Fishin’ Maggie
What’s Happening on Maggie
I think Pebbles will be my fishing heroine of the week. ended to bed fishing stories Pebbles was fishing her regular Coral Trout fishing spot on the jetty last week. One of our Giant White Bellied Sea Eagles, which lives at Hawkins Point, fell victim to a pilchard being floated in the water by a Jetty angler. The magnificent creature swooped down and tried to grab the pilly. Unfortunately all it got was a talon full of gang hook, and the winged predator ended up in the drink, in immediate distress. Quick thinking Pebbles, leapt unthinking into the shark infested waters, (I know, but it sounds braver, and it’s my story), and swam the 50 m, to rescue the distressed bird. She grabbed it by the wings, which can spread to 1.5m, and gently swam it back to the jetty. On the jetty, plenty of willing helpers were there to lift it to safety. The bird was successfully released, hook free and it was the top notch rescue by Pebbles and others that saved it from drowning. There is a warning on this one, that feeding the Picnic Bay Eagles brings them in close to humans, in a fishing area. (Years ago John and I trolled past Hawking’s Point and caught a Sea Eagle, which ended up in my Cruiser and off to Ally B Vet. I remember John telling me that if the eagle got loose, he was out of my car and tough luck to me. I didn’t blame him plus I was ready to jump out too, probably with the car in motion.
The second bird story came out at Nelly Bay on Sunday morning. This poor bugger had no help. An angler was fishing the inside beach in the harbour, when he hooked on to a plover. Now I’ve never seen a plover hooked, in all my fishing years and there are plenty of them. I thought they were pretty smart birds, although annoying and often aggressive. One thing about Plovers, have a strong extended family, which this hapless Angler found out. While he was trying to do the right thing, and release the hook, the other plovers were swooping and trying to nail his head, very disconcerting. Eventually he got it sorted and the Plovers left him in peace. All this was watched from a safe distance by some locals.
Fishing Maggie by Boat
Strong winds and large swells hampered efforts to get too far out this week. Howie has perfected his inner west run across the bommies on the right height and gets a regular score of GTs smaller Queenies and Cod on his lure run, Picnic to Young and return. The beauty of this fishing, is , that it’s all weather, and minimal fuel.
I got out on Sunday, but it was horrible winds and chop. Fortunately we were only heading to HB for a Picnic with friends, and to see if there were whales around. I did see some birds working once, took the boat for a look but all I got was one Doggy and an esky full of Wolf Herring. Adam W, come and pre rig them for me please. Wolfie’s are perfect Spaniard Bait. Alas no whales, although with 15 knot chop they are harder to spot. It was still a nice Picnic lunch but the huge tides and strong winds has lifted that entire fresh shipping channel dredge and mixed it to a horrible coloured sludge. It would be awesome if economics didn’t rule the world and the dredge silt was not dumped in the bay, but that’s another fight. Lots of town boats had gone out, found the conditions were totally crap and ended up in HB and off to the Marlin Bar.
Josh cleaned up on Reds out near Bragg, but had to fight off dozens of hungry sharks to boat more than just the heads. He eventually bagged out, but it quite a battle.
Another 6 Marlin were tagged in Cleveland Bay, but not many Spaniards amongst all that bait.
Fishing Maggie on Land
Young Jackson and Co has switched lures for bait in the murky waters and has been doing tops at Picnic Bay Jetty. Putting in the hours and especially just on and just after dark, the boys have tallied 4 Golden Trevally, 4 Blue Salmon and some reef sharks in a good solid week of fishing. The boys also reported a big Hammerhead hanging around the pylons.
Graham E got a lovely Flathead in a difficult fishing week. These wonderful table fish are still skulking around the warm sandy shallows, in moderate tides, but during the stronger tidal runs they sit deeper, in the clearer water. This week will be a top week to target flatties on soft plastics again. Wednesday and Thursday look like good fishing days, tides and winds look great. I heard of some grunter to 60cm at West Point and a big Dusky in the Rocky area in Top bay, but otherwise WP has been pretty quiet.
The whiting enthusiasts might want to head over to Rocky where some big, (for us) Whiting are taking peeled prawn and Zman Grubz.
There are still some big squid being taken in the harbour. Imagine my face when a visitor told Graham and I in the shop he had tossed them back because he didn’t know what to do with them. He was told. Fortunately Wayne and David D know the value of squid.
Until next time gone Fishin’…. be back at dark-thirty
Cheers Dale
Fish’n N Fuel’n
36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay 4778-5126
For all of your fishing and sports hire gear. We hire and sell fishing rods, and snorkel equipment, plus sell bait, tackle, ice spear fishing equipment, toys, party, pool toys, and BIKE HIRE, SEGWAY TOURS and convenience supplies. Check out Kooler 24 hour Ice 7kg plus $4. New BIKE section. Rod and reel repair available.