Ticked the boxes but frustrating

Glamour conditions last week had us launching at 4.30 with the plan to target the sunrise mackie bite then top up the eski with some tasties.

Lures out at first light and just as the sun started to rise my mate screams "MACKIE" pointing 100m further west. As we troll over we're greeted with a sight I will probably never forget, up to 50 mackerel free jumping metres into the air, one after another over the size of a football field. We're left scratching our heads as we troll straight through the middle of them all without turning a reel. As I double back into the direction we just came my mate grabs his casting rod and starts flicking a stickbait either side of the boat, frantically swapping sides as fish continue to launch all around us.

Finally he hooks up which leaves me to clear the spread.

As im winding in the last rod the laser pro gets smacked just meters off the prop, yeeha doubles!

I land mine but mate loses his, which starts the trend as we go on to lose 6 fish in a row in an unbelievable hour of power.

Next on the agenda is for some dhuies and baldies so we move to some likely ground in the high 40s. With only undersized dhuies coming over the side for the first few hours and a very strong current from the north that was dragging our rigs away in the direction faster than the boat was drifting (never had that happen before.)

My mate says "let's stick it out until the wind swings SW, then we'll be on."
Finally the wind swings and the bites start increasing, then in 2 drifts hooks fall out of 2 good suspected dhuies halfway to the boat then on the next drift we finally stick one, coming in at 90cm.

We come home with 2 fish after a very frustrating session with lots of bent rods but plenty of fillets to go around.

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Image Upload: 

Craig's picture

Posts: 37

Date Joined: 20/09/07

 Awsome session lads!

Sat, 2020-02-22 21:13

 Awsome session lads!

Posts: 1336

Date Joined: 05/05/06

Nice work mate, shame on

Sat, 2020-02-22 21:31

Nice work mate, shame on loosing a heap but at least you got the hook ups!

So awesome seeing the mackeral do their thing when they are in hunting mode! 

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Bend over

solly's picture

Posts: 375

Date Joined: 11/09/05

Mackies

Sat, 2020-02-22 22:11

Next time it happens dont run though the middle, skirt around them trailing lures and poppers you will hook up straight away ,old northwest trick lol

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There are two types of people ,do'ers and watchers
Right now the do'ers are the doing it
And the watchers are watching us do it

Faulkner Family's picture

Posts: 18027

Date Joined: 11/03/08

 Sounds like a great day with

Sun, 2020-02-23 05:40

 Sounds like a great day with all them Mackie around. Getting out there for some fun is what it's about and getting a feed of fish is a bonus . That dhuie def worth it 

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

uncle's picture

Posts: 9474

Date Joined: 10/02/07

Well done

Sun, 2020-02-23 07:16

 Beau and crew

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all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs

Tom M's picture

Posts: 661

Date Joined: 22/09/15

 Good catch, great read and

Sun, 2020-02-23 08:49

 Good catch, great read and perfect phots. Thanks for sharing.

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Tom M

Francis's picture

Posts: 326

Date Joined: 17/06/08

 Very jealous ! Nice work !!

Sun, 2020-02-23 08:59

 Very jealous ! Nice work !!

 

after my last few (unbelievably quiet) sessions I would happily take a frustrating day like that !! Good to know the mackies are around tho !

kirky79's picture

Posts: 1354

Date Joined: 13/01/12

Awesome Beau

Sun, 2020-02-23 09:13

 That would of been great to see 

uncle's picture

Posts: 9474

Date Joined: 10/02/07

Very common sight

Sun, 2020-02-23 11:16

 up in northern waters, great to see, gets the juices going.

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all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs

Posts: 5981

Date Joined: 17/06/10

A big thank you

Sun, 2020-02-23 19:27

For the good write up and great pics, the first pic is a classic, the hunter going forth with the sun rising in the back ground.
When you get to see things like that (mackies in hunting packs) they take up a special part of your memories' of being on the water and being gifted sights like that.

Posts: 61

Date Joined: 19/02/15

Great write up and Great Pics!

Wed, 2020-02-26 08:02

Nice work there Beau.

Done better than me, spent 4hrs trolling behind the 5 from sun up last Saturday for nothing but constant weed. very frustrating.

Good to know they are around and this inspires me to keep trying.

 

Thanks mate.

beau's picture

Posts: 4104

Date Joined: 24/01/10

Sorry guys have had quite a

Thu, 2020-02-27 09:13

Sorry guys have had quite a few PM's aswell but this wasnt metro, but a couple hours up the coast. Thats not to say they arent here, there have been many catches inside the sound in the last month.

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Simon5.7's picture

Posts: 45

Date Joined: 26/12/17

 Love the picsgreat read too 

Sun, 2020-03-01 08:51

 Love the pics

great read too