# Missing Mackerel & gut wrenching (Palm Beach 4/4/2014)



## Godzilla (Feb 24, 2014)

Following on from my trip report titled Palm Beach First Catch 4/4/2014. I reported I had caught 3 Spaniards and 2 Spotties however on the day I was adamant I had caught 3 of each. On returning to the beach and car park that day I only managed to retrieve 5 fish from the hull of my yak even after lifting one end up to make sure I had them all. Well I must have just counted wrong with all the excitement of having an amazing morning. That day I cleaned out my yak at home using my pressure cleaner and detergents etc as it was covered in blood and fish slime, I was satisfied it was clean. Two days later I thought I would check on the yak to see how it was weathering smell wise etc, well it wasn't good, it was covered in flies and the smell was bad. I cleaned the inside of the yak once again with my pressure cleaner using detergents and getting as far down into the back of the yak that I could possibly get thinking it must be just some blood etc, once again I was happy it was clean. Another 2 days pass and this morning I thought I better check once more just to be sure, well the stench was 10 times worse, this time finding the hull full of maggots and green slime, I was literally beside myself and dry reaching at the same time, I could only think of one possible thing the no 6 Mackerel. I lifted one end of the yak up and gave it a vigorous shake, I felt something slide down the hull and it was my worse nightmare come true, a 4 day old decomposed Mackerel full of maggots.
Well let me tell you the next 1 & 1/2 hours were the worst most sickening period of my life, once again the pressure cleaner came out including every possible cleaning agent from under the kitchen sink, this time I had maggots flying everywhere and some were the size of large Witchetty Grubs, Bear Grylls eat your heart out. Seriously this was literally a gut wrenching experience, as I sit here now a couple of hours later I still have the smell in the back of my nose and can taste it in my mouth. I suppose there is one positive and that is I can add another fish to my catch list, saying that I would have definitely preferred 5/5 than 5/6!
All I can say is don't ever make the same mistake, it's one I will never ever forget, sorry guys gotta go now and have another spew! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Commiserations, our worst nightmare! Going to buy a fish bag now? Cheers, Dave.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Spewin buddy literally, I can imagine the smell Justin, serious dry reaching m8 4 sure.


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Finding rotting yakkas and slimies accidentally left in a livey tube in a stinking hot garage in the middle of summer is one thing, find them inside the yak is another..


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## Couta101 (May 22, 2009)

Hahahahahahaha. School fees mate school fees!

But as others have said you ain't the first, go ask Clive about his tackle box surprise!


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## Godzilla (Feb 24, 2014)

mrwalker said:


> Commiserations, our worst nightmare! Going to buy a fish bag now? Cheers, Dave.


Thanks Dave, fish bag sounds like the go definitely after that experience!


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## Godzilla (Feb 24, 2014)

I rang Clive (Safa) and even told him I caught six that morning, but for some reason settled on thinking I had 5 ...I'll never make the same mistake again! Don't think I'll look at a Mackerel the same way ever again, never mind trying to eat the 10 kilos of Mackerel fillet in the freezer!


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2014)

Mate bad experience , can relate a bit

Took an old mate fishing once , he lost his pilly's somewhere

Took me two weeks to find them , he shoved them up under his seat on the passenger side

Hmmm


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

I have never left fish in my hatch, but i have left my paddle at home and had to drive 10 mins home to get it. Plus once i forgot to strap my plastic down and lost it going round the corner, but all good no damage, lucky it wasn't the profisha. ;-)


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## couta1 (Sep 10, 2005)

an even better one is that i was so happy catching gt's from my kayak in the Northern territory,then i drove from the NT to Broome in Western Australia to fish and then i realised when i opened the hatch i had forgotten one GT from Lee point in Darwin in my hatch and the drive was done in 45C heat!!!!...

i dry reached for weeks....i was even tempted to just throw the yak of the cliffs in broome and just pay for a new one to get shiped...a used the catch and release method in broome a lot then as i couldnt even open the hatch

strange border control into WA was more interested in giving me a fine for bringing in onions and honey and didnt even notice the march flies bigger than my hands hovering over the hatch of the yak on the roof..


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## Windshear (Aug 22, 2009)

Does this mean there is a second hand yak for sale??


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## Godzilla (Feb 24, 2014)

couta1 said:


> an even better one is that i was so happy catching gt's from my kayak in the Northern territory,then i drove from the NT to Broome in Western Australia to fish and then i realised when i opened the hatch i had forgotten one GT from Lee point in Darwin in my hatch and the drive was done in 45C heat!!!!...
> 
> i dry reached for weeks....i was even tempted to just throw the yak of the cliffs in broome and just pay for a new one to get shiped...a used the catch and release method in broome a lot then as i couldnt even open the hatch
> 
> strange border control into WA was more interested in giving me a fine for bringing in onions and honey and didnt even notice the march flies bigger than my hands hovering over the hatch of the yak on the roof..


 Haha feeling that pain, it's a hard lesson SWALLOW!


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## islandboy (Jan 20, 2013)

I wouldn't have worried about cleaning it out, you could have been your own burley slick, even the plastic taste of the yak would have been superceded by the natural fish aroma!


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## suehobieadventure (Feb 17, 2009)

I don't think you will ever totally get rid of the smell. Every time you open the hatch you will get a whiff. Great session though. Life is enhanced by experiences along the way. You just made a memorable trip.


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