The drive went surprisingly quickly and kudos to me, I didn't fall asleep once. We arrived 15 minutes before the briefing, so we couldn't have timed it much better. I gotta tell ya, these guys from Hobie and ABT really know how to put on a good show. All the yaks were set up ready to go. After the sign in, we were given the run down on how to use the sounder and all the other gear that was included on every yak. Mine was number 34. I hoped that wasn't a sign of the place where I'd come in this GF.
It was great to catch up with all the familiar faces, especially the Mexican Crew, those shifty-looking Victorians that seem to have unlimited travelling funds and brownie points and get to nearly all the comps that occur during the year. After the usual banter, it was back to the accommodation to rig up for the next day.One monumental occurrence that God oh God I wish I'd filmed was the sight of Craig450 and his reaction when we had a bat flying around our lounge room. I'll let him tell the story, so just ask him next time you see him at a comp. : )
The next day we set off one by one and the field split up. Being all new to me, I had no idea of where may be better than anywhere else, so I started drifting across some flats trying various SP's and HB's. I had a whack on my fourth or fifth cast, but that was it. I persevered for another two drifts before deciding it was time to try other waters and I headed over towards the shoreline in an area known as Siberia and let myself drift with the increasing wind.
Out with the drift chute and I'm flicking a 100 mm Squidgy bloodworm wriggler on a 1/40th HWS jighead. The first fish is a small flattie but it's not long after that I get what I came all this way for. It's a bream, not huge at 30 cms to the tip, but I'm on the board. It had taken me 3 hours to get this one and I felt like I needed to get a move on before too much longer. I put in another drift for zilcho, so it was off to the river mouth to see how that goes.
There were a few yaks over here, so moved off to a place a little less crowded. Peter Woods was nearby and had his 3, so he was doing ok. I kept changing various lures and varied my retrieves but couldn't even get a hit. I kept moving along the shoreline and get a soft take that screams off when I set the hook. This feels really good and a flash of silver gets me revved up. Ooh, here she comes and WTF??? It's a bloody big Estuary Perch! What's it doing out here on the flats? Still, it was a gorgeous fish, so a quick photo is taken and she is then slid back into the water. I'm back to the Wriggler when I hook up again and this time, yes, it's a bream. It's a bit better at 34 cms tip but it's still no horse that I'm hoping for. And it's skinny, too. Must've been on a diet or something...
So that's two, one more for my full bag. I then get two bream that are under size before I get another EP. With an hour to go I'm really praying to the Bream Gods and they finally answer my prayers and send me fish number 3. This guy is the best so far at 35 cms and is at least a chunky fella. I couldn't manage any more so it was back for the weigh in.
My bag was bang on 2 kgs, which would have won the two day weight at Narrabeen a couple of weeks ago, but down here it's a different story. Shane Taylor has smashed it with 3.185 kgs, the only bag over 3kgs. My bag sees me in 29th. Andrew, a mere 70 grams in front of me, is sitting in 21st. Tomorrow I really need that kicker fish. I really, really, REALLY need that kicker fish. Stay tuned for the Day 2 report early next week. Happy yakkin', everyone!
cheers,
Cid
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