Botany Bay Report - 20/5/07

Last week Cid commented about owning a stink boat and if you'd bother going out for just 2 hours. Now I know what some of you will say, however I have to report about the purchase of my own stink boat.

I recently purchased a Quintrex 385 Explorer and on Sunday Cid risked his Kayak Fishing reputation to join me for my first official outing in the dreaded STINK BOAT.

We launch from the ramp fondly known as "hole in the wall" at Sylvania Waters and made our way up to Kurnell armed with a little knowledge passed down from friend and fishing guide Gary Brown.

We rigged up some of the 6" Bass Assassin Twitch soft plastics and started casting at anything that looked like it would hold my target. Yes I've been lure fishing for nearly 10 years now and I've never before fished for Yellowtail Kingfish.

We made about 12 to 15 casts each and although I thought I'd had a touch on an early cast, that first kingie seemed to be avoiding me like the plague. We discussed moving to a well known bait ground to gather some live bait to increase our chances, however as luck would have it we decided to make a few more casts. Suddenly my rod bent over and the line screamed from the reel and I held on as the fish made an attempt to throw me. I held on and prayed as the fish made run after run try ing desperately to escape and then finally after 10 or 15mins she appeared neared the surface.

Cid and I looked at each other and then at the fish,"Wooho nice kingie" Cid said as he scooped her into the net, "she'll be well and truely legal" he said as he lowered the net on to the deck. We passed a number of congratulations and I held her aloft for some photo time.

We settled down and moved onto the drums where Cid was soon busted up by another kingie before he even had time to yell "I'm on !". It really wasn't Cid's day with a drifting session over the flats for flathead seeing Cid 's lure get thrown by a nice flattie only a metre or so from the boat.

New rod, new reel, new lure, new species and a new stink boat...was it worth the effort...You bet and at 72cm and 3.2kgs, I'll remember this first kingie forever.

cheers,
Fordy.