salty fil
07-02-09, 06:49 PM
Abit of a late report. But as soon as i got back i was flat out with work and then my computer shat itself and i couldnt be bothered posting on my laptop.
Also its a bloody long report!
Anyway..... Headed up to Port Mac with the missus over the long weekend for 5 days.
I do quite abit of travelling along the Aussie coast but i cant believe ive never been there!
I think what made it better was that i travelled with my boat for the first time.
I normally camp, but this time i wanted "luxury". So i booked a cabin! :rolling laughter:
Stayed at a great place on the Hastings river which had its own boat ramp. Must say that the ramp was better than some of the council ones ive used!
It was great taking the boat cause it allows you to take extra things with you, such as the pushbikes.
The boat was constantly getting a thrash. On Saturday, (the arvo we arrived) we went for a bash around the river and to the bar.
The bar at the time was terrible and there was no way of crossing it.
Second day i managed to convince the missus to come out for a fish after getting some info on where to go.
BIG MISTAKE!!!
I was as excited as a fat kid in a cake shop that i was going to get me some decent fish.
The bar was abit frisky, but passed easily. I knew it would get worse and in about 5 hrs would flatten out for my return.
To get to the reefs i had to travel North 9 km. On the way there i saw plenty of birds working.
Spinning had no results, but massive activity on the sounder made me drop a jig and i was pulling up tiny Slimys and tiny pike instantly. Great bait for the freezer back home. They were only 10 cm long, nice little lollies...
While i was doing this i noticed the missus crawl into the cabin to lay down. Seeing it was a healthy 2m swell i tried to get her to get up and be active. NO.
By the time i made the 9 km to the reef she wasnt feeling to good and my excitement was fading.
Had to pull into a sheltered bay and fish like a kid for 40 min while she got better.
She didnt and finally christened my boat.
Pretty pissed off with the situation i knew i had to go back. So it meant punching through the swell and reaching a bar 3 hrs early to find it uncrossable, which meant pulling into a nearby bay and watching it.
After half hr i sussed it out and went for it no problem.
dropped her back at the ramp and fished the river for baby Flathead and bream.
The next day i headed out there again MYSELF and spun up heaps of Stripeys and another type of Tuna. Also got some Snapper and Pearl Pearch. The 2 target fish for my trip.
Monday was blowing so we just played around in the river.
I was meant to leave on Tuesday, but i got given some gps marks from someone for a ground over 14 km out which is known for for good fish. So i decided to stay another day and fish the wednesday arvo cause apparantly i had to do boyfriend/girlfriend stuff.
I crossed the bar at 3.00 and had to be back at 7.00. The weather was perfect.
On the way out to the spot i couldnt help stopping for more Stripeys for winter bait.
My gps stuffed up and kept turning off. It would take up to 10 min to reallocate satellites again and then just turn off again. It was really pissing me off and i ended up finding the spot by following the compass bearing.
It went from 69 m up to 62 m and had fish all over it.
The problem was that without gps and a current that would tear the feathers off a duck, i kept losing it.
When the gps did enable i had drifted up to 1.5 km away at times.
I knew i couldnt anchor cause from the last few days i saw that i was fishing up the anchor rope which is bloody annoying so decided to drift.
But i did drop it and it was a disaster.
After finally getting it back up and waiting for the gps to work again, i found the rock and quickly dropped a paternoster with 2 hooks and a 12 oz lead to the bottom where i could see all the little fishys on the sounder.
The time was 7 p.m. and i finally had a bait in the water, but i was late heading back.....
Straight away double hook up and up came a Pearly and a Red.
I wouldve loved to have stayed out for more drifts but i had alot of ocean to cover, i was late and i was fuming!!!
On the way back in pounding against the swell i noticed the steering get looser and looser.
Stopped to have a look and noticed the wheel was turning without the engine following.
Since i stopped i was in about 50 m of water so decided to have a quick Flathead drift. Hey, when your already late does it really matter by how much???
Got 3 Flattys pretty quick and had to go cause it was 8.00 and darkness was upon me. Also the steering was jelly and i had the bar to contend with, which hopefully by my calculations should of still been calm.
Crossed the bar at 8.20 and made the ramp in 5 more minutes.
All in all it was a great trip and a fab place. I will be going back again when i get back from my big trip.
Definately want to go with someone and fish solid for 3 days.
My steering was fixed by DC last Sunday, along with some hull damage caused by the missus slaming into the jetty (see photo). Thanks mate. I learnt a few things.
I did notice when i went out on Wednesday i had a oil trail at anchor, so i checked the power steering fluid and it was low. So i have a leak in there somewhere.
The photo of the fish is the only one i took after i gave the rest to family for a feed. See no point in taking a group shot. Gave the bigger stuff away, but there was nothing massive anyway. Notice the little Slimys which i cant wait to send on a floater.
Also its a bloody long report!
Anyway..... Headed up to Port Mac with the missus over the long weekend for 5 days.
I do quite abit of travelling along the Aussie coast but i cant believe ive never been there!
I think what made it better was that i travelled with my boat for the first time.
I normally camp, but this time i wanted "luxury". So i booked a cabin! :rolling laughter:
Stayed at a great place on the Hastings river which had its own boat ramp. Must say that the ramp was better than some of the council ones ive used!
It was great taking the boat cause it allows you to take extra things with you, such as the pushbikes.
The boat was constantly getting a thrash. On Saturday, (the arvo we arrived) we went for a bash around the river and to the bar.
The bar at the time was terrible and there was no way of crossing it.
Second day i managed to convince the missus to come out for a fish after getting some info on where to go.
BIG MISTAKE!!!
I was as excited as a fat kid in a cake shop that i was going to get me some decent fish.
The bar was abit frisky, but passed easily. I knew it would get worse and in about 5 hrs would flatten out for my return.
To get to the reefs i had to travel North 9 km. On the way there i saw plenty of birds working.
Spinning had no results, but massive activity on the sounder made me drop a jig and i was pulling up tiny Slimys and tiny pike instantly. Great bait for the freezer back home. They were only 10 cm long, nice little lollies...
While i was doing this i noticed the missus crawl into the cabin to lay down. Seeing it was a healthy 2m swell i tried to get her to get up and be active. NO.
By the time i made the 9 km to the reef she wasnt feeling to good and my excitement was fading.
Had to pull into a sheltered bay and fish like a kid for 40 min while she got better.
She didnt and finally christened my boat.
Pretty pissed off with the situation i knew i had to go back. So it meant punching through the swell and reaching a bar 3 hrs early to find it uncrossable, which meant pulling into a nearby bay and watching it.
After half hr i sussed it out and went for it no problem.
dropped her back at the ramp and fished the river for baby Flathead and bream.
The next day i headed out there again MYSELF and spun up heaps of Stripeys and another type of Tuna. Also got some Snapper and Pearl Pearch. The 2 target fish for my trip.
Monday was blowing so we just played around in the river.
I was meant to leave on Tuesday, but i got given some gps marks from someone for a ground over 14 km out which is known for for good fish. So i decided to stay another day and fish the wednesday arvo cause apparantly i had to do boyfriend/girlfriend stuff.
I crossed the bar at 3.00 and had to be back at 7.00. The weather was perfect.
On the way out to the spot i couldnt help stopping for more Stripeys for winter bait.
My gps stuffed up and kept turning off. It would take up to 10 min to reallocate satellites again and then just turn off again. It was really pissing me off and i ended up finding the spot by following the compass bearing.
It went from 69 m up to 62 m and had fish all over it.
The problem was that without gps and a current that would tear the feathers off a duck, i kept losing it.
When the gps did enable i had drifted up to 1.5 km away at times.
I knew i couldnt anchor cause from the last few days i saw that i was fishing up the anchor rope which is bloody annoying so decided to drift.
But i did drop it and it was a disaster.
After finally getting it back up and waiting for the gps to work again, i found the rock and quickly dropped a paternoster with 2 hooks and a 12 oz lead to the bottom where i could see all the little fishys on the sounder.
The time was 7 p.m. and i finally had a bait in the water, but i was late heading back.....
Straight away double hook up and up came a Pearly and a Red.
I wouldve loved to have stayed out for more drifts but i had alot of ocean to cover, i was late and i was fuming!!!
On the way back in pounding against the swell i noticed the steering get looser and looser.
Stopped to have a look and noticed the wheel was turning without the engine following.
Since i stopped i was in about 50 m of water so decided to have a quick Flathead drift. Hey, when your already late does it really matter by how much???
Got 3 Flattys pretty quick and had to go cause it was 8.00 and darkness was upon me. Also the steering was jelly and i had the bar to contend with, which hopefully by my calculations should of still been calm.
Crossed the bar at 8.20 and made the ramp in 5 more minutes.
All in all it was a great trip and a fab place. I will be going back again when i get back from my big trip.
Definately want to go with someone and fish solid for 3 days.
My steering was fixed by DC last Sunday, along with some hull damage caused by the missus slaming into the jetty (see photo). Thanks mate. I learnt a few things.
I did notice when i went out on Wednesday i had a oil trail at anchor, so i checked the power steering fluid and it was low. So i have a leak in there somewhere.
The photo of the fish is the only one i took after i gave the rest to family for a feed. See no point in taking a group shot. Gave the bigger stuff away, but there was nothing massive anyway. Notice the little Slimys which i cant wait to send on a floater.