Mid North Coast

Matt's misfortune almost put an end to this trip, but the chance to have a beer with a couple of gentlemen and to fish with one was enough to proceed. That and the opportunity to whet Matt's appetite for Spot F1 further.

Saturday morning was near perfect with an easy enough surf launch, 2m swell coming from two directions and wind around 10kt. Plan to troll around to the spot and try for snapper was immediately interrupted by Mick hooking a small bronzie on an xrap. Forgot the camera so no pics. Was an opportunity to test the shark shield though. Cruised by a few metres away with the shark close to his ski and it got very agitated. Mick got his lure back and released the fish.

We then trolled without further attention to the spot. Sounded up some likely territory and set about drifting. Could only manage an undersized snapper and an sb. Mick got busted off by another shark? and dropped what was probably a snapper. More trolling without result so time to head in. Having stowed everything except my hat and learning that its a good idea to turn of the shark shield before bring it in (involuntary movements of my low legs ensued) we headed to the surf zone and both ended up on the same wave. I thought it was too big and tried to lean out of it but was in no position to do so and paid the price, losing my hat of course. Only consolation was seeing that Mick had also come a cropper on the wave.

Sunday same plan and a similar start. Except of course, I got cocky on the launch and paid for my pride, but only by getting wet. Mick copped a substantially bigger shark on an xrap and fought it valiantly for at least 30 min, with his TLD's drag having come loose making it much harder to fight.





Eventually he busted off, letting the shark keep its jewelry. A couple of drifts produced a keeper snapper, a juvenile samson that went back and a large sb (about 2kg of what the hell is this?).



Trolled back to the beach, stowed everything and headed in. Mick got the last big wave of a set and by the account of the gathered masses acquitted himself very well until he got cleaned up. I simply paddled in with some slight assistance of a couple of innocuous waves.

Good to catch up with Matt and to meet Mick