Gday,

Its been a while since I have had a trip report to post, so although this one is a small one I figured I would put it up now, seeing as all the squidders are at the comp.

Headed down to the ammo jetty around 4 yesterday arvo with a mate who was keen for a fish.  We have gone on a river bream mission or two, and he was keen to try again but I wasnt so keen on swan river seafood atm.  Got down there and it was packed right out to the end of the jetty.  Great to see good manners from fishos when it was obviously busy.  Still shitty with the small family who took up 20-30 mts of jetty space for their crab pots.  Sure they were there before us and have every right to fish, but when the wind was blowing 15-20knts from the south theres no need for crab pots with 30 mts of rope and to throw them out as far as you can from the jetty.  The pots made that section of the jetty unfishable for the 3-4 hours we were there.  I tryed speaking with them and politely asking them to shorten the ropes and drop them straight under the jetty as the other people on the jetty did so people could fish that spot, but it was clear from the constant "yes" comments and lack of action that they did not understand a word I said.

Anyway some other people left and we managed to get a spot that two people could fish without pissing off those around them and we were into it.  Small running sinker on the main line to a small longshank hook with squid, burleyed up and cast out.  Plenty of nibbles off the bat, but not much hookup.  Thought I had been baited so I began a quick retrieve and meters from the jetty got an undersize skippy.  I chucked him back and the bloke to the left of me said that I was the first person who he had seen chuck an undersize one back:/

Some more fishing but not much luck, So I switched to a sinking burley cage and sent it back out, not much action.  So I switched over to a burley blob and sent it back out, but still not much action.  People were landing herring all around us on sabiki jigs but after being in Albany last weekend and Herring being $2.00 a kilo I wasnt so keen.  Had a yarn to the bloke next to me and he said the night before plenty of squid were taken.  You dont have to tell me twice! On with the Yo Zuri Aurie Q Neo in pink/purple.  First cast, let it sink, dart it, sink and im on! Not a huge squid(read snapper bait size) but a squid none the less.  Out she goes again and no joy.  Third cast and its on again, this time its a bigger number.  Hi Fives all around, by this time the sun was setting an along with an army of fishos were plenty of spectators.  Good on them for getting out of the way when asked by me as I was bringing the squid up to the jetty.  Into the bucket he goes and as I reach in to dehook him, he inks straight up out of the bucket and pretty much into my right ear!  Laughs all round and a bit of a wipe down with a rag, fortunately it was just seawater and not ink.

More casts, not much joy, so I switched to the orange yo zuri.  More casts and it was getting dark, we were discussing leaving when I hooked up another squid. Mate said he would have a ciggie and we would be off.  I switched to the blue daiwa jig I have (thinking it was silly as the brighter colors would work better) for a few casts, but no luck.

We packed up and were on our way home for 8.  Good to see proper fisheries officers on the jetty at sundown kicking buckets and handing out size stickers.  I had been to a tackle shop that afternoon and finally gotten hold of a size sticker for the boat for the new regs so I didnt need one, but it was good that they brought them and as I said were actual fisheries officers, not redshirt volunteers.

Finally I think that bait chasing rigs will be the downfall of skilled fisherpeople.  On of our section of the jetty most people were using a sabiki jig straight under the jetty with handfuls of burley, getting stuck into herring and scalie mackeral(double/triple headers were not uncommon).  I would say on the jetty there would have been 150-200 people last night majority fishing this way and fishing to fill a bucket, thats a lot of herring/scalies taken.  Bring on the Landbased fishing licence I say so they can gain some revenue from all these people who aside from tackle and bait would not contribute one iota to the coffers of fisheries.

PS. The crab people caught nothing all night, but another crabber with pots that werent giving everyone the shits got three.

PPS. If teaching your kids how to fish, perhaps dont rock up on sunset and then try to squish a family into a 1 mt gap between people.