Seaway Mini Report Wednesday 3rd July 2013

Into the seaway at around 4.30am, swell was still up from the South East but had dropped from its 4m plus highs down to a manageable 2.5m. Had a look around carefully, just on dawn I picked up a couple of mid 40's tailor around the end of the north wall on 20gram twisties and once the sun was up started to catch dart in the 30-35cm range.   Did that for a while then had a look at the south wall, fly guys were catching Tarpon but whatever I tried I couldn't get them to hit a plastic or a lure.  Might have to get some fly gear myself to fish the south wall better.




Had a look in the broadwater but nothing going, back to the north wall picked up some more dart and the odd tailor on 1/4oz ccm grass minnows but it was hard work and there was lots of weed.  Dad joined me once the tide turned to run in I was hopeful we might see some surface feeding but apart from some birds picking bait off the surface it was quiet.  Looked all the way from the Seaway down to Crab. Picked up a small jewie drifting a new plastic over the Canyon.  Waited and waited then decided to have another go for tailor at the north wall, picked up another couple in the mid 40's range on Flash 15 Fire redhead minnows.  Thankfully most of the weed had disappeared with the run in tide.

Then had another look around, by 4.30 had pretty much decided to go back to the wall and try for more tailor when on the way back into the seaway saw something in the Northern Y that changed my mind. Bait and lots of it, big too, large frogmouth pilchards or Anchovies(sardines) all feeding on the surface.  I had seen this before about a year ago.   So we waited, I saw one big fish come up then another.  I decided to use poppers, when they are chasing bait this big they aren't fussy and poppering GT's is awesome fun.  We did a few casts with no interest then just as the sun began to dip below the horizon a big school came up within about 50 meters.  We both cast in, me with a chrome skitter pop 9, Dad with a 14cm redhead River2sea Bubble popper, double hookup for us and both fish were duly landed after about  10 minutes(low 60's high 50's).  Then I had to take dad back to the ramp.  I got back there in no time just in time for the GT's to start feeding properly near the green beacon on the South west corner of Straddie.  Threw the popper in the it got monstered, the hooks pulled, it got hit again, missed the hooks this time.  Saw the fish on the sounder dropped down a 30 gram twistie and got hit hooked up but it broke the single hook I was using.  Another school popped up, threw the popper in got hit again missed the hookup, then got hit again within a couple of metres of the boat, landed this fish(low 60's).  Just on last light a big school popped up on the northern channel flats, I was first on the spot popper got hit as soon as it landed.  While I was fighting that fish the water police came over to 'remind' me to turn my lights on.  I did so and landed that fish another in the low 60's.   Then it got too dark, on the way back I noticed Andy fighting a fish trying to control the boat with a worried look on his face and thought to myself that looks like a good fish.. Little did I know!   Turned out it was a kingfish of 105cm, fantastic fish Andy and well fought!

I called it a day just after dark.  So a long day with as few fish here and there but the bulk of the action was at dawn or dusk.  Keep an eye out for bait or anything fishy during those times and you may get on to a fish or two.   Ignore the signs and you may miss the fish.   They might feed again this afternoon but it depends on the bait, and don't give up until that sun sets.  Just make sure you have the right lights for night fishing, red, green and an allround white are required.

Date	Time Fished	Tides
Wednesday 3rd July	4.30am - 6pm	0425 1.07 1025 0.28 1724 1.42 2349 0.48