Great day out at Ocean Reef
Some mates and I launched off Ocean Reef at 7am. We were preparing to join the queue but was quite surprised when we got there and no queue could be seen! Amazing...
The conditions looked quite promising and I asked my friend to head out to Direction Bank. He declined because his boat was too small (4.8m Ali). Instead we dropped anchor at a spot he reckons was "good". Berleyed hard and waited.... and waited.... and waited..
Suddenly rods started bending, except mine! All 3 guys were reeling in fish. 1 turned out to be a 40cm Blackarse, other 2 were wrasses. This kept going for about an hour with more wrasses being hooked and released. I have yet to reel anything in.. 
I got bored and asked the skipper to change spots to where I got a decent Dhu a couple of weeks ago. So, off we went.
At that spot, things looked promising when pinkies were being brought onboard. All were undersize and released to fight another day or two. I think we hit a school of juvenile pinkies with about 15 or so released. The skipper managed to hook a red rock cod. At this stage I was still scoreless with not even a wrasse to compensate!
I was beginning to feel annoyed being the only one without any reel action so far...!! Good ol' Andy decided to send me a text at the moment to see how I was doing. Told him it's been quiet (for me!). His day has been quiet too, BUT he and his boys got 2 Dhuies. Thanks for adding salt to the wound, mate!! Lol 
The 3 guys are still reeling in fish after fish (mainly wrasse) when one of them said his line feels quite heavy. Turned out to be a Port Jackson. Lol. Amongst all that, 2 big KGs were landed. Both measuring about 45cm and 48cm.
I had 2 rods out. One was a demersal outfit with a 6000 size reel which I used to catch a decent Dhuie last time I went out. Other was a 4000 size Sienna with 15lb mono and a small hook which I use to catch bream and skippy. Suddenly the Sienna screamed bigtime! After about 5 mins of "fighting", there didn't seem to be any headshakes associated with good fish. But the tip of the rod was still bent downwards and only moved when a swell rocked the boat. I thought the hook had caught onto rocks or maybe a mass of seaweed. Couldn't do anything to unhook and was ready to cut the line when all of a sudden the reel screamed again, this time with massive headshakes! Spent about 20 minutes fighting the fish!. When it neared the surface, all I saw was a large "white" shape and thought I had caught a ray. Turned out to be a 74cm Dhuie! Small to some people but to me, it was a PB (personal best)!!
From zero for the day, to hero of the day! Hahaha!!
One of the guys caught a smaller Dhuie (55cm) and we decided to call it a day (a great day for me!).
Total boat bag for the day: 2 Dhu, 2 Blackarse/Breaksea, 2 KGs and a small mackerel.
This is my first report on FW. Hope you guys enjoyed reading it...
Hopefully I will continue to have success and share the reports with you all. 
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Auslobster
Posts: 1901
Date Joined: 03/05/08
Good onya Ash!
Nice write-up and great work with the light gear...have only ever caught dhuies on heavier jigging/bottom bouncing gear, so I can't know the feeling!
Meeuwissen
Posts: 755
Date Joined: 29/03/13
Good first report
congrats on the dhue on the light gear! would have been alot of fun
Down the Line
Catch the Experience
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Heaps of fun!
Thanks guys. Because of the light gear, I was too afraid to lock up the drag. Took my time to tire the fish out but it sure had a lot of energy! 20 minutes or so of pure mayhem! Lol
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
sea-kem
Posts: 15031
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Great report mate and as we
Great report mate and as we say from shit to champagne in 5 mins lol. No one can argue that's a ripping bag of fish I'd love to mail one of those big King Geordies
Love the West!
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
KG
Didn't know you loved KG. Would've taken one home for you!
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Good stuff Ash, I've been looking at heading out tomorrow but it's blowing it's arse off apparently.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Some good meals there
A good variety of top table fish, well done
Jadeo
Posts: 269
Date Joined: 08/06/15
Nice little bag
Nothing wrong with a 74cm dhu. Good things come to those who wait ha!
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
Nice work
Nice work
GGs
Posts: 330
Date Joined: 06/09/14
Top effort
Cleaned up mate well done.
That sounds like a textbook dhu catch to me... fights with headshakes for a few minutes and then gives up and becomes a brick on the end of your line.
It may not be a monster but easily the best eating size. Well done!
kirky79
Posts: 1354
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Nice
Top Dhu mate
that's a very nice bag.
dw72
Posts: 139
Date Joined: 19/02/15
good read
nice bag of fish!
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Cheers guys
Yeah, I agree that we ended up with a great bag of fish. I only took home my Dhu. The rest were split between the 3 other guys. Also took home some large wrasse for my daughter's babysitter who loves them! Lol
It's Chinese/Vietnamese New Year this weekend so the family will enjoy some Dhu, cooked my style!
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Well done
Well done Ash. Moving means catching more fish! You should be glad you didn't have to turn a reel for the dodgy fish!
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Turning reel?
Michael, what do you mean by turn a reel?
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Turning reel
You know, you wind the handle and the reel turns and the lines comes back from the water?
My comment was aimed at your report where you said the only time you had to wind in a fish was for the dhu. Better to wind in a good fish than useless undersize fish.
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Lol
Hahaha! Ok, I understand now.
Yes, my mates were giving me grief all morning. After the Dhu was landed, no further comment from any of them! Haha
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Lance55
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 26/08/16
A great report mate
nice fish as well, a nice KG is on my bucket list!
Lance55
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 26/08/16
A great report mate
nice fish as well, a nice KG is on my bucket list!
ChrisG
Posts: 558
Date Joined: 30/12/11
Well done mate
Well done mate