Subject: fishing today -- 15jun09
Date: Monday, 15 June 2009 2:49 PM
Six of us fronted today at 0630 on the dot. The doggie beach carpark, Sunshine Beach was where we'd agreed to meet to check out the surf conditions before deciding whether to fish Sunshine Reef (launch at Sunshine Beach), launch at Main Beach (for JS) or go back to bed.
Brian (madcow), who hadn't launched at Sunshine before, and Bill (first timer, see photo later) were already there when I arrived at 0615 so the three of us strolled down to take a look. Conditions were superb, with little or no wind, and a tiny swell. We scampered back to the car park where the other three we were expecting, Jaro, Jim and Harry, were either already parked or soon to arrive.
0633hrs (how keen is this?) Bill Barnett, who has given up golf because it no longer has any challenges for him, was keen to get going on this his first trip with Noosa Yakkers. He's temporarily using Harvey's Espri while Harvey is undergoing medical treatment.
Bill's Noosa Yakkers mug shot.
Before long we were all trundling our yaks down the bitumen path leading to the beach. What a glorious morning.
0644hrs. Jim's first away, paddling furiously to crest the small wave before it breaks and soaks him. Jaro gets ready to go.
I hung around to add a little moral support to Bill's first surf launch (not that this particular surf was a big deal), so Bill and I launched together after Jaro. All was going smoothly until Bill missed his footing when climbing aboard, just as I paddled past him. In he went, up to his neck (sitting down), as a small wave rolled through. The cardinal rule here is "Don't stop to help your mate, as you'll probably get dunked too," and I obeyed it, turning around once I was clear of the break to see Bill back on his yak paddling like crazy out through the small break. He made it easily and was still smiling so I knew little harm had been done except to his dignity, which is OK as a yakker with dignity remaining is unknown in these parts.
Shortly we were paddling the mere 1.5km out to Sunshine Reef which we had to ourselves at this time on this Monday morning. We tried hard to catch fish but it appears that there was little action of the type we sought. Jim, growing weary of the lack of action at the close-in part of the reef, headed out wider to another mark he had on his GPS. While there he had a massive strike on a trailed pilchard and was unable to turn the fish. Faced with a break off as the last few metres of line on his spool became exposed he did the only thing he could do and lock up the drag. This either turns the fish or busts the line. The latter was the result in this case.
Steve (Turtleboy) then checked in by radio and announced he was coming out to join us and so we soon had him out there too -- seven of us.
I deployed a hard body lure down deep weighed down with a ball sinker and this caught my only fish for the morning, a not so welcome Red Scorpion-Cod.
0946hrs. Red Scorpion-Cod. Although delicious to eat, I reckon they're hardly worth the trouble as the spines carry venom sacs which can really spoil your whole day. If you catch one of these handle it with extreme care.
So, a dead quiet morning, despite magnificent conditions. Jim had to leave early and Bill, feeling a little seasick, opted to travel back with him. Before he left, I thought I'd take a pic of Bill in the kayak off his home village, Sunshine Beach.
Bill on his first offshore yak fishing foray. Sunshine Beach in background.
Around 1100hrs I radioed the remaining yakkers and suggested we call it quits soon. All agreed to this and before long we were headed back to the beach where the swell turned out to be not as bad as on previous occasions, as all five of us hit the beach right way up. I understand that Jim and Bill also had uneventful landings earlier. So one good thing to come from the day was increased experience with the notorious Sunshine Beach sand monster, which was perhaps asleep today.
1139hrs. Brian (madcow) about to ground on the beach after successfully picking a lull in the swell. (still from video)
A disappointing trip, fishwise, but at least we got out in superb weather conditions and two yakkers got a first experience of the Sunshine Beach launch in perfect conditions. Looks like Jew Shoal will be back on the agenda after last Saturday's great result. Nevertheless, Sunshine Reef should always be an option when the weather's appropriate, I reckon.
Thanks for organizing Jaro and thanks all for coming along. Hope you can join us again soon, Bill.
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
No comments:
Post a Comment