Wind, wind and more wind - and a shallow water kingi

Over the past few days, the forecast has been calling big swell on the east coast and consistently heavy wind. Late last week you'd think they were talking through a hole in their heads; calm mornings greeted us. I was hoping for something like that this morning (knowing that it was not so likely)... so when I put in at 4.45am I wasn't surprised at the breeze that met me.

I drove up the harbour under lights, under the bridge, and headed for the lee of Meola reef. With outgoing tide and wind in the same direction, I figured that at least in the lee of the reef I could escape any wave action, and so it proved. I got the berley going and rigged the #8 with a dark clouser. As the sky began to lighten I sent out the first cast. Soon I had my first hit, a peewhacker snapper that went back. Over the next 90 minutes I hit small snapper after small snapper - where are the big guys?

The wind was building, probably about 10 knots at the stage when I noticed a swirl and splash behind the boat - I grabbed the #11, peeled line out and made a cast in that general direction on a hunch. 2 pulls into the retrieve and I got hit hard, I jammed a strip strike in and let go - line peeled off like I'd hooked a tarpon. In less than 2 m of water the fish had the option of heading upstream to the reef and busting me or heading down-current, and he chose option 2 which kept him in relatively obstruction free water. The fight was torrid, again and again he used the current to take line, the Tibor gave its growl again and again. I didn't time the fight but by the time I'd worked him up-current it must have been at least 15 minutes, and I was pretty damn happy to slip the net under a well legal sized fish, which I estimated to be in the 5-6kg range.

The wind soon made casting hazardous so I nipped down under the harbour bridge for a flick with a softbait. Again, just small snapper were home, and as I was playing one I heard the "peep-peep" of a duckling... no way... but yes, mum duck had taken her kids out for a harbour trip. They'd crossed the busy ferry lane and were making their way into the wind and tide... I never thought I'd see anything like that.

When the Now Casting service called the gusts at >30 kt I decided to get out while the going was good, a bit of a drenching was received from spray but I got back to the ramp safe and sound.

Hope this wind eases.