Yesterday was Awesome!!!!!
Yesterday was absolutely awesome. Pete D, Scott (Soupster) and myself went for a cray dive with a twist. We approached the back edge of Five Fathom Bank with a bit bigger swell for our liking so we came back to the inside of it and tried a few new spots to dive. We've been doing well at our normal spots of late but we've been wanting to rack up a few new spots also. We ended up with our bag limit of crays on the first dive with mainly reds to make up the catch as the whites certainly have bolted by the looks. The second dive wasnt so nice as the new recon ground was void and the water very wishy washy!
So, with the 2 dives done we had to be back early for a BBQ get together on the Swan so we thought we'd have a quick flick for pink snapper as our dive spots were close to a pinky lump that Pete & myself have fished before. Pete was motoring up to the co-ord and as we got closer we thought "whats that on the surface" with a "bloody hell, thats a big school of pinkys" being the second words 
WOW, i've seen this before but never had the opportunity to swim with them. As we approached i fired off a shit load of pics (i was giving a Japanesse tourist a run i reckon) and then after that Pete & myself went in to swim with them. Scotty was at the helm (Scotty also had his turn to swim with them next) with Pete shooting a few pics with his underwater camera when we were really close to them (snorkeling) which hopefully will turn out. Pete & myself got really close like 1m away and had this spawning group of pinkys doing their thing right in front of us. This highlighted just how important these fish are and why we need a ban also.
There were 2 dolphins also that were swimming around them and would periodocally "whack" one with its nose and give the fish a hard time. When they're in this mode they dont often take baits and after a quick try Pete got one fish and we then took off.
Eyeballing these magnificent fish doing their thing in the wild and being able to swim with them was truely awesome and my highlight for 2008 for sure 
Pete's Pinky, it was a keeper!
Kev
Posts: 65
Date Joined: 08/12/08
Wow! I bet you dont get to
Wow! I bet you dont get to see that very often! Some nice pics.
jay_burgess
Posts: 4648
Date Joined: 18/08/05
AMAZING pics Ryan, thanks
AMAZING pics Ryan, thanks for sharing.
Stomper
Posts: 71
Date Joined: 11/02/07
Thats awsome guys
Thats awesome guys, and some great pics. bet you couldnt wipe the smiles.
Cheers Stuart
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Fantastic stuff Ryan. Great shots and what an incredible sight.
Nice fish too Pete(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
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chrisp
Posts: 1217
Date Joined: 24/05/08
unreal!
That is awesome...Shots of a lifetime
soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Awesome
Have to a agree it was an absolutely awesome opportunity. Swimming so close to a spawning school of snapper was a once in a lifetime event. Really topped off a great day on the water. Photos turned out pretty bloody good Ryan!!! Can't wait to see how Pete's turn out. I'm making room on the bar wall for the best photo.
Three days without it and I get a little jumpy
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Brad Anderson
Posts: 18
Date Joined: 05/05/06
Sensational pics ryan
To swim with them and them not disperse is a once in a life time.
Hope the underwatwer shots are just as good.
Thanks for sharing them fella.
Albee Mangles
Posts: 985
Date Joined: 20/05/08
Wow...
Unbelievable photo's, what an experience!!
I can see the next tourist venture now, "Come swim with the Pinkies"!!!!
Great stuff, as always mate.
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Nealez
Posts: 1220
Date Joined: 08/05/06
Wow..... Wow Tackle
Wow.....
Wow
Tackle Dangler
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Great pics Ryan! Hmmm, I'm
Great pics Ryan! Hmmm, I'm worried about the underwater ones. Bloody film would not rewind (into the pic shop for black box film removal). Time for a new digital u/w camera me thinks.
Cheers Pete
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18062
Date Joined: 11/03/08
if your looking at digital
if your looking at digital try looking at the olympus we have the 1030 sw
nothing flash but works well and does video as well, downside is only good to 10 mtrs
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
johno
Posts: 468
Date Joined: 20/07/08
Ryan fatastic pictures!
Ryan, fantastic pictures mate.. ever seen anything like it.. well done
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Blake.T.
Posts: 680
Date Joined: 12/12/07
that is insane, how deep was
that is insane, how deep was the school of fish, was it all on the surface or was there alot more fish towards the bottom?
i found this link yesterday on another fishing website -
http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/hundreds-of-pink-snapper-school-in-cockburn-sound-20081123-6eq4.html
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Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
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Great pics
awesome.
Cheers
Cheers
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Adam Gallash
Posts: 15652
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Unreal
Unreal guys, I've seen it with Spanglies but not quite like that. MAGIC!!
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alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
That must have been a hell
That must have been a hell of a sight! Hope to see that myself one day.
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Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Yeah Blake the school
Yeah Blake the school disappeared into the murky water (at least 7 metres down) and was solid with fish.
I've seen pinkies just schooling here from the bottom to 3 metres below surface over the years when diving. So there would be hundreds of fish (~400-800).
Cheers Pete
schecky
Posts: 1645
Date Joined: 25/08/08
thats bloody awesome
thats bloody awesome
saltatrix
Posts: 1081
Date Joined: 30/03/08
Heres to a big future in 5
Heres to a big future in 5 years.
If it does get bigger and the pinks become more prolific maybe it will relieve some of the pressure off the Dhus. Maybe even allow for a lower take on Dhus?
People would be happier?
Its great to have some good news.
Thanks Flippy
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SamC
Posts: 2013
Date Joined: 30/08/06
Amazing
Simply Amazing...
Cheers,
Sam
Cheers,
Sam
mako magic
Posts: 5785
Date Joined: 03/08/05
top pics guys, not a bad
top pics guys, not a bad keeper either
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Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
Top pics Ryan,would love to
Top pics Ryan,would love to see that up close ,would get the old heart pumping. iv'e heard this happening on the marina wall a Two Rocks.
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PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
bloody awesome
bloody awesome
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18062
Date Joined: 11/03/08
unreal , would have loved to
unreal , would have loved to be there
would love to see the underwater shots
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
shabba
Posts: 484
Date Joined: 26/02/08
awsome pics ryan, would of
awsome pics ryan, would of been awsome 2 watch & swim with. once in a lifetime !!!!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Amazing, I saw them doing a
Amazing, I saw them doing a similar thing in the Sound when I was a kid. Kinda changes your mind about them being a bottom fish.
Cheers
Dale
I'm not scared of banana's
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Willy
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/04/08
Snapper
Well, I reckon if you had told the story without the pictures, it would be hard to believe. I have never seen anything like that, anywhere.
Awesome day out and brillaint phots of an event most people wouldn't believe, Well done.
Willy
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dpost80
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 01/08/07
Great story and pics
Great story and pics Ryan
Where's the speargun when you need it eh?
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Three Lions
Posts: 152
Date Joined: 15/08/07
Willy
It happens every year in the sound, thats why they banned it. Like taking candy from a baby, good to see the snapper do it elsewhere not only in the sound.
Rowie
Posts: 9
Date Joined: 23/12/08
WOW
WOW that is insane would be wiked to see in real life pitty you only got one.
Fishing is boring, unless you catch an actual fish, and then it is disgusting.
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
Wall pic!
Thanks all for your comments. They we're great pics and was tempted to keep them for down the track re article but was so rapped with the pics and the experience i had to share with the FW members.
I've tagged plenty for the Fisheries this season and felt that the experience deserved a quick fish only and when they're like this they have their mind on other things than eating hense they turned their noses up even with fresh squid head right in the middle!
We're getting the best pic blown up for a great wall pic that will keep the memory going..............truely awesome!
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soupster51
Posts: 2724
Date Joined: 29/11/06
Underwater photos
Hey Pete, how are those underwater photos going? I've cleared a spot on the bar wall and I'm standing by.
Three days without it and I get a little jumpy
The best reason for doing what's right today is tomorrow.
Willy
Posts: 219
Date Joined: 10/04/08
I retract my statement
Went for a fish at Garden Island this morning with the family, and bugger me, I saw a heap of Snapper on the surface, behaving exactly as you described.
Awesome!
Willy
Lord of the Squid Rings,
Killer of Cockroaches of the Sea
ribar
Posts: 27
Date Joined: 30/11/08
Ubelievable pics!
totally awesome pics guys well done! and a bit of good timing ay?
thebear
Posts: 246
Date Joined: 09/06/07
Awesome pics mate
Awesome pics mate
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wogboy1963
Posts: 67
Date Joined: 26/02/08
Freeking Awsome
Sick mateeeeeeee!
I'm left without words, nature at its best. Great Pics!
emery
Posts: 22
Date Joined: 29/05/07
Gday, Unreal guys, amazing
Gday,
Unreal guys, amazing sight never seen anything like it with a school like that. Cant wait for the underwater pics.
Emery
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Here they are Emery
http://fishwrecked.com/node/18412
Cheers Pete
emery
Posts: 22
Date Joined: 29/05/07
Cheers Pete
Found them straight after i posted
awesome pics
Emery
Eldwin
Posts: 72
Date Joined: 01/01/09
Great pics! Don't know much
Great pics!
Don't know much bout pinkies, having only read Ryan's articles in the past in FishingWA about how pinkies school and spawn in the sound, but is it common for them to do this or is that not many people get the chance to see it? If it's not, any reasoning behind it? Would be nice to experience this first hand! :)
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
pressure!
It does happen Eldwin in the Sound but due to boat pressure and fishing pressure over the years they dont do it as frequently i reckon. The surface spawning activity and new Biomas estimates are looking like the Ban is doing it's job!
Not that common to see outside the Sound but does happen, as pictured!
Cheers
Ryan
* Oceanside- Advice, Knowledge, Experience....that's our difference *
Owner of "Oceanside Tackle & Marine"
364 South St, O'Connor, Perth Ph 9337 5682
Bart-Man
Posts: 56
Date Joined: 26/09/08
Every ones said it already but
Great pics bloke pics bloke well done!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bluetonic
Posts: 1147
Date Joined: 09/01/08
I'm in awe!! Blue Sky! Blue
I'm in awe!!
Blue Sky! Blue Water! BLUETONIC
Blue Sky, Blue Water, Bluetonic!