DARK CLOUD
11-06-08, 08:49 AM
Hi Fishoes
Fished Botany on Sunday in the rain, fog, slight wind and small swell. I had left some potty mullet traps out the night before and managed to catch 5 in the river.
Arrived at the ramp at 5:30am and had some difficulties getting the boat of the trailer as the tide was so low.
Went straight to the flattie hole and started burling up. It wasn’t long before the sonar was beeping. Casted out one rod with pilchard and the second rod with the mullet. Caught a few small snappers and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
The second rod with the mullet was bending with the tip almost hitting the water. As soon as I grabbed the rod I could tell it had some serious weight. The first thing I thought was JEW, however after the initial run the fish felt more like a dead weight. Having caught Jew before I was then convinced that it was a shovel nose shark, having caught my fair share in Botany.
It wasn’t until I saw some colour that I knew it was the mother of all flatties. I had seen bigger flatties in magazines and don’t claim to have broken any records but its head was as big as mine.
A soon as we both made eye contact the flattie dived again this time heading for my anchor. An all might F##K was heard across the bay. The fish wrapped the line around my anchor rope and I could feel the additional tension . My confidence plummeted as I thought it had escaped capture. However the quick hands of my good friend Rob who slowly started raising the anchor gave me just enough room to gaff the ugly beast. The flattie was a few centre meters short of a meter, unsure of the weight.
And there it was slapping and bleeding on my deck, a sense of relief and accomplishment washed over me as I reached for a soggy Winfield. Hand shakes and high fives followed for the next few minutes.
What a start, the pressure of catching a feed was over and now I could sit back and enjoy the gentle sway of my boat.
An hour later we moved close to the heads and both Rob and I got onto some salmon and a few jackets.
Took a few photo’s on my old school film camera, but that’s no good to you guys.
Fished Botany on Sunday in the rain, fog, slight wind and small swell. I had left some potty mullet traps out the night before and managed to catch 5 in the river.
Arrived at the ramp at 5:30am and had some difficulties getting the boat of the trailer as the tide was so low.
Went straight to the flattie hole and started burling up. It wasn’t long before the sonar was beeping. Casted out one rod with pilchard and the second rod with the mullet. Caught a few small snappers and then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
The second rod with the mullet was bending with the tip almost hitting the water. As soon as I grabbed the rod I could tell it had some serious weight. The first thing I thought was JEW, however after the initial run the fish felt more like a dead weight. Having caught Jew before I was then convinced that it was a shovel nose shark, having caught my fair share in Botany.
It wasn’t until I saw some colour that I knew it was the mother of all flatties. I had seen bigger flatties in magazines and don’t claim to have broken any records but its head was as big as mine.
A soon as we both made eye contact the flattie dived again this time heading for my anchor. An all might F##K was heard across the bay. The fish wrapped the line around my anchor rope and I could feel the additional tension . My confidence plummeted as I thought it had escaped capture. However the quick hands of my good friend Rob who slowly started raising the anchor gave me just enough room to gaff the ugly beast. The flattie was a few centre meters short of a meter, unsure of the weight.
And there it was slapping and bleeding on my deck, a sense of relief and accomplishment washed over me as I reached for a soggy Winfield. Hand shakes and high fives followed for the next few minutes.
What a start, the pressure of catching a feed was over and now I could sit back and enjoy the gentle sway of my boat.
An hour later we moved close to the heads and both Rob and I got onto some salmon and a few jackets.
Took a few photo’s on my old school film camera, but that’s no good to you guys.