After being inspired by Ryan's recent articles about Ruby Snapper and the need to find another target during the V5 ban Daaza and I had decided to give this deep water bashing a go. I had the old trusty TLD 30 respooled with 600 meters of braid and bought a kidney harness to help with those long retrieves.
our first foray out to the 200 meter line was a bust to say the least. A fierce current had our lines more horizontal than vertical and even with 70 oz of lead we could not keep bottom.
Saturdays forcast light northerlies looked more promising so out we went again with Dazza's mate Scooby along for the ride. No sooner had we got clear of the coast than poor old Scoobs fell victim to the "mal de mer". Dazza, being the caring soul he is, offered his sympathies and reminded him we still had 60 km's to go. I must say one of the good things about a cat. Is that when a poor sole leans over the side to hurl while your moving along he gets an envigorating salt water face wash and mouth rinse at the same time.
So after a hour and a half of travelling with poor scoobs having gone thru the green stage to now deathly white with the shivers we arrive at or first planned stop for a try at the same ground we saw last time. As scoobs retired to the cabin Dazza and I proceded to catch green eyed sharks and loose hooks. Putting 150mm of wire on the end of my droppers solved my bite offs but green eyes were all we we catching.
The current and wind were so favourable holding botom in 200m with 24 oz was easy so out to the abysmal depths we went.
After hitting our chosen depth we had a sound arround and found some magnificent ground. A 10 meter rise with fish showing all the way up it and at the top 2 to 3 meter lumps scattered about. First drop had me hooked up as soon as we crested the rise.

After a 20 minute retreive I not only boated my first grey banded but a double header at that.

Soory about the hat. Maybe it is time I got a different one

Dazza was using his big alvey winch and was sure he hooked up too but got bricked and snagged to the bottom. Let me say breaking free 200 lb line is not fun. I gave Dazza my rod as still needed a rest and next pass he filled the hooks up with a green eyed and a knife jaw. I tied up new rigs with wire ended droppers and since we were still only needing 32 oz of lead Dazza decided to use a rod and reel instead.
It was now darkening fast and the seas had flattened off to glass. Scoobs manages to drag his sorry carcass from the cabin having slept for the last 4 hours. We were just coming up to the mark again so Dazza handed him my rod which was already down and dropped his freshly rigged line down to the depths. I didnt even have time to remove my gimble to put it on Scoobs before his rod slammed down hard. Bad luck Dazza still no Grey Banded for you. If he had waited another 30 seconds that fish would of been his. Unfortunately as soon as this fish was beat and started to be lifted from the bottom Dazza could feel the dreaded rubbing of crossed lines. Bringing his line up off the bottom he sat back and waited for Scoobs to land his fish. His chances of getting that grey banded of his own were getting slimmer as time was running out and the current starting to increase. 5 minutes into the fight and Dazzas rod bucks hard and he is on too. Do you think he was happy.

20 minutes of hard winding later and a couple of unders and overs we got the lines clear.
And the result Hapuka,  Greybanded and a Bass groper.

Time was up and just one more drift made Dazza a happy boy