Jeff's run in with the Wobbegong

[crazywalrus]

Hi guys - Our MBC in relation to target fish was not remarkable however Jeff nearly added to his Wrist injury. Jeff landed a 120cm Wobbegong at Mud island on Saturday. We got on board placed it on the Brag mat to measure and remove the Hook. Jeff lent forward over the front of the Wobbe about 30cm away and it launched towards his arm and bite down on his coat just missing his arm inside. It gave him quite a shock. It did not want to let go either. Eventually we got it off and released it safely to the water. I think we will both give the humble Wobbe a lot more respect now.

[Rocket75]

I've seen Jeff early in the morning...not sure who was more scared when they came face to face

[ellicat]

This thread should be in the "Humour" section of the forum. :laugh:

If only it had got his skin, the story would be up there with "Mal and the Fox" and "Rocket and the Dolphin" :woohoo: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[tomca]

you have broken the most sacred AFO rule:

photo first, then save his life :laugh:

[qbkami]

ahah nice man that thing is huge!

bl on the markdown would have been awesome

do they fight well? and does anyone eat em?

[Joel Eadie]

cant eat em qbkami they are protected

[Travis]

:laugh: :laugh: can imagine that :laugh:

Few around we got this one on sat at bribie, was longer than the brag mat

[crazywalrus]

yes Tomca I did think about taking a photo but I think Jeff was keen to get it off his arm, and I did not want it to take another gulp and actually get his arm. unfortunately safety first.

[jeff f]

bloody thing wanted me and it very nearly got me

thanks to ted for fine bit of crowbar work to get it off me

[hooked_on_trout]

About the same size as the one I caaught at fishermans Island a few months ago.

I think it was pregnant too, I was going to take a pic but felt too ashamed and quickely dragged the mum to be back into the water after removing the hook with some pliers.

Funny I was wondering if the bite, I know they will have a nip at divers that get too close.

Great animals.

Cheers

[Travis]

ECHO ECHO ECHO ..... nice one jeff :laugh:

[dassa]

maybe with the whiskers it thought you were it's mate because they latch hold of them to :laugh: :laugh:

[Damien2Rad]

One of these scared the bejebus outta me snorkelling at Tangalooma. I was swimming towards a vertical wall of steel and just as I went over it, a wobbegong came up the wall and we came face to face. Needless to say I squeeled like a girl and promptly took if in the other direction.

Also, swimming out there with a pommie friend I yell out "Yo, Church; check out that shark" with out a second break he was turned around and heading for shore. Until I pointed out to him this wobbegong just chillin' on the bottom.

[wesfish]

did you ever see valerie taylor testing a shark suit on reef sharkswhen a wobbey came up, she inticed it to bite her arm covered in steel mesh, then once it bit down she felt great pain, the next photo showed her on board the boat bleeding as the fine teeth of the wobbey got through the shark mesh suit. they did not expect that.

so lucky jeff as they latch on hard :ohmy:

[wesfish]

hehe evil grin of a woby

[Malcolm]

They are a great creature and they do have a go.

[qbkami]

Joel Eadie wrote:

cant eat em qbkami they are protected

laters my bad! well they do look like a ancient fish of some sort heheh kinda remind me of plecos

[kmcrosby78]

My brother came off second best to one when we were kids fishing on the shallow reefs at Hervey Bay. He caught a small one, we passed it around having a pat of its pudgy belly (since that capture we have always called our fishing mad Kiwi uncle who has a pudgy belly 'Uncle Wobbegong') and then it was back to my bro' to release. He covered its eyes (or thought he did - from memory he covered a couple of white marks near the eyes which I think were either nostrils or ears - but it was quite a few years ago) and went in to give it the old Rex Hunt kiss goodbye, when suddenly it lashed out at him and gave him a nice cut in the top lip. He flung it in the air and luckily it landed in the water and we had to head back in because the bleeding wouldn't stop. Funny stuff!!!!

Beware the Wobbegong!!!!!

[jeff f]

wesfish wrote:

did you ever see valerie taylor testing a shark suit on reef sharkswhen a wobbey came up, she inticed it to bite her arm covered in steel mesh, then once it bit down she felt great pain, the next photo showed her on board the boat bleeding as the fine teeth of the wobbey got through the shark mesh suit. they did not expect that.

so lucky jeff as they latch on hard :ohmy:

yeah i remember watching that on tv

didnt she wint up with a broken arm from the head shaking?

[shortie]

ellicat wrote:

This thread should be in the "Humour" section of the forum. :laugh:

If only it had got his skin, the story would be up there with "Mal and the Fox" and "Rocket and the Dolphin" :woohoo: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

And Ellicat and the winch handle. ROFL

[hooked_on_trout]

qbkami wrote:

ahah nice man that thing is huge!

bl on the markdown would have been awesome

do they fight well? and does anyone eat em?

No fight, mostly dead weight.

[Mudskipper]

Yeh I can relate to that. First photo is of me holding the Woby at the correct end.

Was fishing the dropoff reefs near Bulwer (Moreton Island) a few ths ago. I had a great time fighting it in as this one went pretty long and hard.

My mate decided he would get the hook out - ouch - photo 2 and 3 tell the tale or result of his hand jammed in the Wobygongs mouth and we couldn't get the thing to let go - used Gaff handles and all sorts of things to pry the jaws open. Poor mates hand was blue from the grip the shark had on him. Yup that's my metes blood all over the place, not that of the shark.

Long story short - he is way tougher than me. A few rags wrapped around the hand, deckwash to was his blood off the floor and woby released back to the water and he was fishing for the remainder of the night.

Regards

Pete

[Kboukes]

wow what a beautiful looking fish, glad it made it back to the ocean okay!

[crazywalrus]

wow I would not have held her like that. You are lucky to have your tackle left. I think the only way to handle these girls now is to cut the line and let them deal with the hook. They are to damn dangerous. Did you get any pictures of your mates hand?

[Mudskipper]

Yeh thats what i said. just cut her off and a few pics, but no, he had to get that stupid hook out eh..

najh in hindsight i should have left him glued to the wobbys teeth and taken a few shots, then on release got a few of his hand - but nuppers i was too busy trying to free his hand from the shark, then stopping the damed hand from bleeding.

It was about 2am and i had almost polished off a full bottle of rumbo on my own at that stage. young mate was the skipper and only sober one amongst the six of us. i did get some geat photos of the trip though. :S

i'm only brand newbie to the site. maybe after i get to know the site and people a tad better I might post the trip up somewhere more appropriate.

Ii've been into doing the fast cars and circuit scene across the past coupla years, hence neglected my fishin passion a tad.

Pete :blush:

[Gazza]

Don't feel left out Jeff this one wanted a piece of me too :silly: and they are strong buggers both in and out of the water so beware of the Wobby

cheers Gaz

[Mudskipper]

Not that mine was ever but destined to be returned to the water cause of size and splendid markings, but has anyone fileted and tried them from an eating quality perspective.

Just wondering?

Only thing I was miffed about was that we did not think to weigh the thing. I know I was really struggling to hold it up - hence the red face and white knuckles in the photo.

[crazywalrus]

Hi Mudskipper. They are a protected no take species.

[waldo]

Ah the old wobbygong, just like big puppies and they have doggy teeth too. :woohoo: They are protected in NSW but not here although the 1 at under 1.5m would apply.

I have fun feeding them at times. They arent a problem unless you corner them, they mistake your foot for something to eat, or you are silly enough to stick your hand near their mouth :laugh: I cut the line if I inadvertantly hook one.