Jurien Deep Drop

Finally got to use all my new deep drop gear....Furuno FCV-295, running the SS264 50khz and 200khz thru-hull transducers.

Had heard many stories of guys putting in days of sounding before getting onto fish, and I was prepared for that. I really wanted either a Grey-band or Ruby, so headed for 250 metres off Jurien last Thursday. First ground that looked promising only had Green eyes, so we shifted a mile or so north and found another ridge that looked OK. Pulled a couple of Pink Snapper, then I was on. That's the fish in the first pic. We had the club scales with us, and the Grey-band pulled them down to 26.53kg. We also picked up a couple of smaller ones, the catch for the day is the second pic.

Next couple of days was spent hunting the usual demersals, and we ended up with the normal fare...Dhufish, Baldchin and Breaksea Cod. Nothing really spectacular.

Sunday we decided to have another crack at the deep stuff. Picked up a few Pinkies, then we were on....both rods went off. Mine was baited with a whole butterflied Blue Mackerel on one hook and a chunk of Sergeant Baker on the other. My mates rod had squid on both hooks. Since my brother hadn't caught a big Grey-Band, I handed the rod to him to land it. After a while, what popped up had us astounded. The one on my rod was 33.58kg, and the other we didn't weigh, but was probably around 20kg. These are the last of the pics below. The big fish took the Sergeant Baker.

I've checked today and the State Record is 28kg, but our Club rules say it must be hooked and landed by the same person, so it can't count for our Club record....the 26.53kg will have to do. Similarly, we won't be putting the fish in for a State record either....I should have thought of that before handing the rod over.

Interestingly, the 33kg fish had lots of worms in the flesh, and the 26kg had some. The smaller fish were all fine, including the one around 20kg. Has anyone else seen these? I also cooked a bit as a trial, thinking if it's like Sambos then it would go mushy, but quite the opposite, it was quite tough...tasty enough, but tough...perhaps I overcooked it.

So I'm thinking we lucked onto a decent spot first try. Still to get my Ruby....next time I'm in Jurien I reckon.

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Patto 1's picture

Posts: 371

Date Joined: 02/12/10

 Awsome mate ,nice conditions

Mon, 2014-03-03 22:03

 Awsome mate ,nice conditions to top of a great few days also by the looks

 

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JohnF's picture

Posts: 2837

Date Joined: 07/07/10

Great stuff Terry! The small

Mon, 2014-03-03 22:18

Great stuff Terry!

The small greybands are awesome eating, the big ones are like old boots.....shame they cant be released.

Well done mate.......China was fun, but I am very distressed I missed out on the Jurien trip.....another time maybe.

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Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.

Belly88's picture

Posts: 380

Date Joined: 08/02/12

Bastard

Mon, 2014-03-03 22:51

 You bastard!!  I knew you where just waiting for me to go to Europe before heading out for a deep drop.. 

I'll see you in a month for a trip back up there..

Awesome fish by the way very jealous..

reece's picture

Posts: 522

Date Joined: 10/07/08

 Good work mate! You just

Mon, 2014-03-03 23:04

 Good work mate! You just have up be a bit careful with the bigger ones when u cook them! Slower an lower heat. 

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Any one free to help me pull my drum lines tomorrow? 

dkonig82's picture

Posts: 2091

Date Joined: 06/07/10

now that's an awesome first

Mon, 2014-03-03 23:25

now that's an awesome first attempt!

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When asked by a non-fisherman 'how many fishing rods do you really need?' the correct answer is either:

n+1 (where n is the number of fishing rods you currently own); or

n-1 (where n is the number of fishing rods which would cause your significant other to dump you. 

sunshine's picture

Posts: 2549

Date Joined: 03/03/09

You have confirmed my thinking

Tue, 2014-03-04 07:55

Deep drop far far more accessible off Jurien as the shelf is so much closer, we found snapper in plague proportions where the bottom steeply shelved away at 110 metres and only a mile further out it was way too deep for conventional tackle - I still might take my biggest TLD when we head up there in a few week but how was the current as it often rips south at a couple of knots at least making finding the bottom a task in itself   

Belly Fish's picture

Posts: 499

Date Joined: 09/03/12

Current was fine

Tue, 2014-03-04 08:48

no sea anchor, as that was just pulling us quicker south.  We were using 2 x 20oz sinkers.

We were 27nm from Jurien marina, so yes it is closer than Perth

Adam Gallash's picture

Posts: 15607

Date Joined: 29/11/05

good haul

Tue, 2014-03-04 16:09

We found the thinner you filleted them the better they were on the plate, big thick chunks just ended up rubbery.  Weren't too bad in the deep frier either, but so are most things. 

Did well for a first attempt as Dan has said.

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