Windy and sunny, JS, 06Jul09

From: "kevin long"
Subject: fishing today, 06jul09
Date: Monday, 6 July 2009 2:30 PM

I could see that it was breezy on the bay as soon as I crested the hill but what the hell, I was set up and the other guys would be there so a couple of minutes later I was in the carpark, the last of five to arrive. Harry, Jaro, Jim, and madcow were already half organized when I arrived and before long we were all on the water, having braved the 6-inch surf to get out there! And it was pretty breezy, from the SE, despite the shelter offered by Noosa Headland.

Jaro was away like a startled flathead toward JS, the rest of us following. I opted to hug the shelter of the headland until Dolphin Point when I turned with the wind and headed the 1.3km straight for one of my marks on the SE corner of the shoal. It was dead easy getting out there, just stopping on arrival was the problem. I set up my first drift and found that I was rocketing along at between 1.5 and 2.5kph toward the NW.

This is always a less than ideal fishing situation so within 300 metres, and about six casts I decided that I'd head back in to shelter and informed my mates by radio. Harry opted to join me and we punched into the wind back to Granite Bay where conditions were delightful with little wind and a tiny swell. No fish either, which was not a surprise.

0817hrs. Harry joins me at Fairy Pools, Granite Bay.

I tried a few half-hearted casts around the shallow reef but soon decided to stow my gear and land on the beach at Granite, something I hadn't done before. The section of beach at the far eastern end offered the best surf transit conditions and I picked a nice little wave to crunch onto the sand in glorious sunshine.

0855hrs. My Espri temporarily beached at Granite Bay.

My radio was playing up a little but I heard through Harry that Jaro had boated a sweetlip out at the shoal but I was quite happy paddling in the bays. And things looked even better when I discovered a nice little wave around the corner in Tea-Tree Bay. Every few minutes a slightly larger swell would come in and create a nice right break on the eastern side of the bay. There were plenty of "Yee-Ha"s as Harry and I played like a couple of kids in the glassy two foot swell. Harry went so fast that his hat blew off! While in Tea Tree I also took the opportunity to land and take a photo.

0920hrs. Tea Tree Bay, where the surf was very gentlemanly.

0936hrs. Harry just on the cusp of picking up a Tea Tree wave. Yee Ha! Note the rear hatch open -- very confident is Harry!

Around about now we learned that the remainder of the group, who were still enduring the conditions at JS, were considering coming back in so Harry and I opted to head for home also. We hit the beach at MG around 1015 after which I spent another 20 minutes or so amusing myself on the tiny break at MG, sharing the break with a bunch of board-riding kids the oldest of whom would have been 50 years younger than I.

The gang arrived back at MG around 1045 after a hard slog with the SE breeze on their port forward quarter. To my surprise madcow presented a very nice flathead for measuring.

48cm flathead taken by madcow out at Jew Shoal. Apparently one of several other smaller specimens. In my experience quite a rare catch. Perhaps madcow will tell us all how he did it (bait or SP? location?).

Jaro had dealt savagely with his sweetlip before I could take a pic so the above is the only fish pic for today.

So, the weather was against us today, but tomorrow may be better. Checking the next Seabreeze forecast... Harry and madcow are possibly interested in a trip, as am I.

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner

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