Thread: The Grey Seal Huon Seal

AJ , what were you thinking !.
Another ripper of a day here , very sunny , I'll be going out again soon , to catch some fish to take down to a couple of the kids and grandson.
yes , you are probably right , I am getting HS out more.
Simply because I'm happy to use her as a motor fishing boat , if I'm on my own.
Its a shame really , she is superb under sail , but motoring is better than not going out at all.
Regards Rob J.

Well , easily my best day of fishing on my own , ever.
I'm developing a good , and I believe safe technique for trolling , especially around the reefs.
I can't stand easily on her , the boom/sails are in the road , and in the big swells in front of the reefs , its not adviseable anyway.
So , I sit always facing the reef , and when I catch a fish I tiller with my back foot , work the accelerator with my front foot , while reeling the fish in.
I got right up to my bag limit today , in about an hour !.
I've got an esky full , to take down to the kids on the weekend.
Rob J.

Another incredible day trolling with HS.
I easily got my bag limit , in less than 2 hours.
I'm getting used to trolling from her now , I must have hauled in 40 + fish today.
Too Easy !.
Rob J.

Got out today too.
I'm no fisherman though. Need a dynamite license to even catch euro carp.

Hope you're keeping an eye over your shoulder for rogue waves.
There was a lengthy posting on the John Welsford mail list last week from a
bloke in the Caribbean who got caught & rolled onto a reef on a quiet day in a
19ft Pathfinder. Snapped the main mast & punched the mizzen through the
bottom, plus assorted other damages. Fortunately there were just the two
waves, and enough buoyancy chambers were intact to tow the boat through
the calm lagoon to shore. No injuries.
cheers
AJ

Before I came down here I used to catch carp in the Cairn Curran , that was about all I could catch.
Of course the res.was down to about 3% at that time.
It is full now.
Yes , I'm well aware of the swell here , it was 3 metres or so today , and lifting well in front of the reef.
Boats have been flipped there , but they were tinnies.
If I have any doubts I lower the centreboard , even when motoring , that steadies things down a bit.
I had a day about a month ago when the swell was that bad I got really badly seasick , only the second time that has happened.
But HS handles it all with aplomp , and yes , I keep my eyes peeled on what is happening around me.
I also have a chart plotter , I keep an eye on that too.
Regards Rob J.

'taint the regular swell that's the problem.
It's the rogues - the out of thin air monsters that does the damage.

Yep , exactly.
The time I got seasick we got some monsters that we didn't expect.
HS seemed to stand right up on her stern , she was under sail , and the foresails in particular seemed to pull her up and over.
They were very steep , and close together. I was very queasy till then , but that was the end of me , I was "calling for Bert ".
Even the CG boat copped some big waves over the stern on a recent rescue , with some flooding in the boat.
I'm going to see what the weather is like in a couple of hours , maybe I could go out again , and target whiting and squid .
Rob J.

AJ in regard to the waves , or swells.
On CG radio duty we always read out first when giving the weather "Please be aware
Wind gusts can be 40 percent stronger than the averages given here, and maximum
waves may be up to twice the height."
Thats something that you should always remember.
Regards Rob J , who is tossing up whether to chance rain squalls , for some trolling

I wimped out for trolling today , too wet and miserable.
Has anyone else done any trolling ?.
Rob J.

I hope to get out tomorrow , maybe down to Lawrence rocks.
One thing I haven't said is the interest HS generates , both as a sail boat , and as a motor fishing boat.
As a sailboat she is a magnet , and people wait for me to come in , to tell me how beautiful she looks.
But even as a motor fishing boat , with me going solo , people are watching her all the way.
Last time out I noticed a L/Cruiser with QLD plates shadowing her up the breakwater , then the bloke got out and watched me go around the end , and back down the breakwater again .
Then , blow me down , when I got to the town reef , there he was at the cliff face.
Dunno , I expect they don't get this sort of fishing boat up there in QLD .
Particularly one having the success I was having.
I only shifted my seat position once , when I turned around to come home , but the old arms and legs were going !.
Rob J.

I got down almost to Lawrence Rock today , but decided not to troll around it , there were a lot of cray pots down.
Caught 40-50 fish , gave away the Pike , and I'm boiling up couta for the chooks.
Maybe tomorrow , if it doesn't rain , I'll get out sailing with Leckie.
Rob J.

Well it did rain , so I stayed home and cooked my wife a nice roast for Mothers Day.
Here are a few photos of Sat.
The first is of my little tender , on the swing mooring , the second , paravane up , for my third Pike , you can see I haven't travelled far.
And the last is Lawrence Rock , where I was heading for.
The water was about the stillest I've ever seen it.
Rob J.

Well , a week of bad weather , but I got to take out HS today .
And it was successful , though not as successful as the last few times.
It was bloody cold though .
I quit when I was chilled to the bone , and another rain squall came through.
Hopefully it will be better on Wednesday , when I hope to go out again.
Regards Rob J.

I got out on Wednesday , and today , Friday , and got plenty of Pike , and 'couta.
Looks like a few rough days coming up.
The only down side was that the tenders outboard packed up.
The up side is that I could row out , and back , impossible a few months ago.
Regards Rob J.