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Smith's Lagoon & Wandandian creek

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Friday, 25 January 2008

Stay on the hook, dammit!

Much like the night before, it was too good an evening to be sitting around not fishing, so I dragged my Adventure into the calm Basin waters again tonight, this time accompanied by my another Hobie staffer, Robert Long (also paddling an Adventure). As we trolled over towards Spot X I pointed towards another spot that I said was usually good for at least a quick Flathead and we made our way their first for a quick cast. Right on cue I hooked up to a reasonable sized dusky, which I reckon would have measured about 40cm had I been able to land the damned thing. Much like so many other fish I'd hooked recently, this one spat the hook right at the side of the boat. Much to his amusement, this was a sight Rob got to see happen to me several times throughout the course of this trip.

Gotcha!

After a expelling few frustrated expletives we moved on to my next 'hot spot' and informed Rob that this is where I'd hooked on to a nice flatty the night before. I was determined to try for the same fish again and surprising even myself, I think I may very well have achieved that. It fought much like the fish I'd lost the previous night, hooked at exactly the same place using exactly the same lure (Gulp minnow). This time I didn't lose it, however, safely guiding it into the Environet. I'd guessed it might have been about 50cm the night before, but if it is the same fish, I was being a little optimistic. Instead it measured up at 44cm, which is actually a better eating size anyway I think.

With that score settled, it was time to move on to spot X, where I was sure more fish would come. I'd promised Rob this spot would fire and I was proven right with my very first cast, which was followed with bites almost all the way back to the yak. Rob didn't stick around here long, instead opting to go back to where my last catch came in, so I hung around for a while and pulled in 4 flatties and 2 bream. Not a single one of them was of legal size, however, so all of them were gently and swiftly returned to the water. The action here lasted about 30 minutes before dropping off somewhat, so I decided to try my luck for a Tailor. There were a few reasonable sized looking specimens leaping into the air, but trolling at high speed in their vicinity failed to raise a bite. I made my way back to Robs position, cast another lure and dropped yet another keeper sized flatty at the side of the yak. Robbie was laughing his guts out at this and by now I was seeing the funny side in it to.

Robbie Long, Hobie factory muscle

With the sun due to expire soon we decided to go for a leisurely paddle in Wandandian creek, both of us trolling lures the entire time. I only had a few light touches but Rob did get one good hard strike, which judging from the look of what remained of his lure (not much) would have been a chopper tailor. Gulp plastic prawns were clearly the gun bait of the day (as the night before) which is not at all surprising considering that prawns are what I found in the stomachs of the previous nights catch.

This long weekend I'm planning to do some exploring in Jervis Bay, possibly off Plantation Point, off-shore perhaps or maybe both. I've got enough flathead in the fridge as it is, so I'll probably give the Basin a break for a few days.