stretch's snapper, 20Jun11

Contributions from, in sequence: sunshiner, pedro, richmond, stretch (Des)

Subject: Fishing yesterday, 20Jun11
From: sunshiner
Date: 21/06/2011 10:47 AM

Weather
Cloud cover: clear sky
Wind direction & speed: westerly, around 5-7 knots initially, then dropping
Sea state: low swell
current direction & speed: slight northerly current
Participants: eyetag, richmond, pedro, sunshiner, jaro, hollywood, des

We all fished A-Bay Reef, but I was knackered when I got home, especially after dragging the Stealth up to the top of the beach afterward, alone (there's a lot more sand there than when I left a month ago). I think I'm a bit out of condition and that I was also suffering from jet lag, having just returned home late on Saturday night after a month in South Africa. Suffice to say that after tidying the yak up at home I had a lie down, as old folk are privileged to do, and got up too late and too dopey to write a trip report. Sorry for that.

It was a great day for some. At 1015, I was the first to come home (although Des had earlier decamped for Jew Shoal), having hooked only two undersized snapper and one grinner in three hours drifting A-Bay Reef. While I was there eyetag was happily pulling snapper and sweeties right in front of my eyes and I think he'd bagged out on snapper by the time he pulled the pin around 11am. Richmond also was doing pretty well and Pedro eventually got the snapper going with a burley trail and had two in 15 minutes or so from about 1030am, by which time I was abeam Hells Gates, homeward bound.

How all finished up I don't know, so I now throw the discussion open to contributions from all. Please fill us in on how you went, especially the techniques which were successful. As for me, I'm going to rest up for a couple of days before hitting the water again.

Thanks for coming out guys and a special thanks to Pedro for supplying free lemons etc to go with the fish I hope to catch next time.

Now, how'd you go? C'mon, be honest...

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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Subject:
Re: Fishing yesterday, 20Jun11
From: Pete
Date: 21/06/2011 12:50 PM

Honestly mate...
here's the evidence

I think the berley trail worked for me. 2 snapper 1 sweety. I'm going for the slowest drift technique next time... it seems to work for Eyetag. Perhaps a sea anchor for a small yacht should do it, ... maybe.

Harry and I caught up with Des who should show off his fish, nice going Des. How many kg Des?

Pedro

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Subject:
Re: Fishing yesterday, 20Jun11
From:
"Jeff"
Date:
21/06/2011 1:05 PM

Hi Hookers,

It was a bit slow at first for me whilst I was using bait, only the 1 snapper. I then started flicking 140mm Squidgy wrigglers on a 1/2 oz 3/0 jighead.

I ended up with 3 snapper: biggest 49cm and 2 grassys, biggest going 45cm. Also a few grinner (do they count, lol?) some yakkas and a finny scad that went 40cm long, which is rigged for trolling and in the freezer!

Not a bad day, a bit tough at first with the wind, but it came good in the end.

Cheers, Jeff (Richmond)

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Subject: Fwd: Your fish!!
From: Des Mabbott
Date: 21/06/2011 4:47 PM

Hey Yakkers,

Thanks to Kev for providing weather data.

I approached Sunshine with Harry about 07:30 and was delighted to see so many yakkers in such a close area.

The fish must be really on the bite I thought. How wrong I was! After 1.5 hours using SPs and pilchards I didn't even get one nibble. OK I could well have been in the wrong place but I didn't see much happening either.

So as I was more familiar with Jew Shoal and it was on the way home, sort of, I indicated to Harry that is where I would be.

Once there I concentrated on pilchards as bait and it was different again. I guess on my second or third cast I hooked into something substantial which to my surprise was a most beautiful snapper of 5.6kgs, weighed in Davo's but didn't get a photo on the scales due to my injury (see later).

In addition I hauled up quite a selection of small fish, a grinner, a bream, a flathead, an undersize snapper, two scorpion cod (bright red) and two other bright red fish which looked a little like the scorpion cod but not so spikey and with wide vertical bands of a paler red. Any ideas what these could be?

I didn't come away unscathed however and a lesson for others maybe. Whilst unhooking the snapper I got one of the ganged hooks into my upper calf and way in below the barb. Ouch. Now I had done something similar in my hand a few years ago and needed assistance on that occasion. On the basis of that, I decided to always take some snips with me. I am glad I did. I had to push and pull on the hook to expose the barb, snip it off and slide the hook out.

I never did get on with triple ganged hooks and I now will forget them and use other less dangerous methods for baiting up with pilchards. Anyone got any ideas?

That's my last trip for a while as I am off to the UK at the weekend. Don't catch all the fish while I am away and tight lines to all.

warm regards
Des
ps and yes I will get a radio soon. I promise.

Jew Shoal snapper, 07Jun11

Subject: fishing today 7 june 2011
From: "Jeff"
Date: 7/06/2011 5:30 PM

Hi Hookers,

Left MG at 5.30am this morning headed for Jew Shoal. The wind was out of the SW blowing about 5kn when I left, but upon arrival at JS, it was blowing at least 15 knots.

Very difficult to fish with the wind and the current even with the drogue out although I managed to pick up 2 snapper at 46 and 64cm. I had 1 other hit.

Had a chat with another yakker out there, he was trolling hard bodies and had had 1 strike while he was there.

He was an american in a red Mission kayak with no radio and no PFD. He went in pretty early due to the wind.
We were the only 2 out there.

Was a swine of a paddle back into the SWer and there was also a few cracking waves to contend with as well on the landing.

As usual, if you time it right you'll have no problems.

I also took a ripper sunrise shot this morning half way to JS.

Cheers, Jeff. (Richmond)

banana longtail, 05Jun11

Subject: fishing today 5 June 2011
From: "Jeff"
Date: 5/06/2011 5:18 PM

Hi Hookers,

The plan was to launch at 5.45 from MG this morning. Shortly after arriving I was met by Eyetag who as usual was as keen as mustard to get out there. We were waiting on Gemini to arrive, but as launch time was upon us, with the break looking fine, we hit the water.

Our plan was to hit Sunshine Reef as Ian had a successful day out there yesterday. We paddled straight out there without trolling a lure so as to maximize our speed and start fishing as early as possible.

We got to our mark at the northern end of Sunshine and started our drift. The wind out of the west was blowing 15-20 knots, making things very uncomfortable and difficult to get my plastic to the bottom. I was fishing a 1/2 oz jighead, and even with the drogue out, we were drifting at a fair clip.

It was now about 7.15am or so when I heard Gemini say he was on the water, but I unfortunately could not contact him.

Fishing wise, things were pretty slow. Ian then radioed up and said he just got smashed on the drop. After a 15 minute battle, he ends up landing a nice Longtail Tuna, (yes another one). Ian is now known as "King Longtail". lol.

There were plenty of little bites happening, but the fish were pretty finnicky.

As the wind was still up a bit and fishing was pretty quiet we decided to have a couple of last drifts before heading home.

With the last couple of drifts, Ian managed a nice squire about 55cm and a nice Grassy and I managed a squire of 46cm.

Ian's fish were all caught on bait, whilst I fished soft plastics only for 1 keeper.

We saw Stu on the way out in his stinky, don't know how he ended up, I also talked to Turtleboy in his stinky on Sunshine Reef, he told me he had on board a small Coral Trout and a squire.

We left Sunshine Reef for home at around 10.30am with a few fish between us paddling into a weakening westerly.

Enclosed are a couple of pics of "King Longtail" with his fish.

Cheers, Jeff (Richmond)