Popular Post Andy135 Posted July 16, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2022 Friday's plan was a morning session with @Saintly Fish and Leo chasing tope across the Spoils/Utopia/Pullar - the spring flood tide would give us a long drift across all three of these fishing areas, before dropping anchor at Utopia as slack water approached. The early start had clearly befuddled Neil however as he arrived at the marina looking sheepish and bashfully confessed that he'd left his tackle box at home 🤦♂️. He's been angling for close to forty years so should really have had a better excuse up his sleeve than "I forgot it". Luckily I had just enough tope traces for us all. We set off into lovely flat conditions at the very bottom of the tide, with only just enough water underneath us as we left the marina and went round to the fuel pontoon. They say a picture paints a thousand words, so I'll just leave it here with this. Moving swiftly on, we left the harbour and feathered for a short while around the Forts but sadly the mackerel were mostly absent, with just one falling to Neil's rod. It would have to be frozen baits for us today then. Off to the start of the drift and the conditions were great. I'd heard of some bigger species being seen and caught in this area recently so I'd brought along a shark rod, which was let out to see what was about... After a short while Leo's rod has a storming take, stripping line at a rate of knots! He winds down into it and just couldn't slow it. In less than 30 seconds his reel was half empty so his father, in his (not so) infinite wisdom turns up the drag until we hear a "ping!". 😬😬 We were all gutted for Leo, and to be fair there was no stopping this take. We reflected afterwards that if the line hadn't snapped, his reel would be empty with still no fish and no more fishing either. We fished on the drift fruitlessly for another few hours until the tide dropped, then anchored up over the deepest part of Utopia. Bites began to show, and a series of eels made their way to the boat. Neil even managed two fish on one hook! We then saw a small pod of dolphins come past, only two or three animals but still lovely to hear and see them. Shortly after, I connected with a nice bass of 48cm/1.47kg that I swapped with my fishmonger today for jumbo squid and scallops for the barbecue tonight. And finally, I was back in the game with my favourite species - my first this season! As the tide turned the wind picked up, so with white caps starting to show we headed home before the conditions got too lumpy. No tope but a monster run and some fun fishing nonetheless. And even better, we all escaped the sun burn - slip, slap and all that. Better safe than sorry 👍 GPSguru, thejollysinker, Malc and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Everything sounds great day out, but what an expensive dogfish. Shame about Leo's runaway, it does sound like he would have had no chance of boating it whatever it was. Geoff. 🙂 Andy135 and Saintly Fish 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted July 16, 2022 Share Posted July 16, 2022 Thanks Andy for subbing Leo and I some tackle, such a silly mistake to make. I put it down to excitement in anticipation of tope!! Was a great day afloat on JG again. And what a shame we never even got to see the leviathan. Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post GPSguru Posted July 16, 2022 Popular Post Share Posted July 16, 2022 56 minutes ago, Andy135 said: After a short while Leo's rod has a storming take, stripping line at a rate of knots! He winds down into it and just couldn't slow it. In less than 30 seconds his reel was half empty so his father, in his (not so) infinite wisdom turns up the drag until we hear a "ping!". 😬😬 Next time, if you are drifting, one crew starts getting the other lines in and the skipper immediately starts chasing down the fish to keep line on the reel. We have all been there, and it is easy with hind sight, but next time guarantee you will ‘chase it down’. 😉 thejollysinker, Andy135, Saintly Fish and 2 others 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 20 hours ago, GPSguru said: Next time, if you are drifting, one crew starts getting the other lines in and the skipper immediately starts chasing down the fish to keep line on the reel. We have all been there, and it is easy with hind sight, but next time guarantee you will ‘chase it down’. 😉 Inwas going to say… it’s a phrase that doesn’t come out often my boat but “fire up the engine” is a phrase needed on times like this 😁😁😁😁 Live and learn and next time itlll be bigger for Leo to land 😁😁😁😁😁 Saintly Fish and GPSguru 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPSguru Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Odyssey said: Inwas going to say… it’s a phrase that doesn’t come out often my boat but “fire up the engine” is a phrase needed on times like this 😁😁😁😁 Live and learn and next time itlll be bigger for Leo to land 😁😁😁😁😁 Agree, but it takes a while to get to that way of thinking, as here in the uk is is not something we do. I lost a Tuna in 2014 which spooled me, but in hindsight we should has chased it. These days, chasing fish is now a natural thing for me to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 41 minutes ago, GPSguru said: Agree, but it takes a while to get to that way of thinking, as here in the uk is is not something we do. I lost a Tuna in 2014 which spooled me, but in hindsight we should has chased it. These days, chasing fish is now a natural thing for me to do. Catching fish on @Andy135's boat is a surprise let alone chasing one🤣🤣 edit....... helps to have a tackle box though (added to prevent anybody else's fun)!! GPSguru 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted July 17, 2022 Share Posted July 17, 2022 Well done on getting out after it, sounds thresher-esq What hit the rod , did the line just part at the spool or ? Was it braid how heavy it’s all chaos when that rachet goes ,,, but we live for it Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted July 17, 2022 Author Share Posted July 17, 2022 2 minutes ago, Josh said: Well done on getting out after it, sounds thresher-esq What hit the rod , did the line just part at the spool or ? Was it braid how heavy it’s all chaos when that rachet goes ,,, but we live for it Hey Josh. Line parted at the spool. @Saintly Fish can confirm the b/s of the braid. Josh 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 7 hours ago, Andy135 said: Hey Josh. Line parted at the spool. @Saintly Fish can confirm the b/s of the braid. 30lb braid Josh 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 Just now, Saintly Fish said: 30lb braid Shame but to be fair excellent to get a take like that good luck next time .. Saintly Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 5 minutes ago, Josh said: Shame but to be fair excellent to get a take like that good luck next time .. Yeah it was quite impressive, the fish didn't even know it was hooked, and it's typical that it took the rod that was the least prepared for it. An ugly stick 20/30 with an Okuma slx10!! if it had taken my rod we may have had more chance of seeing it, or Andy's shark rod, but no... Josh 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike farrants Posted July 18, 2022 Share Posted July 18, 2022 nice write up - and decent bass - good swap - i love scallops! shame about the lost fish - but still a story for Leo to tell! memories made nonetheless! Andy135 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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