# Long Reef 15/7 - another perilous mission



## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Leave home at around 6:10 - not a skerrick of wind. Arrive at Fishermans Beach 15 min later and the wind is around 10 kts. Sand monster is sleeping so there was no discussion - Wigg, Fisherdan, MangoX and I hit the water in waves. Sunny skies, swell near 2m from the SE.

I paddled out to my mark for the wall. Short of it and with the Westerly stiffening at our backs, I deployed the drogue. Put out a 5" gulp jerk shad which started getting hit immediately. Messed around getting out a squid jig on a paternoster rig and a 7" gulp jerk shad. When I had those rods deployed, I lifted to first to discover a little bit more weight than I'd put on it. Reel in and I've got a small pinky in the net.

Stow the rod and getting ready to measure the fish when the yak listed to port and didn't stop :shock: For the first time in my many mishaps with the yak, it tipped right over. Now remember I have a line with a fish on it, two other lines deployed and a drogue. Righted the yak and swam around grabbing loose gear - tackle bag, net, hat. Very quickly become entangled in some line but notice that fish is still attached. Recover all three rods (two leashed, third in berkley holder). Board yak. Steve is close by and offers assistance but I'm on the yak so I decline.

Fish is still on the line but the lie detector told me to throw it back - poor bugger got a much rougher ride than it should have. Took forever to sort out tangles, having to sacrifice a small amount of line, and get everything in order. Sort out lines then notice that the anchor line holder is in the water and the line has unraveled and is tangled around the rudder. Comes free and I bring it all in and spend more time sorting that out. Tally of loss is one anchor, two bits of poly pipe which had been in rod holders and my radio is drowned (currently in clothes dry but not hopeful).

OK, not too much damage and I'm ready to fish again. Wind has pushed me quite a way past the mark so I decide to paddle back for another drift and hope the bite is still on. Hmm, yak won't turn to port. Rudder pedals are slack. Rudder is turned to starboard. Port rudder line has either broken or come untied (turned out to be the latter). As I head back to the mark, the yak is constantly turning to starboard so I'm having to make many corrective strokes. This is no good and with the wind gusting to around 20 kts I decided to pull the pin, go home and get warm. Lots of water in the hull by the time I get back, averaging less than 2 km/h.

It was a shocker for me and I'm really disappointed to miss out on the fish. Had seen Dan hooked up to something that was giving him a good fight. Don't know about Wigg and Steve.

Why did I go over? Don't really know. The wind and drogue had me side-on to the swell and I guess I just copped a combination of swell and chop that was precarious. With me concentrating on the fish, I just didn't see it happening. That, and I am certified as the world's clumsiest kayak fisherman.

I'll be back


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## wigg (Jan 6, 2007)

Well Peril you lasted longer than me.
I did see myself upside down loosing a brand new first outing $300 Shimano being lost so I pulled the pin.
Maybe next time.

Cheers

Wigg


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## MangoX (Feb 18, 2006)

:shock: DAM YOU LONGREEF !!!

Glad to see your OK Dave...lost radio contact (obivously) and saw you head back early...

Hey... at least you got a fish...

I only manged 2 tiny pinkies and a rock cod...
Spent most of the morning paddling into the wind (which I estimated at 20 kn with gusts of 25) ..
blew my cap off twice :? 
back on the beach at 9.30....

and as I loaded the car to leave...of course ... glassy conditions :? :? :? 
no pics today as fish were crap, mucho wind and my fingers are still numb ....


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## Dan A (Aug 29, 2005)

Nice going fellas, at least you got to get out for a fish, all be it some of you keep tipping over. 

ps. How far from shore do you guys paddle out?

Dan


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Ohhh dear Dave, i was really feeling COLD when i read that , you must have frozen your tits off , and you went back to the spot for more punishment :shock: :shock: , your certainly keen mate , a trifle clumsey , but keen , i guess your living up to your user name remarkably well :lol: :lol:


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Hi Guys, Nice report, things don't look too good huh. I'm just about to go check out Longie :shock: , if anyone fancies it I'll be there around 3pm. Might fall back to Narrabeen Lagoon if things look too dicey  . Cheers.....Flump


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

peril, peril, peril......and some of you folks wonder how he got his name.. :lol: :lol:

Happy to hear that you got back safely AND gave us another good laugh. Geez you must have been cold!


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Davey G said:


> peril, peril, peril......and some of you folks wonder how he got his name.. :lol: :lol:
> 
> Happy to hear that you got back safely AND gave us another good laugh. Geez you must have been cold!


Peril - is it the yak, or is it you?


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

After that, I reckon you're ready for a nice safe evening hairtail mission Dave.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Glad to here you got back in ok Dave. Pity no one got any good fish for all that effort.
It would have been cold, i went out at spot pb today and the water was 9 degrees not the time to be swimming.

Cheers Dave


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Davey G said:


> Davey G said:
> 
> 
> > peril, peril, peril......and some of you folks wonder how he got his name.. :lol: :lol:
> ...


Dave, I can't really say, not having experience of any other yak except the barge. I was taken completely by surprise but it is fair to say that the waves were standing up on other parts of the reef. I wasn't paying attention so don't know how I was undone this time (trying to figure out how to blame sbd).

Just finished stripping down and cleaning my reels. They weren't too bad for the time they spent in the water and they feel good now.

Dan - about 2km from the launch spot, but we're only a few hundred metres from the point (not that I'd try landing there with it being pounded by the waves).


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## JT (May 25, 2006)

Oh the tales of dispair! What a shabby weekends fishing for many of us in old Sydney town! Sounds like it was poor all round.

I hit Chain Valley Bay on Lake Macquarie at 6:00 am. Prepared my ship for sea and set off. The sounder/fish finder told me that the water was 11.0 degreas. The temp when I set off according to the digital thermometer on my nerd digital fishing watch said the outside temp was 7.1 degress without wind chill. 7.1? ....sure! try telling my scrotum that!!! :shock: More like something considerably less!!!

I trolled the usual suspects, flicked plastics around, jigged for squid. The results was a bitterly cold yak fisherman and no fish. I worked mangroves, moored boats, begged the locals for tips....nothing at all on the sounder. It was dead! I must admit that I stayed for only 2 hours before giving up. I chatted to a depressed stink boater and 3 salty old rock fichos who all said that they hadn't caught a thing.

And oh man did I memtion that it was so bitterly cold! The lake was filthy and full of wead.

You must have frozen your ass off Peril. I genuinely admire you for being out there! :shock:

JT


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

gday JT when i was fishing with Steve the other day he had been told the western side of the lake doesn't fish well in winter it way too cold. I know chain valley isn't exactly west side but it pretty close.

Cheers Dave


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

You'll be right next time for a few fish Peril!
Just know that you are one of the few that gets to experience that feeling of yak fishing!
Bring it on!!!


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Just got home. Sandmonster has gone from Longie  , swell was still up around 1.5 metres but it was pretty calm out there. Don't think I was fishing in the right spot, but never mind. Got one really big hit on fresh squid but no hook up. On the way in I passed over a couple of big arches (Jewies?) about 300 metres out from the ramp. Dropped some squid over the side but could only come up with a Wrasse and a yakka! Anyways a couple of piccies for you just to prove how calm it was. The wind had completely dropped off too  .

Cheers.....Nick


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## wigg (Jan 6, 2007)

Well done Flump.
I wish I had waited and gone the arvo fish.
Do you have any marks at Longy or do you need some?
Will you be fishing this week at all?
Let me know.

Cheers

Wigg


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## Flump (Apr 17, 2006)

Hi Wigg, no I've got no marks at all and yes, the conditions this arvo were peachy. Went out and looked for where the water deepened and started there. I went out with Peril a few months back so I think I ended up somewhere near "the wall". Saw one bait school on the sounder but nothing around it. Guess I need to find some marks to catch the fish, but with out a GPS, I'm probably stuffed. Tried to get out this morning with you guys, but the beer monster took it's toll from last night :wink: :twisted: I'm off on holiday for three weeks so can't make it out this week, will have to catch up off Longie some time next month  
Cheers.....Nick


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

Another time Nick. Certainly some fish out there - still waiting to hear from Dan.

BTW, despite the swim and the wind I wasn't really cold. I wore my rain gear to keep the wind out. Only cheap rainbird gear but it really did the job. Coldest part of me was me feet in neoprene boots. Had thermals on under normal trousers and shirt.

The forecast for next weekend is looking very ordinary so looks like we'll have to wait a fortnight for a return session.

Still really annoyed though - good tide, good barometer, rough weather preceding and the fish were biting yet I had to leave it


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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QlpoOTFBWSZTWU/3paEAAA1XgAAQQAMEgBAAL+/foCAAaDVNihozKDTT0IGqemmU2o2poGhiHDd/mVDgCQom3Vb3XbUEqu6VDlalmiOw5UxjxeBbagw7+uFFRY9/kFCkGRC5KBsS1F5+XmuU9QxaOazvIyEcF2TRTqH4u5IpwoSCf70tCA==


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## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

Glad to hear you're ok Dave, what were you wearing? That water is non too warm now, I think my first thought would be to get back to shore.


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## fisherdan (Apr 17, 2007)

Oh great! I should have stayed that little bit longer, but the wind chop out there was swamping me.. seriously.

First up I dropped the drogue and a squid down lightly while rigging the other rod and was happy to see some action on the finder at 8m where my squid was.... zzzzzzzzzzz........... stop....?????? Pull, lift, pull, the drogue now working against me...

Hi wigg, nothing to see here... gone.?? Re-rig, loving the new twisted leader knot.

Spent the next few hours loosing squid to little pinkies I guess, was almost onto something while hijacking a boats berley trail till their anchor rope snapped and they almost drifted on top of me with one poor fella over the side hurling :lol:

Later there was some surface action and I picked up a mutton bird and two seagulls on fast drifted unweighted pillies :roll:

Lots of birds and some splashing though could not see what it was or get a hit on anything  

Started to think of those school kids being blown away in the wind and the anchorless boat drifts into me again, we say g'day and our drogues get tangled, I almost do a Peril, and the fella starts hurling again.

I'm going to the pub (have 1 at 11 or 11 at 1.)

I was probably fishing to big again, otherwise I would have had snapper for dinner instead of stirfry.

and I think my cold is back.

Glad you had it nice Flump, glad you are OK Peril, sorry I didn't see you to help, and could not hear much over CB (wind, swearing)


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## Peril (Sep 5, 2005)

And there I was thinking you'd done well Dan. Was going to stop on my way in but you were off a distance and I was struggling against my rudder.

Interesting that there wasn't much caught as my 5" jerk shad in nuclear chicken was hassled from the time it hit the water. Might have to get some 7" ones!


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## tugboat (Nov 15, 2006)

Great report all, pity about the fish and swim.
Was thinking about joining you guys... but the nice warm bed was just too good to leave in the morning


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## wigg (Jan 6, 2007)

Good to hear you made it back Dan.
Sorry I couldnt steer you in the right direction with a ggod spot to sit but I was not very comfortable with the conditions and headed in.
Next time.
I passed another guy on the way in, in a Codra I think, did he make it back?
What sort of sounder did you end up with Dan? Are you happy with it?
Get rid of the cold and when the swell drops off we will hit it and clean up.

Cheers

Wigg


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## Dillo (Dec 6, 2006)

Dave, pleased you came out on the right side of the ledger with no real losses other than face.

It's a pity we can't learn from turnovers at sea as every one is different and I guess can't be avoided in most instances.This is why I am happy to stay within the confines of estuaries and streams although tip overs are possible there as well as is loss of gear.

Rod


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

> swam around grabbing loose gear


Imagine you would have been moving at the speed of Grant Hackett in the chilly water Dave and pleased to see you came through OK but shame about the radio mate.
To all who were out summer is on the way again after turning the winter corner


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## spooled1 (Sep 16, 2005)

You poor bugger - July is neither the time or place for immersion of any kind.
Glad you're OK.


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## Jeffo (Sep 10, 2006)

oooh Dave, that must have been friggen cold. 

Glad your ok

Cheers

Jeffo


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## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Flyrod said:


> It's a pity we can't learn from turnovers at sea as every one is different and I guess can't be avoided in most instances.Rod


Rod, I think you're onto something there. Perhaps Perils just doing some sneaky research for a book he's writing. It will be called "In Peril - Diary of a Yak Fishing Klutz" or perhaps "Captain Peril Capsizes again!".

Sorry Dave - couldn't resist. heee hee heee :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Y-Knot (Sep 26, 2006)

blimey fellas sounds like your working hard for those fish. Reel sorry to read of your loss Wigg, prehaps consider it lucky thats all ya lost...


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## MangoX (Feb 18, 2006)

Dave, I was actually coming up behind you when I saw your rod buckled over.. :shock:

YES ! already some action, I thought as I powered up my camera...

lost you for a couple of seconds in the swell...and *BAM*.....your gone :shock: :?

put the camera away and paddled over to see if you were OK... 

...like Earl, I believe in Karma and I'm sure the Sand Monster would have been waiting on my return.. 

however, I must commend you on your efforts to land the fish while soaking wet,tangled in lines, sea anchor and still managing to hand line that snapper in......

I took 2 Travel Calm tablets (man they dry your mouth out) and was fine this time in the big swell....wind gave me the shits and couldnt help thinking all morning
"how much easier it would be to fish without having to paddle all the time" 8) - ahhh... I feel and Adventure coming along.....

next time


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