Molins Down Under: Gone Fishing

What a great day out fishing. We booked a four-hour trip from Rosebud pier on the bay side of the peninsula with a little company called 'Jillian's'. It was a bit of a windy and cool start but the weather improved and we caught a lot of flatheads, which are small whitefish with some pretty sharp barbs but make good eating when filleted. Indie also caught a barracuta (not to be confused with a barracuda) which are supposedly very tasty but really bony (and some might say not worth the effort). A few people also caught some red snapper, but they weren't big enough to keep. We definitely got enough fish for a good fish supper tonight. The plan is to pan fry them with a bit of butter and lemon. (Update: it's now after supper and the fish was DELICIOUS. Really - some of the best fish we've ever eaten. Well - according to me and Toby and Zoe. Anna was less convinced...)

It was our first time out fishing, and so the first time the girls had ever caught their own fish, and it definitely caused a bit of concern and guilt when they saw the fish thrashing about on the hooks and gasping for air in the buckets. There was also a bit of squeamishness at the start about baiting their own hooks and taking the caught fish off the hooks. But the deal is - we like to eat fish, so it's important to know where fish come from and what's involved in catching, filleting, preparing and eating them.

Supposedly the fishing is going to be great along the south and west coasts so we're now inspired to pack a couple of fishing rods in the camper van as well and try to catch our supper whenever possible. Toby got some good advice from the friendly skipper of the boat. Ah yes - more kit to buy.

Rosebud pier and the surrounding beach turned out to be a really pleasant surprise, and the pier was right by perhaps one of the best play parks we have ever seen. The water was so clear by the pier it really did feel like we were in the tropics for our picnic lunch on the beach.

A great day out.