Out From Albany
After what seemed like months, and was, we finally got a chance to head out from Albany this morning.
Seabreeze forcasted all the right ingredients, low swell, an off shore minor wind, and clearing showers. Hey! That's good down here for this time of year.
After a 5:00 am wake up, a coffee, toast and a kwell, we drove the 30 minutes down to Albany and hit the water.
Oyster harbour, the launching inlet that leads onto King George Sound, was GLASS.
A 2.5 meter sea, with a swell minor to that, promised a good day!
Our mission was to head further out in about 100m, in search of the ellusive Dhui (well, at least down here), but conditions on the water weren't, as is often the case, not what they were meant to be.
As we arrived at the ramp, intermittent drizzle, turned into constant drizzle, so it made for a very wet morning.
We targetted a reef system that had undulating ground, varying from 10m to 50m. In theory, it sounded (if you'll pardon the pun) good, but the 'washing machine', that Albany is renown for, was as active as ever.
Sandra (my wife) as always, did well with two good BA's in short order, I managed to pluck a smaller one that was sent to the bottom via a realise weight due to the baratraumad condition.
Here's the first of Sandra's black bums, she caught another of the same size.
The catch of a seargent baker (by me as usual) told us we were on good ground. However, despite the prognosis, all we could pull was small reddies and swalls.
I did however, manage amonst the 'smallish' action to pull up some creditable LJs, Sandra amused herself with some 'water bags'
After a big day yesterday, I have to confess that the skipper wasn't 'feeling well', 
so headed back in 
Other photos were taken, but I'm saving that for a FWA magazine article. 
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Dale
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Not a real good day there
Not a real good day there Dreamy sad to see. Haven't managed to get out myself yet, had lawns to mow and about 25 fruit trees to water today since the rain's been a bit scarce. Looking to get out maybe tomorrow or Tuesday, wait and see what the weather's like.
Cheers
Dale
I'm not scared of banana's
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Mr Wolf
Paul G
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At least it was a day on the
At least it was a day on the water ,and it sounds like they are few and far between down there. Sandra is looking a little cold rugged up in her jacket, i would think it would be cold down there this time of year. Anyway a couple of nice black bums are a good feed. Not far of shore, it must get deep quickly ,
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Faulkner Family
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good to see
you southerners are getting out .not the nicest weather but you got the salt water fix.got a feed as well
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Dreamweaver
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Cheers guys!
Yeah Dale, the winds were light and variable but down here, that doesn't necessarily mean the water will be flat. There was a lot of swell bouncing around and we had to contend with a fair bit of rain early on.
Your right Paul, you really have to pick your days down here and good days have been very scarce. Still, was great to finally get out. Yeah, it was 5 degrees with a very cold light (at times gusting) wind, with heavy cloud cover and drizzle, so we were both pretty rugged up. All I could think about was long hot showers.
Damm right Russ and Sandy, I hadn't been out for months and was going nuts, so, conditions notwithstanding, it was great to get that fix!
Haul for the day was:
SANDRA
2 good BAs - kept.
1 just undersize BA -released
2 water bags (porcupine fish) - realeased.
1 Red - udersize released.
COLIN
1 just undersize BA -released
3 LJs - 1 kept - but not in the future.
2 Reds - undersize - released.
1 Seargeant Baker - bait!
2 Burley sessions
So I got outfished again.
I spent most of my time extracting hooks from Sandra's catches. Interestingly, even though we were using circles, the BAs in particular still inhaled them.
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
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Good to sere you got a chance to get out mate
The fishing might not have been what you would have hoped but as always a days fishing would have still been fun - even though it looked like it was a bit chilly.(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
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Dreamweaver
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Cheers #1
Cheers mate, yup, cold as early on. Yup was great fun until 'ralph' appeared. LOL
Colin Molloy
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Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
roberta
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Date Joined: 08/07/08
Ralph
He's a bugger, it was cold here in Perth, southern wind like ice, any day if you can get out is a good day on the water, love to see deckie's outfish the skipper
SPEWIE LEWIE
Ginger Tablets Rock
Dreamweaver
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Deckies outfishing the skipper
LOL Roberta, trouble is, she's doing it too often
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
roberta
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Got to laugh
Colin 2 Bob's mates wives seem to outfish their hubbie's everytime, only once I've outfished Bob, must have been the way I was holding my mouth, no didn't ralph that day he he, counting the days to Leeman 13 days to go.
SPEWIE LEWIE
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7739ian
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Why not the LJ's?
How come no more LJ's Col/ I have only caught a couple at Hamelin Bay but remember them as good eating.
Dreamweaver
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Date Joined: 01/12/07
Ian - 3 LJs - 1 kept - but not in the future.
I should have typed that differently. What that was suppossed to mean that in the future, I'll be keeping more, not just one. Down hear as a Cat 2, the bag limit is 8 per person, but I can't see us keeping anywhere near that amount. But, like I said, certainly more than 1.
Yup, great eating, that one in the pic fead us both with plenty left.
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
bod
Posts: 2319
Date Joined: 03/05/06
leatherjackets
yeah, wondered about that comment. When living down that way, LJs were much sought after as great eating fish.
Dreamweaver
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Date Joined: 01/12/07
Bod - LJs
Interesting you should say that, because there's been the occasional negative comment about them - in local fishing columns etc, but I think that may be when people are attempting to catch pinks and reds. As I said before, after experiencing the delights of eating my first one last night, I'll certainly hold them in much higher esteem. :)
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
bod
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Date Joined: 03/05/06
LJs
negative comments may possibly be more to do with the cleaning of them than the eating!!
Dreamweaver
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Yup Bod
Yes, agreed, it can't be from eating them that's for sure. My wife does all the gutting/cleaning (while I clean the boat), so no problem there
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
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Now that's a good partnership
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
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Dreamweaver
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I'm beginning to think not #1
Yesterday I cleaned the boat, now I'm polishing it
LOL.
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
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That's not so good
Didn't you pull the Father's Day card.
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
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Dreamweaver
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Unfortunately #1
That was yesterday
Colin Molloy
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Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Easterlies happening here
Easterlies happening here today, they come across the bay and make waves when you try to get out they just go thump, thump, thump on the hull.
Cheers
Dale
I'm not scared of banana's
Callsign: AS-144
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Dreamweaver
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Not nice Dale
Yeah it's not nice when you cop a head/beam short deep chop. The sound was great close in, but got very lump towards the Islands - there's a lot of water coming in there and bouncing back of the headlands.
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
tango and cash
Posts: 62
Date Joined: 05/07/08
Hope it's better in the summer
I have just heard that I have got a requested move down to Albany with work and should be moved down by Christmas.
Dissapointed to hear you haven't got out for months as I was hoping the fishing would be better. Is it more reliable in the summer?
I have a little tinny and was hoping to get out in the sound for some skippy, is that gonna be realistic or should I just sell it and take up knitting?
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Tango...
Getting out wise, it hasn't all been about conditions, though typically, the better days have been during the week.
Down hear, the best time wind wise is April to August, but often the swells and seas don't play ball because of the weather systems further south.
Summer wise, it's still fickle, but the swells are typically a lot smaller, so you can always find a sheltered spot around the islands if it's on shore.
You'll be fine in a tinny as a lot of small boats launch in summer and do well in King George Sound and in Princess Royal Harbour and Oyster Harbour. Mainly skippy and, if you're lucky (or good or both) some KGs as well. Then you've also got the option of some excellent bream fishing as the fish got on the bite best at that time of year - you'd be targetting the Rivers systems (Kalgan/Hay etc) and Nornallup Inlet.
So don't pick up the knitting needles just yet
When you move down tango - PM me your contact details and I'll take you out, or we can go breaming :)
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
PilbaraBrad
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good effort by the missus,
good effort by the missus, you got to lift your game mate
Too cold for me!
Dreamweaver
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Sad but true Brad
Next time!
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
tango and cash
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Date Joined: 05/07/08
Thanks Dreamweaver
I will definetly take you up on the offer, thanks for the info.
Dreamweaver
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You're welcome Tango
Hope that painted a less gloomy picture
Colin Molloy
(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
tango and cash
Posts: 62
Date Joined: 05/07/08
yes mate
I feel a lot better now, I have been down before but it did sound fairly desperate!!!
I look forward to getting out there especially for those KG's