18th April

Marina squidding - Finally, I get one!!

Marina warden Rocco with possibly the smallest squid I have seen yet!

Managed to find an hour to pop down to the marina,West arm, just as the evening was drawing in. As I walked on , a chap fishing inshore feathered three mackerel up, which gave me a dilema, as my excuse for popping out was to find something for our tea. Mackerel would have been the easiest option but I walked on to the float bays, as it was really squid that I wanted. After twenty minutes tow of the wardens, Keith and Rocco came and joined me, and ten minutes later Rocco had a strange bite, lots of dips and bobs, rather liek a pouting. We began specualting on the culprit, and we had all decided it was a cuttlefish, when it went steadily under and Rocco wound down and connected. I launched the drop net and secured his catch, possibly the smallest squid I have seen on the marina, hardly bigger than a regular calamaris.

Lovely sunset this evening

Back to the fishing, but with the sun setting, I was beggining to have thoughts about returning home, empty handed. Not good for the hunter/gatherers ego....... Then, in the gloom, I noticed my float slide away. I wound down into nothing, a familiar feeling for me with squid this year. My only opportunity lost? I re-cast and ran the jig through the same path. It buried again. I wound down, and straight away the squid turned on its water pumps in an effort to escape. I held the pressure, terrified it was going to go light at any second. Keith launchd the drop net, and Rocco time the lift to perfection as I brought the squid across the top. Result!! My first landed squid of 2009. One very relieved Fishyrob!

My first squid of 2009.