DB launch, big paddle, 28Jan10

From: "Jim Thompson"
Subject: NY Fishing Report 28/1/10 - Part 1
Date: Thursday, 28 January 2010 3:39 PM

Hi Yakkers,

Basically another Clayton's fishing report.

With Seabreeze predicting a very low NE swell and low wind during a morning high tide period, the chance of a launch from Dog Beach at Sunshine Beach was on the cards. I arrived at DB at 0455 and a quick recce confirmed a launch was very doable, and thus the chance to access directly into North Sunshine Reef region which had reputedly offered up quite a few Spanish mackerel in recent weeks. I was aware that Hollywood Harry, Whalebait, Turtle Boy and probably new Noosa Yakker, LeRoux Uys were intending to launch at MG between 0500 and 0530.

By 0520 I had launched, was through the surf zone, had set up my rods with a trailing Spaniard Special lure loaded with a slimey mackerel, and was heading directly east into the the sun that was now a red ball partly shrouded in cloud just above the horizon.

I initially paddled due east for about 1.75 km, I then turned north and paddled over most of our known marks at the northern end of Sunshine Reef. Whilst conditions were pleasant, there was no bird activity nor surface feeding occurring anywhere. Soon after turning north I realised I was making only about 4 kph "over the ground", as, in addition to the 5-10k NNW breeze, I was also pushing into a very strong southerly current running at +1.5 kph. Nethertheless, I pushed on towards Jew Shoal (now trolling a HB Halco lure) as radio comms with Whalebait told me that he and LeRoux had come out from MG to Granite Bay on the headland and were now at Jew Shoal where there was at least bird activity and Bonito surface bust-ups occurring. I would also have the opportunity of meeting LeRoux, which I eventually did just east of Jew Sh Pinnacles. After introductions, I lead LeRoux to a couple of our Jew Sh marks, then left him having a go at bottom fishing as I set forth on my ~6 km paddle south back to DB. I paddled over to Whalebait on departing Jew Sh who reported only that he had snared a large (and therefore very angry) turtle who had busted his rod in the process of reeling him in before disengaging the hooks.

I did divert to our favoured in-shore Sunshine Reef mark to try a bit of bottom fishing on my trip back to DB. This did produce a just undersized snapper which was released. The only surprise in all of this was that the previous very strong southerly current had suddenly seamed to have just disappeared. In fact, my drift south with the still 5-10k northerly breeze was so slow I wondered whether the current had even slightly reversed!

The return through the surf zone was simple and uneventful and I was safely back on DB by 1015 having completed a 17 km return trip - see attached Google Earth image for a bird's eye view of my route. I heard a late radio report from Whalebait that he had landed a few undersized reefies at Jew Sh, but don't know anything of the fortunes of Hollywood or Turtle Boy. Maybe one of you NYs could complete Part 2 of this report.

Jim's paddle today

A very pleasant paddle but no fish. Maybe the "full moon" and/or the "Fish don't bite during a NW wind" theories might have been prevailing.

Cheers,
Jimbo

Later...

From: "Steven Crisp"
Subject: Re: NY Fishing Report 28/1/10 - Part 1
Date: Thursday, 28 January 2010 5:12 PM

Hello All,

From our side which fished predominantly WNW of middle groyne - Hollywood, new boy Wayne Edwards (call sign to be determined) and I had respective encounters with a stingray, small sharks and a mac that none of us boated.

Harry and I are headed back tomorrow (weather permitting) to launch at MG at around 5.30. We will be targeting small sharks in the area out from MG to the shark nets and then across to the river mouth and perhaps lower north shore depending upon any bird or surface activity.

As usual we will be on VHF 9.

Saturday could also be a possibility depending upon the Seabreeze forecast which is becoming exceptionally variable with each update.

Whalebait - you have to watch out for those turtles - they bite!!!!!

TurtleBoy

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