Subject: fishing today -- 15mar09
Date: Monday, 16 March 2009 4:38 PM
andypaddles, madcow, parapaddler, harry, Jaro and I fronted this morning to find ideal conditions.
The launching options at Middle Groyne have been somewhat restricted thanks to Cyclone Hamish, whose swell effects removed so much sand from the eastern side that yak access on that side would be difficult to say the least -- we'd need our climbing gear to get down the bare rock face which is exposed more than I can remember as a result of sand removal. No rude comments about old blokes' memories please.
Fortunately the western side of the groyne offered an ideal launch situation, the channel adjacent to the wall being now deeper than it formerly was and offering a safe, if narrow passage to the open bay which today was troubled by only a gentle swell.
Dead on 0545. Noosa yakkers depart Middle Groyne. madcow and andypaddles are already out the back; harry (blue shirt) is in the trough between two waves and parapaddler (first time launch at MG) is halfway along the wall. Jaro and I wait our turn. The low light levels forced a low shutter speed which, because everything in the pic is moving and because the camera was held in a shaking hand, led to a slightly blurred pic. Sorry about that - I'll try to do better in future.
Once we were all safely out the back I took a pic of the scene which faced us, using parapaddler as a centrepiece.
0553. In the foreground, parapaddler in his beautifully set up Viking Profish. Background: Jaro and the majesty of a daybreak on Laguna Bay.
As soon as individual yakkers were ready to go, they left, most heading toward the NE where I'd noticed that terns, forsaking their overnight roosts in the Noosa River were heading. I followed, last, and headed toward one of my marks on a small reef which was very close to the line of the other yaks. Before long we could see terns bunching and wheeling and diving on the near horizon, a sure sign that predators had moved in and were already breakfasting on the hapless sprats. The predators we encountered, however were in small groups and they were attacking small bait schools so the action at each encounter between predator and prey was brief and brutal -- too brief for us, because in most cases we arrived at the scene just as the predators were moving on to the next feast, several hundred metres distant. So after spending quite some time unsuccessfully trying to manoeuvre into position to cast a lure into the feeding frenzies, most of us had moved out to or toward Jew Shoal.
Things were quiet out there on the depths of the reef, fishing with bait or soft plastic, but all around, from time to time, small groups of breakfasting tuna found their bacon and eggs right on the surface. On many occasions over the next hour or so the mostly small tuna charged past us just too far away and too quickly to allow a cast. Understandably we soon started to look toward greener pastures and the space between Jew Shoal and the headland beckoned, and by around 0830 most of us were drifting or paddling around that space focussed on trying to catch a tuna which were clearly present. A small one would do, but there were some larger fish which could be seen clearing the water completely at the end of their characteristic swift attacks from directly below the bait (see pic below).
Great pic by Steven D'Emden, taken on our previous trip 06Mar09. A fat longtail tuna can be quite clearly seen about to re-enter the water after such an attack.
We were ready to cast at a moment's notice. Jaro drifted past me and offered the opportunity to demonstrate the state of readiness.
0849. Jaro the hunter...
One of the great things about yak fishing is the ability to paddle over and have a chat with a fellow yakker. madcow dropped in for a chat...
0912hrs. madcow, wearing a hat to die for, told me about the tuna he hooked and then lost, all in the space of a few seconds.
After paddling over a km back to one of my new-found reefs I heard Jaro come up on the radio that he was in the midst of hundreds of feeding terns and tuna and had just boated and released a small mac tuna. I was still fishless so I re-rigged once more and paddled the 1.3km back out to where Jaro was drifting, in company with parapaddler. Of course, by the time I got there, the terns and the tuna had gone. Jaro had no explanation for this. So we drifted a while in the spot they were last seen, about 700m north of Hells Gates, enjoying the ambience and luxuriating in the lack of deadlines or other pressures out here on the water. All we definitely had to do today was paddle ourselves the 4km or so back to where our cars were parked.
As we were chatting parapaddler came up to us and announced that he'd just lost a tuna -- the first he'd ever hooked on a cast lure. He wasn't at all disappointed but was clearly on a high as the first such strike and fast run has to be experienced to be understood. I commiserated with him and, as I hadn't seen him since we'd left the beach and he has no radio (yet), enquired whether he'd had any other action. To my surprise he announced he'd got a nice little snapper out at JS on a soft plastic. When I asked to see it he clambered forward on the Profish, straddling the hull, lifted the bow cover extracted and held up the first snapper I'd seen this year.
1013hrs. parapaddler (aka Brian), Scotsman, ex Royal Marine and professional paramedic, with future family meal. Welcome aboard, Brian.
The time had come to wend our way homeward. Remember, we had about 4km to paddle. Jaro and I travelled side by side, intent on taking any casting opportunities that arose. And shortly one did. Right in front of us a school of small living torpedoes collided deliberately with a school of baitfish. We could see that the torpedoes (mac tuna) were quite small, no more than a kilo in weight, probably, but I was fishless so what could I do? I fired off a cast and retrieved rapidly and was rewarded with a surface strike and hookup. These little mac tuna are bundles of energy, punching way above their weight and very exciting to catch on light tackle. This one came to the yak after a few spirited runs against the drag.
Jaro took this pic just before I lifted the tiny tuna from the water using the wire trace. As I did so, intending to release it anyway, the hook pulled free.
Our return to the beach was uneventful, and I finished off by stripping to my bathers and jumping in for a swim -- having discovered from my GPS that I'd paddled 17.5km I thought I deserved a refreshing dip. We were the last to return of the group which had left earlier. Andypaddles very kindly left us some organically-grown limes and lemons which he'd brought with him from Cooroy. Thanks mate, I can assure you they were well received and will be used on fish meals. Jaro, Brian and I divided them up.
If any of the others have anything interesting to add please feel free to do so. Thanks all for coming along.
The weather's so good I think I might go again tomorrow -- but using different tactics. Anyone else up for it?
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
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