Mt Martha 6/8
- 4liters
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Mt Martha 6/8
With the weather looking this good there was Buckley's chance of me not fishing today. With Westernport probably still too murky for squidding I decided to continue to explore Port Phillip Bay, this time launching next the Martha Cove channel aka the dog beach.
It was glassed out and stayed that way pretty much the whole day.
I was on the water by first light and I headed out to where I hoped to find some squid. I got a couple but they were few and far between, a quick look at Google earth on the phone explained why: I'd drifted off the reefy area and was trying to jig up squid in primo flathead country. A quick paddle back to the weeds and I was in the tick of it... Cast one jig, while the first jig was sinking (I was in 9m of water) I cast the another one, by then the first jig had hit the bottom and a squid had hit it, wind it in, land squid, cast, grab the second rod, it's just been hit as well, wind in, land squid, wipe ink off glasses , cast, grab first rod, it's been hit again etc etc... you get the idea. Pretty soon I had the footwells full of squid, well over my bag limit so I let go the three smallest to fatten up and dispatched the rest.
They were really hungry; as I moved on the next spot, one of the lures I was trolling went off and I pulled this in:
Then a family of dolphins showed up, it was shaping up to be a cracker of a morning. I took about 20 pictures in their direction but this was the only one to come out well.
I trolled lures along the entire length of the cliffs but didn't get any hits on them, so I headed out wide to about 15m. I got a couple of baits in, and soon started getting bites. Soon I had what was the first of many little flathead in the yak. Fortunately there were a few good sized ones in the mix too, a 40cm one took a shrimp plastic I had left dangling from a rod holder. In between changing baits I clipped a microjig onto a spare rod and started jigging it up and down. Because the jig was directly underneath me it showed up on the sounder, as did a couple of flathead coming off the bottom to check it out. I got a heap of hits on it, but without a bottom hook most of them just slid off it. Eventually one of them found the hook and I had my first ever fish on a micro jig. I tried some other jigs, a kmart octa jig and some other Gomoku one, but neither of them got a response from like the first one did.
By this stage the day was getting on and I needed to take a **** so it was time to head back in. I trolled all the way back, and in a couple of meters of water not far from the beach I finally got a good hit on the little hardbody. Not long after I got a second hit, and another mid-30 size flathead. Not a bad way to finish the day.
The final tally was 10 squid, and 6 flathead between 30cm and 40cm. I let go about 5 squid and probably 10-15 micro flatties. I was hoping to find some salmon as well but maybe it was too calm a day for them to be active.
I've decided that micro jigging is a fun way to fish now I've had some success with it. Would an egi rod do as a micro jigging rod? I wasn't particularly interested in getting an egi rod if it would only be used for one thing given space on the yak is a bit limited, but if it would be good for jigging as well I might reconsider. I'm really looking forward to giving it a go during snapper season, a decent pinkie on the 2-4kg rod would be great fun.
Now I'm about to hit the hay and rest up before doing it all again tomorrow!
It was glassed out and stayed that way pretty much the whole day.
I was on the water by first light and I headed out to where I hoped to find some squid. I got a couple but they were few and far between, a quick look at Google earth on the phone explained why: I'd drifted off the reefy area and was trying to jig up squid in primo flathead country. A quick paddle back to the weeds and I was in the tick of it... Cast one jig, while the first jig was sinking (I was in 9m of water) I cast the another one, by then the first jig had hit the bottom and a squid had hit it, wind it in, land squid, cast, grab the second rod, it's just been hit as well, wind in, land squid, wipe ink off glasses , cast, grab first rod, it's been hit again etc etc... you get the idea. Pretty soon I had the footwells full of squid, well over my bag limit so I let go the three smallest to fatten up and dispatched the rest.
They were really hungry; as I moved on the next spot, one of the lures I was trolling went off and I pulled this in:
Then a family of dolphins showed up, it was shaping up to be a cracker of a morning. I took about 20 pictures in their direction but this was the only one to come out well.
I trolled lures along the entire length of the cliffs but didn't get any hits on them, so I headed out wide to about 15m. I got a couple of baits in, and soon started getting bites. Soon I had what was the first of many little flathead in the yak. Fortunately there were a few good sized ones in the mix too, a 40cm one took a shrimp plastic I had left dangling from a rod holder. In between changing baits I clipped a microjig onto a spare rod and started jigging it up and down. Because the jig was directly underneath me it showed up on the sounder, as did a couple of flathead coming off the bottom to check it out. I got a heap of hits on it, but without a bottom hook most of them just slid off it. Eventually one of them found the hook and I had my first ever fish on a micro jig. I tried some other jigs, a kmart octa jig and some other Gomoku one, but neither of them got a response from like the first one did.
By this stage the day was getting on and I needed to take a **** so it was time to head back in. I trolled all the way back, and in a couple of meters of water not far from the beach I finally got a good hit on the little hardbody. Not long after I got a second hit, and another mid-30 size flathead. Not a bad way to finish the day.
The final tally was 10 squid, and 6 flathead between 30cm and 40cm. I let go about 5 squid and probably 10-15 micro flatties. I was hoping to find some salmon as well but maybe it was too calm a day for them to be active.
I've decided that micro jigging is a fun way to fish now I've had some success with it. Would an egi rod do as a micro jigging rod? I wasn't particularly interested in getting an egi rod if it would only be used for one thing given space on the yak is a bit limited, but if it would be good for jigging as well I might reconsider. I'm really looking forward to giving it a go during snapper season, a decent pinkie on the 2-4kg rod would be great fun.
Now I'm about to hit the hay and rest up before doing it all again tomorrow!
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
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- Bluefin
- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2014 4:21 pm
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
I was fishing in the same area as you today mate. I think I might have seen you. Nice report. Great catch and good luck tomorrow. I'll probably be heading out tomorrow as well but this time in my boat :thumbsup:
- 4liters
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- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:05 am
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
Got down to Werribee this morning, the water was shithouse, could hardly see the bottom in 2m. Got two squid anyway, dropped another one. Very nice morning for it regardless.
Yep, although no where to go at that beach unless you feel like doing it 'doggy style' on the sand so I had to hold on to the servo on the peninsula linkMarty.A wrote:Sounds like a nice relaxing day out did you make it to shore in time
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
- Brett
- Moderator
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 10:23 am
- Location: Mornington Peninsula
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
4liters wrote:Got down to Werribee this morning, the water was shithouse, could hardly see the bottom in 2m. Got two squid anyway, dropped another one. Very nice morning for it regardless.
Yep, although no where to go at that beach unless you feel like doing it 'doggy style' on the sand so I had to hold on to the servo on the peninsula linkMarty.A wrote:Sounds like a nice relaxing day out did you make it to shore in time
Just up the road towards Dromana, near the boat ramp. Probably about 500 if you walked lmfao.
- 4liters
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- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:05 am
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
I figured there were probably some close by but thought it would be quicker to get to the servo than it would be to find a dunny in an unfamiliar suburb.Brett wrote:4liters wrote:Got down to Werribee this morning, the water was shithouse, could hardly see the bottom in 2m. Got two squid anyway, dropped another one. Very nice morning for it regardless.
Yep, although no where to go at that beach unless you feel like doing it 'doggy style' on the sand so I had to hold on to the servo on the peninsula linkMarty.A wrote:Sounds like a nice relaxing day out did you make it to shore in time
Just up the road towards Dromana, near the boat ramp. Probably about 500 if you walked lmfao.
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
- Mustang38
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- Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 8:03 pm
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
Nice report. Nothing better than getting out on the good days. Good pics really make you feel like you are there and I can imagine how much fun that is.
- mazman
- Rank: Murray Cod
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
nice work Ian, I had a good day on the squid as well.
Did the thought of an aqua poo cross your mind?
Did the thought of an aqua poo cross your mind?
Youtube channel:Hawkesy Fishing
- 4liters
- Rank: Premium Member
- Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 8:05 am
- Has liked: 6 times
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Re: Mt Martha 6/8
It crossed my mind. The main issue is getting out and then in again of the dry pants without either a) falling out of the kayak or b) filling the pants with water or c) both a & b. Worst case I paddle like hell for some secluded bit of coast and lay a cable there.mazman wrote:nice work Ian, I had a good day on the squid as well.
Did the thought of an aqua poo cross your mind?
2015/16 Fisting Victoria Species comp total: 289cm
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle
Brown Trout: 37cm
Flathead: 51cm; Squid: 36cm; Australian Salmon: 51cm; Snapper 46cm; Silver Trevally 23cm; KGW: 45cm
Major Sponsor: Rim Master Tackle