Got my 20 sea urchins without having to move, 10 on 1side of the boat and 10 on the other. The bottom is looking A LOT better with not much of the seaweed that had engulfed the rocks last time I had a look.
Made a bee line straight for pt cook in search of calamari and as I was going along, about halfway between the pier and the yellow stick in 8.5m of water, I noticed the bottom went from flat sand to broken rubbly ground so I stopped and marked it on the GPS so I could fish it on the return. Went to pt cook and after a heap of drifts caught nothing and lost 1 squid jig.
Got back to my newly marked spot and anchored, got the burley out, and started fishing. Baby pinkies were in plague proportions, all ~15cm and all went back.
I lowered to about 1m off the bottom a squid jig baited with silver whiting on a handline and it went off!! Got it half way and the bastard let go, I was soo pissed off, anyway lowered it again and within 30sec I was on again <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':lol' /> pulled in a nice sized arrow squid. Then I noticed a rod on the other side of the boat with teltale squid thumps. I lowered the squid jig on the other side and pulled in a nice calamari. Then another and then nothing,ââ¬Â¦ just small pinkies.
Not sure where the area you refer to homestead is.... <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/unsure.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />
I lowered the silver whiting squid jig just in case there were squid in the area.... didnt really expect to get any so i was wrapped <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Next time i'll try drifting over the area and see if i cant repeat my success <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Launched at Altona in a mate's boat and went straight for Pt Cook. Managed about 4 small calamari (on green jigs) and then nothing after repeated drifts between the cardinal marker and the Marine Park boundary.
Headed to a spot i had caught 3 on my previous trip, straight out from Altona pier, and we managed average sized calamari from 15~20cm hoods. I caught most on an orange sz2.5 razorback jig and one of the buggers was only holding onto the middle barbs!! <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':unsure:' />
After the action quietened we headed halfway between Altona ramp and Willy footy ground and caught a few more there on green jigs. All up we ended up with 15 calamari. Not one was taken on my silver whiting jig, but it did have a few chunks missing off it, the calamari must've been too small.... <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
I didn't take any squid on my whiting jig last time I went out either, but it was sortof mangled by the end of the day - I though it might have been flathead or another fish having a go......
Good job aok good to see some reports during the gloom season <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':unsure:' />
Guys yesterday would've been a nice day to be out catching calamari but i was sick and stuck indoors fixing my home PC. When it is sorted i'll post photos of the calamari <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
Jaz, my whiting jig had chunks taken out of it which were definate squid bite marks.... and guess where,.... abdomen area away from the spikes <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Went squiding off Pt Cook with ym wife on sunday in very strong northerlies, after getting a bit wet on the way to Pt Cook i was hoping to be compensated by some good calamari.
Instead we lost a a few jigs for ZERO calamari <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/crying.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/crying.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />
Trieds the spot off Altona pier and the other boat i was out with got 2 small ones. Then tried for the "dusk pinkies" around the reefs out from Altona ramp and got zippo except for my wife who caught a throwback pinkie,...
Ah well, we had a crack but did no good this time <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />
I admire your keenness AK, the weather, and particularly the wind has been shocking. <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
The closest I've been to fishing was trying to fish the last tim tam out of the packet last night!
Forget about admiring my keeness <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' /> , ineed to be insitutionalised , i couldnt believe my wife who gets seasick handeled the conditions so well.... i have to take my hat off to her on this ocassion. <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/xyxthumbs.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
Cant wait for this weather to calm down into the usual "calm winter weather"
Was at the bluff in victor harbour SA yesterday and a bloke landed a nice squid of around 1.5kg - i was fishing there only hours earlier and for some stupid reason didnt even put a jag out <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /> <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/oops.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />
SA - the land of the bigger fish. The fish on the east, measure the least, but if you head west, you'll be bringing in the best!!
yeah, always pays to have a squid jig out when fishing <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
I have lost count of how many times it has paid dividends when i go fishing <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':o' />
Aok what do you do with the sea urchins? Which parts are edible? Any good? I am open minded about seafood but cant stand sea urchin roe. Has the worst texture/taste combo.
hehehe its the sea urdchin roe that i eat <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
I leave it in the seaurchin and drizzle a bit of olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon juice and then scoop out the roe with bread.
It has a wierd texture/taste and i think you either like it or you dont,... a bit like oysters i guess <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
AK, something I have been wondering about - how do you catch the sea urchins? Is it by diving?
I see a lot while SCUBA diving for crays, but never bother to take them, maybe I should give them a try?
We didn't get any jewies on Friday night <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' /> , a few undersize bream was the best we could manage. Should have gone floundering instead! (although the wind got up later)
04-07-2004, 10:34 PM (This post was last modified: 04-07-2004, 10:36 PM by aok47.)
hey jaz,...
Well i ended up going floundering with my wife and we tried either side of Altona Pier. All we managed was to see ONE KGWhiting about 10~15cm long and that was it!!!
It was freezing eventhough we were wearing waders... maybe it was the full moon,... maybe it was the spot. never tried there before so we thought we would give it a go. We waded through heaps of gutters and holes but no fish or crabs to be seen <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' /> The guys fishing the end of the pier said they caught a few garfish and that was it.
Even under the pier we did spot ANY life except for some schools of tiny whitebait.
REea urchins
I have a landing net with a 2m extension handle that i use to scoop them off rocks/bottom. i use a tempered glass "lens" (made in Italy) to see'em <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' />
After doing it for a few years i had started to worry about their population recently with lots of green seaweed and starfish taking over their habitat however GOOD NEWS, they are back in great numbers which can only be good for the fishies that eat them,... leatherjackets/etc.
Bad luck about the floundering AK, I have only fished from Altona pier, never floundered there before, but it looks like OK ground. Do you live around the Altona area? I haven't speared a flounder for a few weeks, not sure if there's any about at the moment.:blink:
Ahh, it makes sense about catching sea urchins now, a long net is a smart idea. I think I have seen those underwater lenses before, some guys use them to pick up their boat moorings in Apollo Bay harbour.
Wenesday night looks like the next potential calm(ish) night, if the weather cooperates I'll be floundering - any takers?.
gday Jaz, i live a stone's throw from Highpoint, so about 20min from Altona....
What time are you thinkin on Wednesday, and where? I might be in,.... <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/unsure.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
Not sure if Wednesday will be any good now, just checked the latest PPB forecast:
Wednesday
North to northwesterly winds increasing to 20 to 30 knots during morning, before
shifting southwesterly late morning at 20 to 30 knots, then easing to about 15
knots later. Waves of 1 to 2 metres, abating to a metre or less later. A strong
wind warning has been issued.
15 knots is still too windy! <img src='http://www.squidfish.net/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':th' />
If the winds decide to abate (probably unlikely), I'd be keen to drive to your side of the bay (I live in Edithvale) I hear that around Werribee area there have been a lot of flounder taken in the past.
Starting time of 8:30 or 9pm?
But this all depends on the winds, unless it's pretty close to still conditions, it's not worth going. So many times I've thought 'but it's only a light breeze, I'll have a go', just to give up after 15 mins due to poor visibility and too many surface ripples.
Should know by Wednesday arvo whether it's going to happen or not, I'll let you know.
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ea urchins