He didn’t want to share his germs so he just waved from a distance. We set off for the head of the track where the journey began in earnest. Although the track had been scouted out 2 weeks before we still walked past it, such is it’s over-grown state. Once on track we battled really thick scrub complete with a wide variety of plants of the stinging, scratching, tripping & even the blood drawing type. Stuff botany. Now I know why I’m a fisherman not a gardener. Eventually it was a short drop down a waterfall [more of a water-trickle] & we were on the beach, a mere stroll to the ledge. Here we were joined by some stragglers, Barry French, Rob Harwood & Steve Bunney.

Berly was soon in the water with bread flies a close second. Low tide was due around 11am so there was a “time’s a wasting” attitude & it was mere minutes before Dave hooked up with Paul hot on his heels. Dave’s effort was a fair one but Paul’s was more like the Pig’s legendary style of fighting; tough, tenacious, inch by inch stuff. It was a beaut, some 53cm & 2.9 kilos [on a 7wt ???? ] while Dave’s at 43cms & 1.49kg was nothing to sneeze at. Dave had his revenge when he landed a second Drummer albeit a smaller model of 1.35 kg. Chris & Rob were casting to some fish that on closer inspection turned out to be ‘Yakkas”. These fish have small mouths & could only nip at the large ‘Drummer’ sized flies the lads had in the water, much to Rob’s *#!ing frustration. Chris found a smaller bread fly & was rewarded with a Yakka. Meanwhile new member Barry had elected not to fish, instead he acted as our photographer & lent a hand as needed.

We had spread out along the ledge when Bob decided some of us would benefit from his vast experience. He rounded up some of us & started off down rocks, pointing out good places to fish . By the time he reached the end of the platform there was only yours truly left for him to mentor. I had drawn the wettest spot which was ok; I was wearing a PFD + I had taken on the job of suppling the sink tips so necessary in these conditions. I’d knocked up some 14 of these in varying sizes, & they were really good; pity I left them in the car. Considering the track we used they may as well have been on the moon. So every wave I copped was a kind of penance. Bob hadn’t finished yet. He grabbed Sticker & Mac from a couple of un-productive holes then lead them to another ledge where Mac scored 2 quick-fire winners; a Drummer then a Ludderick, both fish a good size & new species for him. Back on the other rock Richard too was on the board with his first Drummer. However as the sun climbed the tide retreated. Luckily everyone had bought heaps of bread which enabled us to fish through the bottom of the tide & into the first 2 hours of the new one.

This period proved quieter than the morning as only 2 fish were landed, 1 Drummer to Sticker while Richard bagged a Rock Cale, which while not a glamour species was at least a new one for him. By about 1pm it was time to pull the pin & struggle back up the hill, with plenty of pauses for the ‘cardiac challenged’. Ken proved himself once again to be a BBQ wizard while I belatedly distributed my hand made sink tip. If only I’d remembered to take it we may have seen more fish on the rocks. Still, even without sink tip fishing beats gardening any day of the week.