Fishin’ Maggie
What’s Happening On Maggie
The temporary toilets that stayed for 6 years have finally been removed from the southern roundabout at Horseshoe Bay. Apparently, as the new toilets are up and running, they are no longer needed. Incidentally have you ever asked yourself why they always install rows of expensive soap dispensers that never get filled. How many people press them every day just to find out that it is a design requirement but not an operational provision? Just one of those silly things. Also strange is the disappearance of one of the new toilet doors already. Was someone using a raft to get to their boat or someone’s new front door
Last week saw the return of the winter fishing that we just adore, big fish, lots of bait and great action, more on that shortly.
I finished my Coxswains course, and what a great 2 weeks, thanks so much to Nick from Prodive. Also, on the course was some AIMS members and Andrew from GRMPA. I love picking the brains of anyone in the fish game. Here’s a couple of Gems I learnt last week.
We have a Rock Cod up here in our waters that has a legal limit of 38cm. However, they only grow to 35cm, so they never get legally taken. How weird is that? Incredibly, at the tiny size of 35cm they can be 40 years old, can you believe that. I also found out that thanks to shark tagging they can track our local Bull sharks travelling all the way down to Jervis Bay and back, past Sydney, following their preferred diet choices.
My fish of the week undoubtedly must be the 52cm Mangrove Jack in the harbour Saturday Night. I choose it over many others because it is one of the hardest fighting fish, great eating and a rarer catch even than Barra. Congrats to Annie’s son Andy who got the job done, fish filleted, and perfectly cooked for Sunday Mother’s Day dinner. Happy Mother’s Day Annie
Fishing Maggie
Why has the fishing suddenly gone on the boil, especially at night? On Wednesday billions of banana prawns moved in close to shore. Following them was tonnes and I mean that literally, tonnes of Gar. Sitting on the Gar is all the usual suspects, Big Barra, Queenies, Trevally and Fingermark. (Golden Snapper)
Friday night Scott was having a peaceful time sitting at Westpoint, pondering how to make fishing last more hours than his job each week, and waiting for something to happen. The calm night was replaced with that tingle you get when something is changing. The seas came alive with baitfish, prawns and the Barra went crazy. With 3 big Barra dropped including what Scott described as the magic Meter Barra, he had the first stonker landed on the beach and photographed. Saturday night saw the Prawn School with its accompanying bedlam stretched from Picnic Jetty all the way down to the pipeline. The boys reported Barra sitting along the Picnic stinger nets as well.
There’s more, Queenies are stalking the bait, and are big, 800-1m in size. These Herring we love to see are back at the jetty in their thousands and that means Mackerel; Queenies and Trevally.
Even more amazing are the hundreds of Squid in Horseshoe Bay, I can’t get excited enough about squid, they are fun, yum and make great videos. However don’t use a poly I remember going out with a mate in his new yellow Poly. I pulled in a big squid and missed getting it in the catch bucket. Well the bugger squirted ink everywhere, the boat looked like a work of art from Jackson Pollock the famous splatter artist. ( Lots of cleaning and apologies I can tell you. ) Anyway, back to Horseshoe Bay fishing, GO get your squid lights and 2.5 weight squid jigs and go get yourselves a feed. Schools that big don’t hang around forever, they dissipate as they follow the decimated bait schools to other locations. In the meantime, the squid and prawns have brought the doggy Mack’s into the bay in force. Geoff and many others on the afternoon Horseshoe Bay run have been picking up these sweet table fish.
Until next time gone Fishin’…. be back at dark-thirty
Cheers Dale
Fish’n N Fuel’n Sports and Tackle
36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay 4778-5126
For all of your fishing and sports hire gear. We hire and sell fishing rods, plus snorkel equipment, bait, tackle, ice, spear fishing equipment, sports, party, pool toys, bike hire and new Reefboards for safe easy snorkelling. We also have car hire, E- bike hire and Segway tours, plus HUGE lolly wall and convenience supplies. Check out Kooler 24 hour Ice 7kg $5.