Sports and Hobbies Thread

[AndrewX]

Hi everyone, 

I thought it may be an idea to have a dedicated thread in which all members can talk about their favorites passtimes, sports or hobbies.  Feel free to join in and show everyone what takes your fancy when you're out to entertain yourself in your spare time.  No matter what it is you do, I've no doubt others would be interested to know about it. 

Here's a picture of a SouthernBluefin Tuna that my mate John caught on board my Aluminium power CAT only a few days ago.  We went out in a 3 boat convoy and fished many miles out off the coast in 300foot deep water for a very productive day.  Although the swell in the ocean was quite large as you can see, the wind was not blowing too hard.  The swell was a result of a large storm that hit the area the day before we went out.  I'm the guy at the helm... with my 4-day growth.:big grin:  And I'm the oldest bloke on board, even though I may not seem it.  The tall lanky guy on the left is half my age but he's as keen as mustard when it comes to fishing. 



Once you go into the picture at 'Imageshack' you can click on it once to enlarge it to its full size.

[Astrojewels]

Wow Andrew, you must have had lots of fun, and glad to see that there are lots of fish out there. You are a lucky man to have so many friends that share a common interest, is this your favorite sport and hobby in one?

[William]

  Ahhhhhh  My youth was spent many a day on boats like that Andrew.  And up until a few years ago Ive not stepped on a boat.   So weird how life changes !  

  One of the problems I have here and not going on boats is that I know how polluted the waters are here!  :(  very sad!

  But that is a lovely Blue waters youve got going on there!  :)

[AndrewX]

You are a lucky man to have so many friends that share a common interest, is this your favorite sport and hobby in one?

HI Karen, 

The large number of people I know in this game is a result of the days when I was buiding alloy plates boats for 10 years up until recently.  In those days Karen I would regularly role up to most of the largestest Vic Angling clubs as a guest speaker and talk to them about the newest designs I'd been working on and the fishing I and other friends of mine were experiancing at the time.  I would always tow a boat of mine that I'd just finished to the meets and all the guys would drool over them.  Whenever the guys and a few gals would see me role up to their club it would be smiles all round as I was forever talking to them of leading edge technologies in both boating and fishing.  I would often also hold 'demos' in the StKilda, Queenscliff and Hastings marinas where I would bring along 2 or 3 different models of my boats and give people 'free' rides on them in the open water... me driving only of course.lol  I would on those days invite all the angling clubs in the vicinity of those Marinas to come down and have a spin.  The turnouts were often amazing.  Many times I had queues of over 100 people waiting to go out.lolol  After a few rounds I got to know the faces of those who were there jsut for the ride, and the ones who were genuine prospects.  The real prospects would talk in a more serious manner than the time-wasters, and that I could pick up in no time after askign them a coupe of questions.  So the 'wasters' would be sent back in the queue, and the new faces and real prospects would be allowed to jump queue.LOLOL  Would you beleive that the time-wasters never once complained about that?  They never did, which just goes to show.

It often gets to the point where 'I'm invited to join other people in their boats fishing for the day' so often that I sometimes take over a month to go out in my own boat, yet I've fished many days in that month... and I don't differentiate when deciding who to go out with Karen.  I don't just stick to the guys with $100,000Plus boat-rigs.  I go out witht hem as often as I do with 'the battlers' in a 12foot Savage Tinnie/punt with only 20HP on them.  Some of the best fishing trips are to be had on the smallest of boats IMO as you can get into shallow waters that are rich in life that you would ground a larger boat in.  I also regularly go fishing with people OFF the LAND.  No boat at all.  I love all fishing, so long as there are fish to be had.

The VictorianGameFishingClub, BeumaurisMotorSqadronAnglingClub, GreenvaleAnglers(close to your parts Karen), SthGippslandAnglingClub, GeelongAnglingClub and others all know me well Karen.  Just in those 5 clubs you are looking at a total members tally of about 4,000 people... and over half of them are very keen and serious Anglers.  I know of blokes Karen who have been known to be sent to the their local MilkBar to buy some bread or milk for their wife, and who then met a mate on his way to launch his boat to go fishing.  All to then forget about the bread and jump into their mate's car to join them on a 2-4days fishing trip in the middle of the Bay.LOLOL  Their wive's know them well and they know what's happened when they haven't returned home after half an hour.  They roll up 2 or more days later banishing a loaf of bread and a bag of fish... only to do it again later.  The wives have got to the point were they know the most likely times that their husbands mate's would be rolling up to the ramp and the avoiding sending hubby out on chores in those timeframes.  And you can't put the thumb on these blokes with an ultimatum because everyone that knows them also knows that they would place fishing in front of everything else... and I mean 'everything'.LOLOLOL!!! Sicko's!!! LOLOL 

So it's no wonder I have a long list of people to go out with KAren, they are ringing me most everyday trying to organise another new trip anyway.  We often organise convoys into BassStrait that are in excess of 50 boats when BAssStrait is boiling with large fish... Feb-April.  There is another Club that knows me well called the PosiodenFishingClub which is an ALL Greek fishing club that has over 2,500 members.  They're forever organizing fishing convoys off Vic, NSW and SA for over 500boats and when they hit a town, they fill it out.  If you happen to be holidaying in the same town that they have chosen to conduct their fishing regattas, you WON'T find any accomadation anywhere in or near that town till they're gone.  And you should see the eat outs they have at the end of each day on the foreshore parks of the region they're in.  KooWee!!! LOLOL  A fat man's Paradise come Heaven all wrapped into one.:big grin:  Each group brings their charcoal in multiple 25kg sacks... that's for 5 days of cooking... over 120kgs of charcol.  Heaven forbid they run out before the event is over.lolol  No joke Karen, I've seen enough food downed at those events in one evening to feed a small city of people for a day. 

I think you'd now realize how I have so many fellow anglers to go out with.  Putting it simply Karen, even if I did not have a boat I could organize to fish from a boat most every day without much effort at all.  1 phone call per trip is all it would take.  It's the result of sacrificing all the time and money that I have in my life in the name of a nice fish.  Being my ONLY real passtime in my life, if I told you what I have spent on this passtime in the last 30years you would NOT believe it; suffice to say that if I'd saved all that money I would now be able to buy a house or two in Carlton or Brunswick.  But I have no regrets in doing it and would do it all again in another life without hesitation.:big grin:  Why?  Very simple; it is the only thing that brings me close to the heavens and lets me fully understand and feel the essence of the 'unknown in life' whilst at the same time keeping me fit, healthy and in whole touch of the principle of relativity as to how small we are on the grand scale of things - the feeling is electrifying once you learn to tune into it.  No other sport can lay claim to that... and yes, I do consider it a sport as I have been known to loose over 3kilos of weight in one fishing trip... try that playing football or cricket.  When one comes fishing with me in the Ocean all day, know well that it won't be a picnic.lolol  Catching alot of large fish with a rod'n'reel is hard work.. make no mistake. 

Hi Wiliam,

You need to make more effort in travelling AWAY from the polluted zones and going to where the fish are still clean.  There are good areas all around the UK for good clean fishing... especially with a good boat that allows you to venture outwards a bit.

Do yourself a true favour and get back into it ASAP... your body and mind will thank you for it... but do it regularly for 'toning' results. 

You can do it William, all you need is the will.

:big grin:

[William]

:nod:

[Sily]

William... your name is "Will" "I" "Am".     :big grin:

[Astrojewels]

Andrew X,
It is a nice to read positive info for a change, and you have such a passion for fishing and the ocean, I am amazed at times how some people do not like the ocean, I have never been out there like you have, but the ocean offers this peaceful energetic mystery, I have always wanted to live on the coast, but I love the country and you can not have both!
The wives of your mates must be very tolerant when their hubbies just up and go, a bit like the story of ‘me da went to get a packet of fags…’ but these men come back.
You belong on the fishing shows with all your knowledge, and you would have great support from all your connections.
I like it how you have compared your enjoyment to buying a house in Brunswick etc, you could never have so much fun in any house, or made as many great mates, the ocean is surely your playground, great info.
Thanks for sharing

[AndrewX]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-tRXewCAmU

There's a port on a western bay
And it serves a hundred ships a day
Lonely sailors pass the time away
And talk about their homes

And there's a girl in this harbor town
And she works layin' whiskey down
They say "Brandy, fetch another round"
She serves them whiskey and wine

The sailors say "Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)
"Yeah your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea"
(dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit)

Brandy wears a braided chain
Made of finest silver from the North of Spain
A locket that bears the name
Of the man that Brandy loves

He came on a summer's day
Bringin' gifts from far away
But he made it clear he couldn't stay
No harbor was his home

The sailor said " Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)
"But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea"
(dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit)

Yeah, Brandy used to watch his eyes
When he told his sailor stories
She could feel the ocean foam rise
She saw its ragin' glory
But he had always told the truth, lord, he was an honest man
And Brandy does her best to understand
(dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit)

At night when the bars close down
Brandy walks through a silent town
And loves a man who's not around
She still can hear him say

She hears him say " Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)
"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)
"But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea"
(dooda-dit-dooda), (dit-dooda-dit-dooda-dit)

"Brandy, you're a fine girl" (you're a fine girl)
FADE

"What a good wife you would be" (such a fine girl)
"But my life, my lover, my lady is the sea"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mkE_ZvLO...re=related 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyfu_mU-dmo 

All these caught yesterday evening fishing in 30feet of water in PortPhillipBay.  They ranged from 1kilo to 5kilo and averaged out to about 3.5kg per fish.  All caught on fresh squid.  They started biting at 7pm and went on steadily biting till 10.30pm.  I nice bag of prime PortPhillip Reds.:big grin:
 
Here's the same pic in its FULL resolution:

[Astrojewels]

Andrew X,
That is a great catch, who does all the cooking?
I love that song cool change, but have never seen that clip, and have not heard the other song about Brandi, but I like songs that have a story it makes them real and gives them more emotion. Do you see many dolphins or whales on your travels?

[AndrewX]

Brandi was No.1 on the charts here many years ago Karen... oh boy... that must mean that you're younger than I am Karen if you don't recall it.  I'm such an old fart.:X LOLOL

Dolphins are abundant in Port Phillip Bay Karen.  There are 2 or 3 resident pods that live there.  1 at the Fawlkner Beacon which is about 9miles out from StKilda Marina.  The beacon is the largest and FIRST of the beacons which greet ocean liners entering the top psrt of the Bay on their way to PortMelbourne and into the Yarra/Marybanong Rivers junction as well as Williamstown.  It denotes the beginning of the shipping channel which leads the Liners into harbor and it's followed by many other port and starboard markers that are much smaller than the Fawlkner all the way into the shore.  There, at the FawlknerBeacon, you will also find a resident pod of FerryPenguins, Seals and great Snapper fishing in Oct-Dec as the Snapper migrate through to the top of the bay.  The Penguins, Seals and Dolphins all live in perfect harmony up there as they feed off the massive shoals of baitfish that come and go through there all year round.  Sardines, Bluebait, Whitebait, Pilchards, Anchovies and squid pass through the area at given times of the year on their way to their own breeding grounds along the shores of the top part of the Bay and inside the esturines of the Yarra and affiliated rivers and streams.  There are numerous professional charter vessels based in the Yarra, at Williamstown and at StKilda that take tourists out to the Fawlkner for sightseeing tours of all the waterbased mammals that I just mentioned.  Large seals actually jump into the boats for a feed from the tourists.  It's a sight to behold Karen.  A 200-500lb seal jumping clear out of the water and slamming on the deck of your boat before you very eyes.LOLOL!!!  They sometimes do it to fisherman in large boats too and they soon get the hint they are not wanted when the fisho's start yelling at tehm to get their fat bums out of the boat.LOLOL

I have at times fished the Fawlkner on very warm late Oct and Nov days and after I pack things up to go home I pull up next to the Beacon and anchor up there.  I then go for a swim around the beacon with the seals coming up to me and actually rubbing themselves on me in joy.  They never stop long enough to let me pinch them on the nose which I enjoy but they don't.:big grin:  But I do get my way by climbing onto the large flat platform at the base of the beacon and going and patting, love-slapping and pinching the ones that are bludging and sunbaking on the platform. lolol  They don't mind it at all, in fact they hate it when I leave as they all start barking for me to come back.  Last time I did that was about 4-5 years ago as I don't often venture up to the top of the bay since shifting down to the Mornington area as I did a few years ago.  I get all the fishing I need down here, in fact, it's better here than up there.  But I will go again one of these Novembers, even if it's just to pinch my fat mates noses again... and to give them a few 'belly love-slaps' that sound so wholesome.:big grin:lolol

These is another similar type of 'gethering' down at ChinaMan's Hat beacon off Dromana and another near The Pope's Eye off Sorrento Karen.  There you'll find dolphins, seals and ferryPenguins all year round. 

The largest Whales I have come across in PortPhillip was in fact last year in Novemeber fishing in my boat off Mornington.  It was a small pod of pilot whales that just casually cruised past my boat about 100yards away from me.  I heard one of them break air behind me before I saw them and almost had a heart attack.:shock:  They're louder than they sound on TV I assure you.

In BassStrait I have come across Pilot and Sperm Whales.  The Sperms whales are like something out of a Sci-Fi book I will say.  They come right next to the boat and you soon realize what the term monsterous means.  If they happen to breath next to the boat, get ready for a shower.  They expel a massive amount of water-spray that simply covers the boat and everything around it if their heads are within 30 feet of the boat and on the wind-side.

 

Bass Strait has it all at one time or another Karen.  I've hooked onto Yellowfin Tuna, Cobia(yes, Cobia), BlueMarlin, StripedMarlin and once I even landed a 45lb dophinFish (which is not related to dolphins btw, it is a real gamefish which is normally found much further north in Ozz than Vic).  Once I was spellbound by a small pod of Orca's as I was fishing 30Miles out off SouthGippsland off the beginning of the 90 mile Beach at Seaspray near Port Albert... they stayed with my boat for over an hour before continuing their journey towards the continental Shelf off Gabo Island.  Whilst they were with me I was catching alot of Snapper and XLarge Flathead on the bottom and though they may try to take one off me as I was reeling them in... but nothing of the sort happened.  A 20lb Snapper to an Orca is like a crumb of bread to us... no real temptation there.  But they hung around and I can tell you that when they look you in the eyes it is like being looked at by a human rather than a fish.  I can't explain it better than that, but their intelligence is unmistakable.  They are after all the largest Dophins on Earth.

Who cooks the Fish you ask?  The Cook of course.:big grin:  I only have 3 big ones left from that bag as I gave alot of them away to friends and relatives to have for Xmas.  They expect it from me every year... which is another thing.:X

:big grin: