hey all.

just writing about the trip i did today out from ocean reef. the water was great all day little wind and low swell.

started at 7.30ish got to the ramp launched and went out to the weed bed to try for squid.  never squidded there so just trying it.   it was about 6m and it was murky so went shallower to get some herring. got there tied on my new halco laser pro 45 cast it out three cranks of the handle,  on.  the fish dropped it but i cast out again and the same thing but this time landing it and released the first herring of the morning. i got another two on this lure and dropped to also but as i went to cast my knot slipped and there goes a 10 dollar lure. at least it got me a couple of fish.

so back to the lure box and found another little swimming lure that cost 4 bucks and tied it on cast it out half way in got a herring. the lure was great not as good as the halco but doing its job. the weed was becoming a pain but i could live with that, i got 20 odd herring on the lure and loving it.

we thought we would go and try a spot that had got us a couple of good king george whiting.  we got there, put out the chook pellets and waited and waited and waited.  first hit felt good but up came a wrasse. then another.  after 20mins we were getting annoyed and said in an hour we would go but as soon as we said that these big skippy came in and where hitting our bait hard.  we ended up with 4 skippy and let another 6 or seven go.

by this time it was about 2.30 and we started heading home but i said lets troll along the shore back to the marina. so out go 3 metals a short one on the left a long one down the middle and a longish one on the right.  we got half way and the reef started to appear on the shore so we trolled closer so they would be near the reef.  as we went past a bit that appeared out from nowhere i thought if im gonna get a fish im gonna get it here. so we drove past about 20 seconds later.  the lures pased by and the long one got hit.  i was using 4 kilo mono and a 25g metal and it got smashed and the fish were running hard.  it wasnt a long fight maybe 1-2mins but when i got it to the boat i was happy to see a nice tailor swim up. one thing tho if you have ever thought about netting a fish in a prawn net dont.  i had a prawn net in my boat for squidding but forgot the normal one and had to use the prawn net.  the tailor went in but it didnt want to come out and it grabbed the netting and ripped it with its teeth and the treble got tangled and it was a mess. after that fish i had to retire that rod as 50-75m of line was stretched and knotting. we kept trolling awhile and after the tailor we looked up and saw a bigger set coming in so we moved out but a big one almost got us off side. got two more herring on the troll and headed home.

ps the rod in the tailor pic wasnt the one that got it. in the trolling pic its the one in the middle.

end total

herring16 ( plus HEAPS released)

skippy 5

tailor 1

cheers danno