB dolly.

37 minutes ago, Isaac Ct said:

Great stuff mate, excellent fish. Good few feeds of that one.

Well done.

Thanks Isaac!

About 20 portions came off it.

Sometimes Dollie’s can be soft fleshed. This was a firm fleshed fish - perfect for the table.

9 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

That’s a great fish and from a Jet Ski. That’s awesome.

Thanks Blackfish! 

Great fun on the ski - pulled the JetSki side to side during the fight. Good fun.
 

2 minutes ago, zmk1962 said:

Sensational fish Chris - a Ballistic Bull to kick off the summer dollie season- way to go 🤙👍. 
Enjoy the feast(s). 
cheers Zoran 

Thanks Zoran!

With bonnies around all through winter and big warm currents coming down, I think we should see some good fish out wide this season.

[whiskey299]

epic catch with a bonus crab!

[Blackfish]

On another note I went down to the boat ramp this morning up here in Port and there were great Dolphin fish frames in the water near the filleting table so they must have got some yesterday up here as well. But I bet they weren’t on Jet skis.

Weather has turned so no one will be going out to chase them in the next few days at least.

[Yowie]

well Chris, certainly worth the effort, a very nice dollie. 

The warm water needs to swim a bit closer to shore, which it will do soon.

[Larkin]

2 hours ago, whiskey299 said:

epic catch with a bonus crab!

Thanks Brad! 
was happy with a PB dolly first up for the start of the season.

love my crabs - I’ve been testing spots out atm. New to dropping pots so catching anything’s a bonus.

1 hour ago, Blackfish said:

On another note I went down to the boat ramp this morning up here in Port and there were great Dolphin fish frames in the water near the filleting table so they must have got some yesterday up here as well. But I bet they weren’t on Jet skis.

Weather has turned so no one will be going out to chase them in the next few days at least.

Must be a few about all up the coast.

Thinking about heading up north to try off seal rocks or crowdy head.

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

well Chris, certainly worth the effort, a very nice dollie. 

The warm water needs to swim a bit closer to shore, which it will do soon.

Thanks Dave! always nice when a plan comes to fruition.
Contemplated not heading out as it was very windy in close at daybreak - then the rain started too, but once out wide conditions were perfect - no wind and minimal swell. 

around 20 portions came off it - shared around with family and friends. Having some for dinner tonight.

I think it won’t be long for the waters to warm up closer in. Bob posted an informative article in the “Bar” yesterday - very interesting read. 
 

 

[Burger]

How about the bend in that rod!!! Looks like it’s bending ALL the way down to the butt!

I have a light estuary blackfish rod that does that, but it’s not the same thing at all! 😂

[kantong]

one to remember for a while! congrats on the catch, well done mate!

[JustJames]

Great report, great pics, cracker fish!

 

How far offshore did you have to go to find the warmer water?

[blaxland]

Well hatched plan how far out is the warm current?

 

[Larkin]

19 hours ago, Burger said:

How about the bend in that rod!!! Looks like it’s bending ALL the way down to the butt!

I have a light estuary blackfish rod that does that, but it’s not the same thing at all! 😂

Haha,  rod bend is rod bend! Still great fun no matter the weight class. Yeah it gave the rod a good work out - PE4 jig rod, so they have plenty of flex in them.

8 hours ago, kantong said:

one to remember for a while! congrats on the catch, well done mate!

Thanks Kantong! yeah mate don’t think I’ll get another one like that for a while. 
 

6 hours ago, JustJames said:

Great report, great pics, cracker fish!

 

How far offshore did you have to go to find the warmer water?

Thanks James! First dolly of the season for me.

Warm current was in pretty close. 8-10klm out and it was 21 degrees. Normally the warm currents are further out. We went out to 20klm - the water was only slightly warmer - not even half a degree more.
 

2 hours ago, blaxland said:

Well hatched plan how far out is the warm current?

 

Hi Blaxland - it’s not too far out. At 8-10klm it’s 21 degrees. Even 3klm out it was around 20.5

we sighted what we believe was a marlin on the surface at the 10klm mark on the way back in.

[jenno64]

You continue to break new and amazing ground with some very sought after species Chris! Congrats on doing your homework and I bet the fillets of bull will be memorable 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[Basil D]

They are the best fun I reckon , been a few weeks since my last trip, been doing some renos at home 

[Larkin]

3 hours ago, jenno64 said:

You continue to break new and amazing ground with some very sought after species Chris! Congrats on doing your homework and I bet the fillets of bull will be memorable 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Thanks Rob!

switching it up to keep it interesting mate. 
We got about 20 portions off it - shared it around and fed 6 families 

Everyone said it tasted amazing. Did mine in a panko crumb coating - kids loved it.

3 hours ago, Basil D said:

They are the best fun I reckon , been a few weeks since my last trip, been doing some renos at home 

good fight and seeing those colours come up is definitely a rush. 
see you out on the water soon mate!