Fish, birds, monster. 01Jul15

TR by sunshiner


Wind: S up to about 5 knots (as forecast by SeaBreeze)
Swell: 1.5m ENE
Water temp: 22.2°C
Tides: 1:35 am : 0.45 L; 7:06 am : 1.42 H
Current: none detected
Launch point: Middle Groyne
Surface action: none
Participants: pedro, diesel, sunshiner
My trip distance: 11km
Keen Angler Program: I donated 2 snapper frames

Today was the only day since last Thursday that the wind had dropped below 15 knots during daylight. The retirees' motto is "Get 'em while you can" so diesel and I fronted again today, accompanied by pedro, who, while not retired, will fish every chance he gets.

Pedro must be getting old as he hung back waiting on the beach with we two older farts, all of us trying to get a handle on the confusing set pattern smashing into the groyne. The fact that we could hardly see the waves (moon had set, and cloudy, and little sign of the rising sun) made us doubly cautious. Normally pedro just shuts his eyes and paddles his pedal boat out, hoping for the best and expecting the worst. Perhaps he's had a bad experience recently.

Eventually the oldest of us showed the way, and I dry bummed it to boot. My companions joined me soon afterward, damp but not disheartened.

According to pedro, the news from Davo's was that the snapper were on at Jew Shoal. This diesel and I already knew from last week. So that made three of us for Jew Shoal. Gonna be crowded out there!

We had it all to ourselves. A couple of stinkies braved the bar during our outward passage but didn't come anywhere near us, disappearing into the distance at best possible speed in the not-inconsiderable swell.

Diesel's sunrise and general conditions pic. Wind was around five knots max from the south.

Soon we were deployed on the shoal, pedro jigging for livies (successfully) at the southern edge, diesel bashing the bottom with baits around The Pinnacles and I starting my drift in the SE corner with my cast SP and trailing outfit.

After some 15 minutes of no-talk on the radio, diesel came up and asked me what was going on. At that time none of us had anything to report but within a couple of minutes after that I was on.

It's always nice to get on the board. A 40cm snap which took a liking to my SP.

As soon as I announced this fish by radio, pedro responded to confirm that he'd also just boated a sweetie.

The wind gradually eased and conditions were perfect, if not better. I hooked up again on the SP but the hook pulled (no tooth this time!). Then I was on again, the cast SP continuing to do the damage.

Just a keeper, but very welcome.

On the sonar there were many large accumulations of bait, probably yakkas, as that's what pedro had caught as live bait. In the air, numerous gannets wheeled around blamming into the clear blue water whenever they saw, or fancied they saw, a potential meal.

Just as diesel and I were leaving the shoal for home pedro radioed that he'd boated another sweetie which, once hooked, had been eaten and then disgorged by a probable large cod (evidence: sudden huge weight on the line then the appearance of the scale-less sweetie; ask pedro and see his contribution at the end of this TR).

As usual, we trolled home. Half way back my shallow-running trolled HLP went off with a decidedly lazy growl. I quickly radioed to diesel who was about three hundred metres to the east and then swung around to look after the "fish". Uh, oh! An angry gannet was flopping on the water behind me. This has happened to me before, quite a long time ago, so perhaps I should change to a deeper running lure until summer (when the gannets disappear).

Gannet hooked? Bring to port side of yak (this for right handers). Grab gannet gently but firmly, using left hand, around neck just below head and never allow its head to get within pecking distance of your face/eyes. Drag gannet onto the yak. With right hand access pliers and knife as required and then free the hook/s from the bird (this one was hooked in the soft flesh under the lower jaw and also in the right wing). Once hook is freed, make sure there's no line entangling the bird and then release it gently by just dropping it onto the water surface.

Picking up the gannet (pic by diesel)

Using the pliers (you're in trouble if you don't have any). GoPro video frame.

Checking there's no line entangling the bird before release. GoPro video frame.



This excitement over, we continued our journey. Cue the sand monster.

The surf wasn't big, but there was lots of it. I decided to try for a ride and screwed up. Wet bum. Video available.



But hey what a great morning. Clearly the snapper are there. So hone your SP skills and go get 'em!

Just heard from pedro:

~~~~~~~~
Hi Kev,
I stayed out till 12.30 landing the snapper on (second trip old) whole pilchard about 11.30, one other snapper 35cm not in pic.
No other news except a giant toad followed my livey in and bit me off very cleanly.
Notice the scales missing on the bottom grassy, had the cod on for a couple of minutes and managed to get it off the bottom before it spat the bait (hook fully engulfed by the grassy) so was playing the cod on the sweetlip's spines.

Cheers
Pete


~~~~~~~~~

Kev Long
Sunshiner
Author Kayak Fishing Manual for iPad and Mac (click linked text to view)
Stealth Supalite X, yellow/orange

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