charters and jigging
Hi all. I was reading on another fishing web site and came across this post , which leads me to ask 2 questions 1. do sharks learn where and when easy feeds are? 2. should charter boats have a duty to preserve the sambo stocks which generate their income by moving when the sharks move in ? So i went out on Mills to do some jigging. We head to this place called the patch. They warned us straight up that sharks had been a problem. I dropped the jig on my new stella i was itching to try out and was hooked up in seconds.
Line peeling off under heaps of dragging and i am a happy camper, the stella was SMOOOOOOOOOOOTH. I want to fight this thing but i am getting nothing back and then bang 50 lb braid pings half way down :o(.
No big deal move over to next reel and am on again within seconds and winning a bit this time and then line starts peeling off triple time and jig gone.
Turns out to be a common story for the whole boat. How common ? About 90 jigs lost, using 150lb leaders and 50 - 80lb braid. How many fish to the surface - NONE. Not one got more than half way up! Some got close to halfway though i guess.
Is this other people's experience this summer with charters off hillarys?
I have been on Shikari other years and had a few lost to sharks, but nothing like this. On an up the hook up rate was pretty much 100% for me which was fun. Also the Mills guys worked hard all day rerigging and donated the 90 or so jigs without slowing down. The boat was very comfortable and breakfast and lunch and softdrinks provided. On another plug for Mills their other boat cleaned up with heaps of snapper- Pink, queen and quite a lot of good reds too. They had lots of breaksea cod and a few other things but over 30 fish i would guess.
I had a go for the shark on some serious gear and hooked up but after losing for 30 minutes we gave up and think it had probably wrapped me around the bottom. A good day out, and would have liked to see ONE landed. An interesting note was a good sized Yellow Tail Kingfish was around the boat for a bit, but gone by the time someone had rigged a popper.
hlokk
Posts: 4293
Date Joined: 04/04/08
90 jigs lost (perhaps most
90 jigs lost (perhaps most to sharks) its pretty irresponsible for the charter company I would say. Sure, even on a good day you might loose a few to sharks, but if its all them, then you're just feeding them. Shoulda said 'sorry guys, we'll have to try somewhere/something else". Just a personal opinion (others may vary).
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
i agree with matt here ...
i agree with matt here ... if the sharks are that thick then move spots (or catch the sharks as a real arm stretching bit of fun) ... id be pissed if i paid good coin just to loose braid and gear to sharks
honsu chin
Posts: 2086
Date Joined: 20/09/05
Im surprised they got 90
Im surprised they got 90 jigs to loose!!
That's shocking service by the charter!!
1) Its not fair to customers if they keep on loosing gear to sharks and not landing anything.
2) Not fair to the fish if they get taken by sharks when hooked. If all 90 fish were sharked....thats 90 fish gone and wasted.
3) Selfish to keep fishing the same grounds and loosing fish. Whats left for everybody else?? They're supposed to be one of more unique fishery in WA!!
To be honest. Who ever was skippering that day has done the Company wrong and should have his ass kicked or sacked!! and if he said the customers wanted to stay there.....that'll be major BS!! I know I wouldnt!!
Another question....why are you posting this here now??? Its been on another forum for a week and getting alot of negative responses.....
why???
sleepswithfishes
Posts: 61
Date Joined: 14/12/09
why am i posting here?
why am i posting here? answer is to get the information out there and hopefully bringing it to the attention of as many people as possible. IMO at that rate of lost fish (90 in one day times plus how many other boats) the sambos will end up being put in with demersals and some political idiot will close the seasons. im not bashing chater operators i have had many enjoyable trips on them but i just think that the odd boat could potentially stuff it for everyone.
honsu chin
Posts: 2086
Date Joined: 20/09/05
yes I agree but what more
yes I agree but what more info do you need as sambo jigging charters are done every year and information are abundant out there.
Im not bashing charter operators as well but this is the first time Ive read/seen that the skipper are willing to keep punters in one spot and keep loosing gear. Its worst than staying on one spot when there's no fish to be had.
You should really take it up to the owner or operator of the company. Why pay $200+ and not catch a thing??
mrwinta
Posts: 457
Date Joined: 14/01/10
Arse kicking
I totaly agree withyou Honsu Chin.... That definatley aint fishing for the future. It sounds extreemley irisponsible and the skipper should have his arse kicked. If Mills wants to keep loosing tackle at their expence thats fine but in the short time I have been fishing in W.A. I have learned the fish stocks are a fraction of what they used to be, not even that long ago, and at this rate there will be no fish left for anybody to catch and what will Mills do then???? They could join the Japanese whaling boats and help finish them off too....
NEVER PUSH YOUR GRANNY WHEN SHE'S SHAVING
Ectopic
Posts: 208
Date Joined: 19/10/09
That's a disgrace.It is just
That's a disgrace.
It is just about as bad as keeping 90 sambos on board. Thumbs down Mills Charters.
http://db.tt/DXvNMYOU
wadetolley
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 27/06/08
Some
Some charters are just "Run of the Mill"