Wind: light SW
Swell: 1m SE
Current: none
Launch point: Middle Groyne
Participants: jaro, jimbo, sully, barefoot (maybe?), imax, carlo, cybertech, tunny, weeksie, doctor dog, redgreg (visitor, AKFF, in blue and white Stealth), sunshiner
Bloody hell, what a crowd for a weekday! But conditions were perfect so why not? I was committed to getting back home before 0900 so my trip was cut short, but it was a top morning.
Jaro had nominated an arrival time of 4:00 am, and several of us were there at or before that time, with others coming along a bit later. Anyway, just as the eastern sky was starting to lose its dark pallor we were assembling on the beach ready to go. Jaro, super keen got away first and no one would have had any trouble getting out today.
Tunny was in his new ride, a Stealth Supalite BFS, it being big enough to comfortably accommodate his long legs and body (pic later). He was one of the first three to head for Jew Shoal, jaro and I being the others.
While sea conditions were perfect, there were very few terns visible so clearly baitfish were in short supply in the bay. Nevertheless, we all trolled our lures out to our respective locations (some went to Halls Reef) apparently without attracting action. I maintained the trolling tactic after arrival at the Pinnacles and spent about 30 minutes trolling in patterns centred on that location. There were no signs on the sounder of densely packed baitfish and no surface splashes at that time. So I reverted to my usual pattern: casting a light jighead with 100mm SP and drifting with the breeze from the Pinnacles to the NE, where the water gradually goes from about 14m to 21m.
North west of me, and also drift fishing but using bait (prawns and pillies) was Jaro who came up fairly quickly on the radio announcing a keeper snapper capture. Last time I was out here, last Sunday, I fished long and hard for one small tap-tap and a damaged SP. But my system works, eventually, and I was hopeful that today would prove that.
I was in 21m, with nothing in particular showing on the sounder. The 1/8 ounce jig with its impaled SP was down near the bottom and starting to drag out behind me when I felt the gentlest tap. Feeding the SP back a little, I then pulled it back toward me a little only to find it was possibly snagged; but then the snag started to move. Whoopee! Hookup!
More likely a grassy than a snapper, I thought, as the tussle was more up and down than the occasional long runs of a snapper. And so it proved as the unmistakeable brown-ness and heaviness of a decent grassy appeared below.
The jighead and SP were right inside the mouth.
Weeksie was nearby and took a couple of pics with his camera (thanks, Paul).
Then jaro was announcing another snapper and when he hooked another the gang started to get the message although I fear they were too late as I understand all went quiet around 07:30.
Being under pressure to get home, I trolled around for a while, getting this pic of tunny as I moved past him.
I was also curious as to the identity of the guy on a blue and white Supalite who had joined us in the last hour or so. Turned out he was redgreg, a Sunny Coast AKFFer whom we met at the Straddy comp last year. So if you’re reading this, Greg, get in touch with us to join up.
Anyway, I had an enjoyable paddle home in idyllic conditions with almost no wind and a tiny wave to push me onto the beach in the last 100 metres. On measuring the grassy (which I'd estimated at 45cm) I found that it had apparently grown 6cm!
Kev Long
Sunshiner
Author Kayak Fishing Manual for iPad and Mac (click linked text to view)
Stealth Supalite X, yellow/orange
Contribution by jaro
I didn't catch any more but I think Tunny caught a sweet lip and stayed out there after we had all returned to shore. Saw Bruce (Barefoot) on shore. He did not come out due to his wife due to deliver their baby any time. He was practising exits and entries. My snappers measured 42, 43 and 50cms. After you left there was no more activity save Tunny's sweet lip. I left JS at 8.15.
Contribution by tunny
I stayed out a little longer than most of the Noosa Yakkers today as I was
determined not to have a "dry run" on my first trip in the new Stealth.
Perseverance paid off and around 10am I landed a 43cm grassy using a 5"
soft plastic. Greg and I were the last to leave Jew Shoal, heading in
around 11am. We both trolled hard bodied lures on the way back, and Greg
caught 2 small Bonito about midway between JS and Middle Groyne.
Cheers
Dave (tunny)
Nice work with the Grassy Kev. I decent size too :)
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