January 5th

First trip to my "new" spot at Shelly beach this year. Still learning, as my first trip was in March last year. A very small tide of 2.5 m high, arrived I thought a bit late at 3.5 hours before. I don't think I missed much, as only sea lice seemed to be there. a couple of small knocks which never developed, I think they were mullet swimming into the line as I saw a few jumping.
No real bites until 2 hours before high, the first a bit of a weird rattle and small pulls.



I should have known from experience not to get too excited, a very small dog fish "with a 4oz homemade sinker". There is practically no current on the incoming, so just short wires to hold against the wind.



This arrived 15 minutes later, a small Bronze whaler shark, then they were biting every cast but still the same result, caught 4 more up till high when it was time to go home. The only worry is that Big Momma will not be too far away, they get up to 200 kg.

They are classed as game fish here and are actively fished for mostly at night from the popular swimming beaches. The sharks are patrolling looking for mullet anyway, day and night. Swimmers are often called from the water when the sharks are sighted, they are not classed as dangerous, but any blood in the water or an attack on some mullet could trigger an attack.

The BW sharks are intelligent and have learnt that the sound of a boat stopping often means lunch will soon be served, especially where King fish are targeted and sometimes it is hard to get more than a head caught, a victim of The Tax Collectors.