The weather reports looked good so mate Simon and I took a run up the coast to Beejaling shoals.

First spot we tried didn't even produce a bite so we upped anchor and worked our way between 2 pro boats chasing spaniards to the next closest spot on the Gps.Again same result, no bites at all, got a call from a mate in another boat a couple of Ks away saying they were on fish and to come over.I sounded around their boat and decided the patch was too small for two boats and anchored on one some fifty metres away.Up came a stream of undersized bluebone and spanish flag but not a sign of the pinkies or spanglies we were hoping for.

Another move of 3 Ks and straight away good bites and up came good sized spanish flag and sea bass plus a couple of savage bites resulting in instant break offs from suspected sharks or mackies. Hoping to catch whatever it was I stuck a big bait on a wire trace under a balloon 50 metres away. It wasn't there 5 minutes and a 8-10ft shark was going mental trying to attack the balloon, this went on for all of 2 minutes untill it finally popped and the line started to take off, I pushed the drag lever down and struck hard and it took off at a rate of knots taking all of 150-200 metres of line. I called to Simon to tie the floats on and drop the anchor rope, no sooner has I said it and bang all over, time to wind the chaffed off line back in.

Gave it a half hour after things went quiet then moved again to a little spot in 12 fathoms, anchored up and even though we could see good fish straight under the boat they were not tempted to bite so yet another move. This time it was back near to where we had trouble with the shark in 6 fathoms and first drop and Simon said he had a fish on but it felt funny and jokingly I said occy for sure, sure enough he had his first one of that species. This spot proved to be much the same again, no pinkies or spanglies and small reef fish.

Not a lot to show for the effort but you cannot win them all so better luck next time I hope.