Red Line Finesse!!!!

[Shortlite]

There's way bigger out there: seen 'em, hooked 'em, lost 'em (put politely). That pic really doesn't do it justice. It was a thick fish with a massive wide head.
Itching to get out there again man. With it warming up, night action should be a lot more comfortable. If it's anything like last year, the hotter time has even more of them all over the joint.

A fish a chuck, all night, provided you can keep it in their feeding lane in the current, and in the window just above bottom.

[adidaspeteman]

I've been waiting for you to post them shots up shortlite, some truely sweet captures on the ultralight!

[Shortlite]

Yeah Pete, would have put them up elsewhere, but I can't find the pic of my entry ticket (pikey bream on 40 lb leader, 3 g jighead and #3 squidgy fish).

[Shortlite]

I think this one only counts because it was on light line. It is however, the biggest fish I have ever caught so far. 10 lb line, 30 lb fluorocarbon leader.

Taken on the troll in Ross River 2 years back. Luck of the draw I get the old Abu 6500C3 with 10 lb on a heavy graphite/fibreglass composite baitcasting rod (not quite an Ugly Stik, but close).

Big jumps, headshakes and she even towed the boat a little. Initially hooked deep down (could see the lure well down when she jumped), then halfway through something came unbuttoned, but the belly hook caught her lip and stayed put.

Heart in throat when we realized we didn't have a big enough net, and the first attempt at a lip grab and sliding her over the gunnels went pearshaped. 2nd crack and she was in.

[TinarooTriumph]

Thats a great Barra Ted. I had a mate that use to Fly Fish in and around Ross River and Aplins Weir and he cracked the metre + fish code reguarly.

Theo

[DICKY]

Great photos and some great fish.

[Shortlite]

Thanks fellas. Got out Saturday afternoon after a field trip to Rowes Bay. With the Rockpool just around the corner, a short walk got me on the water just as the tide really started to move back in.

Boy did the weather boys get it wrong!!! A bit windy, but what the hell, I was there, rod in hand, and it was still fishable. A quick squizz with the polaroids revealed some scattered herring, but not much moving through. So walkabout I went, to the mound and the BBQ section. Ta-da!!! 3 big (100 - 200 fish) schools of herring tightly packed into the rocks. And just as I arrive, one school explodes as a couple of queenfish charge through. Quick cast, rapid retrieve.......NADA!!!

Staying with the bait, I hop back and forth along the rocks,working the edges. A long cast well out brings a smashing strike that nearly rips the rod out of my hands. PURE AIR!!!! Next cast gets rapped solidly, and we're in. 40 cm queenie banishes donuts, and quacking birds. Then the schools of bait come together and it goes off, for all of 5 seconds. No joy, and before I know it, no bait either.

Back to the first spot, at the fishing jetty. Oh yeah!! The vanished school reappears right on the rocks, drawing in all the scattered herring and mullet I saw before. Now there's a thick dark band of bait, 20 m long and 2 m wide, right in front of me, incoming tide, clearing water, and then.... BOOM! A blue salmon pops up at the surface, followed by 3 GT's a wolf herring and a nice tarpon. The jig and paddletail SP mullet go in, and I get ignored some more. The fish drop deeper, so I slow down and fish just off bottom. Two quick jerks, and yeah!! Fish on! A good fight on the 8 lb. braid, and up pops a nice GT.

[Shortlite]

OK, no donuts, no ducks, and a better fish in the "returned" column.

Back to work. Change the lure to a fresh Power Mullet, back in. While I am jigging the bottom, the tarpon returns briefly, then a couple of wolf herring reappear. Winding up, I get smacked again, and the fish takes off on a screaming 20 yd run. I cup the spool to slow it down, and it somersaults skywards, revealing the long silver shape of a big wolfie. They go really hard on light gear, and the drag wasn't set light either. Awesome fight, acrobatics, then it's all over. Up on the planking and over to the cleaning table for a quick photo. No way was I touching that!!! Photo, pliers, and shook it off into the water. Toothy sucker. Another plastic bites the dust!!

[Shortlite]

Still managed some slime. Can you call it slime? URGGH!! Handful of sand and a quick scrub, and off I go for more. Nec placcy, back down at the edge of the bait, which by now is verging on jumping right out onto the rocks. They were that nervous!

Doesn't take long for more action. A short flip to the edge, two pumos and a wind, and WHACK!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!! This one's heavier, and won't quit. As it gets closer, it takes off again. Finally it's close enough to see some colour. Big swirls on the surface, splashes, another run. I get off the jetty and climb down the rocks to angle the fish away from the rock ledge. It's holding just out of sight, pumping away, and head shaking frantically. Down and dirty time!! Cupped spool, low angles, hard short strokes and now I see: nice blue salmon. A few more tense minutes, and I get a shot, only for it to veer away. A helpful fella climbs down and reaches for the leader, but the fish doesn't like him either and veers back to me. Now! Crouch, reach, grab leader, slide it over and grab the gillcover. MINE!!!

Standing ovation!!! Look back, and there's about 20 people watching, including a wedding party taking pictures. Quick couple of pics back on the jetty, then back down to an easier spot for release, right in front of the happy couple and their photographer.

[Shortlite]

No joy for the rest of the day. Off for a feed, then hit the creek and my favourite bridge for the top of tide. Check a couple spots on the way, but nothing showing. Saw one fella lose something big to a broken hook at the Jetty, then hunger got the better of me. Macca's, then back to the water.

Arrive downstream from Vicky Bridge to be greeted by 3.5 m of high tide, calm surface, and thousands on prawns flicking and jumping everywhere. Little GT's and bigeye trevally cruising around, slurping down prawns. Little buggers everywhere. Decide to fish this next bridge first: just too much potential, and no sign of the dreaded plastic ripping hairtail.

A few hits on the drop, then a stronger inquiry loads up before dropping off. I let the placcy drop back down, and as I tighten up, the rod hoops over and my Biomaster 1000 starts howling. This fish stays down, and pulls hard, cutting left, right, into the bridge and back out. Minutes later it comes closer, and swirls without revealing itself. But man these swirls are big!!! Finally it's close enough to see: a big queenfish! I pull it closer and go for the grab, then horror of horrors, the hook pulls out!.............................................. ....................................





............. and lodges in its dorsal fin!!!

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, the feet get wet (nice new sneakers!!) and I grab the fish's tail wrist and heave it out!!!

YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHH!!! Then silence.... Only the Cowboys getting it on with the Bulldogs in the background, and silence...

Couple of quick pics, and back it goes to fight another day (or night!!)

72 cm of spotted chrome queenfish. Too sweet for words. This fish was long and thick, and bit me as thanks for returning it, twice!!