Skipjack Attack

Roman writes, about our fishing trip yesterday:

Thanks Andrew, I had probably the most memorable fishing day I've ever had. So thank you very much for a great experience and wonderful memories.

What a day. The story is that, for three months now, we’ve been waiting for the salmon to arrive off Sydney. They suit my fishing preferences perfectly because I love to see the crew having a top time. And that’s what happened yesterday. Sure, there have been the odd small schools, and fish being caught by flyrodders at dawn. But what we’ve been waiting for is the huge rolling schools, too big to be boat shy, where everyone can hook up on light tackle as often as they want. So when videos like this started arriving from clients last week, I knew our long wait was over. Thanks to Gary Wyatt:

Today 2.58 mainly 1000s of salmon I didn’t have anything small enough for them.. a bit of surface action around the piers on Barangaroo side of goat island all afternoon also

You didn't have anything small enough? Mate, what about our ten gram jigs. The flame was lit! Down to the ramp on Saturday morning. Launched and over to The Spit to pick up the crew. Xavier, Oscar, Miles and Roman are still in high school. You couldn’t find a keener bunch of fishos anywhere. First stop Goat Island, just west of the Harbour Bridge, which Gary recommended. With the winds forecast to be pretty brutal we thought it a good idea to check for action inside, before heading offshore. It was:

Yes I’m biased but our 10 gram metals are the exact length and size of the bait these pelagics are feeding on. The crew are absolute tackle junkies who spend every sent on gear. But these were their preference for everything. And so cheap, at just $44 for 10 jigs delivered:

Down to the Heads – where we found the salmon washing machine. There was no holding the lads back. Xavier:

Miles:

Oscar:

And Roman, giving our 802 Blue combo a major workout:

Yours truly was kept busy trying to keep the boat off the bombies in the strong winds and swell. Our $120 802 Blue combo excelled itself because to hook a salmon, you have to reach a salmon. The 802 Blue combo will cast a 10 gram metal a measured 55 metres. That puts your metal right in the strike zone. Check it out here:

After an hour or two of non stop battles with salmon and trevally we were ready for a break. Especially since one of the team was feeling seasick in the slop. So after a call of ‘last fish, lads’:

we headed back into Watsons Bay for a break, and some fish and chips. Thirty minutes later it was back out through the Heads again and this time we were looking for mutton birds working wider out to sea. The chase was on for striped tuna AKA skipjack. We found them:

Roman had gone up a power grade from the 802 Blue rod to our Infinite Seabass 822H. Simply because a stiffer rod was needed to punch our heavier 40 gram jigs into the wind. Good call, Roman:

He stuck with our Lesson 3000 reel which has nine ball bearings, carbontex drags, and is spooled with 200 metres of 3 or 6 kilo colour change braid. That handled the tuna's long hot runs just fine. Price? Just $58, including line and delivery:

All credit to Roman for a long and successful battle on light tackle, in strong winds and big seas:

Out again later this week and keen to do it all again now that school holidays have arrived. Can’t recommend chasing these pelagic on light gear too highly! No big gear or long runs to the Shelf needed. And they’ll be around for at least another six weeks, going on past experience. Give it a try? You won’t regret it. Thanks for reading,

Andrew Hestelow
Managing Director
https://www.downriggershop.com
Tel. 0402075000

Also in Tackle News