Hey guys,

I'm back. This trip south, to Hamelin was pretty much a last minute decision. Herbs came about with the planning and booking, while Chris settled the logistic, basically Jeff and I just tagged along with the trip. So a big thanks to the two gentlemen for the invite.



Day 1, 1st of May, we set off at 4pm and arrived at Hamelin Caravan Park around 3 hours later. Picked the keys to our room and we’re off to the local pub for dinner. After countless pints of beer and tall tales, we resided back into the caravan, looking forward to some very intense fishing the next day.



Day 2, 2nd of May, we’re greeted with a hazy morning, presuming a forest fire had broken out over the night, which would otherwise had been a beautiful morning; weather was calm and the swells were down. By 10am, all 3 of us excluding Jeff were down at the beach ready to launch our kayaks.



Fishing was hot if you consider WRASSE a catch… every notches, crevices and nicks were screaming with wrasses; big and small in every color. After bagging a gazillion of them, we called it quit (by the way, they’re all caught and released). A few bull herrings and skippies were kept for tea.



Highlight of the day was a huge seal which went round Chris’s yak, giving him a good scare and then passed between Herb and myself, all the while throwing an angry stare at Herb.

Back on land, we’re very surprise to see the commercial fishermen rounding up and netting a huge school of salmon, estimating 5 tons, so late in the season. It was my first time seeing how it’s done, a sight to remember and to judge on how wasteful those beautiful pelagic fishes ending up as pet food or crayfish bait, something which I’ll never understand.



Btw, Jeff found himself a patch firing with sand whitings while bait fishing from the shore. The day ended with a delicious servicing of fry fish graciously cooked by Herb. Also had POD, pasta of the day which got washed down beautifully with plenty more beers at the pub.

Day 3, 3rd of May at 6am, I walked out the public washroom just off the beach, a small school of salmon cruising pass the breakers caught my sign. Happened to be a well prepared, I’ve got the gears with me and in goes the popper. The line tightened after a mere slight pop and I strike. BANG!!! Effortlessly it took me to the back of a reef some 20 meters away which ping me off, all within 30 seconds. There goes my lure. Went back and had breakfast. What a start to a gorgeous morning!!!

Again no dramas, by 9am our kayaks got out in between some sandy patches. Burley up and our kayaks was swarm with fishes. It was a case of baiting up the hook, drop the rig down to the bottom, tap, tap and the BANG..ZZzzz!!!! While Herbs and Chris were bagging in on the horses, over 40 centimeters Skippy, I was getting their smaller counterpart with wrasses in the mix.



Amongst the chaos, Chris shouted over my shoulder that he saw a school of what he reckoned salmons in the hundreds swam under his kayak toward Herbs and me. Poppers were casted in random directions.

Highlight of the day, I saw herbs winding his popper just about boat side when SPOOSH, a salmon went for it. All I can say it was big salmon. Too bad it didn’t stay connected. At the speed the school was moving through, it was pointless to chase and the action died down soon after. Those skippys would have shitted their pants when a school of hungry salmons swam through them. Had a safe surf return not long after. Some spear-fisherman found my lure the salmon took in the morning and was given back to me.. thats random.



Oh… I got my hands on some huge abalones. Those green lips make my roe abalones collection child’s play. It’s time to get my scuba gears ready and to prepare myself to brave the element; the GWS aka Great White Shark.



I’m so tired; guess my age is catching up.

Ps. I’ll do a write out on what I can recollect from my pass abalones harvest when I have the time. Stay tune!!!

Cheers,
Josh Tan

Attack of the Australian Salmons

Good day guys,

I’m back from Yallingup, 3th times south this month, clocked over 2500+km. Probably could've memorize the entire road kills’ locations by now. Seen their transformation; from fresh to bloated to junky stages.

This trip was tough as compared, the salmon schools are getting smaller and fewer between, makes spotting for them very hard, signalling the season coming to an end. Casted lures for 2 straight days into every possible fish-holding gutters within range. I was more determined and the extra effort was eventually paid off.

Day 1, 24th april, was uneventful with no salmon catches. A family that arrived earlier had 4 salmons from a school that was herded close to shore by a pod of dolphins.

Day 2, 25th april. Didn’t have to wait long on the second day, sighted a school holding position in a gutter while walking the beach. I casted my popper behind them and worked the lure back frantically. BANG, roughly 4 meters away from the shore, my popper was smashed big time. I ran along the beach trying to drag the fish out of the gutter, away from the school, hoping not to spook the rest and in that instance, through the curl of the wave, I saw about 8 salmons cruising along after it. I was pumped, my heart was in my mouth. Just imagine the level of adrenaline pumping thr my vents. Without any commotion the fish was landed after putting up an awesome fight; tail dance and leaping a metre clear off the surface half a dozen times.



Again the popper went back into the gutter which resulted in another immediate hookup. Same old same old, got the fish in eventually. Didn’t attempt to cast my lure after getting my second fish of the day, I’m a happy man, got what i came for and left the place, yet again, very contented.

Noticed the salmons from my second day had scaring on them. One of them even looked like it came from a shark.

Also lots of venomous man o'war jellyfish washed up on shore, watchout there. :x :x


Hopefully those salmons are still around when i head south again on 1st of May with Herbs, Jeff and Chris.

Cheers,
Josh Tan

DeepFry Cephalopoda Rings

Weather didn't fair too well these few days. I'm stuck at home doing nothing except reading my books, with a few frictional ones thrown in between.

I'm left pondering what would further increase my chance in the coming May 17th, Calamari Tournament. Went online shopping today, trying to stock up on the latest Yozuri squid jigs, something my partner would definitely disagree (got to admit i discreetly bought a "few").

Came across some pass and recent squidding pictures and videos in my computer (current year). So after compiling them, and with my "excel" pass record in editing movies, I hope this amateur video will astonish anyone who have never catch squid before and didn't know they can be caught using rod and line to give it a try. No dirty/smelly baits required but do watch out for their ink.

For those who are fisherman incline, again I can't help emphasizing the advantages of doing any forms of fishing/squidding from a watercraft, which in my case a kayak. It opens a whole new environment which previously wasn't accessible for a land-base angler like me.

Generally, I'm in an area untouch by people from land and deem "too close to shore" by boaters, a zone which can be rich in marine resources that may have been long forgotten.

Regards,

Josh Tan

The Fish God granted me a PINK SNAPPER

The Fish God has shown a liking toward me for the whole of this week; from Australian Salmons to enormous Oceanic Black Ray. Today, he has granted me a legal size PINK SNAPPER on lure. Thank you very much!!!

Had a late night and a hangover on sunday morning, only manage to launch my kayak at around 9.45am 19th April. Reached woodies and i realised I've left my pedal (glad I'm a hobie owner, can still move) and my fishfinder at home. Thats a "nice" start, hac it.. I went ahead.

While heading out, I saw Herbs and Chris over at the seagrass meadows. Exchange greeting and was told that there was a handful of fellow yakkers out at the usual spot. Thats one situation where you dont want to join the crowd (so as to increase my odds). So I took out my gps and headed the opposite direction along the same dropoff.

15mins into my trolling, I notice a yellow yak not far from me (turn out to be Shorty). Continue trolling north until i was awaken by my drag.. the pleasantly sounded ZZZzzzz.... The pull was so strong it took some effort to get the rod out from the holder. By the time the rod was out, the fish had taken quite abit of line. Felt the head shake and knew i was onto sometime good. Safe played the fish until it was yak-side.

Oh so i've forgotten the net aswell. Gently having to slide my hand below the fish, with a quick lift it was safely in the yak.. another Yaaahoooo for this week. Obviously, after forgetting to bring so many things, i didnt have an icebox too so headed in immediately, reached carpark at 12pm. All in all it was a lucky day for me despite my odds.



ps. finally got my "red passport" to woodies.. and being my first, its my PB at 68cm to fork.

Regards,
Josh Tan

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