Getting busted off by a big fish & catching a few new species

[linewetter]

I was out and about in the Mosman area going for a fish.  I brought lures and bread and was just going for anything on the chew today.  First go was some soft plastics.  I got a baby flatty but ended up dropping him while trying to bring it to shore.  I've been catching so many bream lately that I forgot what a flatty felt like on the hook.  I thought I had snagged up on something heavy at first till I realized it was a fish on the other side!  After a couple more casts hoping I'd find a big flatty where I hooked onto the smaller one and having no luck, I made my way to the nearest wharf. 

It was my first time fishing this wharf in particular, so I was just scoping things out.  I dipped my soft plastic in the water and let it drop vertically just to see how deep the water was.  I brought it back up and let it go again just to make sure, it seemed like it was much deeper than I anticipated.  Thinking back on it, I was basically practicing vertical jigging without actually knowing it.  Never tried the technique before.  On the second retrieve up as I watched the plastic come up, two very big fish came out of seemingly nowhere and took my jig.  In an instant, my reel started peeling and before I knew it, my line was gone.  I've been recording my outings just to rewatch any interesting catches afterwards so I managed to get this on video!

 

I still don't have a good idea on what it was exactly because it happened so fast but it traveled as a group of 2.  This is the biggest fish I've felt on the other side of my rod and definitely gave me a taste of the power some of these fish have.  I'm looking forward to being more prepared to catch one of these!  Definitely did not expect such a big fish to be coming by for a 2.5in grub.  

 

After that excitement, I went around with my lures and bread and tried catching some more fish.  Caught many bream and pinkies then landed two new species to me!

 

First fish...a leatherjacket?  Kind of looks like it to me but not 100% sure.

 

This was surprisingly very hefty once I got it out the water.  I sight fished this once.  I only knew to set the hook once I saw it put the bread in its mouth, it surprisingly didn't even feel like anything otherwise.

 

The next fish I've got no idea what it is.  I saw them schooling in a pack of like 10 fish surrounding oyster encrusted rocks.  I didn't know if I could touch it since I couldn't ID it so I used some bread as a barrier to release it back into the water.  The colors on the fish told me I shouldn't touch it.

[Isaac Ct]

Well done mate, good to get out. You are right with the first fish, it is a leatherjacket and the second appears to be a weed whiting although I am may be wrong. Shame about the big fish, potentially a kingfish or salmon or something along those lines. Hopefully more good sessions to come.

[Blackfish]

Shame about loosing that fish, though it seems a lot of the time this is what makes as come back for more.

The first fish is a Fanbelly Leatherjacket and the second is a Gunthers Wrasse. Congratulations on a couple of new species 👍

[linewetter]

5 minutes ago, Blackfish said:

Shame about loosing that fish, though it seems a lot of the time this is what makes as come back for more.

The first fish is a Fanbelly Leatherjacket and the second is a Gunthers Wrasse. Congratulations on a couple of new species 👍

Haha yup…losing a big fish like that only makes you want to come back better prepared for it again. Never specifically targeted the bigger fish really yet so this was a surprise. Now I want to get back out there with some stronger line and catch one on the light gear! 
 

Thanks for the ID on that second one. Got some reading to do on this one since I haven’t heard of it before

[linewetter]

18 minutes ago, Isaac Ct said:

Well done mate, good to get out. You are right with the first fish, it is a leatherjacket and the second appears to be a weed whiting although I am may be wrong. Shame about the big fish, potentially a kingfish or salmon or something along those lines. Hopefully more good sessions to come.

Yep it was a great day out. I just wanted to get out and catch some small fish just for fun and ended up with some new experiences. A bit like gambling I suppose, never know what you’re gonna get especially casting in the ocean 😁

Edited March 18 by linewetter

[Larkin]

this time of the year around deep water & structure - that’s a kingy for sure lol.

They’ll grab small 2.5inch Grubz and dust you just like that. 

 

[lhan]

Great catch mate, sounds like a fun day!

It looks like a king from the power it fights... I got snagged and busted the other day in the harbour on 6lb lol - first date didn't end up well in just 20 seconds 

[Fried Rice]

Well done, getting dusted like that makes me come back for some revenge. A Leatherjacket like that makes good eating and they are easy to peel. 

[joshGTV]

3 hours ago, Blackfish said:

Shame about loosing that fish, though it seems a lot of the time this is what makes as come back for more.

The first fish is a Fanbelly Leatherjacket and the second is a Gunthers Wrasse. Congratulations on a couple of new species 👍

p.s. nothing to worry about when handling a wrasse... except for their slipperiness.

[Little_Flatty]

Nice one @linewetter. You've been 'kinged'. It will end like this a lot and there often will be not much you can do about it. But I bet that put a smile on your dial! 😎🤣

[linewetter]

5 hours ago, lhan said:

Great catch mate, sounds like a fun day!

It looks like a king from the power it fights... I got snagged and busted the other day in the harbour on 6lb lol - first date didn't end up well in just 20 seconds 

Haha I was also on 6lb for both mainline and leader...must have had a cut on my braid though since it didn't break at any of my knots.

 

4 hours ago, Fried Rice said:

Well done, getting dusted like that makes me come back for some revenge. A Leatherjacket like that makes good eating and they are easy to peel. 

I have heard leatherjackets are good eating after reading about some guy who fishes them exclusively on a FB group.  Have been curious about trying to catch one after reading about his technique of feeling a double tap then striking.  Can't say I felt anything when this one ate my bait, must be very very subtle.  This wasn't an area I'd take fish out of but would be interested to target them elsewhere after hearing they have pretty sweet flesh.

4 hours ago, joshGTV said:

p.s. nothing to worry about when handling a wrasse... except for their slipperiness.

This is good to know.  Looking at it alone, it looked a lot slimier than other fish that I've handled.  Those colors though gave me pause from being willing to pick it up 😄

3 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Nice one @linewetter. You've been 'kinged'. It will end like this a lot and there often will be not much you can do about it. But I bet that put a smile on your dial! 😎🤣

Yessir it did!!! I went to oil my reel tonight and after I was done, my reel went sticky....disassembled it and something in the gears is funky and sounds like something snapping when I try to reel.  Totally blaming that fish for breaking my reel and having the last laugh (even if it wasn't the cause, I'm still blaming it!).  New reel already on the way 😥