WHALE of a time
After what seemed like months, Sandra and I finally got out on the water last Sunday in Dreamweaver. Forecast, swell and seas where all excellent and we were in the water for 06:30 with the dawn morning air being a nice balmy 7 degrees 
.
Given the excellent conditions forecast and the fact that it was a Sunday, we were surprised to find that, on arrival at Emu Point, we were the very first. With no other trailers in site. Not even tagging behind us or rolling in as we undertook pre-launch preparations.
I guess the rest where snuggled up in bed - bloody fair weather warm fishos LOL!
The spot we were targeting was a 25m circular reef plateau, rising out of 65m - south of one of the outer reef systems. I'd passed over it on the way back from another trip and the structure definitely read FISH HERE!
As we headed out of King George Sound, at a steady 25 knots, a view of the ahead horizon was amazing. Dotted across, at regular intervals were large tail flukes and the frequent large splash from a rising whale falling backwards to the surface.
LOOK! Over there, suddenly yelled Sandra. Following her indicated direction, I spotted a large (whale) Cow and Calf, lazily surface swimming, not 200 meters off our starboard bow.
A quick course correction away from them and 20 minutes later we were over the reef plateau, but not before sighting many other (whale) cows and calfs. The bulls all seemed to be content to frolic in deeper waters across our horizon. We executed our plan. First, we stopped the boat and (GPS) charted the drift. We then ran up the line and dropped a reef pick on the shallowest part of the plateau (20m), ran the boat astern as we paid out anchor line to the edge of the reef plateau's rise.
With a large anchor well carrying 450m of anchor line, I guestimated we had about 200m of line out before we settled at just the right spot.
The first drop for me produced a double header of scorpion fish. These were on the small side and went back in the water - very carefully!
Next drop and I was onto something more serious, but still controllable. Another double header, this time banded sweep of about 4kg each. Also returned.
Sandra broke her trace on the surface loaded up with a nice Breaksea. She's definitely the breaksea specialist as she prefers to fish with prawns and these definitely seem to be BA's preferred diet. (At least that's what we have found down here.)
Next I copped a rig bust off, so, given the terrain, I decided on stepping up the rig and tied on a paternoster of double snelled 7/0 Gammy Big Baits and loaded them up with good sized mulies.
Bring it on!
And it did! BANG! The rod tip buckled furiously as soon as the snapper sinker hit bottom and a torturous 15 minutes later I had what I estimated to be a 25K ish Salmbo alongside. No photo - as a released it boat side to minimise harm and ensure it's healthy return below the surface.
Sandra meanwhile landed another BA.
Back down again and BANG. More back pain! Another 15 minutes and another smaller Sambo broke the surface - this one near the 20Kilo mark:
Sandra's BA was a good size and well worth keeping:
Yet another drop with the rig and the rod tip exploded with rapid succession of very substantial bites. A well timed upward strike and the rod tip buckled furiously! (Insert expletive here). I don't know what was protesting more - the rod or my back! As I slowly regained line and brought the catch to the surface, I tried (as we all do) to call it. Nope, not the head thump of a snapper, not the run of a sambo etc etc. The end of the line felt like it was being ripped apart in two directions. Shit! Noth ANOTHER double header! Finally we saw two sets of colour and brought them on board.
Two very decent sized skippy - 53cm and 49cm! No wonder I was having problems 
:
A brief rest and the rig was down again.
BANG! BANG! BANG! boooooooom!!
What the! All hell broke loose! Drag locked up, the reel and rod screamed in protest as I battled to reduce the amount of braid screaming out of the reel. (Insert a string of expletives here). This fish was heading down,to where? A Cave?Then, one of the worst sounds. No, not the crack of a rod tip or reel seat, but the neat clinical ping of braid snapping. It had buried me and snapped the braid on some structure.
BUGA!!
That's it, I said to Sandra, I'm back to single hooks for something normal, I painfully announced.
On to another rig and down it went. COLIN!! Yelled Sandra! Whales!! Yup. 50 meters astern and closing directly on us was a VERY sizeable cow and her calf. I'll get the anchor! Yelled Sandra. No time I said. Two blurred hands and rods and rigs were on deck. I dashed for the helm and kicked the motor into life. Cut the anchor line yelled Sandra. Nope! Not necessary. Hang on!
Having 200m of line out in 20m of water gave us a 10:1 scope - enough to take a 'radious (on the rope) heading away from the whales. A minute or so later, the two passed calmly astern of us, probably wondering what all the comotion was about.
I manouvered back to our spot and dropped the rig down again, as I drew in a string of deep breaths. Phew, that was close.
But the whale visit hadn't finised! While loaded with another decent skippy, the surface immediately astern of the boat was broken by a 3 meter wide bubble! 
Yup, a whale had just passed directly under the boat!
By now it was 11:30 and we both decided we'd enough of ALL SORTS of action. So we pulled the pick and headed for home, keeping a careful helm watch for whales which I'm thankful to say had finished their interaction, at least with us.
A great day, good fish, sore back and lot's of excitement. Some of the elements that make fishing what it is!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18059
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Great read Colin
What a great day out mate you and sandra sure got a few darn nice fish and a whale viewing to boot, love them they are so good to see jumping and playing in the water but i too am not to keen on them when they come straight for you *LOL*
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
roberta
Posts: 2773
Date Joined: 08/07/08
Excellent day
guys, can't wait to get out there (now that the ginger tablets work a treat) and see the whales, nice skippy I make all my Thai fish cakes out of them, yummmy, BA are really nice eating as well.
Ginger Tablets Rock
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Russ!
Yeah, certainly wasn't boring for ALL sorts of reasons LOL!
I've since had a chance to have a yarn with one of the guys down in Trailblazers (Albany).
Al and I both agree that, given it's behaviour, the 'one that got way' was a very large Blue Groper. That makes perfect sense, given the fact that it buried me, showing total contempt for the drag on the poor 330GTI LOL.
Would have made a GREAT photo opportunity!
As you say, whales are great to watch - at a distance!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Yup Roberta! Thanks!
Actually, it was a chance to try out my new smoker that Sandy bought for my recent birthday.
All I can say is....YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEUUUUMMMMM!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
carnarvonite
Posts: 8673
Date Joined: 24/07/07
TOP
Top report Colin,seems a great day was had by all.Some nice skippy thrown in and whale watching up close.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers John!
Thanks Mate! Yeah, the wife caught 3 other Skips just smaller than the ones I landed - we put them back as we had plenty and didn't want to freeze them for obvious reasons.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Matt T
Posts: 875
Date Joined: 19/11/07
Great Report Mate
Sounds like a great day out!
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Sounds like a fun day on the
Sounds like a fun day on the water Dreamy. Where are the whale pics? Just sit pretty in the boat - they won't bother you - they just come in for a look - especially the curious calfs.
Also, sounds like a great dive spot you fished. Next time I'm heading down that way, I'll touch base about retrieving ya rig. Won't be til summer though - the water is too cold currently down that way!
Cheers Pete
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Matt / Pete
Cheers Matt and Pete :)
Pete - every time I grabbed the camera the bloody things dissapeared!
Yeah, I've heard that about whales, but was too woosy to put it to the test. Besides, I'm sure Sandra's screams would have deafened me! LOL
Yeah, no worries on coming down Pete!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Nice skippy! We didn't break
Nice skippy! We didn't break 40cm out on 5FB with Ozlobster and his son Connor last week.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Till !
Thanks mate! There was tons of them down there that size or close to.
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
bod
Posts: 2319
Date Joined: 03/05/06
great read dreamy
could feel your pain! It seems there was magnificent weather right along the great southern inlets on the weekend. Some good catches out of Walpole too.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheer Bod !
Yeah, when we cam back in abd listening to the radio chatter, it was evident that there was a LOT of boats out on Sunday!
The car park on return was chockers!
Would love to get out from Walpole or Denmark one day!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Great report Colin
I have a feeling the Whales would have avoided your anchor line but certainly not something I would want to risk happening.
Some very quick thinking there mate.
Good to see you getting into some fish too.
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Andy!
I have a feeling the Whales would have avoided your anchor line but certainly not something I would want to risk happening.
I was more thinking of the underside of the Hull Andy, but you are right - there was a lot of anchor line out.
Some very quick thinking there mate.
Cheers for that - yes, extreme fear is a great motivator! LOL!
Good to see you getting into some fish too.
Yeah, one of the best days out down here for sure mate!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Check this vid out of when the same thing happened to us
Mindarie Whale Encounter
Thankfully we didn't have an anchor down and were drifting at the time. We saw them in the distance and stopped well away from them, but they are very inquisitive animals and came over to us as you can see in the vid.
I'v e had this happen on my own boat several times, where we get them coming at us, then we drive away 2 or 3nm to get away from them and they follow us and buzz us again. My old man actually hooked one and was nearly spooled in a matter of seconds as it ran through his line and surfaced the other side of the boat. I managed to but it off for him as he had no idea what was going on.
Still very scarey when the sounder blacks out as the whale goes under the boat.
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Andy!
Tried to have a quick look but received a network error on the URL mate. :(
LOL on the old man hooking the whale mate!
Forgot to check our sounder when that bubble astern appeared - that would be something!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
davey
Posts: 272
Date Joined: 17/05/07
dreamy
Top report colin
however i may add a little something that you ommitted
a little birdie at licencing tells me that some clumsy bugger snapped the tip off his t curve
you wouldnt know who said clumsy person is would you :-)
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Davey - you are in SO much trouble!
..and so is my bloody loud mouthed wife
YES! YES! YES!
I confess, I snapped from the second top runner up - I'm still kicking myself!
Thanks EVER so much for your usual level of caring sympathy (el all buga all)
It WAS a top report, now YOU have sullied it by GOBBING my secret.
With friends like you - I don't need swine flue OR a bout of depression! You make me feel like I have BOTH!!!
Thanks mayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyte!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Frank F
Posts: 481
Date Joined: 17/03/09
skippy
Some nice fish dreamy haven't seen skippy like that in years
well done and a good read.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers Frank!
Yeah mate - was very pleased with a double header like that :)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Webby
Posts: 835
Date Joined: 24/09/08
Great read mate. sounds like
Great read mate. sounds like an awsome day out.
I live with fear every day... sometimes she lets me go fishing.
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Thanks Webby!
Yeah, was an action packed few hours for sure mate!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
eddie
Posts: 303
Date Joined: 07/02/08
beauty pics, Col! thanks for
beauty pics, Col! thanks for sharing!
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
A pleasure Eddie!
Nothing worthy of REELTIME, but nice to capture the moment ay!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Good onya mate Another great report
I would love to get into some those skippy with my Carrot Stix and Sol.
Glad to see you and Sandy had a great day out Colin.
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers #1 ! Carrot Stix!
I knew you'd smell out those big skippy mate! LOL
As for the Carrot Stix - see what I can orange! (groan)
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Lol that's a shocker Colin
Hope you can get some more good weather down your way mate so you can send us in some more great reports.
Moderator. Proud member of the Colin's Club and the Fishwrecked "Old Farts".
Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime
http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Yeah it was, wasn't it
Cheers mate - me too! Thanks again mate for the kind words!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
makai
Posts: 459
Date Joined: 28/10/08
Great report
Loved the story and pics. Wish I was there!
Goatch
Posts: 1011
Date Joined: 03/07/07
Nice one Dreamy
Good read mate.
Just one more cast , honest !!!
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Cheers makai and Goatch
Cant wait to get out again!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
couldntcatchacold
Posts: 357
Date Joined: 17/05/09
awesome read mate! sounds
awesome read mate! sounds like a great day! couldnt help but notice that double header looks like a tripple header with another orange fish above?
I wanna get free! im gonna get free! right into the sun!
Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Yes well spotted ccc
That was a little wrasse that got in the way of a couple of 'dippy skippy' LOL!
Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!