Tag Archives: catching Mulloway on soft plastics

Flat Rock and Whites Head – 14 August 2020

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After weeks of heavy swell it appeared it would relent for a bit on Friday. The forecast was for a light north westerly breeze and a 1.1 metre swell. I arrived just on first light and walked out to the rock platform at Flat Rock, just north of Ballina. It was about a week to go before the new moon and during dawn I would be fishing off the southern side of the platform. I walked out as the horizon was glowing and rigged up. However, as I got to the south side I could see the swell was still pretty heavy and the tide was too high to fish safely, so I changed direction.

Big swell and plenty of bream at Whites Head

I walked back along Sharps Beach to Whites Head. The tide was running out and the swell had eased a little, but there were still some bigger wave sets coming through. I was fishing with my light rock fishing set up – Shimano Stella 4000 and Daiwa Crossfire Surf 1062 , 20lb braid and 20lb leader. For my first cast I tied on a 1/6th ounce, 1/0 hook jighead and loaded a GULP 4″ minnow in the Watermelon Pearl colour. I cast straight out in front between a couple of bommies, after a few casts I was getting hits close to the base of the rocks. I slowed things down and let the lure sit about 1 metre off the ledge, for as long as I dared. This did the trick and I hooked and landed a bream, about 30 cm long. After a few more casts I landed a good sized dart. The dart are often around and seem to get fired up when the wind turns northerly.

Dart, dart and then snap

The smaller bream kept trying to pull the soft plastic off the jighead and eventually they succeeded. I reloaded with a GULP 4″ shrimp in the Peppered Prawn colour and kept casting. I lost a couple of rigs to the rocks and then after about 30 mins of nothing I felt a solid bite very close to the base of the rocks. I dropped my rod tip, paused and then struck. I set the hook and the fish took off on a powerful first run. I was pretty sure it was a school mulloway/ jewfish and I soon saw a flash of silver. It looked around 70 to 80 cm long. After couple of decent runs it was pretty much spent, but I looked up to see a big set of waves coming. I tried to muscle the fish up the rocks on a smaller wave ahead of the set, but as I pulled I felt the rod tip snap. A few seconds later as I retreated from the big set, the line went slack and the fish was gone with the jighead.

I did not have a back up rod but I was determined to have another try, so I re-rigged with no tip, same jighead, same soft plastic. I waited for what looked like a fairly calm period. I cast out and tried to keep the soft plastic travelling along the same path as its predecessor. Once more I paused the lure as close as I could to the base of the rocks. When I lifted the rod there was a fish there. I had the drag fairly tight this time and after a quick fight I used the swell to pull a handsome looking jewfish up to my feet. Unfortunately it measured in at about 72 cm , so I released it, unharmed, after taking a few pictures.

Whites Head Mulloway/ Jewfish

I decided that I did not want an even shorter rod so I packed up for the morning.

Port Augusta – Spencer Gulf – Mulloway – 17 October 2016

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Monday

Back in October I was on my way up to a mine in South Australia, and I had to stop at Port Augusta overnight. I had my Shimano telescopic rod and a few soft plastics lures and so I wandered through the Arid Lands Australian Botanic Gardens http://www.aalbg.sa.gov.au/ and down to the river, by the railway bridge, in the afternoon.

This spot is almost at the top of the Spencer Gulf. It was fairly windy but the water was clear and the terrain looks very fishy, with mangrove lines banks and a mixture of sand, mud and rubble on the bottom.

The Shimano telescopic rod is a very unsophisticated tool, but it is easy to pack and if you put on a decent reel (in this case my Shimano Stradic 4000) it functions well. The tide was running in and it was about 3.30 pm when I started fishing.

I was using 12lb fluorocarbon leader and 16lb braid for my main line. I put a GULP 3” Minnow soft plastic in the Pearl Watermelon colour on a 1/8th ounce, size 1 hook jighead and cast at the bottom of the railway bridge pylons.  The first takers were a few juvenile salmon, that always seem to be present in the area.

I lost a couple of rigs to the rocks on the bottom. At about 4.00 pm I thought I was snagged again but the rod tip started moving. The fish took a bit of line in a long initial run and then paused sitting in the strong current. I made sure the drag was not to tight and let the fish run again. I kept winding and after a few minutes I had a healthy mulloway/ jewfish at my feet. It was about 60cm long and after a few pictures I released it.

I could not find anymore and at about 5.15 pm I gave up. However, the episode reinforced my belief in never travelling without a rod – however unsophisticated.

 

Iluka – Woody Head – 1 October 2014

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Wednesday

Many claim it was Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. But there is no evidence that he ever said it, thought it or wrote it.  However as with all good clichés, there is an element of truth in it, especially for fishermen.

For this reason I decided not to return to Middle Bluff on Wednesday morning and to go instead to Woody Head – the next headland to the north. When the swell is light and the tide is low or falling, there are few better fishing spots.

I parked up and walked out on to the rock platform at about 5.00 am. The wind had stayed a northerly and the swell was fairly gentle, but there was still the odd large set of waves coming through. Boots with felt soles or studs, or both are essential, if you intend to venture out here, as is a PFD. The tides ensure almost every surface is a suitable home for green and black slimy weed and the barnacles here are responsible for plenty of long term scar tissue. So it is only relatively safe when the swell is under 1 metre and the tide is about half way out and falling.

It was another magnificent sunrise. I wandered out to the front of the rock platform to a spot called the Barnacles. I rigged up the light rod (NS Blackhole) with 14 lb fluorocarbon leader and ¼ ounce, 1/0 size hook jighead and a GULP Crazylegs Jerkshad, in the Curry Chicken colour. I lost the first rig to the rocks – fishing is expensive in this kind of terrain. I rigged up again with the same set up. I cast out and let the jig head sink. I left it as long as I dared and then hopped it in a little closer to the rocks. As I lifted it again I felt it stop and then line started peeling. The fish ploughed off to the south, parallel with the rocks. This was tricky as I could not stay lined up with it for long. I Let it run and then fairly quickly took back some line and tightened the drag a little. It turned but tried to bury itself at the foot of the rocks. It was now weakening but the leader was caught on some rocks and I could feel it rubbing. I loosed the drag right off and waited. Fortunately it swam out and freed the leader. Now I tightened again and pulled it up on the next surge of water. After a couple more waves I had it at my feet. A solid mulloway –  it was 76 cm and legal size in both Queensland and NSW. At last we would have a taste of the fish I had been catching all week and releasing.

I dispatched it, gutted and cleaned it. Then I headed back to the rocks for another try. It had destroyed my last GULP Crazy Legs Jerkshad so I put on a 4” Minnow in the Green Camo colour. Back to the same spot – bang, first cast and I have a fish on again. The drag was still set too tight from the final stages of the fight with the last one and after a big initial run, before I realised, it found a rock and snapped me off.  I assume it was another mulloway. I re-rigged and continued fishing for another 30 minutes with no result. The swell was building and the tide rising. So at about 7.45am, I gave up and took my prize back to the cabin.

Hat Head – ‘The Death Hole’ & ‘The Island’ 20 September 2012

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Thursday

Hat Head was turning into a Jewfish expedition. Apart from a single Trevally, I had caught only Jewfish. On Thursday, I was determined to explore some different spots around the headland and hopefully, catch some different species. There was distinct lake of bait around and the water was very cold, perhaps this was making it hard to catch anything else.

I started at the Jewfish spot (could not resist), at dawn. This produced nothing but I did watch a small pod of Tuna swim by just after dawn – of course, they stayed well out of casting distance. By 7.00 am I had not had a bite. The wind was a light northerly so I decided to take the track over to the other side of Hat Head and have a look at the ledges around ‘the Island’.

The Island is on the eastern side of the headland and is reached down a steep path. It’s logical to fish this side during strong northerly winds, as it is sheltered. You can walk across a sand spit to reach the Island at low tide but by the time I arrived it was the second half of the run in tide and I could not get out to it.

There are rock ledges, channels and drains all around. They looked like they would all hold fish but, try as I might, I could not get a bite. Admittedly, it was neither dawn nor dusk but I was really surprised that there was nothing around.

I carried on to the rock ledges around Connors Beach and fished the one known as ‘No.1’. This also looked very promising but produced nothing. After wandering around all day, I had nothing so I marched back to the Jewfish spot, in time for dusk.

I arrived about 5.00 pm. I had the heavy rod this time and was fishing with a GULP 4” Pearl Watermelon Minnow on a ¼ oz 2/0 jighead. I was using 20lb fluorocarbon leader. I fished for half an hour with no result and then, right on 5.30 pm, I felt a solid bite. I paused and then struck and there was a fish on the line. I played it out and pulled it round to the easier landing point, at my feet and gently pulled it up the rocks. It was another keeper sized Jewfish – about 60 cm long. There was enough in the fridge, so I released it. I fully expected a few more, but that was it, all over. I fished on for 45 minutes, until it was completely dark and tried a range of soft plastics without another hit.

Sunrise Hat Head
The Hat Head Spinning Ledge
Its a long steep walk down to ‘the Island’
Just north of ‘the Island’
There is so much fishy water all round ‘the Island’
Looking back at Smokey Beach
The fish was in the foamy water at the foot of the rocks
A long day of fishing – but persistence paid off

I had wandered around fishing from dawn to dusk for only one fish. It appears I could have rested my weary legs and just fished half an hour at dusk, to achieve the same result. But that is how fishing works, you put in the hours of exploring so that next time, you will have more idea of where to fish and when to fish.

I fell into bed after a shower, a few Jewfish fillets and a mug of red wine. Only one fish but that is all you need sometimes.

Hat Head – the Spinning Ledge – 18 September 2012

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Tuesday

A few bad days fishing and a distinct lack of trophy fish this year, combined to convince me I needed to go exploring. I have always wanted to go and fish the rock ledges at Hat Head in New South Wales and so I drove down from Brisbane on Monday. It’s a long way 500+ kms but Hat Head has almost legendary status among rock and land based game fisherman so I wanted to see it and, hopefully catch a few fish.

I arrived late afternoon Monday and checked into a cabin at the caravan park. Rain had been threatening all day and a strong northerly was blowing. It was about 4.30 pm, so I decided to walk the track around Korogoro Point (Hat Head) before dark so I could get an idea of where to fish in the morning. It takes about an hour to walk around the headland and the track is pretty good.

Next morning I was glad I had done the recce. I was up at 3.30 am and loaded up with light and heavy rods and all my gear and marching across the small foot bridge from the township to the National Park at about 4.00 am. The new moon had emerged on Monday so there was virtually no light. The track was difficult to make out with just my headlamp, so I was glad I had a general idea of where I was going. It was a bit cloudy, but with no moon the stars were pretty impressive.

I carried my rods out front to avoid a face full of overnight spider webs. I had decided to fish first on the ‘Spinning Ledge’ on the north east side of the headland. This is probably the safest fishing spot on the headland and seemed like the best place to get acquainted with local conditions. I followed the path slowly along the north side of the headland and arrived at about 4.45 am, just as the horizon was showing a hint of light.

I sat down well away from the water’s edge and rigged up while watching the swell. There was lots of foamy wash so I decided to start with the heavy rig and throw a few large DUO shallow diving hard bodied minnows. I was fishing with the Shimano Stradic 8000FJ and Daiwa Demon Blood 962H rod, 30lb braid and initially, a 30lb fluorocarbon leader.

First on the scene was a whale, less than 50 metres off shore, I heard it blow and scanned the water. I just caught site of its shiny black back as it submerged. A minute or so later it reappeared. It hung around for about 15 minutes surfacing every now and then. I started fishing, but after about thirty casts I had not had a bite on the hard body, so I decided to swap to a soft plastic lure.

I stuck with the big rod and tied on a 3/8th oz 2/0 hook jighead and chose a GULP 4” Smelt Minnow. I did not get any bites for about 15 minutes. I then felt a solid hit at the base of the rocks, but did not hook up. I pulled the plastic up and it had a big bite mark. I peppered the area with casts but came up blank.

I moved a little further round the rocks towards the area known cheerily as the ‘Death Hole’. There is an inlet here which looks like it has a cave at the back. The mouth of the inlet looked very fishy so I changed soft plastics to a GULP 5” Crazylegs Jerkshad in the Black Shad colour. I cast out into the middle of the inlet and let the lure sink.

When I started the retrieve I thought it was snagged, in fact I think a fish had eaten it and taken it under a ledge. I tightened the drag and gave a solid heave to try and break it off and then it came out and started fighting. I loosened the drag a little and looked at my options for landing the fish. It did not look good, the water was a few metres below me and there was a flat wall down to it. I tried to pull the fish around to the front of the mouth of the inlet to a more sloped ledge, where I could grab it.

But the fish would not give up, I tightened the drag again but it just kept taking line as I tried to turn its head. Then I saw it – it was a very decent Jewfish – around 10 to 15 kg. Try as I might I just could not get it round to the landing point and after a decent fight it eventually got its head down under a rock and the leader sawed through.

I caught my breath, re-rigged with the same soft plastic and thought a bit more carefully about where to land a fish, if I found another. I cast out my offering and the fish took it before it reached to bottom. This was a much smaller Jewfish and I was able to lift it up with the rod. It was just over 50 cm, so I put it in the keeper bag. It was now about 6.45 am and high tide would be at about 9.30 am.

I cut the head off the soft plastic, put it back on the jighead and chucked it back out. Three casts later and I was on to another fish. This one was bigger so I let it take a few runs in the wash before coaxing it round to the sloping rock. Then I tightened the drag and pulled it up the sloping rock with a decent wave. I grabbed the leader and gently pulled it up to my feet, where the leader snapped. I grabbed the fish. It was another Jewfish that measured just under 70cm.

Over the next hour, I had a few more bites but no hook ups. I got snagged and lost the last of the GULP Crazylegs Jerkshads in the tackle bag, so I swapped to a regular Jerkshad in the Cajun Chicken colour and dropped down to a 20lb leader. A few casts later I felt a solid hit and I was hooked up again. This was another small Jewfish, around 45 cm. I landed it safely, took out the lure and put the fish back. I carried on until about 8.30 am and then decided it was time to get the fish back to the fridge.

It was a long walk back with about 5kg of fish and all my gear, but it had been a great introduction to Hat Head.

Iluka – Woody Head – Jewfish – 13 April 2011

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Wednesday

After catching a monster Tailor the day before – expectations were high. I had to go back to the ‘The Barnacles’ at Woody Head. The tide was a bit higher on dawn and therefore made things a bit harder.

I rigged up on a dry rock, in the pre-dawn light, at about 5.30 am. There was a light but cold, south-westerly wind. The water, which came over the rocks and sloshed around my feet, felt very warm in comparison. Unfortunately the tide was higher and I soon got a good soaking from a wave that slapped into the rock face. Now the wind felt really cold.

I started with a GULP 5” Pumpkinseed Jerkshad on a 3/8th oz size 3/0 hook, jighead. On about my fourth cast, a fish nailed the lure and took off. It head down into the rocks and ping – the leader broke off at the jighead and it was gone. I put on another soft plastic and jighead and a few casts later I had another fish on. This time I got it over the first ledge of rocks and I could see he was a decent Tailor. As I tried to get him over the next set, the leader broke again. The same thing happened twice more in the next twenty minutes.

When I returned to my bag I figured out why. While rigging up earlier in the dark I had grabbed the 16lb, instead of 30lb leader. I quickly tied on the heavier leader. I had now run out of Pumpkinseed coloured soft plastics, so I switched to a GULP Crazylegs Jerkshad in the Lime Tiger colour. I cast back out. I walked up and down the ledge casting directly in front of me and pausing for as long as I could with the lure in the wash, in front of the rocks. The wind was behind me so I could put in good, long casts.

After a few retrieves another fish grabbed the lure as it sank. It felt like good one and made a slow but forceful initial run. I turned its head, tightened the drag and surveyed the swell. I pulled it to my feet with the aid of the next surge, which soaked me to the waist. I reached down and grabbed it behind the gills – it was a very healthy 70cm Jewfish/ Mulloway. That was enough for me and soaked and cold, I headed home with another nice fish.

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