From: sunshiner
Date: 11/12/2010 12:38 PM
Weather
Cloud cover: 10/10 early on, burning off to 7/10
Wind direction & speed: N, less than 10knots increasing initially to 10knots (but not more than 15)
Sea state: northerly chop mixed with 1.5m E swell
Participants: Just me
Background: For several weeks we've had crappy easterly winds usually around 15-20 knots. These conditions are not conducive to recreational fishing offshore which has meant a dearth of fishing opportunities lately.
Before heading off to bed last night about 9:30pm I checked the wind status as there'd been no appreciable wind at home for a couple of hours. Sure enough, the live weather station on Double Island Point was indicating around 5 knots from the north. Although I had done no preparation except put the VHF radio on charge I resolved to recheck the weather early in the morning but only when I woke up, whatever that time might be. I slept soundly and awoke before first light -- around 3:30am in fact. There was no wind evident and so I booted up my PC and checked Seabreeze again. The forecast wind and actual wind were both northerly but the actual, around 5 knots, was still much lower than the forecast so I made the immediate decision to launch my yak at north-facing Main Beach, but first composed and sent an email to NY Hookers telling them I was going.
Above: The graphed anemometer record from Double Island Point, 50km north of Noosa, at 3.30am today.
By 4.40am I'd scoffed a banana for brekky and was standing by my fully loaded yak on Main Beach, gazing at an uninviting murky green-brown sea which was being gently urged onto the beach by the swell and the five knot northerly.
04:40. Launch time
No problems on the launch but I got a lot damper than I should have by being a bit too casual about paddling out past the break zone.
Soon I was rigged up and, having selected one of my Jew Shoal waypoints on my Etrex, was paddling to the north into the small chop following the Etrex arrow. With the improving ambient light, I spotted terns fluttering just off my track so turned toward them, trolling only one outfit loaded with a trusty, and a bit rusty, Halco Laser Pro 120mm (pic later). I could see small mac tuna blasting into the bait but I was hoping for larger predators of the mackerel variety, which was why my Halco was rigged with a wire trace. Patch after patch of feeding tuna were passed without action for I was intent on heading toward a much larger aggregation of terns visible on the northern horizon, just west of Jew Shoal.
This larger aggregation also proved to be hovering over feeding mac tuna, although there were sufficient isolated large splashes to pique my interest -- possibly spotty macs, which just love the lure I was trolling (just take a look at the spotty mac teeth marks adorning its slender body). However, no strikes. The only other sign of human activity visible was a single tinny anchored near The Pinnacles at Jew Shoal so I headed toward it, reckoning that I'd start SP fishing for snapper by the time I got there if I'd received no other action.
The water was green-tinged as a result of heavy freshwater runoff and, despite the obvious surface carnage going on, didn't seem very fishy to me. To make matters less attractive the interaction of the swell with the chop meant that a drift would be quite joggly. As I approached the anchored tinny I could see it was the Tackleworld Maroochydore boat, with two guys in it. They appeared to be burleying and fishing SPs or bait in the burley trail. I'd chosen to pass to the south of them about 50m away and was about 100m from them when my trolling outfit went off with a loud buzz. Given the number of mac tuna around I figured that I'd probably hooked one of these little speedsters but when I picked up the rod I started to change my mind as there were recognizable bumps, reminiscent of snapper. At any rate the hooks pulled after a few seconds so we don't know what it was, but I reckon I now have a fair idea. Out went the Laser Pro again and I continued my planned track, straight toward The Pinnacles, and passing the anchored tinny. I'd only paddled about half a dozen strokes when the reel buzzed again. This time, the occupants of the tinny, who were amusing themselves catching small reefies and the odd tiny tuna, had a great view. My rod was severely bent and the fish had gone deep, although the lure runs only about 1m below the surface. After a minute or two, during which I was drifting steadily away from the tinny, I came to the conclusion that this was possibly a snapper, having caught quite a few out there but rarely by trolling. Sure enough, the murky water gave up its secrets when the tiring fish allowed itself to get near the surface. Out came the gaff and the fish was very soon "in the bag". A nice start on a less than perfect morning...
05:46. Note the sonar is reading 7.5m -- about as shallow as you'll find at Jew Shoal. The fish was first hooked at about 15m depth and we'd drifted onto The Pinnacles during the fight.
Having photographed and stowed the fish I turned back toward where I'd got the strike and redeployed the Laser Pro, after checking for line etc damage. This meant I was paddling back toward the Tackleworld tinny. No more strikes as I approached their boat and the skipper couldn't resist asking about the catch when I got close enough. A snapper, eh? Which lure or bait? Where do you stow the fish? I was quite free with my info knowing that they probably couldn't match my presentation anyway -- stealth and low speed! There was no action on this pass and indeed none for the next half hour or so when I briefly reverted to drift fishing with SPs. The tinny guys departed for somewhere else to the west -- just as well as they'd have been really pissed off if they'd stayed a bit longer.
I wasn't comfortable drift fishing in the very joggly conditions so rigged up the trolling outfit again. All it took was a paddle into the "hot" area this time toward the west when ZZZZZ went the reel again. This time I was pretty sure from the start that this was a snapper. Sure enough, a decent tussle ensued before a bigger one lay beaten next to the yak.
06:41. Snapper #2 in the Supalite's cavernous fish box. The Laser Pro is still in its mouth.
OK, now I was on a roll. I knew how and I knew where. Out went the Laser Pro again. This time the hookup came only a few minutes later. I just happened to be glancing over my right shoulder to check that the rod tip was jiggling at the optimum vibration frequency when said rod tip leaned right over backwards accompanied by a scream from the spool clicker. This time I had a little difficulty getting the rod out of the holder as the run continued but the battle soon was under way. This fish too went for depth but the smooth but powerful drag gave me a killer advantage. After a few minutes, up popped snapper #3.
06:58. The fight's over. Snapper #3 sports appropriate bling. I must get some shiny new hooks for this battle-scarred veteran lure.
As I was aware that the wind was likely to increase I decided to start paddling back to shore at this stage. I'm pretty sure I could have bagged out, but three snapper was enough for me today. But I still trolled the ~one km across the shoal and then the remaining three km back to the beach, without further action. The wind did increase at Noosa so I'm glad I turned for home when I did.
Wind starting to pick up by mid morning
On the beach just after 8:00am a young mum (a local) and her son posed with two of the fish... The shy young daughter behind her Mum couldn't be coerced into holding the third.
And here are the three, 62cm, 58cm and 54cm.
And the fish arrayed on the front deck of the Supalite with the rod, reel (Van Staal) and lure used to catch them.
Sometimes the impromptu trips produce memorable results.
The mighty Halco Laser Pro strikes again, Jaro!! Looks like some opportunities next week, guys. And the snapper are on at JS! Yahoo!!
Kev
Red & white Stealth Supalite, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://www.noosayakkers.blogspot.com/
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