Dollies and Squid

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders!

headed offshore with another mate on Thursday. Was very flat on the ride out wide - perfect conditions.

First drop of a live unweighted yakka and I notice the line start peeling off the reel - flip the bail and the circle does it’s job, but the PE5 rod just bends right over under a very heavy weight that had no give until I feel a rub and then snap. Hooked up to something very big - that rubbed and snapped 68lb braid.

Re-rigged a new leader, and I can see some big Dollie’s in the water over the meter mark cruising by, but not taking any baits. I notice what I believe is a marlin fin cutting the surface in tight circles chasing bait - but may possibly have been a huge dolly with tall erect dorsal feeding on the surface.

Soon after I hook up to a nice dolly - going 95cm. My mate follows with a 106cm.

Bite then goes dead - but still seeing large Dollie’s jump and cruise by.

We head back in, stopping at an offshore reef to pick up a few squid.

[Pickles]

Spectacular results Chris, an exhilarating feeling landing a Mahi Mahi that size. Well done and sounds like perfect conditions.

[Larkin]

1 minute ago, Pickles said:

Spectacular results Chris, an exhilarating feeling landing a Mahi Mahi that size. Well done and sounds like perfect conditions.

Thanks Bob, been having some good fun out there chasing these fish!
Love it when the ride out and back in is glassy.

[whiskey299]

Well done Chris another great size

[Little_Flatty]

Cracker dollie Chris!

Snapped 68lb braid? Wow! I really wonder what that fish was.

[bessell1955]

They are great fish.  The one that got away must have been huge!

[Basil D]

15 hours ago, Larkin said:

Gday Raiders!

headed offshore with another mate on Thursday. Was very flat on the ride out wide - perfect conditions.

First drop of a live unweighted yakka and I notice the line start peeling off the reel - flip the bail and the circle does it’s job, but the PE5 rod just bends right over under a very heavy weight that had no give until I feel a rub and then snap. Hooked up to something very big - that rubbed and snapped 68lb braid.

Re-rigged a new leader, and I can see some big Dollie’s in the water over the meter mark cruising by, but not taking any baits. I notice what I believe is a marlin fin cutting the surface in tight circles chasing bait - but may possibly have been a huge dolly with tall erect dorsal feeding on the surface.

Soon after I hook up to a nice dolly - going 95cm. My mate follows with a 106cm.

Bite then goes dead - but still seeing large Dollie’s jump and cruise by.

We head back in, stopping at an offshore reef to pick up a few squid.

Never seeing them so early , well done again

[Larkin]

7 hours ago, whiskey299 said:

Well done Chris another great size

Thanks Brad - been some nice fish out wide lately

5 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Cracker dollie Chris!

Snapped 68lb braid? Wow! I really wonder what that fish was.

Thanks Mike!

I think my drag may have locked up - that reels been playing up lately. Didn’t even give me a chance to twist the knob. I’m leaning towards a large shark - but could have been any large fish.

4 hours ago, bessell1955 said:

They are great fish.  The one that got away must have been huge!

Thanks Bessel! Yeah it has me wondering.

3 minutes ago, Basil D said:

Never seeing them so early , well done again

Thanks Basil - it was that early warm current that came down through Sydney two weeks ago that brought them down this year.

[Yowie]

Nice work there Chris, good sized dolly.

The big critter - marlin maybe, or tuna?

 

Headed out with my mate Tuesday arvo - N/E wind slop bounce the boat quite a bit, mate felt crook so headed back with spikies only. Mate bounced off his chair 😂

[Larkin]

6 hours ago, Yowie said:

Nice work there Chris, good sized dolly.

The big critter - marlin maybe, or tuna?

 

Headed out with my mate Tuesday arvo - N/E wind slop bounce the boat quite a bit, mate felt crook so headed back with spikies only. Mate bounced off his chair 😂

Thanks Dave!

yeah could of been any of those - I was out at 140m - def wasn’t a large dolly. Don’t think it realised it was hooked either. Kicking myself I didn’t at least get to see it go for a run.

I’ve been testing the flatty grounds too - tried for half an hour on the way back in a couple of weeks ago - same as what you’ve been seeing - just spikies. 

Wednesday was rough out there too - a mate went out wide - he had a cracker session but came back drenched. Thursday was totally different - like glass out there - haven’t been out in smooth conditions like that for a while. Beautiful ride out and back.

[Yowie]

43 minutes ago, Larkin said:

Thanks Dave!

yeah could of been any of those - I was out at 140m - def wasn’t a large dolly. Don’t think it realised it was hooked either. Kicking myself I didn’t at least get to see it go for a run.

I’ve been testing the flatty grounds too - tried for half an hour on the way back in a couple of weeks ago - same as what you’ve been seeing - just spikies. 

Wednesday was rough out there too - a mate went out wide - he had a cracker session but came back drenched. Thursday was totally different - like glass out there - haven’t been out in smooth conditions like that for a while. Beautiful ride out and back.

We tried 200 feet, one pound sinker, near 300 feet of line out to stay on the bottom - 2 tigers and 1 bluespot, undersized. Shallower water and not a decent hit at all, just spikies.

Convinced my mate to have a try up from Lilli Pilli on the way home (he was still feeling crook)  - 3 tailor low 30's, 5 jewies 35 to 45 cms. Tailor better than nothing, 3 fillets each. 

[Welster]

Wow well done Chris I didn’t think they would be about yet.   Sounds like it may have been a marlin that took a liking to that yakka. 

[kantong]

The things you do on your ski amazes me, great stuff! Some good fillets off that dollie for sure.

[Larkin]

21 hours ago, Welster said:

Wow well done Chris I didn’t think they would be about yet.   Sounds like it may have been a marlin that took a liking to that yakka. 

Thanks Welster!
yeah, it was the first live bait in the water. Plenty of baitfish on the surface too.

Wish I saw it run to get an idea of what it was.

8 hours ago, kantong said:

The things you do on your ski amazes me, great stuff! Some good fillets off that dollie for sure.

Thanks Kantong!

Fillets were beautiful - the fish have been in great condition. Sometimes Dollie’s can have soft flesh. These have been nice and firm.  Shared with family and friends.