Sharks, 22Mar11

Subject: Yak Fishing Report - Tues 22nd
From: "Jim Thompson"
Date: 22/03/2011 5:02 PM

Hi Yakkers,

Cloud: Clear initially (moonlit night), then overcast which burnt off to be 2/10 and pretty hot by 0900
Wind: W-SW <5 knots
Swell: 1.5m from ENE

Not much to report.
Launch conditions were a bit tricky with the 1.5m swell coming straight into the beach combined with low tide ~0530 causing the waves to break on the sand bar now established out from the end of the groyne. I actually chose the eastern (Surf Club) side to launch and got through okay, albeit pretty wet from having to punch through a couple of waves.

I initially headed for Jew Sh taking a curved route towards Tee Tree and Granite Bays trolling a HB Rapala lure. Disappointingly, while the conditions were perfect, there was no sign of birds or surface action, and upon arrival discovered I had been dragging a grinner for probably the last 2km which had badly twisted my heavier trolling line. I did a bit of bottom bashing with SPs on the western side of JS whilst trailing the trolled line to un-twist it, but didn't get a single bite.

I decided to head for Little Halls trolling a 30cm bonito mounted on a chin guard with three fairly large 6/0 ganged hooks set into its lower belly. About 1km from LHR the trolled line gave one big but short lived scream and I retrieved the chin guard with just the tail of the bonito cleanly bitten through still attached to the last gang hook. Isn't it amazing how a fish can do this and not get hooked on at least one of the ganged hooks?

I then attached my standard (smaller) skirted 3-gang lure with a slimey and this was taken almost immediately by a 90cm shark which I decide to keep (shows how desperate I've become!). There were sporadic occasions of tuna breaking the surface around LHR, but no concentrated bust ups nor bird activity. I caught and released an under-sized snapper, and had a good hook up and short tussle with another shark (I think) on a SP before its rough skin abraded the 12lb braid. It was now 0945 and getting pretty hot with virtually no breeze at LHR so decided to head back in taking a curved route via the river mouth trolling a brand new fairly large sized bright orange/gold coloured Halco HB lure (not a Laser Pro). Right opposite the river mouth the trolled line screamed briefly and I retrieved the line minus the lure and wire trace.

The return conditions were a bit easier with the higher tide, but still a shore break happening for the whole length of the groyne right to the beach.

That's it. A nice paddle but only one shark kept. There was one other kayak trolley under the MG Life Guard's hut that I didn't recognize. Maybe that person can tell us how he fared, if he's a Noosa Yakker and is reading this.

Cheers,
Jimbo