Had and RDO yesterday the weather forecast wasn't the best but it has been at least 2 months since I have been fishing so didn't really care. In that time I have bought a new popping rod, put a cage around the front of the boat and put on a detachable Targa top all of which I wanted to test out. My wife is due in 4 1/2 weeks so after this weekend I am banned from offshore trips until the birth. So was itching to go no matter what.
I talked Mark (plasticfantastic) into a trip (sicky), got to the boat ramp late about 630 (forgot to fill the boat up on previous trip). Headed straight out to the bar, we always go out through the Amity channel, since all of the shit weather this has become alot shallower and was pretty messy on the way out as it by now was full swing into a run out.
Got out to one of my popping spots, had to test out the new rod. Not a lot on the sounder and not much happening, Mark was on plastics and just getting nibbles
Saw a guy near us trolling hook up a couple of times so decided to give that a go, had two hits one hook up, but as we didn't have our trolling gear I was using my popping rod and Mark was using his plastic rod not much success.
Decided to start drifting again and this is when the morning will be hard to forget. Saw a spaniard free jump about two metres out of the air, thought wish we had our trolling gear. Still casting my poppper, all of a sudden a spaniard smashes the popper and clears the water by about a metre. Holy crap this gut us pumped, never expected that, so mark chucks on a cotton cordel stick bait and casts in behind my popper on every cast.
I got up to 4 strikes from spaniards on my popper before Mark had his first hit but his will be remembered for a long time. I think it was a spotty close to 8-10kg hit the stick bait about 2 metres in front of the boat then managed to jump over the height of Marks head parallel to the boat and then off never to be seen again. It was amazing to see a fish this size to leave the water so hight and far.
Next up it was my turn again but this time it was a solid hook up, after a few minutes of fun (GT ROD) had my first ever spaniard in the boat measuring 130cms plus and 12.5kg. Was stoked broke the rod in with a PB and caught a fish in a spectacular fashion (popper). It is amazing the strikes they put on the surfaces compared to hooking them up on bait or slugs.
We ended up having 9 strikes, with only the one landed. The wind was finally starting to turn a bit average so was heading in by lunch time. Not a long trip but certainly one to remember.
Have put a couple of pictures up of the boat before and after, but the cage was awesome, Mark and I stood on the front casting platform the whole trip, which even on a good day before I got it fitted we couldn't do.
Andrew
