# Bendalong, little GWS visits



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

Had a morning session yesterday to take a friend from the big smoke out for a fish. Had the back seat mounted in the AI for his nephew who was keen to come along (works like a charm for little fellas).
Quiet start with lots of the normal bottom dwellers shredding baits and I was just relaxing when I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye and turned to see 1.5 m of grey shoot under my pontoon and barrel into the side of the yak right next to me, that got our undivided attention right away!
He then decided to taste my mirage drive and gave it a good shake before deciding it was not food (bottom of one fin now has a couple of slices through it).
He was keen to hang around so I put a slab of fish on my heavy outfit and dropped it over the side and he grabbed it immediately............what followed was 10 minutes of sheer excitement as this thing turned on its turbo and went beserk. I could not believe the speed of this thing, it is twice the fighter that the bronzies I am used to catching here.
After 10 minutes I had him swimming beside the me, he was not tired, just curious I think and it was clearly a young GWS. Now to get a picture, my iphone is in my hatch so I am trying to get it with one hand, which is wet so the screen wont respond. hold phone in teeth, wipe hand, retrieve phone, turn to picture mode, yadda, yadda, yadda. Fish by now is bored and decides to go, so I have a quick snap of him as he turns and another of the splash as the line finally parts.
Outstanding fun! and the mates nephew has a great story for show and tell back at school.
Lesson learned - 1. get another waterproof camera NOW!
2. if a little one can bash my boat that hard, not too keen to experience what a 4m one could do.









As an aside, this mornings beach run revealed lots of cuttle carcasses which is a cue for the snapper to start up.


----------



## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

That is fantastic. At that size it must have been very young as they are 1.2 - 1.5 metres at birth. It sounds like it was quite capable of looking after itself at that age and size.


----------



## onemorecast (Apr 17, 2006)

mudpat said:


> He then decided to taste my mirage drive and gave it a good shake before deciding it was not food (bottom of one fin now has a couple of slices through it)


 :shock: that would result in a 10-100 from me on the spot


----------



## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

I bet the youngster's mum wont be letting him back out with you on the yak for a while! I must say, you obviously kept pretty composed, and lucky you had the stability of the AI on your side.


----------



## Guest (Oct 2, 2012)

That would have been scarily awesome. I don't know that I'd like to have him gnawing on my yak but at the same time it'd sensational to see him up close.


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

bunsen said:


> I bet the youngster's mum wont be letting him back out with you on the yak for a while! I must say, you obviously kept pretty composed, and lucky you had the stability of the AI on your side.


His mum called it a "learning experience"


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

Scott said:


> That is fantastic. At that size it must have been very young as they are 1.2 - 1.5 metres at birth. It sounds like it was quite capable of looking after itself at that age and size.


I remember last year there was a report of a small white caught just north at sussex inlet by some clowns in a stinker who killed it at the boatramp. There may be a movement of them up the coast to the newcastle region where I believe the juveniles are quite common along stockton beach at certain times of year.


----------



## paulb (Nov 12, 2006)

That juvenile GWS is going to be a problem child as it grows up I reckon. So young, yet already taking on things well over twice it' size......

Hopefully that shark has learnt it's lesson and will avoid kayaks (& boats in general) in the future.

Very interesting post - you don't often hear about shark's actually mouthing kayaks......


----------



## badmotorfinger (Mar 15, 2010)

Any sharkshield?


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

No, and no plan to get one. Next thing I will be carrying a parachute on flights and driving a volvo :lol:


----------



## imtheman (Aug 24, 2012)

gotta give it to you boys that fish in the ocean- I certainly wouldnt do it


----------



## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Yours are bigger than mine!


----------



## badmotorfinger (Mar 15, 2010)

mudpat said:


> No, and no plan to get one. Next thing I will be carrying a parachute on flights and driving a volvo :lol:


Ignore previous, just saw on KFDU that you do own Sharkshield but left it at home. Do you wear a hat in your volvo?


----------



## Darwin (Jul 25, 2008)

I wonder if I install sidekick AMA on my revo would it attract move GWS attention? What an experience!


----------



## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Dropping a slab over the side with a GWS around and a kid on the back, you've got balls mate. Glad to read the shark's mumma wasn't around.

Marty


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

badmotorfinger said:


> mudpat said:
> 
> 
> > No, and no plan to get one. Next thing I will be carrying a parachute on flights and driving a volvo :lol:
> ...


Yes, lined with foil to keep the cosmic radiation away as it causes multiple personality disorder and we didnt want that


----------



## GlenelgKiller (Mar 13, 2012)

wow! do you have a pic of the damage done to the mirage?


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

GlenelgKiller said:


> wow! do you have a pic of the damage done to the mirage?


Its not much, just two slices at the flexible end of one fin. The fins themselves are very tough and the rest of it just has a couple of nicks. Would of been a big deal with a large shark but this fella is still learning his limits. He will either grow up to be a big fearless fella or make the mistake of doing it to an Orca and become lunch.


----------



## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Can you change your location to WA to make me feel better?


----------



## mudpat (Feb 21, 2011)

Ado said:


> Can you change your location to WA to make me feel better?


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: I have never heard of a GWS over there less than 5m

The bronzies turn up in numbers around march, great fun and magic on the plate. 
Really want to get a Mako though, that is on my wish list. There are numbers of them out wide here and I always try to have a whole slimey or yakka out the back just in case.


----------

