It was a day of firsts for the Angling Section’s Kids Fishing Clinic on April 4, even though it finished on a flat note.

Young Aaliyah Littlewood probably already has the page dog-eared in her diary as the day on her first fishing outing she caught a legal-sized pink snapper.

And on a day when sand whiting and herring – normally the mainstay of the Clinics – showed a complete disinterest in proceedings, a Clinic-record 17 king george whiting were landed.
While nine of the 12 kids on board caught geordies, every angler took one home from the Cinic which is supported by Recfishwest.

At the outset, skipper Martin Smith headed north to Cottesloe to anchor in the lee of a nor-easter before heading to ground between Stragglers and Mewstone. That plan was usurped by butterfish though three small king george were taken.
A move to deeper waters also proved fruitless when an invasion of wrasse forced another move towards Carnac for some lunch and a shot at some herring.
Still nothing, though Clinic co-ordinator Bert Zuideveld reported a hungry school of mostly undersized snapper came into play before Aaliyah hooked a 52cm pinkie and swam it to the net.

Following lunch, Martin steamed north towards Stragglers and with minutes of a berley trail being established king george were up and about – and in the esky.
Fourteen geordies were taken in about an hour with several going 50-55cm. Skippy were also landed along with a sand bass, flathead and two herring.
Lines-up was called at 2.20pm as Martin prepared for the trip home – but there was a catch. The batteries were flat.

All manner of theories and efforts were applied to get Success mobile, but in the end harbourmaster Jason came ripping out to save the day on one of the Club’s ribs, towing the big boat back to port.
It was an adventure-packed finale to a brilliant day on the water, and one that the kids will remember for some time.
Bert thanked the volunteers – Martin, Tania Coppola, John Holbrook, Joe Venter, Karen Ford and Jim Barlow – for helping to make the day a success.

By Ray Wilson