Point Lonsdale - Big salmon or King Fish?

[Fish-cador]

Dec 23, I went to Point Lonsdale while waiting for the sunset before I go to Queenscliff pier. With light tackle on hand, 2-5kg spin stick,2500 reel, 15 lb leader and halco metal lure, I tried to spin for salmon. After a few casts, a school of fast moving fish swooped down on my lure. The school chased my lure close to the pier. It was already too close to the pier so I had to slow down my retrieve. To my amazement, the school of fish stopped and looked at my lure. No takers! :cussing:

I cast again and with quick retrieve, the school of fish again chased my lure. At first, they looked like salmon to me but they were still too deep to recognize properly. Every time my retrieve slows down, the fish just stared at my lure. They wont take it. I jigged my lure until one took it and it went ballistic. I got spooled in seconds. I had to lock my drag as I was down to a few meters of line. Then the fish turned and I was able to wind my line back. Unfortunately, it went under the pier. It was not snagged though. I tried to pull it out from under the pier but it was like reeling in a freight train. My gear was too light for the fish in such shallow area. I cant pull the fish out! :cussing: Then with one turn of the fish, my leader got rubbed on the pylons and **PING**.

The question is, was it king fish or monster salmon? Salmon does not stare at lures they just attack and gobble things up. Someone told me before that king fish will stop and not hit the lure if they get the chance to recognize it. Any idea what it was? The fish was of decent size. I cant be sure how big but they looked like 50-60cm could be more and were a bit grey on their backs. I haven't hooked a kingie from PPB so I have no idea how they fight. My light gear did not get the change to feel the fish's movements so I cant be sure if it was a monster salmon.

PS. while casting metals, a HUGE cala chased my (gold color) lure. It was the biggest cala I have ever seen! From under water, it was at least a foot and a half wide, flashing gold , brown and shades of green. My squid jig was not ready and by the time I tossed my squid jig in the water, the monster was gone. Now I know when the charter operators say "Big calamari charter - $150 per person" - they grow big!

[vinhii]

I think kingies look more Brownish than grey .... cause ive seen acouple chase gars.. and ive seen them up close with the nice brown coloration on their back .. what you might of hooked up was something different lol but who knows i could be wrong.. it tis the season for kingies now :D

and How BIG! are those calas! lol freakin HUGE!!!!

[Beno]

Im thinking the same as Vinhii a kingii It's also king season now and while I have been at my garfishing spots I have spotted one or two out the back of the school.

[Fish-cador]

there were few gars around when I was there. The water in Pt Lonsdale is quite clear and the grey could be a shade of brown under the green/blue water. If it is Kingie season, I will be back tomorrow as the forecast is nice. Will bring heavier gear this time. May even try catching a gar or small cala and send a live bait under float/balloon

As for the huge cala, no bull on that. I was amazed by its size. Please consider that the water was moving and the image I saw was distorted. but it was HUGE!.

Sample pictures from think big charters. These critters grow big!

[vinhii]

lol thats pretty f*&#king big hahaha
excuse the french

[Fish-Hunter]

It may well have been a Kingfish , considering it nearly spooled you .

[Fish-cador]

that's it! Had enough of this pier. Point Lonsdale Pier is cursed! Went back there today and lost 3 halco twister lures without landing a single fish....please dont ask how. :fishhead: :wall:

[vinhii]

HOW?!?! :D

[Beno]

that's it! Had enough of this pier. Point Lonsdale Pier is cursed! Went back there today and lost 3 halco twister lures without landing a single fish....please dont ask how. :fishhead: :wall:

Tomorrow is another day....

[Fish-Hunter]

that's it! Had enough of this pier. Point Lonsdale Pier is cursed! Went back there today and lost 3 halco twister lures without landing a single fish....please dont ask how. :fishhead: :wall:

Someone is