Day with the Staal
Friday looked promising and so with Lockie unable to make it, Staal and I decided to get a quick practice session in for the "date with the Dropzone" trip in support of fishwrecked.
The forecast was for 10-13knot winds most of the day but when we got out there it was much lighter and only really came in around 2-00pm.
First spot was to try and get a pinky for Staal. Knowing the "first fish captured by a new deckie has to be released to satisfy the fishing gods" rule , he was unphased and said he would release anything. (When you have a fellow skipper as a deckie they tend to accept that rule a lot more easily than non skippers) First drop and I was casually talking about what species we had caught on this warm up spot, a few big Queenies here as well as plenty of Pinkies. Wham, my bait gets nailed and a struggle ensues. After a reasonable fight a pretty big Queenie comes over the side.
Another drift and I get a small pinky, which was released and Staal (Rod) thankfully jags a small fish so the fish gods were appeased with a quick release. OK, with that out of the way it was time to hit the Dropzone to see if any fish were awake. Unfortunately with the sounder lit up with lots of individual fish arches they just weren't interested at all. After a few drifts we headed a little wider and spread the load over several spots.
With all my trips out I try and find a new spot or fish spots that I haven't fished for years. These are generally numbered spots that I have no idea what was caught on them before. One such spot was given a try and as is usual I like to name them after new Deckies that are with me at the time if they nail a good fish. Well Rod didn't let me down and expertly skull dragged this fine specimen to the suface with the Staal combo not giving an inch. Actually the truth is that this fish actually took a bit of line momentarily against the drag which was still set for the Dropzone.
We continued on to catch a few more fish and between us we had the V4 covered (Dhuie,Pinky,Baldie,BB) The reds weren't in 40m. I even picked up two nice big KG's as bycatch as well as Staal nailing a nice Pinky (sorry no pic), which was his target species of the day. The release weight got a work out on Pinkies, Dhuies and Blackarse, including a double header off good size Blackarse that Staal caught.
All in all we had a great day on the water, the fish weren't huge but we had a good spread and plenty for a feed. Rod was great company on the boat and I would rate him very highly on the preferred deckie rankings, being a skipper himself, he understands what needs to be done and gets on and does it. It certainly helps that he is a top bloke too.
As a final post script, on one spot I managed a double header of BB on the one supersnell, one good fish and a little baby. We rigged up the release weight and dealt with the baby first and got him down pretty quick only to see that the other fish had a tag sticking in him. A check with Tim on the off chance it was one of ours and you wouldn't believe it, its my second recaptured fish in 2 weeks, this time it was one of Tim's. The tag sheet had the following comments "large swim bladder / stomach in mouth", we had used the release weight in over 40m of water and this fish (which suffers barotrauma just as much as dhuies do) was recaptured 11 months later and had grown quite a bit. (edited by me, just checked Tim's records and it was caught within 200m of the original capture) If you had any doubts about the effectiveness of a quick and careful release with a release weight, let me tell you that Release weights do work!
I'm looking forward to the Dropzone trip with Staal and Lockie, should be great fun. I'll have my new colour sounder by then woo hoo!
Thanks for sharing a great day on the water Rod.
Cheers
Andy Mac
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
.thumbnail.jpg "A big boy with a big boy")
Andy Mac
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Yep was good fun
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Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
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gpc123
Posts: 265
Date Joined: 12/02/07
Well done guys, Sounds like
Well done guys, Sounds like a top day
Regards:Geoff
Single dad and proud of him
Auslobster
Posts: 1901
Date Joined: 03/05/08
Release Weight
Good report Andy...nice to know that the release weight is effective. I use them myself but always think "well it LOOKS like it's the right thing to do but does it actually WORK"?
It also confirms my belief that blackies are territorial and don't move far away from their "patch". When I approach them while diving they come right up to my mask and hold their ground and don't hesitate to chase larger fish like dhuies and rays away either!
Anyway, good job out there to you and Staal and enjoy the feed!
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
report!
Good report Andy, some nice fish caught fella's and yeh good to hear another T&R recapture. I'm with you Andy, the release weight works and that's just more evidence. PPL just need to slow up the winding speed..... MACH 2 doesnt help undersize fishes release chances!!!
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Andy Mac
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Cheers guys but I'm getting a bit forgetful in my old age.
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Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
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Faulkner Family
Posts: 18035
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Good write up Andy
some really good and handy infomation on the release weights as well thanks .
Gee you got lucky rod two trips for the price of one *LOL* j/k mate
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
eddie
Posts: 303
Date Joined: 07/02/08
that's awesome news about
that's awesome news about the Release weight! what type of tagging program are you working with? Do they need other anglers? I use to work with a tagging program in the US....it's very rewarding to give back to the sport.
Let me know more about it if you have time, Andy! Top report!
Andy Mac
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ANSA's Westag
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Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
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Dean
Posts: 1943
Date Joined: 23/02/07
Some nice fish there andy
Some nice fish there andy
feral1975
Posts: 638
Date Joined: 22/02/07
Have also used some 2kg mono
Have also used some 2kg mono looped through the fishes lip onto a bottom rig , a quick hit and its off
STAAL LOVER
Posts: 406
Date Joined: 13/05/08
Thanks Andy
For the excellent day on the water and your kind words (it's great every now and then not to skipper). You know you are with a quality skipper when a deckie says he hasn't caught a snapper in a LONG time and you put him on one !!!!
The family loved the Baldie(white chin sea sweep) but have rated the Dhuie higher!! Would think the snapper would please them about the same as the Dhuie IMO.
REALLY REALLY REALLY looking forward to the Dropzone trip now!!!!!
ALWAYS TIME FOR FISHIN'
Andy Mac
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Just Remind Me
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Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
Tim
Posts: 2497
Date Joined: 26/09/06
Well Done
Well Done guys - Sounds like you had a good day out.
For those interested the tagging is done through WESTAG. Heres a link to some information on the recfishwest site. http://www.recfishwest.org.au/TaggingProgram.htm
I was going to post the direct link to WESTAG but it has been removed from the Web. Not sure if it is because of a lack of funding or what but there have been cuts in all areas.
Will find out some more info on whats going on and post it up.
** Rockingham Offshore Fishing Club **
STAAL LOVER
Posts: 406
Date Joined: 13/05/08
Thanks Tim
Will start to tag on the south side at some of my spots !!!
Andy will pack my own release weight next time just in case!! But as you said not too hard to bang one up in a minute or two !!!!! As for the ice. It's never too far away anyway !!!
ALWAYS TIME FOR FISHIN'
Lockie
Posts: 171
Date Joined: 29/05/08
Good to hear you guys had a good trip!!!
It was a bummer i couldn't make it and looks like i missed out on a good day well next i will be there good stuff guys
Keep On Keeping On
STAAL LOVER
Posts: 406
Date Joined: 13/05/08
Not really Lockie!!!!
Gave me a second go!!!!!!
Hopefully the fish are a little more on the chew when we head out !!!!
ALWAYS TIME FOR FISHIN'
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Nice work guys
It sounds like it was a good day out. Glad to hear the conditions turned out better than forecast.
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Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
i dont think boats should be
i dont think boats should be allowed ont he water without having a release weight onboard.
most valuable tool you can have when out chasing the V5
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Good stuff Andy and Rod
Nice size blubber lips Andy and shame about Rod's lost pinky, but the baldie is nice compensation.
Great news on the release weight and recapture!
Buy FWA next month, and you won't forget the ice
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
shabba
Posts: 484
Date Joined: 26/02/08
good report again andy,
good report again andy, sounds like u boys had fun, good effort 2 catch one of the fish u & tim tagged. congrats
Adam Gallash
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Date Joined: 29/11/05
Good stuff
Looks like a good prelim trip, lucky Staal :) Hopefully the actual day out produces the big bertha.
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nick 404
Posts: 23
Date Joined: 10/08/08
A couple of very nice fish
A couple of very nice fish there. good to hear about the release weights work