# Hard Yakka



## mackayaker (Aug 14, 2010)

My weekend started with a 4am rise on Saturday morning for a launch at the Pioneer River Street boat ramp at daybreak for a bit of Yak fishing. I had decided to cover all options with a large baitcaster outfit, a light bait rod and my soft plastic flicking rod. I worked the southern bank of the Pioneer drifting with the outgoing tide using an Atomic prong to no avail so I ventured over to the northern section of wall and immediately hooked up on a small estuary cod. Drifting out on the outgoing current with a light breeze at my back I managed to boat another 2 cod by jigging the Atomic prawn on the drift. The largest went 37cm, just under the legal size of 38cm and an equal Yak Personal Best for me. 
I then paddled into the Bassett Basin where I picked up an undersized Flattie in the main channel but otherwise it was very quiet. Then I came across some mates in a boat who were finding it almost as tough as myself with no decent fish to report. The tide by that stage was well and truly on its way in and being a 5.36m high the current was way too strong for me to work the wall with any confidence, even so I did manage one very strong hit and run on a 5″ Squidgy paddletail but alas no hook up. Drifting up towards the Forgan bridge in the northerly branch of the river I could see a fellow Yakker working the Mangrove banks, as I got closer I noticed it was a mate of mine, Gary. Just as he got within earshot my Atomic Prawn was hit hard mid water resulting in a screaming drag that I had not heard all morning. This fish fought extremely hard. It went under my yak then rose to the surface with the telltale Flathead head shakes, I knew then what I was dealing with so I slipped the net under him and brought him in. As most of you would know having a very lively 60cm Flathead onboard thrashing about around your legs can really get the heart pumping! Gary witnessed the fight and proceeded to tell me how the fishing had been a bit tough for him of late also. We paddled up to the bridge threw a few more lures around and I was off the water at 11.30am, ready for a beer or two.
I was feeling a little seedy from the aforementioned beer or two as I lifted my head off the pillow at 4.30am Sunday morning but nonetheless managed to make my way to Dumbleton to throw a few lures, landbased. I worked the usual rapids with no result but the perfect weather and conditions had me feeling very positive and I was really enjoying the session. I had a couple of enquiries from some bream but it wasn't until I spotted a submerged log and hit a perfect cast right on it that my Rapala Skitter Pop was smashed by a little 28cm Mangrove Jack. Not a lot of fish caught and no monsters but you have to admire a location where in less than 48hours you can catch Estuary Cod, Flathead and Mangrove Jack all within 15 minutes from your door and still have time to relax, enjoy a beer, soak up the perfect weather and wait in anticipation for next weekend, when some more Hard Yakka will be called for.

Cheers Scotty


----------

