My 11th oz report

**Snatcher** · 16-01-2009, 20:39

It was the same routine as normal,walked down to my Port Douglas jetty for dawn armed with bread and squid.I mashed up some bread and squid into tiny pieces and dropped them straight down below me,hoping to get some fish on the feed. I thought that for a change I would try a popper for 10 minutes to see if anything was stirring.

After a few casts I noticed a huge fish following just behind the lure.From where I was standing it looked a good three feet long or more.It looked like a huge barracuda but I could not be sure. It did not take so with trembling hands I put on a wire trace to give myself a slightly better chance.To be honest I knew that if that fish did take the lure it would snap my 15lb mono so I took a photo of the popper,just for the record.

I duly cast out into the main channel again and was expecting to see that big fish again.Despite giving it another ten minutes got no follows/takes.Ah well at least I got my popper back!!!

It was back to the bait after that,just freelining lumps of bread below me.The fishing was slow and I only managed two black bream.They were good sport on light gear though.

I had a wander down to the end of the jetty looking for signs of mullet and seen some about 50/60 yds away.Out came the bait catapult and I began the process of drawing them in to me.They duly obliged.Check out this shoal on the surface just in front of me

These guys were driving me mad,for about half an hour they just nosed the bait occasionally.I eventually decided to whack in a load of groundbait and put my bait in the middle of it.It worked ok and they went into a bit of a feeding frenzy and one eventually took my bait.

Fireworks time,it must have taken me about 15 mins to tire out that fish and on numerous occasions I just stopped it from diving under the jetty.I then had to walk the fish about 30 yds backover so I could "beach" him on on one of these steps.

I then had to walk back further to the top of the stairs,keeping pressure on the fish all of the time and then walk down the steps.I quickly picked him up as did not want to dally by the waterside for too long.Well I had seen large crocs a mere half mile up the river and you never know!!!

Anyway here he is,a fine diamond scaled mullet.

A quick picture and he went back in no bother at all.Decided to call it a day then as the shoal had scarpered and it was breakfast time.