From: "kevin long"
Subject: fishing today -- 06jan10 -- long hard paddle but great result
Date: Wednesday, 6 January 2010 1:49 PM
Today was one of those days when my low expectations were overturned.
I awoke at 0355, five minutes before the alarm would have gone off. Before going to check Seabreeze I turned the alarm off, unlike a recent occasion when it went off noisily, as it should, while I was unable, for very good reasons, to intervene until Mary was well and truly awake. Won't make that mistake again. Anyway, to my surprise, the wind had dropped in approximate agreement with Seabreeze's prediction 12 hours ago so NY next trip was on.
0425 in the MG carpark I found Jaro and whalebait pretty much ready to launch but I visited the beach to peer through the gloom to see if I was likely to get a wet bum this time -- not likely. I dashed back to the Zook and started to final prep my integrated fishing weapon/exercise machine. Meanwhile Jaro and whalebait were off to the beach and launching.
Launch was easy but if I had them, I would have turned the headlights on -- it was so dark due to the heavy overcast to the east. There was insufficient light to take a reasonable launch pic but don't fret, there are some decent substitutes coming up.
By the time I'd tied knots in the semi-darkness, out the back, J & W had departed for the eastern part of Laguna Bay and Jimbo had called up saying he was about to launch. Off I went, trolling one of my favourite lures, following J&W, noting that Jimbo wasn't far behind me, but somewhat closer to shore. The SE breeze was noticeable even in here, which made me speculate that the breeze out wide might turn the northern bay into a choppy mess. So not far from the Boiling Pot I opted to turn for LH Reef, some 3km to the west, informing my companions of this decision by radio. They in turn relayed info that they were encountering some diving, fluttering terns so I had some misgivings about my plan but stuck with it anyway.
Half way across Laguna Bay, having still heard no radio calls about captures from the other NYs out there, I saw Noosa Hill become enshrouded in cloud and mist, a good sign that rain was heading my way.
0529hrs. Looking SE from the middle of Laguna Bay. Rain is on its way.
About now Doctor dog called up, announcing that he was ready to launch with Paul, another kayak fisher he'd encountered in the carpark. After hearing reports from both the team out east and me, he opted to head toward my destination, LH Reef. A good decision, as it turned out.
As I approached LH Reef from the east the breeze was quite stiff, a good ten knots, with whitecaps appearing from time to time. At the Reef itself I broadcast a NY report which was pessimistic, quoting no sign of fish and few birds. This would have been about 0600, I think. Similar reports emanated from Jew Shoal, where the main body of NY were hunting. Thirty minutes later, just hanging around LH Reef trolling and ready to cast, I came across Paul, whom I know from previous fishing trips out in LB. We agreed that things were pretty quiet and I turned away to head closer inshore where some birds were starting to put in an appearance when a small bust-up occurred within casting distance. I was ready and fired off a (first) cast into the area where several splashes and swirls indicated feeding fish. I cranked the reel handle and immediately felt and saw a strike on my white slug lure. Then my wet hand slipped off the reel handle and the line went slack. Bummer. But all was not lost. I cranked harder and found that the fish was still connected. Accompanied by that beautiful howl that reels uniquely generate, the reel gave line to the fish as it frantically headed in the away direction. I knew from the fight that this was almost certainly a spotty mac and within a few minutes this was confirmed as the fish came up to have a close look at its adversary, then shot off again. Soon the fight was all gone from the spotty and I tail lifted him into the boat -- my first) fish for 2010!
0637hrs. Spotty mac hits the deck!
Shortly after this doctor dog called up and announced that he also had a spotty mac aboard after dropping one earlier. He was closer inshore than I and, looking in that direction, I could discern lots of birds wheeling and diving between him and me. I reported this activity to the other NYs at Jew Shoal and they opted at that time to start heading toward us, still about 45 minutes paddle time away from them, although whalebait had decided earlier that LH Reef was a better proposition and was already half way to us.
Suddenly there were birds everywhere and power boats seemingly materialising from thin air. The spotty macs and tuna were sporadically charging through small bait schools. But the action at individual bust-ups was brief. Still, people were catching fish, some of them, who were on on charter boats, for the first time, by all appearances. Around now whalebait arrived to join us and doctor dog announced that another spotty had hit his deck. "Bugger! Bugger!" came over the radio, obviously from fishless and frustrated Jaro, still about 30 minutes away.
I continued to cruise around looking for casting opportunities, taking care not to get to involved with the armada of power boats criss-crossing the active area. Around 0715, just as Jaro and Jimbo arrived, I'd decided that I'd better head toward home as the breeze wasn't letting up at all and the journey back was head-on into it, at least 3.7km of chop, probably 45 minutes at least. Anytime I stopped paddling I was moving away from the launch point at about 1.5kph.
I saw Jimbo with a bent rod and went over in the hope of a photo opportunity (I'm always looking for good pics), only to find he had boated an undersize spotty mac which had to be returned to the water without delay. Doctor dog was nearby and apparently drifting, in my path home but as I approached I saw that he had a substantial fish cradled in his lap. I was delighted to find he had a beautiful Spaniard, a fitting subject for the camera if ever there were one.
0753hrs. Mark's (aka doctor dog) best kayak caught Spaniard. He'd cast that lure hanging from its mouth into a small bust-up and come up trumps. Maybe he'll give us a separate, blow-by-blow, technical account later?
Doc dog and I spent quite a while getting photos (thanks, Mark) and were consequently blown back along our track about 500m before we started out once more toward MG. Around now, Hollywood, having finished outrigger paddle training around 0730 and launched for a fishing session, joined us. He'd caught a school mackerel (aka doggie mackerel) on his way out so was on the board already. Doc dog and I continued doggedly toward MG, a pretty hard slog through the chop. As we left them, Jaro, Jimbo, whalebait and Hollywood were closing in on another feeding frenzy.
Gradually the distance to MG as indicated by my GPS dwindled until at last it was less than 1km. The breeze slackened as we approached the shelter of the land so that gave us some respite. As we got to MG, Paul joined us from the east and we three hit the nearly empty beach within a few minutes of each other.
0902hrs. Doctor dog's Spaniard. 1.22m.
Doctor dog's two spotty macs (he'd released another as undersize)
My spotty mac, the runt of the litter
Paul, not a NY member, had caught two spotties about the same size as DD's. Then the other NYs started to arrive at the beach...
Whalebait's first ever spotty mac.
Hollywood arrives at Middle Groyne. Note NY sticker on his bow; Hollywood arranged to have them made. Thanks, mate.
0930hrs. All safely back. Doc dog has already left the fish measure and photography point.
What the spotties were eating... fish about 30-40cm long.
Top: Hollywood's school mackerel. Bottom: Jaro's spotty mac
An unexpectedly better day than we hoped for. Everyone caught at least one fish and doc dog won't forget it for quite a while. Thanks for coming along, guys.
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://noosayakers.blogspot.com
Addendum from doctor dog
Kevin as always wrote a great report and took some special photo's of our adventure on Wednesday 6.1.10 and as requested I should fill in a few details as to my captures on the day.
I'm not good at those very early starts so it was myself and Paul in the second or third wave of paddlers at around 5.30 am as we made our way towards LHR( Little Hall's Reef).
The early fishermen had gone to the outer bays and as they had no luck out there and Jew Shoal I decided to prospect along the shore line towards Halls Knob before heading seaward to the reef.
I was trolling a new Magnum Rapala in a blue colour pattern that has been successful for me in the past and keeping an eye out for "Birds & Bustups" where pelagics are feeding on bait from underneath the schools.
Not far north of the river-mouth I encountered my first feeding schools and stopped padddling to cast a metal slug of about 50 gms.
I am using a new Shimano one piece rod coupled with a Penn 850SS reel loaded with 10 kg Platinum mono. I tie a double of about 1.5-2 m and tie the slug straight to the double ---- no swivel no trace no wire--- .The slug is a Kmart silver fish--- from about 5-6 years ago when they were on special for about $1.00 each .
I have beefed up the split rings and trebles to something more heavy duty - these lures have been very successful for me over the past few years-- at 50 gms they are a bit big when the fish are feeding on small "glassies" but now that the bait is getting a little bigger ( 30-40 mm) not cm this lure seems to be working better. At that weight it is much easier to get a good distance with a cast as well.
With the wind behind me it was easy to get close to the schools and get a good cast and retrieve going.
At least until that bloody jet ski turned up. That craft really seemed to put the fish down very quickly.
Fortunately the jetski moved on and after a few minutes the fish started feeding again and I was able to hook up to my first Spottie of the morning.
In my excitement I was too hasty once I had him along side and he was able to throw the hooks before I got organised with gaff and towel.
I hooked another spottie shortly after of around 70 cm and was able to get a gaff into this fish and subdue him with a towel get him bled before stowing in the forward hatch.
Mr Jetski came back with more boats and the school dived again so I drifted and paddled towards LHR where I found another school of feeding fish. The mackerel seem to have a distinctive feeding pattern setting them apart from the tuna and bonito where the feeding fish often leap clear of the water it is more usual for the mackerel to scythe through the surface of the water without their bodies really becoming visible or leaving the water.
I shortly after hooked and landed my best spottie of the day and then proceeded to paddle back towards Middle Groyne as with the southerly breeze it was going to be a slog back home.
Jaro Jimbo and Whalebait had joined Sunshine and I at this stage after prospecting further east to no avail.
Jaro was a short distance to my right and in front when there were a couple of substantial but short lived boils just seward of our path . I whistled my loudest to him to get his attention without reverting to radio and after putting in a short burst of paddling was able to stow my blade and begin a couple of casts at this fairly inconsequential and so far "birdless bustup".
I had a fairly solid bump to my first cast and an enthusiastic follow to within a few metres of the yak as I retrieved. Jaro was excited to receive similar treatment to his cast. My second cast was nailed within a few cranks of the reel. I thought I had lost the fish before the fight had begun . No he was swimming towards me --- I was determined to set the hooks properly as I had felt the weight of this fish at the start so I cranked harder and put in a couple of vigorous pump and winds . The fish felt the hooks properly now and took off towards Granite bay at blistering speed . With the moderate drag I had set -- I was losing line at an alarming rate but as the fish initially was pulling on the quarter my yak was offering a lot of resistance --- as the bow came round to the fishes direction of escape my boat speed picked up but fortunately the rate of line loss slowed.
The fish slowed and I was able to retrieve about half of the lost line before he took off on the second and then third of his dashes for freedom.
When I first saw the fishes tail I was worried I had a shark --- that impression turned out to be an optical illusion as my quarry then turned sideways and gave me a "flash" of his broad silvery side-- no shark this one.
The first three torrid runs were followed by several progressively weaker efforts before the Spaniard came to the port side of my yak. I burried my gaff into something vital and soft just behind his left pectoral fin and he barely moved. I was taking no chances with a fish of this size so I left the gaff in him and covered his head and the lure with my towel.
I was slowly and carefully able to reach down to the tail and put on a tail rope while he lay along side my yak but with head swathed in towel and still pressed with the gaff onto the port gunwhale . Once secured with the tail rope I could retrieve the lure which by now was hanging by only one strand of the double.
Kev came and took a swag of photo's. I was feeling very pleased with myself and paddled home-ward dragging a sweet little bonito on a "easy troll XOS special".. NO touches all the way back to MG but I had enough fish anyway.
I was really stoked to get a spaniard of this size especially on a cast slug. He measured 122cm and weighed 10 kg.
Thanks Noosa Yakkers for the company and doing the early research out to the bays and JS you saved me a lot of paddling.
Cheers,
Doctor D
