The plan was to go hunt down some Kings in the middle ground on the Gulf - I love this time of year you can really start to feel the cooler nights and mornings coming on...
With an early rise for Anzac I made a spare of the moment solo mish out to the middle grounds just after 10.00 - I was there a few weeks back chasing Kings with the family so thought I would venture out to see if they were still prowling around.
It was a beaut morn and on the way out I came across a little bit of rough with some solid sign on it - I was in about 30mtrs of water and with not a lot of wind around I cut the Honda for a little drift over it. I dropped down a bait which was instantly grabbed - it didn't feel like a bad fish either for my first bait
It actually turned out to be a nice fat Carrot - and with it only lip hooked I slipped it back over the side.
My second fish turned out to be what I was after, some nice fresh bait - cutting the Kahawai into strips I dropped over a big slab. It was instantly harassed and after a few small bites something grabbed it, this felt a little more like a Snap and after a few winds up came a nice little Red for the bin. Dropping another bait produced another nice Snap there was defiantly plenty of fish holding on this little spot, Dropping down a big strip of Kahawai this time I let the Snaps play with it - it was hard to resist striking as some of the bites were pretty good but I made my self wait for that solid hit and with in a few more bites something grabbed it and striking the rod stayed buckled.
I was hooked up with some big runs and nods this one felt like a horse, it was one of those fights you want a mate there with you sharing the excitement...this thing pulled hard and a lot of string - I love fishing this light gear I was on my 3-6kg rod its just the best...
I could see color and with it still being deep I new it was a goodie - a few more mins passed then it hit the surface man it was a solid fish...It was kicking hard and being on the light gear coming up slow I new if I was quick I could set her free - I quickly boated it and took a pick on the measure mat @ 82cm - it was in top condition a magnificent "BEAST" - I only got to hold it for a few secs in the water as it powered away to fight another day
I caught a few more nice Snaps but that was the only beast I hooked up...
After my Snapper addiction was satisfied I continued on to sooth my Kingfish itch - coming up on the spot there was plenty of sign, it wasn't actual on my usual spot but I could see plenty of bait fish sign there as well. I set up my first drift and dropped away, I only got a couple of cranks on the Slammer and my Assassin rod loaded up. This Penn combo has fast become my fav jig combo... it was no string puller but it gave me hope the Kings were still in the area.
I fired up the Honda and reset another drift - plenty of sign but this drift yield nothing, maybe I was wrong and they had moved on. Moving back up I dropped away but this time the jig was hit on the way down "Yeeha" this was a better mod and it even pulled a bit of string
it wasn't a bad fish prob round 15-17kilo mark, quickly releasing it there was still sign showing on the Simrad so I dropped away again and after 10 or so cranks I was hooked up once again and it was another nice fish of similar size
I spent about an hour drifting around and must of caught around 10 nice kings which all went back - It turned out to be a magic day weather wise and the fishing was pretty hot as well. I love chasing kings but catching a beast of a Snapper in the gulf made my day. It use to be a common occurrence for me and my mates back in the day and just off the bay - you didn't have to travel so far to see these magnificent fish....
With a few nice Reds in the bin I called it a day - a nice 3-4hrs on the water riding solo
Tight lines