Slimies Galore

[Larkin]

With my bait supply down to the last packet - today was bait gathering day. I usually catch enough to make a month or two of salted and vac sealed baits. 

Target was Slimy Mackerel.

searched around the reefs off jibbon, and found a school. 
Using a 2 hook sabiki, they started coming in one after the other.

Trick is to keep your rig 5-10m from the top, no deeper as slimies tend to feed close to the surface. If you go deeper you’ll mainly get yakkas.

Plenty big ones about at the moment off jibbon. Not just for bait, but great eating too - smoked, brined/dried or even pickled.

After my bait collecting, put out a live yakka and a strip bait for a bit of fun to see what’s about. Landed a reddie roughly between 40-45cm - which was released. 

[Welster]

Nice work again Larkin.  The reddie had a lucky day would have found its way into the esky if i caught it. 

[Yowie]

Same here, the reddie would not have escaped me either. 😋

Plenty of slimies there Chris.

[Little_Flatty]

Top catch of bait there Chris. I’ve been getting a few bait fishing pangs of late, might find some fresh slimies next time I’m at the fishmonger and salt them down 😎

I’m pretty happy with my lot, but sometimes I wish I owned a watercraft to access fish and bait like this!

[Larkin]

9 hours ago, Welster said:

Nice work again Larkin.  The reddie had a lucky day would have found its way into the esky if i caught it. 

Haha, never know might catch him/her again one day.

9 hours ago, Yowie said:

Same here, the reddie would not have escaped me either. 😋

Plenty of slimies there Chris.

Started off unlucky, foul hooked it on the cheek, but ended up being its lucky day!

slimies were of a good size - I wouldn’t mind preparing them a few different ways to try too.
One of my fishing mates is a chef/owns a fancy restaurant in the city, he told me to try immersing a fillet in hot pickling liquid until cooked (after being chilled for half an hour beforehand), serve it on a bed of minted pea puree, with baby beets, watermelon and candy radish. 
Sound delicious to me, just not sure how my home made version would turn out 😂

1 hour ago, Little_Flatty said:

Top catch of bait there Chris. I’ve been getting a few bait fishing pangs of late, might find some fresh slimies next time I’m at the fishmonger and salt them down 😎

I’m pretty happy with my lot, but sometimes I wish I owned a watercraft to access fish and bait like this!

Thanks Mike, I normally get the odd one in amoungst the yakkas I catch. Yesterday went on the search to find a school of them.

The pillies from a fishmonger are top bait too - if you can find them. So much fresher than the bait ones we get at tackle shops. 

[Isaac Ct]

Good stuff Larkin, hopefully some kings and some good fish to come with that lot.

[Basil D]

top stuff, always thought about taking livies out to the snapper grounds , might just do that next time, been 2 months now withing fishing 

[Larkin]

19 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Good stuff Larkin, hopefully some kings and some good fish to come with that lot.

Been stripping them out & salting - ready to pack tonight.

 

2 hours ago, Basil D said:

top stuff, always thought about taking livies out to the snapper grounds , might just do that next time, been 2 months now withing fishing 

Slimies are my favourite snapper bait. Great fresh or salted.

I’ve had large snapper munch on a live yakka a few times too (can tell by the shape and size of the bite mark mid body), but always miss the hook out front. 

[SquidMarks]

Hi Larkin, 

just wondering about your salting method, with the pic above, do you end up covering the fillets in rock salt or ust lay them on top like that? how long do you salt them for?

Thanks!

[Larkin]

9 minutes ago, SquidMarks said:

Hi Larkin, 

just wondering about your salting method, with the pic above, do you end up covering the fillets in rock salt or ust lay them on top like that? how long do you salt them for?

Thanks!

I totally cover with rock salt (course pool salt)

the tray I use is a sieve cat litter tray, it has holes in the bottom of the top tray that allow the juices to drain down into the second tray keeping the salt dry. I salt from 24-48 hours.
 

covered

 

vac sealed and into the freezer

[kantong]

mission success, well done mate

[blaxland]

Good haul there hope they are still around when I get out the red as well

[campr]

Seive seams a good idea.  Do you just keep at room temp for salting period? 

I have an empty worm farm that should work well.   Ron 

[Larkin]

12 hours ago, kantong said:

mission success, well done mate

👍 Loaded up now 

5 hours ago, blaxland said:

Good haul there hope they are still around when I get out the red as well

Plenty out there at the moment mate!

1 hour ago, campr said:

Seive seams a good idea.  Do you just keep at room temp for salting period? 

I have an empty worm farm that should work well.   Ron 

yeah, at room temp. 
Can keep the collected juices to soak your burley too. Worm farm should do the trick.