Even though the currents looked all wrong and the temps were down the weather looked far too good not to get out there and have a shot on Saturday.
First stop was the mountain where there was a fleet or maybe it was an armada of fishing boats all bottom dropping. It didn’t take too long to bag out on Gemmies, using one electric reel, also managing a nice Blue Eye in …the mix. It is apparent that the Gemmies are increasing in number, though not in size, making it more difficult to target the Blue Eye. I must say it amazes me to see boats out there using two and three electric reels, surely they must bag out in just two or three drops yet they stay out for hours – do they just keep killing Gemmies until they get the Blue Eye.
Next was to get out to the temp break another thirty miles out and hopefully find a tuna or two. We saw lots of bait both deep and on the surface on the way out and on the radio heard of a few Striped Marlin hook ups and I think one was brought to boat. About forty five miles out with still another ten to go we found an area where there were Pilot Whales, dolphins and surprisingly Sperm Whales working with occasional showers of Sauries showing – this had to be the spot.
We worked the area for a while to no avail. There was another smaller boat trolling out there too and as he passed a couple of hundred metres in front of us he hooked up and landed a very nice Yellowfin around the sixty kilo range, the luck of the game.
I later learned that further South, one report saying off Sydney and another saying off the Kiama canyons there were several Yellowfin taken, I don’t know if it was the same report or not but with the current running North they will hopefully get closer and of course that tongue of warm water to the North East is coming down bringing who knows what.
In May anything can happen…
Tight Lines,
Ivan
 
Attached are a couple of shots of a Striped Marlin we caught late on Saturday…
moving South with the current as the week progressed and extending down to Sydney. Amongst the Blues there were quite a few Spearfish and some good sized Black Marlin along with Mahi Mahi and the occasional Wahoo. In short nothing much has changed since the week before.
Where they’ll be this week is anyone’s guess. The change in weather and the Southerly blowing this week could send that Southerly current anywhere but if it keeps moving South it will certainly liven up the Broken Bay tournament providing the weather plays ball.
Anyway back to reality, though the Kings still reign off Sydney being found in numbers schooling around the harbour with Salmon amongst them, mostly undersize but for those that know there are some good ones to be found – good bait being the sec
Offshore Sydney the fishing remains patchy, the water being relatively cool for this time of year. But the occasional Stripy is turning up and some large ones at that, Warren Night of ‘Midnight’ tagged one of 130kg. plus after first calling it a Blue, a common occurence. Big Dollies are ranging about, Warren’s daughter taking a 17 kg. specimen in 15 kg. line for a potential Women’s record.
Though the fishing off Sydney is hard going at present Port Stephens is starting to happen, I don’t have exact details yet but I have heard reports of multiple taggings but I don’t know if they were Stripes or the inshore Blacks which are increasing in numbers along the coast and apparently going off at South West Rocks which augers well for the Interclub and points South in the coming weeks.
