From: sunshiner
Date: 19/01/2011 2:22 PM
Weather
Cloud cover:, varied throughout the morning
Wind direction & speed: light ESE
Sea state: low swell
Current direction & speed: SE to NW about 2kph
Full moon
Participants: pedro, jaro, jimbo, Dan, hollywood and I
On arrival in the MG carpark at 0440-ish my headlights lit up Jaro standing with someone I didn't recognize, but guessed was Dan Dreier -- a recently joined Noosa Yakker (future nickname/callsign Imax). This was confirmed as Jaro, anxious to get going, asked if I'd look after Dan on this his first foray with Noosa Yakkers. Dan was still setting up his Hobie Adventure Island (AI) but I was happy to have him tag along and help him through the ferocious surf. By this time also, pedro had been launched at least 30 minutes and was reportedly heading for LH Reef. Jimbo had just launched.
0504hrs. Dan's almost ready to launch on a sea as flat as it gets.
Dan had never been to Jew Shoal, our intended destination, despite a lifetime so far spent mainly in this area, and had never fished offshore before. Before long we were heading north on a glassy, brown, sea, the newly-risen sun masked by Noosa Headland. Dan was pedalling (no breeze for that sail) and he had no trouble keeping up with me, in fact perhaps he slowed down a bit. The colour of the sea did not give me confidence in our fishing prospects but it was a great morning to be out so why not?
A turtle bobbed up in our path while we were still a couple of km from JS and other than lots of terns passing us heading NE, there were no signals to show that there might be fish around. Jimbo and jaro were already fishing on the shoal by the time we reached JS around 0545. I briefed Dan on the underwater topography and left him to his own devices. Jimbo had told me by radio that there was a strong current running toward the NW so I paddled the 800m right across the shoal to the SE corner to start drift fishing. Still no sign of surface fish, although there were a few patches of baitfish showing on the sonar.
The drift was indeed fast, with a very light SE breeze. Once I was set up on my drift my GPS consistently showed a speed of between 2 and 2.5kph. What was noticeable also was that the current appeared to be non-existent down near the bottom, as demonstrated by the fact that my jig head, once cast and down about 10 metres, was very quickly passed and left behind by the yak. This meant that any baits or SPs spent very little time near the bottom before needing to be recast. And to boot, the water was still discoloured.
While drifting I was fishing with one rod only, and that was loaded with a SP on a 1/4oz jighead. Jimbo, who was drifting with a trailing pilchard bait as well as a SP, was soon announcing the capture of a snapper on the trailed pillie. Then Jaro chimed in with a story of a lost fish which escaped because his braid line somehow became jammed in the roller of the bail arm, resulting in a bust off. Then came my turn. My SP was picked up by what was clearly a decent snapper and the yak swung into the current as the fish took off. I was just congratulating myself when the line went slack leaving me to retrieve the ejected jighead and SP bait.
That was my only action for the day. Jaro and jimbo were also having a lean time of it so I announced one last drift around 0745 as did jimbo. Hollywood then called up and announced that he was heading our way, having launched around 0730 so Jaro opted to hang around and fish with him for a while -- a fortunate decision as it turned out. Just as I was about to turn for home Jaro's yell of triumph carried across the shoal so I paddled the short distance over to him to get a pic of his catch.
0820. Jaro bags a nice little snapper.
A few minutes later I'm heading for home, with Jimbo visible a few hundred metres ahead of me. By now Dan had opted to unfurl his sail and also wend his way home but I couldn't see where he was.
Even though Harry was on his way out to JS I couldn't spot him (because, as it turned out, he was approaching from an unusual direction). But when I was about half way in to MG Harry came up on the radio briefly "I'm on, a pretty big fish", or words to that effect. Subsequent radio messages revealed that he'd paddled toward Jaro and when fairly close to him, took a big strike. Harry went on to bag a beautiful Spaniard (his first) about 1.3m long, apparently, which Jaro helped him to stow through the forward hatch of Harry's Swing. Jaro reckoned he got a heap of photos of all of this so we look forward to seeing the result.
Back on the beach jimbo and Dan waited for me and I took a couple more pics.
Jimbo's very nice snapper -- 64cm.
Again, with yaks piled up on the beach.
Dan with his AI neatly folded, ready for dragging up to the washpoint.
So, we await more detailed info from Pedro, Harry and Jaro. Please feel in the gaps, guys.
[See report below from Jaro...]
I think if we get a week or so without significant rain we'll see some pelagic action in the Bay.
Kev
Red & white Stealth Supalite, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://www.noosayakkers.blogspot.com/
Email from Jaro
:::::::::
Hi Yakkers,
The story of the day was Hollywood Harry's first Spanish mackerel. Harry had a strike about 100 metres from where I was drifting and it was obvious that it was a "biggie." I could see that it would take some time to land this fish and paddled over to see Harry's fishmanship. The fish was taking the yak in different directions and putting up a great fight but Harry was showing good patience and took his time to slowly wear the fish out. Harry was saying he thought that it was a shark whereas I, being the optimist, told him I thought it would be a Spaniard as they were about. Eventually he had the fish nearing the yak where he suddenly saw the tell tale markings of a Spaniard. Harry was now definitely very excited and I had to tell him to settle down.
Harry with the Spaniard now in view
By this time the fish was well and truly buggered but Harry was taking no chances and gaffed it with great ferocity and hauled it on board the yak. After helping him to secure the fish with one of my metal clips and his big rope from his drogue I took this photo (actually many photos)
One very chuffed kayak fisherman
We put the fish in the forward hatch but later it had to be put in the back hatch as when Harry started paddling the front of the yak tended to dip down due to the weight of the fish, threatening to sink him. Of course Harry caught this monster with the ever reliable Halco Laser Pro.
Anyway after all this excitement we continued to fish with no luck and so we decided on one last drift and as so often happens on the last drift I had a really good strike. The fish pulled out quite a lot of line a few times and then just refused to come up. Eventually it tired and to my surprise it turned out to be a large snapper which I successfully gaffed and stowed away. This encouraged us to have one more last drift but to no avail and so we headed back at 11.10 and arrived back on the beach to be swamped by the usual onlookers. Here are a few more photos.
One proud Harry with his 133cm Spanish mackerel (weight unknown...est at 15-16Kgs)
This bathing beauty offered to hold the tail for a side view of the Spaniard
And finally my two snappers... the top one measured 71cm and the bottom 51cm
So all in all a great day.
Cheers
Jaro
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