The silent approach.

Can't believe it's been a month since I wet a line! Saying that, the weather has really been something else this winter. We haven't gotten the big Northerly storms like last year but it has been constantly just bad enough for going out.

Have been keeping a close eye to the forecast and yesterday was looking like the best day we've had so far. Thankfully the forecast got it spot on and I headed out after breakfast. Wasn't looking for anything spectacular, just needing to feel a fish on the end of my line! 

After a bit of faffing with the wires of the electric motor (tbf I don't look after it at all) I got it going and decided to hit a spot where I've been noticing the fish getting spooked easily with the aluminium boat. This time I stopped the main engine a good distance from the mark and made my approach with the electric motor keeping the sounder off. Made a few lure changes at first to see what they liked and natural presentations got hit better. 

I started getting a steady stream of plump pollock near the bottom at first but also on straight retrieve later on. I could also feel some coalies on the vicinity as they'd bump my lure so I thought it was time to try out the new Autowalker 83s from Mechanic Lures. Coalies really love hitting it's bigger brother the Autowalker 115s but a smaller presentation better matches the wee sprats and sandeels they're usually feeding on.

Autowalker 83s

Standard size pollock on the paddletail.

In the net.

Streamlined hunters.

Love seeing codling more often.

I started fan casting and sure enough after some casts I started getting blow ups on it! The 83s comes with only a treble at the back hence it took a few goes for the fish to stick as they were hitting it head on. Nevertheless, the coalies put up a good show as they were of a good size. It seems to me that the 83 has a more aggressive action as I was using it with heavier gear and still getting a pronounced snaking with some tail side slapping. Need to bring out the light game setup next time for a proper go. Saying that, the lure still casts and works very well on MH gear.

I alternated between topwater and SPs keeping the fish interested until the bites dried out. This took surprisingly long though, especially considering that I went toward the end of the "bite time" for this mark.  Made a small move to another nearby spot and found even more fish stacked on a ledge...

Here the coalies were even thicker, interspersed with some pollock and even a couple codling. A brighter coloured soft plastic did better in the deeper water of this mark.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day but as always it was time to head in soon enough. Today is another windy and rainy day so I'm glad I made the most of it. I really hope we get another day like it soon so I can try and winkle out a big girl!

Tight lines.