Salmon & "Magic Carpet" Assault 2 @ Cosy Corner

Pardon me... Kayak was again not thrown into the washes, nevertheless the trip was very successful with salmon schools showing just metres away from shore.

Day 1 16th April Arrive at 9.30am to see a school of easily 100s in the bay while I stop at the carpark, by the time I've got my gears together and started casting, school disperse. 2 anglers who got there earlier got 3 hookup with pilchards but lost all to the reef. I casted every lures in my tacklebox from poppers to deep divers with no success.

From my last trip to Hamelin Bay i noticed tat there were huge rays crusing behind the first frontal break. Brought my heavy tackle along this time, stella 20000 loaded with 60lb with a pe8 bluerose jig rod, 10kg of drag. Cant cast very far with this setup but it wasnt necessary as the breakers were just 10 metres out. Out went a bull herring and the waiting game begin.

Didnt have to wait too long, black "magic carpets" started showing up crusing in and out behind the reef, slowly homing in on the direction of my bait. Next moment, all hell break loose, line from my reel was peeling at lightly fast speed, easily put those nuisance woodies rays to shame. All i could do was to hold on tight to my rod and prayed my knots will hold.

That's what I call hanging on to a fish. Practically hanging.

A tug of war for over 30mins showed sign of a winning battle. From my angle on the beach i could only judge tat it was a big ray and when its a couple of metres from me, it freaked me out. Its bloodly huge (to me) with its massive tail spike hanging above the water, beaching this majestic animal was not an option. Making sure I got a nice picture, i cut the leader and off it went. I let out a stunning.. Wooohooo.

From the picture it would have easily blanket me. Can't imgine how much it weight?? A fair call would be 40k+-. My biggest ray to date. =)

Sadly day 1 saw no salmon schools passing thr except a few stray ones with clear injuries on them, but with a big fight earlier who could've complain. Retreat into camp hoping for better day tomorrow.

Day 2 17th of April Woke up to a clear and beautiful morning. With a simple breakfast I was off casting poppers on the beach. Small schools of salmons were showing up every so often just metres from the shore. It was a matter of finding them, cast the lure over the school, pop the lure back, hopping for the BANG and Zzzzzz..

It was the beginning of a wonderful day!!!

Can you spot the salmons, roughy 5 metres from the shore.

It's astonishing to see salmons diverting from the school and go mad after the popper. I was testing the extend of how deeply affectionate they would go for my lure. One salmon was just centimetres from beaching itself on a quick retrival, only managed to get back into the water with the help of the backwash. Are they tat hungry (No bullshit, I'm equally stunned)?

I'll call that a decent one, looks bigger compared to my 1st assault.

All in all i bagged 3+ salmons, kept 2 and followed Mattyoga suggestion to bleed them immediately. One was given to my all time cameraman and another to Old Bloke (Herbs) who recommends salmons make delicious battered fish n chips.

Mission Accomplished!!!!

ps. Herbs n deperate2fish, i got the rays. It's plausible and I made it possible!

Regards,

Josh Tan