FADs report Thursday 24 March 2011
Yeah, bit out of date now, but better up than not.
Oracle invited Hlokk and myself out for a FADs run Thursday before last. I was keen to get out, it had been awhile since I had made it out to the FADs this season and the fish ought o be a decent size by now.
We set out in Oracle's Stabicraft at a pretty decent pace, just finding the occasional wave with a hole behind it. Conditions were pretty snotty with the Easterly still pumping, it was forecast to drop off, *fingers crossed*
Birds were up and circling on the way out, a few false alarms over diving birds, but as usual you really know when its on when you see it. A good bunch of birds bombing and a couple quick casts into the mix, Hlokk and I come up with some super-fat Stripy tuna.
We made it out to Hillarys, pretty much fish the first cast. Not sure who had the first hookup, but Matt had the first on-deck. Jason got a few hookups but no conversion, I lost both a fish and a shiny new toy on the damn fad when the fish went around the post, but I did manage a nice bull 800mm or so. They were hitting mostly plastics on Hillarys although I also got a couple on an 80mm vibe.
We did get to see about 3 dozen dollies, anything from 30cm to three feet, racing across the surface like baitfish, so clearly there was a bigger predator down there. We dropped some trolling gear down there, but it wasn't enough to get whatever hoo or stickface was scaring the dollies on. We dropped a mix of other gear out and trolled down to the next FAD. Just as we were leaving a US-registered boat trolled over, they hadn't had much action further South, but we were prepared to give it a go.
Next was Furuno. I think our best fish came off that fad, it took my IMA honey Trap 95S in sardine. It hit the meter mark, nearing my best for the season. We racked up a few more fish there, but as it shut down we pushed onto FSC.
At FSC, there was some guy in an old berty there, he was livebaiting, that and trying to scrape the paint off his boat on the fad at the same time. Everyone tells me that live hezzas are the bomb for dollies but this guy wasn't getting a thing, it had me kind or worried actually. Clearly they weren't interested in stickbaits, divers, or plastics, then Matt had the revolutionary idea of using cubes! Whoa, they went crazy - great timing too, it was just as the berty buggered off *grin*. I even got one while I was trying to line out to get out of Matt's way, a totally-desperate dolly snapped the cub as I skittered it across the surface. Whilst the bit was on, it was fun, but I sure don't miss those damn rats of the sea/air - mutton birds. They got so annoying we left for one last FAD.
We bagged a few more fish at All Marine Services, including nearly landing Matt's first on fly. We got it to leader a couple of times but it was pretty green (doh!), and 9' rods are just a pain boatside. On the way home we also had a terrible accident, and poor Jason copped a bit of a bump in the head, check that last photo! I sure hope it has worn off now!
A good day in all with everyone landing at least 6-8 fish, just a few coming home for dinners!
Certainly dolly is good on the tooth. I managed Cayman-style dolly, and a very naughty friend of mine made dolphinfish curry.
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hlokk
Posts: 4292
Date Joined: 04/04/08
No, no, that pic was at the
No, no, that pic was at the first FAD, thats just what he looks like....... though a super wide angle, pretty much fisheye lens though...lol. I was explaining how the lens worked so took a few example pics. Jason did land some dollies though, but we were just having fun catching heaps rather than taking pics.
The cubes were interesting, we actually managed to turn them on, so they were taking cubes and stickbaits/plastics/etc. Just as the other boat was leaving so we had the FAD all to outself as the action hotted up. Very little company at all that day, which is nice (except for those fusking mutton birds). Was an awesome day out there, we got heaps of fish on most FADs. Most productive FAD's trip i've ever had. I managed to get some on plastics, tiny poppers, minnows, fly, cubes. I think we woulda hooked about a dozen from 3 of the FADs, with a good dozen or more at least inside the boat (and a few more deliberate boatside releases).
As for the 'near capture' on fly, it went like this: "Ok, he's near the boat" *zoom* "Ok, he's near the boat and tired now". "This leaders thin, so gaff it". "No, i'll just tail it. He's beat now". "No. Its a long rod and the leaders tiny, gaff it. Gaff it!" *goes for the tail* "dont tail it!" *ping*. "told you to gaff it" :p Had 2 at the boat, and one hooked up for a while, so should be able to get one in the boat next time though!
ricey
Posts: 740
Date Joined: 24/12/09
so that is a 'slow day'
you are yet to land one on fly .....
ripper day out - well done.
Wise man says - first take the plank out of your own eye before trying to take the speck out of somebody else's.
Oracle
Posts: 355
Date Joined: 22/11/10
Gees - i think that's a good photo of me actually!
Who gaffs a fish there not keeping - really people! Besides, he was a bit of a runt
OK - next time I'll gaff it!
hlokk
Posts: 4292
Date Joined: 04/04/08
Who said we werent keeping
Who said we werent keeping it? We hadnt filled the esky yet :p Besides, you coulda used a net...... if you had one, lol. Was still a great day, so wasnt too bad.