Last Hoorah for the Soupster

What a day last Saturday turned out to be. I was lucky enough to get out on Pete D's boat for a my last fish and dive in WA as I am very shortly moving to Micronesia with the family for the next three years. The last month has been nothing but work, work, work while we are prepared to move, so to get out on a rare cracka day was welcome relief.

It was an early start and we pretty much got the diving out of the way first. We dropped on a previously unexplored (by us anyway) spot and quickly got into some crays. Pete cleaned up quickly as he always does and also looped a nice harli. I managed to achieve something that has avoided me to this point. A jumbo. I've seen a few in the past and they have always been well tucked in and out of reach. So to finally get one was an awesome feeling. One is definately enough as I'm happy to let the big males be. He was just over three kilos with a 165mm head. There is photo of my neighbour holding a 79mm cray beside the jumbo, what a difference.

Then it was into the fishing. All I can say is that we proved the new fishing rules are definately working, for us anyway. Between three of us we release five dhuies (four sized between 55 and 65cm) in the hope of a couple of bigger ones. We also released four black-arse (a species that I predict will really benefit from the new restrictions). Jimmy (the third guy on the boat) landed the biggest black-arse I have ever seen, well over 50cm and I took home a nice baldie. No large dhuies were boated but none of us felt too bad about that at all (however we will keep a small one next time and then release all further dhuies as we search for a larger one).

So all in all it was a great final day for me out on the water. Thanks Pete.

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The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.


mako magic's picture

Posts: 5785

Date Joined: 03/08/05

good luck on the move, and

Mon, 2009-12-21 09:01

good luck on the move, and what a way to end it over here in WA

that baldie pic is a cracka, POTM entry i rekon

PilbaraBrad's picture

Posts: 3628

Date Joined: 16/05/07

Soupster

Mon, 2009-12-21 09:02

Your going to have a ball over there mate, all the best to you and your family. Hope you have a spare bedroom mate, im pretty sure a few blokes off this site would be keen to visit

good stuff!

soupster51's picture

Posts: 2724

Date Joined: 29/11/06

Pohnpei Accomodation

Mon, 2009-12-21 09:18

Yep I've had few requests for a bed already. I'll check it out as soon as I get there and let everyone know the details.

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The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.

Adam Gallash's picture

Posts: 15644

Date Joined: 29/11/05

well done fellas

Mon, 2009-12-21 09:11

Well done fellas, that cray is an absolute stoinka.  Had to look a couple of times when compared to a normal one!  All the best with the move Scott, as Brad has said, sure your going to be in for a great couple of years.

Cheers,

Adam

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soupster51's picture

Posts: 2724

Date Joined: 29/11/06

Fish Wrecked Shirt

Mon, 2009-12-21 14:48

Hey Adam, It was the first day on the water that I have worn my Fish Wrecked shirt. I'm hoping that it is my good omen now. Everyone needs a lucky shirt/hat/whatever.

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The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.

alfred's picture

Posts: 3097

Date Joined: 12/01/07

Top Stuff!  That is one

Mon, 2009-12-21 10:13

Top Stuff!  That is one big cray!  All the best with your move, Merry christmas and a Happy New Year!

Can't wait to hear your stories about fishing and diving here!

 

Pete D's picture

Posts: 1681

Date Joined: 07/06/07

Just your last for a while

Mon, 2009-12-21 10:26

Just your last for a while Soupy…not forever mate…and 3 years will zip by.

It was a nice ‘little dive site’ in 31m and the vis was excellent…Hmmm, have to take the video for the next one.  Even had a school of SBT buzz around for a few minutes.  Soupy missed it – he was too busy hunting for the big boy.  I knew he had caught a good cray though, as I heard him from 10 metres away!

Yeah the release weight got a work out.  All dhuies came up slowly and in good condition too.  Soupy did loose a big dhuie mid water due to a hook snapping  - which was a great surprise.  I must off put the mocka on it as I was getting the video out to jump overboard and film the fish coming up.

Top day on the water.

Cheers Pete

Posts: 9358

Date Joined: 21/02/08

Looks like a great day there

Mon, 2009-12-21 11:01

Looks like a great day there guys! 165mm, thats a huge cray!

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Posts: 1676

Date Joined: 12/07/09

good stuff nice photos there

Mon, 2009-12-21 12:04

good stuff

nice photos there mate

cheers danno

Colin Hay's picture

Posts: 10407

Date Joined: 23/10/07

Good luck Soupster

Mon, 2009-12-21 12:30

You are leaving with some good memories.

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soupster51's picture

Posts: 2724

Date Joined: 29/11/06

Thanks to Ryan

Mon, 2009-12-21 14:50

Another thanks for the day on the water needs to go out to Ryan at Oceanside. He knew it was my last day on the water and that I had been working hard and needed to make it count. So he gave up what turned out to be a cracka spot. Cheers again mate, we'll have beers soon.

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The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.

Posts: 2319

Date Joined: 03/05/06

good luck soupster

Mon, 2009-12-21 22:43

that cray comparison is crazy.  Hopefully you'll still be posting from Micronesia - should be awesome fishing over there.

Faulkner Family's picture

Posts: 18023

Date Joined: 11/03/08

what a day. that cray will

Mon, 2009-12-21 23:02

what a day. that cray will be one to remember , and its great to see you guys are fishing for the fture and not getting greedy taking just any old (or young ) fish.good luck with your new posting and im sure you will have some stories to tell. have a safe and happy xmas and new year

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

Reefmonkey's picture

Posts: 711

Date Joined: 22/09/08

Good stuff

Tue, 2009-12-22 08:09

All the best and a beauty cray, phwoa micronesia hope u make u way to trukk lagoon for some diving! very jealous u get to live in paradise for the next few years:)

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 Dave J.

Posts: 16

Date Joined: 01/01/70

Last Hoorah!

Wed, 2009-12-23 23:19

Well done fella's, some nice crays and that Jumbo is an absolute cracker Scotty!

Sorry I couldnt make it, the shops just too busy atm but glad my co-ord produced which they normally do LOL ;)

Catch up soon Pete, more deep dives to do mate~~~