There I was getting all my fishing gear ready on Friday night. I spent about two hours working out our plan of attack for 5am Saturday morning in the tinny off Hillarys somewhere. The plan was for my wife, my two brothers and myself to go out together.



When we arrived at Hillarys at 5am, my brother Joe hadn't arrived yet. So we parked in the free parking near the mini golf. My brother Matt and my wife Kelly went for a walk down to the boat ramp to see if he had arrived. They were gone about half an hour.



When they got back all three of them were together. As I was getting all the gear out of the car, they said you won't need any of that. I said why? Joe says I bought new gear. I said what about the bait and burley? He says you can bring it if you want. I said what about my lures? He says you won't need those. So now I'm thinking something fishy is going on (pardon the pun). My wife says SURPRISE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOU'RE GOING OUT DEEP SEA FISHING FOR THE DAY WITH MATT AND JOE. I was in shock. I couldn't comprehend what was happening at 5.30 in the morning. My wife had planned and paid for us blokes to go out on Mills Charters for the day. Wahooooooo! What an awesome wife!



Shocked and dazed we waited until 6.30 to board. Upon boarding we were fed with bacon and egg burgers. Excellent burley for those that got sick.



It was going to be a great day. Not much wind or swell and the ocean was looking a beautiful deep blue. We headed out for about an hour and ten in a North West direction.



When we arrived we dropped our lines and we were on the way. We were in about 45m. Someone further down pulled up a double header. Two Dewies. Slightly undersize so were thrown back. A few minutes later another couple of double headers, two Dewies again. One thumper and one undersize. Before I new it I was on. Wasn't quite sure what. It felt a bit light. Up came a massive Flathead. A PB. 62cm. What a thumper. The guys said what the hell is a flathead doing out here. Nice work!



After that we moved on. Eventually we made our way into 95m. Now the action was on. It was hard to keep track of what everyone else was catching. Until someone slowly reeled in a 30kg Sambo (the guys quickly released it). This thing was a fat bastard.



Matt was on next. Up he pulls a Blackarse. Not bad. Around 50cm. He was stoked. He wasn't going home hungry.



Next was Joe. In he reels a little skippy. Not happy. Back in he goes.



I was on again. Pulled up a beautiful looking Baldy, 55cm. Then up came a Pinky. Slightly under so back she went.



Had to wait for a while before I managed to pull in a 45cm Skippy.



Meanwhile Joe had to wait and be patient until the last half hour of the day until he got some action. And action he got. A 74cm KG. No way! This thing fed his whole family. Never seen a KG this big before.



Not long after that he reeled up a beautiful blue Queenie about 60cm. Then a Pinky (slightly undersize) and another Skippy.



After that it was time to pull up and head home. Sank a few beers and talked about the ones that got away and the ones that didn't.



What a way to break my cherry. Never been out that far before. Now I'm hooked (sorry another pun).



It was hard to take photos at the time but I managed to get a few to share.



What a day, what an experience, what a wife!