Snappy sesh at DB reef. 22Oct12

TR by sunshiner

Wind: dead calm early, going NW to 15 knots, then dropping off to a 5 knot northerly
Swell: tiny easterly
Current: at Doggie Beach Reef, none
Launch point: Doggie Beach
Participants: sunshiner, pedro

Pedro didn't decide to come until early this morning, consequently I thought I was the only starter. Certainly I had the carpark pretty much to myself when I got there before 0500. I'd already checked the swell situation from the viewpoint near the surf club and was pleased to see that it was still pretty much non-existent.

So I didn't bother to check the launch situation and had the yak off and onto the trolley in a couple of minutes, heading for the beach. The tide was dead low and there's so much sand at Doggie Beach now that you practically need a cut lunch to do the trek from the end of the entrance path to the water. SO glad I had my big wheeled trolley.

As I trundled down to the water's edge I noted a lone board rider picking up tiny waves to the north, and a whale relaxing right in close to the headland, just off Doggie Beach.

Launch time. Woohoo! The high humidity was causing a haze on the horizon.

Easy launch, got woken up by the splash from the one tiny wave that got through my defences and dampened my seat. As I paddled out beyond the (apparently non-existent) break, another whale breached to the north east. Looks like the migration south is well under way.

Clear water, no birds, no splashing, quite heavy overcast, the clouded sun had only just cleared the horizon. Absolutely flat calm, for now. Soon I was paddling toward Doggie Beach Reef (location as per the blog), my HLP throbbing away one metre down and 35 paddle strokes behind me.

Paddling out on a glassy sea.

At my destination there was nothing in particular on the sounder, but that is never an indication that fish are not present. In came my trolled lure and out went my trailing outfit and shortly afterward my cast jighead splashed down and began gently heading for the bottom, 27m down.

The trailing outfit went off soon afterward and with a "Whoopee!" I put my first keeper snapper into the new boat.

Not big, but very welcome after my recent drought of fish. Note the jighead is rigged on single strand wire, in case of mackerel hits.

That one fish had already made my day, and it wasn't even 6:00 am! About 06:15, my radio, still on the Noosa Yakkers channel, crackled and up came the familiar voice of pedro. He confessed that he'd taken a tumble when coming out, but was on his way anyway, explaining that he thought he'd concentrate on Spaniards today but would come out and visit me at Doggie Beach reef first. It's only a 1.5km paddle and soon I could see him heading toward me.

Pedro, a little damp, drops in to say hello.

By now the breeze had picked up to about 10 knots NW. Pedro stayed with me a little while, prospecting the area with a big squid bait before deciding to head off into the wind with a big HB out, sticking with his original Spaniard plan. The breeze got stronger but was still very manageable. Because I'd got no more hits and planning to be back on the beach early today, I decided to try one of my closer in marks so paddled off toward the west.

As I approached this mark I came across some quite lumpy reef which I hadn't previously noticed on the sounder, so did a quick upwind run for 30 metres or so, hove to, popped the drogue and deployed the trailing outfit then the casting outfit.

Within a few minutes the casting outfit went off with a typical snapper take and fight. One fish is nice but two is confirmation that you're doing something right so I was extra pleased when snapper number two came aboard.

This jig also is rigged with wire but the multi strand, plastic coated type. Again, in case of mackerel strikes.

Being very satisfied with my lot, and because I had a meeting to attend, I headed in shortly afterward. Trolled the one km or so back to the beach, stashed the gear and surfed a wave in over the last 40 metres or so testing the rudder by weaving left and right on the wave as the wave pushed me along. Doesn't get much better than that!

Two snapper, the larger around 47cm.

Pedro's radio was a bit waterlogged but by the time I left the beach I understand he hadn't had any action, fish-wise. How'd you go, pedro? Beat the sand monster on the way back in?

Kev