Weekend Whiting session with a BIG surprise

[Kat]

Hi Legends!  

Last Friday afternoon Brett and I made a trip to the Gold Coast to fish Coombabah Creek.  The plan was to get there in time to pump yabbies, have a fish for some fat whiting, sleep on the boat the night (hoping the thunderstorm didn't eventuate!) and pick the kids up from the Coast in the morning and take them for a fish in the boat.

My fisho mate from Macleay had challenged me to a week-long whiting comp as he was staying in the Creek or the Coomera for the whole week.  Part of the reason for our trip.  We the previous Sunday from the bank and Tuesday afternoon/evening from the boat and it was almost dead – barely anything biting.  I think we might have caught one legal whiting combined both sessions.  With the view that the bite had to change sometime, we were hopeful it was going to be Friday night.  I phoned my mate on the way there, he asked if I was going past the bait shop.  He was supposed to be in the Coomera but had stayed because one of his mate's mates had bagged out on whiting that morning.  He asked me to pick him up some live blood worms – the story was that the blood worms were working and the yabbies weren’t.  I wasn't planning on spending money on bait but got worms for him and some for us.  We also pumped yabbies on arrival. 

We headed up to one of the more productive and well-known spots in the creek.  It wasn’t long before I had a fish on and landed a 33cm Spotted Grunter.  Released to the esky.  Brett got a legal Bream which I made him keep (sister likes Bream).  Over the next few hours Brett used yabbies and I used worms (while being accused of cheating on my beloved yabbies!).  It is hard to recall, but I think I got about 7 or 8 decent sized whiting, while Brett may have got 1.  It went quiet and we were both tired, so we headed down the creek to a spot where we got some nice fat whiting a couple of weeks ago.  This spot is rarely fished by other boats from my observations, it is out from the yabbie banks too far to cast from the land where I have fished numerous times but away from the channel.  We went to sleep pretty quickly. 

About 4am in the morning I was woken by another boat.  I sat up to see what was happening and they were going slowly down the channel looking for crab pots by the mangroves.  I strongly suspect that they were share farmers. I tried to get back to sleep for a while but eventually gave up about 5.15 am and put my line in the water – with one of the last worms– it should have been low tide well and truly, but it was still running out.  Brett started fishing shortly after me.  I hooked a decent whiting after about 15 minutes and was hopeful for more, but the bite was quite slow.  On this trip, for one of the first times, I was using the method that some of you legends had imparted to me – the rod in the holder facing straight down to the water or leaning on the back of the boat – with light drag – then when you see the rod bend – lift up gently etcetera.  That night I had to break the necks of almost all the whiting I had caught to retrieve my hook. 

Anyway – probably about 6am my line was being played with for quite a while, the rod tip bent a little, there was a short run and then nothing.  Eventually I thought I better check my bait and felt a little resistance, a few flaps and then gently lifted the rod out of the holder, I tightened the drag slightly and started winding in.  No resistance - thought I had missed the fish until the drag started peeling off and I could feel the weight, the fish did a few good runs with the drag even tighter – I called that it couldn’t be a whiting, too strong and heavy.  Brett said, while laughing, it is an elbow slapper. 

As I got the fish close to the boat I was both amazed and ecstatic – it was the biggest whiting I have ever laid eyes on.  I was scared I was going to lose it as I pulled it into the boat (didn’t even cross my mind to use the net as I was so excited).  I managed to get it safely into the boat and I still can’t believe how big it was  - measured 43cm on the brag mat (not 44 as in the photo).  Weighed 688 grams!

I am absolutely stoked – I could barely bring myself to fillet it and definitely didn’t break its neck at the time to retrieve my hook!

I went on to catch whiting all day but only a few at a time – 19 legal whiting in total – I think 15 were mine, 2 to Brett and 2 to Brett’s oldest.

Brett also switched to worms but could hardly land a fish all day.  I got quite a lot of very dirty looks.

I can only conclude the method works (Brett was generally holding his rod - fishing rod!).

A big thanks to everyone on AFO who has helped me achieve this – particularly @Daryl McPhee and @Neil Stratford for his PM last year on how to catch whiting.  If I have forgotten to mention anyone in particular please forgive me.

Can’t wait to try this again very very soon.

PICS:

 

[Leeroy]

Well done.

I fish with Youngy a bit and that's the technique he uses and he is one of the best around.  Coming into summer night time in nerang river will be the go.

 

[ellicat]

Woohoo ! Well done, Kat. What a ripper.

Kat showed me the frame the other day and when I first saw it I didn't realise it was a whiting it was that big !

[Kat]

9 minutes ago, Leeroy said:

Well done.

I fish with Youngy a bit and that's the technique he uses and he is one of the best around.  Coming into summer night time in nerang river will be the go.

 

Wish I could go fishing/worming with him.  He is also a legend!

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Wow! Great work Kat! That whiting is massive. 

Cheers Hamish

[Angry51]

Good onya, that's a nice haul.

That's a good whiting 43,

Good report Kat.

[Daryl McPhee]

Fantastic effort. That is a good catch and that 43 cm fish is a ripper. 

[Leeroy]

2 hours ago, Kat said:

Wish I could go fishing/worming with him.  He is also a legend!

Yeah I should go whiting fishing with him sometime to learn but we mostly fish for snapper and jew.

[Hweebe]

Wow that is for sure an elbow slapper whiting!! Well done Kat

[Old Scaley]

Good one, @Kat. I bet Brett congratulated you through clenched teeth. 

[Kat]

4 minutes ago, Old Scaley said:

Good one, @Kat. I bet Brett congratulated you through clenched teeth. 

His teeth were clenched and there was muttering and hissing every time I reeled in another one.  But he insisted on that spot so I have to thank him too - I must have had the right side of the boat the whole night and day

[Bob9863]

Sounds like like a damn good trip.

[jon]

Great work that’s the biggest non king George whiting I’ve ever seen!!!!

[Ed.]

Excellent fish Kat!!

[Neil Stratford]

Well done Kat 400mm whiting
What’s the next Species\Size target?

regards

Neil 

[Kat]

2 hours ago, Neil Stratford said:

Well done Kat 400mm whiting
What’s the next Species\Size target?

regards

Neil 

Not sure waiting for your next PM

[Junky]

That's a real one. 

Well done. 

 

Cant wait to see what Kat brings home next time. 

[Kat]

5 minutes ago, Junky said:

That's a real one. 

Well done. 

 

Cant wait to see what Kat brings home next time. 

Pretty sure it will be a few years before I catch another big one - but there is always the hope - part of the addiction 

[Junky]

5 minutes ago, Kat said:

Pretty sure it will be a few years before I catch another big one - but there is always the hope - part of the addiction 

I beg to differ. 

You've been doing great of late. 

At least you're out there learning. 

[Neil Stratford]

I recon your ready to go the real deal now Kat .Show up the sooky boys  and and go and get a 25kg  plus Spanish Mackerel , seems that few people are skilled enough to catch them anymore.

There’s no rush , Ask Santa for a 24kg trolling outfit for Xmas , and collect yourself some Bonito in the freezer ready  for April May next year. 
I look forward to viewing the photos! 

Ps Over the next few weeks  you might even challenge yourself  to a 80cm plus flathead!.  

I suggest a Zerek Hot legs shrimp in pink  ( retro fit the std weedless hook with a std 3/8 2/0 jig head) as a soft plastic and if you want to troll,   I’d be looking at a micro mullet in pink on one side and a Pig Lure in Green on the other side . Set them about 20 m back  and troll at about 2 to 3 knots with the current.
regards

neil

 

 

 

regards

Neil 

[benno573]

awesome stuff @Kat, simple methods getting the results.  heaps of tasty tasty fillets in that lot too - whiting is my little one's favourite!

 

@ellicat - we'll find you one this year... promise!

[Kat]

8 minutes ago, benno573 said:

 @Kat

 

@ellicat - we'll find you one this year... promise!

From what I have been told by a few fish is is that the next 6 weeks is prime time - but I always thought it was later in summer?

[Kat]

Hey Legends - I have been wanting to give surf fishing a go and was planning on beach worming tomorrow morning to fish the creek in the evening.  The kids now may have a playdate at the beach tomorrow so it might be my chance to give surf fishing a go.  Am I likely to get whiting in the gutters at this time of the year?  Anyone know?

[benno573]

you'll get them there any time really @Kat.  beach worms / pippies are fairly easily obtained and both work well.

which beach you heading to?

 

[Kat]

Main Beach I think - mainly because I was planning on worming there - so the other family agreed to meet at whatever beach we were worming at - or Narrowneck - presume one is the same as the other.  We have previously gone to the dog walking beach near the sand pumping jetty - but the dogs always get in the way as they are interested in the stinky bait and what you are trying to pull out of the sand lol

[benno573]

can be a bit hit and miss in the gutters along main beach, narrowneck/the spit area aren't too bad if you find the right gutter.

[Kat]

On 15/09/2022 at 7:54 PM, Kat said:

Pretty sure it will be a few years before I catch another big one - but there is always the hope - part of the addiction 

Responding to my own post... Not quite a year, 1 cm smaller but still a great catch.  This one was almost dead low tide just after dusk.  Same spot X.

[Angry51]

Half dozen of them'd be a good feed Kat.

[ellicat]

That's another ripper, Kat. I know it is the same fish though. The 1cm shrinkage happens when you freeze them. Next year it'll be 41cm.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Massive whiting!

[Bretto77]

9 minutes ago, ellicat said:

That's another ripper, Kat. I know it is the same fish though. The 1cm shrinkage happens when you freeze them. Next year it'll be 41cm.

I can report that it's not the same fish

[Kat]

6 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Half dozen of them'd be a good feed Kat.

Sure would.  I got another 40cm this morning and Brett got a 39 - plus a few other decent sized ones to add to the Esky.

[Neil Stratford]

Excellent guys . >40cm are quality fish.

regards

neil 

[GregOug]

44 minutes ago, ellicat said:

That's another ripper, Kat. I know it is the same fish though. The 1cm shrinkage happens when you freeze them. Next year it'll be 41cm.

Well, it’s only to be expected. She is a Southslider after all.

[GregOug]

Well done Kat and Brett. I’m rather jealous. As usual.

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, ellicat said:

That's another ripper, Kat. I know it is the same fish though. The 1cm shrinkage happens when you freeze them. Next year it'll be 41cm.

Come on Brian, don't be like that. If @Kat is willing to thaw it out, drive to the same spot and replicate the scene, I say well done to her ........... .

On a serious note, well done Kat, another nice whiting .

[kmcrosby78]

3 hours ago, GregOug said:

Well, it’s only to be expected. She is a Southslider after all.

Rumour has it northsider's get alot more than 1cm of 'shrinkage' .......... . 

[GregOug]

24 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Rumour has it northsider's get alot more than 1cm of 'shrinkage' .......... . 

True. But they have a lot more to start with.

[benno573]

nice work @Kat.  Will have to go and try some of my whiting haunts in coming weeks/months to see if I can crack the 40cm mark.

Fun fact - @ellicat has NEVER achieved 40+, but he has watched me do it in his presence 3 times.  maybe him and @Bretto77 should hang out? 

[Bretto77]

40 minutes ago, benno573 said:

nice work @Kat.  Will have to go and try some of my whiting haunts in coming weeks/months to see if I can crack the 40cm mark.

Fun fact - @ellicat has NEVER achieved 40+, but he has watched me do it in his presence 3 times.  maybe him and @Bretto77 should hang out? 

40+ achieved plenty of times thanks.... Only once in the presence of @Kat however.... Rarely does she share....