# NSW Hat Head, HOF Salmon



## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Wigg recently landed a monster Australian Salmon at "Old Mans Hat", so I figured there must be big sambos at "Hat Head" as well (who makes up these names?). Took the family up there for the LWE to check it out.

We couldn't find any sambos in the creek behind the camp site - it was full of yabbies, bream and blackies. The kids were entertained, and fresh fish hit the barbie.

But Little-X (7yo son Dec) doesn't eat bream - he only eats tuna, and he sent me off to catch one from the yak. His mate Angus is not so fussy - he ordered salmon. They didn't care about the howling southerly. The boys insisted I take the new fish donger with me, to subdue the big pelagics they expected me to land off shore in the chop (curse that fisho they chatted with at the general store).

Launched mid-morning at high tide into the creek behind the tent, peddled with the current across the smooth bar, out into the open ocean. What a sight - brilliant blue sky, crystal clear water, sheltered from the wind by the headland, patches birds all over bay.










Spent the next couple of hours chasing birds with my donger out. See birds diving, sprint 500m, gone. See birds, sprint 300m, gone. See birds, sprint 100m, one cast, bugger, gone. See birds, sprint 200m, see bait boiling, gone. See birds, sprint 50m, one cast, bugger, gone. Buggered!

Eventually gave up on the birds, and tucked up to the sheltered rocks, flicking plastics into the wash, with a stick-bait trailing out the back. The cliffs sloped down to a sandy bottom, only a couple of meters deep.

Then whack!! The yak jolted to a stop, then started slipping backwards, with the sound of a reel screaming like a jet engine. Couldn't extract the rod from the holder one handed, so pulled the light gear in and prepared for battle. This fish had some muscle, and seemed to run out-of-control for an eternity. Peddled away from the rocks, then he dragged me everywhere, run after powerful run.

Eventually gained enough line to get a look. Too big to be a salmon.










Grabbed my virgin donger (it was rock hard by now), and gave the brute a whack!

Back at the beach, Angas was pleased, but Little-X was unimpressed.










The boys gave the sun-worshippers a lesson in donger use:










Went 73cm on the lie detector:










PS Angus was wrong, and Dec was right - a tuna would have tasted much better. Yuck!!!


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## worleybird (Aug 31, 2008)

nice salmon mr x,

They aren't too tasty are they!!! :shock: 
There's a lot of that size salmon up here on the coast are at the moment!! They're a great fight on light gear.
I'm keen to get down and stay at hat head sometime soon.

Stephen


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## Decay (Feb 25, 2008)

Great post, I liked that, thanks


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## karnage (Jan 18, 2006)

insane ***** tom!



MrX said:


> Spent the next couple of hours chasing birds with my donger out.


you will get locked up one of these days. :lol:


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## kas (May 5, 2009)

Was it all that chasing birds around that puffed you out or was it having your donger out & waving it around :lol: 
Great report mate.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

Great report Tom,
A great looking spot and a huge Salmon. Wish there were some like that at Middle Head. Thai fish cakes are a good dish for the Salmon. Chopping them up finely into a mince fixes the toughness and dryness.
PS don't hang onto your donger for too long or it will turn Blue.


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## wopfish (Dec 4, 2006)

What a beast !! What a great fighting fish !!!!


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## yakattack (Jan 12, 2008)

Well done Tom thats a horse of a Salmon.

Cheers MIcka


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## bigyakka (Mar 18, 2009)

Thats a bloody monster :shock: If you keep catching fish like that you might need a bigger donger :lol:


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Hat Head is a great place to go for a fish. I had hoped to get out wider on the yak chasing kingies, but the weather was pretty ordinary all long-weekend. No worries though - the sheltered creek had great fish, and my one trip out in the bay was fruitful.

Hope you get amongst them, Worleybird - you live in a great part of the world.

Hmm, didn't have much luck with the birds, but sure was thrilled to give my donger a work out. I have to say, it was the best pull I ever had on the yak. Can't lock me up for that, Steve.

Thanks for cooking tips Garry. Unfortunately, I was not well equipped for delicate culinary niceties. The bream came up beautifully grilled on the barbie next to the sossos, but salmon - never again. Next time a big shiny ***** swallows my line, I will keep my donger in my pants, and send her home in a cab.

Here's the brag mat shot:


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

By the blue colour of your donger Mr X, I'd say it was a bit chilly up there!

Off the topic for a moment, I was watching *immense *bird/fish activity off Longy this week b4 the bad weather hit. Big fish busting up everywhere and no-one out chasing them. Hopefully the seas drop next week during my RDOs.

Murd


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## Jacks (May 19, 2009)

Perfect, Salmon Pie size... If my old man had of cooked that, you would defiantly have changed your mind about the taste of the old *****. We used to catch that size ***** off south coast beaches! Nice fish! :twisted: Oh and did you leave it in the fridge for 6-8 hours before eating it?


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## riverrat (Jun 3, 2009)

great salmon mate well done


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## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Welcome back Murd! Where is your report?

Jacks, no fridge, mate - camping. Sat on the back of the yak in the sun.


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## Rstanek (Nov 5, 2007)

Awesome ***** Tom, congratulations.



MrX said:


> Wigg recently landed a monster Australian Salmon at "Old Mans Hat", so I figured there must be big sambos at "Hat Head" as well (who makes up these names?)


You weren't _that_ far north of Delicate Nobby...


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## Jacks (May 19, 2009)

MrX said:


> . Sat on the back of the yak in the sun.


No wonder it tasted "untasty" my advice at least put it in an esky for that long.


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