Snapper @ Woody Head

Author: josh

Category: Trip Reports

Created on Sunday, 29 November 2009 16:37

Written by Josh

It was a tough call as to whether to fit out the Island as a full trimaran or otherwise as an outrigger for kayak fishing Woody Head this morning. I'd paid attention to Ask Huey, which suggested that conditions would ease up continually, whereas H had paid attention to Seabreeze, which said exactly the opposite. Both of us trusting our sources, I decided to go with the outrigger, H decided to go full trimaran. As it turned out, Huey was right. It was a little blowy at around 6AM when we launched, but an hour later it there was almost no wind at all. And as H found out, sometimes its just a better idea to minimalize. Today was definitely a better day for using the Island as an outrigger.

We covered quite a few km while zig-zagging around under pedal power but eventually we did find some fish. Close to the rocks just near the point at Woody Head were the usual signs of fish on the sounder and it only took one pass to hook up. I was trolling with the rod in hand, twitching and tweaking it was we moved. So when I felt a small tug I responded by tugging back, instantly rewarded with a hook up. It didn't take long to boat the snapper, which turned out to be the consumate pan-sized fish.

Despite a few more attempts no more fish were caught, although H did have two lures chomped clean off the line, either by mackerel or (my best guess), sharks. In my experience, those Woody Head sharks love the redhead style trolling lures and that's exactly what H was using. And given that I spotted a rather large shard earlier in the day, I figured there might be plenty more around.

I'd say that when I sighted it, the shark would have been almost a km away. That I could make out that it was a shark at that distance should tell you a thing or two about it's size. Although it's impossible to accurately gauge species from that distance, if asked to bet, I'd place money on it being a great white. For one, it had to have been pretty big. Secondly, juxtaposed to it's near-black coloured top-side, it's belly was incredibly white. After turning on the Shark Shield and pedalling on over to investigate there were no more sightings.