Fun & games at Hillarys
After not having too much success at a range of Metro spots recently, I decided to head back to my old reliable haunt at Hillarys last evening in the hope I could capture a decent fish.
I managed to sneak out of the office early so I arrived about an hour before sunset, which gave me time to throw out some soft plastics.
I carry a small, cheap, two piece, spin rod in my boot all the time, so I coupled that up with my Stradic 2500FI. Seems to be a pretty good combo as I was able to toss the soft plastics a fair way. The tip is probably a bit too soft, but it did the job. Using my 50c bargain barrel squidgys I picked up a herring and most exciting of all, a first, a pinky on soft plastics. Sadly it wasn't much bigger than the herring, but still it was good to catch a first.
After dark I pulled out my bigger outfit and threw out a few pilchards. There were plenty of bait fish hanging around my burley trail, and I had a few reasonable hits on my small outfit, which was now kitted up with my experimental rig, hoping a tailor or two might be around - or even a skippy or two.
Managed a few more herring on that rig and around 8.30pm I started to feel a bit hungry so I decided to start packing up. I set the small rod down with the drag almost on free spool and started collecting my pile of gear together when zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, the litle rod went off.
Picked it up, set the hook and tightened the drag up a bit. Whatever it was on the end of the line just kept going. I tightened the drag a bit more as I could see my line was half gone, no reaction. It just kept going.
Tightened the drag up a bit more as it headed for the end of the southern breakwall. Ping.
I learned a lesson there. Throwing out unweighted mulies at night on two kilo line off the rocks may be fun, but you aren't going to stop a decent fish. While it was probably a stingray, judging by the way it just peeled off with no head shakes, it will be the last time I fish that light off the rocks - especially at night.
All the best, Colin Hay
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Dreamweaver
Posts: 4688
Date Joined: 01/12/07
Hard lesson # 1
OOO, could feel the hurt and frustration there mate LOL. As you said, good change a ray - but it's that 'I'll just never know' pain that won't go away LOL.
Colin Molloy
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Soon to be de "dreamweaver" ed!
Colin Hay
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That's it exactly Colin
The never knowing. I went to sleep last night wondering.
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eddie
Posts: 303
Date Joined: 07/02/08
Everyone seems to catch
Everyone seems to catch rays/sharks off the rock walls, but I've never seen one. Not saying that I want to catch a ray...just saying I haven't seen one.
Colin, since you fish hillaries alot, may you can answer a question for me. Why is it that there are heaps of blowies off the north wall, but I've never seen one off the south wall??
I might try to sneak out for a few hours tomorrow morning on the south wall, I've done well with the herring, but so far haven't hooked anything bigger than a smallish skippy. I'd like to change that soon.
thanks for sharing your evening with us!
Colin Hay
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Date Joined: 23/10/07
I think that is because the north wall is normally
protected from the swell and the wind Eddie. There are still a few blowies on the south wall - just nothing like the numbers that swarm around the north wall.
That is why I normally fish the north wall from just before dawn or just before sunset.
You're time will come eddie. Try a few different rigs and different baits and eventually the fish you are after will come along. I find burleying up makes a big difference too.
Also, if you are fishing the north wall, you can normally fish with an unweighted bait. That can make a difference as well.
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Shortly
Posts: 92
Date Joined: 21/04/08
Its funny you had fun and
Its funny you had fun and games (no pun intended
) at Hillarys last night as we had fun and games off the south wall yesterday as well.
We burlyed up and after a wee bit of a wait we started to get some bites. We also were only using our light gear as we wern't expecting a "monster" fish to come along at that time of day.
After about half a dozen casts I hooked up and had a bit of a fight on my hands but managed to get in a 27cm Tarwhine. Next cast out and BANG, and I mean bang, this thing grabbed my hook and was off. I had my drag already set to fighting strength and this fish hooked himself. Had a lot of head shakes, this fish did not want to be caught. I could hardly turn the handle on my reel and the rod was shaking. I managed to reel him in, and onto the first set of rocks, where unfortunatly my line gave way and he splashed back into the water.
Unfortunatly I didn't get a look at him, as I am scared of heights and wont go down to the bottom of the rocks.
After much swearing and contemplation as to what it could of been, I put on a new hook and cast out again. I did not expect to have the thing hit me again, but sure as hell it did, and once again took off, managed to get it in close where it decided it didnt like my line and decided to bite it off, I say bite as i still had my running sinker attached and it wasnt that close to the rocks to have it break on them.
15 minutes later, it hit my partners bait, same thing, head shakes and a bust off, he lost his whole rig which included a burley sinker. He threw another one on, and after another few casts it was hooked up again, we couldnt believe it. Once again however, he busted us off.
We still have no idea what it was, but it was fun whilst it lasted. Who ever catches the "monster" can send all jewellery found on said "monster' back via fishwrecked.
Colin Hay
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That's pretty exciting news Shortly
I am definately going back down there for round two.
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Albee Mangles
Posts: 985
Date Joined: 20/05/08
oh..
Oh, so when i was cruisin along round the marina last nite, and had to untangle all that line of the outboard with a mulie at the end......
Jokes mate
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Colin Hay
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You must have had an invisible boat Albee
There were a few boats and ski paddlers around early, but buy 8.30 they had all gone to bed.
I had a guy in a jet ski chop up my braid recently. The guy saw me there with my line out and he still, veered in towards the rocks and went straight over the top of it. Not happy Jan.
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Leemo
Posts: 3712
Date Joined: 22/02/07
i had a sail boat cut my
i had a sail boat cut my 30lb line off whilst fishing the tip of the north wall. i was furious because something was playing around with it for a while and took a bit of line. then snapppppppp!!!!! i tell ya i was not happy jan!
iv hooked 3 rays at hillaries and iv only landed one fiddler ray.
bludgin' since 94'
Colin Hay
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Bummer SoI
There are a few rays there alright.
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tommo77
Posts: 461
Date Joined: 20/06/08
Im heading down tomorrow
Im heading down tomorrow morning at about 830am i want some gardies at the north wall .. might try the end of the south wall where you were colin chuck out some unweighted mulies.
Can any of you suggest a great little fishing rod for herring and gardies etc all smaller fish for under $100 im looking at buying a new one next week!
Cheers fellas
Neander
Posts: 520
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Tommo, go along to the
Tommo, go along to the fishwrecks night at Tacleshop, I am sure there will be something at the right price for you, and spending over 100 bucks you wil go into the raffle for a new reel.
mako magic
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yeah tommo as neander said,
yeah tommo as neander said, come down tuesday night , we will be able to fix you up with a decent outfit for that price, and you can get to meet a few of the other guys from here that will be down as wll mate.
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Paul G
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Not to worry ,it was only
Not to worry ,it was only the little snappers mum or dad giving you a hard time, yes not a good feeling wondering what may have been..
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Colin Hay
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Lol Paul
I am pulling out the big guns next time, just in case they come back.
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