RESULT!! Saturday 12/09/2009

What a difference one session can make. After such a long time suffering in the doldrums of the fishing world. We decided to get back to basics and return to Coffs Creek. We embarked at around 1400 hrs, putting the canoe in just west of the Promenade and headed up stream towards Bangalore Bridge. In an attempt to finally rid us of the bad Voodoo we had seemed to be plagued with, a small ceremony was conducted officially naming the vessel "The Shepard" and fine ales were consumed to mark the occasion. We turned The Shepard upriver, hopefully leaving behind our uninspiring run of results.

Early indications were good with interest in both plastics and hard bodies. And we eventually found our way to just west of Bangalore Bridge. We were drifting nicely with the outgoing tide when I was the first to land a fish, a very nice 42cm dusky caught on a 55mm bloodworm. We were both encouraged by the first legal fish caught by either of us in a long while. Geoff 1L Enz Nil.

Enz was the next to hook up landing himself a nice Fattie as well . 41cm caught on a red/black Gulp worm. Geoff 1 L / Enz 1L. Hail the Ale things are looking good so far.

We continued to drift , downstream, down under the bridge and I picked up another flatty , 34 cm, on the 55 mm bloodworm wriggler. Enz was still getting hits on his gulp worm but was failing to get hooked up. I cast back up under the bridge and immediately felt a heavy hit. Just a lot of weight, bit like stick fish, except that I could feel the head shake so I was sure I had a fish on. As I got it closer to The Shepard it started to apply a bit more pressure and put up a fight. Enz got ready with the net as I was not at all sure as to what I had on the end of my line. Enz was the first to see the beast rise out of the murky water. It was like looking at some alien, as it had 2 weird looking parasitic bugs attached to is back. Being the biggest fish either of us had had to land. It took a few attempts to finally get it into the net and in the Fish box! Woooo Hoooo. There was no way we would have to check to see if this one was legal. We quickly paddled over to the bank and measured the beast, bearing in mind our fish rule is on 40cm, we had to make marks in the sand to get an accurate measurement of the critter. 58 glorious cm, Enz performed some minor surgery , removing the 2 parasites that were firmly emedded in its back, evidence was gathered, and we hit the water again. Geoff 2L/ Enz 1L.

We continued the same drift in the hope of more beast lurking around the bridge. I think I was the next to land another fish, a very small flattie, I was still to pumped up about the monster to remember, or care really. Then Enz landed himself a very nice flattie that ran somewhere in the 40+ cm range. So it was Geoff 2L/Enz 2L.

The light was fading fast so we continued to drift down stream with the result tied, yet again. I hooked up again, a baby Bream, still using the 55mm Bloodworm Wriggler. Was nice to catch another species. it was however my next hook up that sealed the victory, with a 40cm flattie landed, my 7th fish for the session Enz threw in the towel.

Official result Geoff 3 Legal defeats Enz with 2 L.

For the record.

Geoff's PB - Flattie 58 cm 12/09/2009

Largest fish any species - Geoff -Flattie 58cm 12/09/2009

So I extend my lead to 2 points in the overall standing, with just under 3 months till the end of this years competition.

until the next session...........................

All hail the Ale