Fish Attack!

My 150th fish for this year.

Thankfully it was a lovely flat day, so we were able to rush back to the 1st Aid kit in the car.

Sunday 18th of March 2018: I had been catching a few fun little Trevalley. Realising I was about to hit my 150th fish for the year, I suggested to Johnno we move over to the hole we were waiting to reach the right dept as the tide came in, so my 150th fish for the year could be something photo worthy like a beautiful Mangrove Jack.  Right at that moment a couple of big Queenfish swam past, it was all action stations to try and hook them, but no we weren't ready, and they were gone. :(

I jumped out of the tinny to walk to my new favourite spot.  First cast I was on, excitement rained, but almost instantly I knew it was most likely a Long Tom, they jump and twist like crazy.  This big falla pulled out all the tricks to try and get away, but unlucky for him he was hooked in the tail, making it hard for him to spit the hook!

Laughing at my luck I called Johnno over to take a photo of my 150th fish anyway.  I reached down to hold him around his neck, it all happened so fast, he jumped around as soon as i touched him.  Grabbing me around the wrist and wriggling like crazy!  I felt the cut, screamed, tried to drop him but he was hanging on by that time.  Quickly I lowered him to the water, hoping being back in his save place he would let go.  He did!  But not before mashing up my wrist, making a horrid messy hole that started pissing out blood straight away.

My 150th fish for this year, a wriggling Long Tom

Holding the hole in my wrist together while holding my rod, with fish still on the other end, we managed to get a quick photo (all that effort for a photo, we couldn't not!), before Johnno jumped out of the tinny to release the fish for me.

One more photo, since I got bitten for the photo I may as well show them off!

Thankfully the wind had died down, and the water had flatten off, so we were able to rush back to the boat ramp, to get the first aid kit out of the car.

Dr Johnno's great work!

I hate first aid!  Blood and pain both freak me out...especially my own!
Johnno is so used to patching himself up that he doesn't give it much of a thought any more.  So I just trust him (even though i'm telling him what to do all the time, hahaha), to get the job done quickly and efficiently, which he always seems to do, Thankfully!

Later that day: cleaned and starting to heal.

Yes I should have maybe gone to get a stitch or two in it, but we were a long way from home, and the fish where still bitting!

Johnno caught fish after I was patched up.

Gaint Herring on Fly!

Labour Day bliss

3 days of fishing a different place each day!

Alot of my blog writing is about keeping the wonderful memories I/we are creating each day/week/moment in time.  When I am 90 years old I will be able to sit back, read my blogs out to Johnno, and in that moment say 'oh hay, remember that long weekend we did a different type of fishing each day?  Yah, that awesome Labour Day Weekend when we were living in Exmouth and live was so super sweet.'

My PB Spango: 56cm on Popper!

We were up early on Saturday to get towards the bottom of the gulf just after low tide, able to fish all of the incoming.  It was worth the early start.  Shorty after arriving we had a double hook up on Mangrove Jacks.  I hooked up first, we knew it was a good sized fish straight away, they pack an awesome punch as they take the hook.  Johnno seen another beside it, cast his popper fly, and was on also!  Excitement rained as we tried to net both, get photos, and release one...to catch again next week.

Johnno's Mangrove Jack on Fly Popper

42cm Mangrove Jack caught on Rooster Popper!

Yes, you are aloud to laugh at my long hair, hahaha.  The head band is to hold on my GoPro, behind my head.  I usually swing it around to the front when playing a fish to get some footage for my YouTube page.   But Mangrove Jack action all happens so fast, if you are not straight onto pulling them away from their rock, they will be under it, and the rest is history!

My 2nd Jack for the morning, getting the hang of this Exmouth fishing at last!

I've lost a few poppers to Jacks this year, and have been contemplating upgrading my gear to something slightly heavier.  When I hooked the above Spangled Emperor I was convinced it's time!  What a beauty fish to play and catch!  I seen it come out from under the reef, I was shouting at Johnno before I even know I was on.  Then my reel started screaming as it took off over the reef.  I knew my drag was tight, too the max, it usually is when Jack fishing, to stop them getting back to their hole.  So my nerves were a mess as I high sticked the rod trying to keep the line, and fish off the reef.  It stopped suddenly, I freaked out thinking it must be under a ledge.  It was slightly, but the joys of fishing from a little tinny, we were able to swing around so my line was not rubbing, as I gently guided it out.  Action stations to get it in the net before it took off again.  Once in the net I could relax and get a few photos of the beautiful creature.

The bites calmed down a bit on the high tide as the wind picked up, so we headed back to the boat ramp for a refreshing swim.

No Croc's here!

Sunday was a much slower day!  Having celebrated a friends birthday the night before, we were a little under the weather, so had a relaxing day at home, in the air con!  The wonderful thing about Exmouth life, you do not need to plan a whole day out just to go fishing, you can find somewhere close, with little preparation or planning needed.  So late in the afternoon when the dogs and I were getting restless, we all jumped into the car, rods and tackle all still in there from the day before, and drove down to the beach.
Almost as soon as we got there Johnno said 'that looks like a proper big fish over there', but he didn't get a good look to see if it was just a shark.  It didn't take us long to set up and get to the water.  There it was again, a huge bow wave, then the awesome dark shoulders of a BIG GT came out of the water as it chased bait fish right into the shallows.  Johnno got a couple of casts in before it was all over as quickly as it had begun.

I have been setting small monthly goals during 2018.  My March goal is to practice Fly Fishing more often, at least a couple times per week.  Sunday evening was the prefect time for my 2nd casting practice of 2018, I was relaxed, the wind was low, the tide was out enough to leave a few holes, in which I could hopefully catch some fish.

1st of 3 fish I caught on Fly on Sunday.

Labour Day morning

Awesome boating weather!

Hiding from the powerful Exmouth Sun!

Monday morning, Labour Day, Public Holiday.  An extra day off together.  Feeling better, after a day of recovering, and with the weather looking so prefect, we finally got the Black Thing back on the water.  We headed straight across the gulf to the far side.  We have only been over there a few times, so spent most of the day looking around, getting a feel for this new place.  We did find a few schools of little Trevalley to keep the day interesting, but no big fish story's, just lots of sight seeing.  It was the prefect day for covering lots of ground, while the wind was low, we got to see plenty of new places.

It was a wonderful long weekend.  How ever #livingmydream means we do not have to wait for long weekends to enjoy life.  Photos below are from the weekend before.

Sunset the weekend before.

Sunrise over Exmouth Gulf, WA 6707

What to do this coming weekend?