Success at JS, 30Jun08

From: "kevin long"
Subject: fishing today, 30Jun08
Date: Monday, 30 June 2008 4:04 PM

Yakkers,

Perfect offshore weather today, and only two starters to enjoy it!

Jaro and I launched on a flat sea just after 0700 under a leaden sky and set off for JS aided by a gentle southerly breeze. It was so pleasant out there that we didn't hit the beach again until 1300, which makes around 6 hours on the water. My GPS indicated 12+km travelled, including drift.

Rather than bore you with the details, I'll just summarise and throw in a couple of items of piscatorial interest:

I got points on the board quite quickly with two reasonable sweetlip in the first half hour.Then we both faced a quiet period of occasional hits and various fish until around 1100 or so when the action picked up, possibly as a result of our relocating on the reef, or a tide change (low tide: 1101, 0.34)? We both caught several snapper, all but one (Jaro's) undersize, and I finished up with four sweetlip and a couple of better fish lost due to unexplained line breakage at the only knot (to the jig). After the second break-off I reduced the drag setting but am still looking for an answer as I'm pretty particular about setting my drag correctly. As well as fishing with the usual light jig and Power Minnow, I also put out a live bait (a small lancer -- first fish caught) under a float, but received no action on it at all. Jaro fished drifting a pilchard bait and also with the jig.

A couple of items of interest:

Above: Is this grinner a winner? One of the biggest grinners I've seen; note that I'm talking about the fish, not Jaro, who caught it. I reckon these beasties are not worth keeping to eat -- they're full of bones. And they don't put up much of a fight when hooked.

Above: Spinefoot: Jaro caught one of these and so did I. Be aware that a sting from those spines results in excruciating pain. It won't kill you, but you might wish you were dead for an hour or so at least. Handle with extreme care and release as quickly as possible -- a kayak footwell is not a good place to share with a spinefoot.

Anyone interested in a trip tomorrow or (possibly) Wednesday mid-morn/arvo? Weather's looking good for tomorrow at least. I can't confirm that I'll be going but I just might if the opportunity arises.

Tight lines,

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

Sweetlip bag, 26Jun08

From: "kevin long"
Subject: kayak fishing today
Date: Thursday, 26 June 2008 4:22 PM

Before telling you about today, I need to introduce Ron Maybury, courtesy of Terry Nolan, who reckons Ron's a noosa yakker candidate and a nice bloke also. Hope to see you out with us soon, Ron. Yakkers, please add Ron to your lists.

I did pretty well today and Jim, not so well -- payback for last week I suppose when he was catching and I was enduring wind torture in FNQ.

Perfect launch conditions and superb out at JS. I got eight fish, five different species, on my first eight casts. Only one of those eight was worth keeping, however. We were hoping that the larger snapper had moved in -- they should be here soon -- but only undersized or marginal specimens were encountered, although Jim dropped a good fish (a probable snapper) early on when the hook pulled after a 30-second run.

I reckon I boated around 20 fish of many different species. All fish were taken on soft plastics (see pic of sweetlip below).

Jim and I pushed pretty hard coming back but hit the beach together, just managing to catch a tiny wave. I must be a little out of condition, however for when I went to jump out of the beached yak hoping to avoid the next incoming wave I found my legs woudn't work as well as they normally do and suffered an undignified backward tumble with slight wetting before recovering to haul the yak out of reach of the huge waves. ;-)

Note that a possible opportunity for the next trip is already showing on seabreeze -- Monday. Yee- hah!

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09, Call Sign: sunshiner

Doggie Beach launch, 16May08

From: "kevin long"
Subject: Fishing today -- 16May08
Date: Friday, 16 May 2008 3:36 PM

G'day yakkers

Four of us turned up to Doggie Beach on a beautiful morning: Terry, Jim, Jaro and I. We all surveyed the launch area and noted the waves (1m swell) but the overall decision was that it was do-able.

In the end, Terry opted not to go, Jaro got a wet arse, and Jim and I, who got through the launch unscathed, considered ourselves fortunate that we'd recently practised surf handling during our camping trip to Lennox Head.

My GPS showed that it was a mere 2.3km to my Sunshine Reef mark and we headed off together as soon as all were ready, all trolling lures various.

There were no birds or surface action visible, but the water was a brilliant blue and the sky was largely cloud free. Having reached our mark without any hits on the trolled lures, we deployed our usual JS techniques to see if they worked in this, much deeper, environment. Two casts with my 1/8oz jighead convinced me that I was not getting to the bottom, so I switched to a 1/4oz head and soon after was rewarded with a solid strike from what turned out to be a keeper grass sweetlip:

This turned out to be the best fish of the day for us, while Jaro nailed a smaller one, and Jim, for once, came home fishless but he did have two close encounters with probable marauding mackerel, as his jig head was bitten off on two consecutive casts. Oh, I also caught a tiny whiptail (a small fish generally regarded as suitable only for bait) and I include a pic to help other yakkers who may not have seen one before, with identification. The upper lobe of the tail has an elongated ray, like a whip, hence the name.

Although conditions out there were perfect (see pic above), we opted to come back in when it became clear that the fishing was not very productive. The return run through the surf was at least as exciting as the launch. Jim and I, again benefitting from our recent practice, came through unscathed while Jaro again got a little damp -- but no real harm was done. Back on the beach, I photographed our meagre combined catch -- just for the record.

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09, Call Sign: sunshiner

Nothing here, 02May08

From: "JARO CERNY"
Subject: Fishing report for 2/05/08
Date: Friday, 2 May 2008 9:28 PM

Hello Noosa Yakkers,

A beautiful, warm, calm morning greeted us at middle groyne. There were only 2 starters... Mike and I.

Going out and coming in was the easiest of all outings I have been associated with... waves were about 1.5 feet max. The waters were mill pond smooth all morning, so smooth in fact that we could see the bottom of Jew Shoal easily, even seeing fish on the bottom. However, as far as catching them was concerned, it was a frustratingly disappointing. Mike caught a bream and what he thought was a coral trout and I caught two of the same but on looking at a fish book they were not coral trout but I still could not identify them. We will wait till our guru Kevin returns to identify them. At any rate they were all too small so were released. We both returned to shore empty handed.

There was no sign of any pelagics and bird activity was non existent. I hope that this not a sign that the season for pelagics is over.

Cheers

Jaro

Tuna in the bay, 10Apr08

From: "kevin long"
Subject: tuna in the bay
Date: Thursday, 10 April 2008 2:22 PM

G'day yakkers

This is the third Thursday in a row where we've harried the local pelagics.

As agreed, several of us turned up this morning: Jaro, Harvey, his son Tim (in my spare Espri), and I. The wind was 10-15knots from the SE and we could see that it would be pretty uncomfortable out at the reef but we could also see birds working with accompanying splashing just off the beach, where conditions promised to be quite pleasant. So, of course, off we went, launching through a clean, small surf in bright sunshine.

Jaro was the first with runs on the board, announcing that he'd boated (or should I say yakked), a mac tuna. Shortly afterward he paddled over to me, just as a school showed its presence nearby with wheeling birds and copious splashing. We both cast and I hooked up, but my fish managed to cunningly get my taut line in the way of Jaro's lure. It took a tense minute or two for me to bring his lure to the tip of my rod, then disentangle it from where it then became hooked in the second runner from the tip (how DO lures get into such places) while still maintaining sufficient pressure on my fish to keep the hook in place. But it came clear and shortly afterward I boated a mac tuna.

There were clearly more than one species working the bait schools as Tim reported losing a lure to a possible spotty mac (cut off during retrieve after casting to a school) and both Jaro and I caught several Leaping bonito (Cybiosarda elegans) -- see pic below.

We gave it away about 0930-ish having never been further than about 800m from launch, paddling through schools of feeding tuna and bonito as we left the open water for the surf zone, which all four of us transited without incident. I managed a pic of Jaro, but not of the others as they went in before I did.

My mac tuna was 57cm long and weighed 2.5kg.

We're hoping to get out to JS in the next few days -- Seabreeze gives us some hope for that.

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09, Call Sign: sunshiner

longtails, 03Apr08

From: "JARO CERNY"
Subject: Fishing Expedition 3/4/08
Date: Thursday, 3 April 2008 9:11 PM

Hello Noosa Yakkers,

It has fallen to me to write the report today. Starters were Kevin, Bob, Mal and I. Mal started earlier than the rest of us as he had to finish early.

It was a glorious morning... sunny skies, warm, no winds to speak of and a small swell. It was an easy get out past the almost non existent breakers on the western side of the groyne. I was first out and seeing birds active headed in that direction towards the spit while (and I had not noticed this) Bob and Kevin decided to head straight for JS. It took me a while to get to the fish action but on my second cast the fish struck as soon as the lure hit the water. I then had an exciting fight for about 15 minutes and finally landed a tuna. I knew it wasn't a mack tuna from the last one I had caught and a guy nearby thought it was a yellow fin but later Kevin informed me it was a blue fin (editor: actually a northern bluefin, more commonly known as a longtail tuna). I bled it out before stowing it away. By the way, I was using a 10kg line with a 60kg nylon tracer and a Gillies 40g baitfish blue and white lure.

Noticing the others were out of sight I called Kevin on the VHF to find out that they were at JS. So I set out after them and joined them trying to catch snappers etc but to no avail.

Kevin hooked a nice one and played it for a while but could not get it off the bottom before it reefed him leaving Kevin no alternative but to bust off. Kevin thinks it likely it was a good sized sweetlip. After about 1.5 hours of no activity Mal (fishless) headed for home troubled by a very sore elbow which he thinks will keep him out of the water for a while. I headed back to try my luck inshore and Bob also fishless headed for home. I paddled well west of the spit and found birds diving. I cast many a time without success and slowly found myself near the shark nets and was ready to call it a day when I got a strike. I knew it was a tuna from the way it fought long and hard. After an exciting 20 to 25 minutes I finally gaffed a beautiful blue fin (editor: actually a longtail). I bled this one out also. It was caught on the same lure as the first.

I headed for the shore and learned a valuable lesson. NEVER take the sea for granted. The waves were small and I paddled in without sizing up the sets only to find myself in no man's land between two unexpected huge waves one of which was definitely going to get me. Knowing I had no chance I jumped off and grabbed the back of the kayak to no avail as the wave took it and rolled it even though I managed to keep hold of the paddle. I eventually made a very undignified landing onshore feeling the gaze of all on the beach. But having everything well secured nothing was lost. The looks on the faces changed once I took the tuna out to clean. Soon I had a very interested audience asking the usual questions.

Kevin of course surveyed the scene carefully and made a very successful and professional return to shore.

Tuna one was 83cm long and weighed 5.5kg cleaned. Tuna two was 1 metre long and weighed 7.25kg cleaned.

Cheers

Jaro
A very happy yakker.

Spotty macs, 27Mar08

From: "kevin long"
Subject: You should have been there!
Date: Thursday, 27 March 2008 12:18 PM

Eat your hearts out, yakkers.

Jaro and I decided to go again this morning -- the weather being so good. We launched at 0700-ish on a glassy sea, with gentle swell, with patches of wheeling and diving terns just offshore hinting at the possibility of pelagic predators. Well, hold onto your seats.

We were heading out to JS, about 500m from launch when I decided that the bird action, and accompanying splashing, 200-300m away, was worth investigating. Jaro agreed to go along too and we altered course to intercept the action. I'd anticipated that there might be some action of this sort and was already rigged up with a small "slug", tied directly onto the line. At about 50m range, I could see that there was some serious carnage going on, with swirls, chomphs, splashes and tiny baitfish showering out of the surface like silver beads being sprinkled on the surface.

First cast, I hook up. A quick screaming run, then slack line. Lure gone -- perhaps a weak spot in the line? I hurriedly re-rig with a similar lure and cast again. Meanwhile, Jaro is frantically re-rigging his casting outfit to suit the new situation. My second cast -- immediate hookup and again the line goes slack and the lure is gone. At last the penny drops -- these fish feeding voraciously right next to the yak are mackerel and just then this is confirmed when I eyeball 3-4 fish which shot past the yak close enough so that I could identify the species -- spotties. By now Jaro is ready. He has rigged with a large slug and he has also added a heavy monofilament leader. He casts and his immediate hookup is announced in typical fashion -- a very loud "yahoo". I wait while he plays out the fish and boats his first spottie -- a very nice specimen. He's got a smile as wide as Laguna Bay as I paddle over in the glassy conditions to take a photo:

I'm down to one slug and have no wire or leader but decide to go with what I've got, knowing that there's a fighting chance that I'll hook up a spottie in the outer part of the jaw, where those scissor-like teeth can't get at the 12 pound monofilament. So I cast again, and again hookup, and this time the lure holds while the spottie makes several screaming runs against the light drag I've set to minimise the possibility of a cut line. Meanwhile, Jaro is hooked up again...

I play my fish out, deal with it, leash its tail to prevent unwanted loss over the side, and then Jaro paddles over and I prevail upon him to take my photo with my camera. He obliges:

About now, I remind Jaro of the bag limit on spotties: 5. Remember, he's never caught a spottie mac before. Anyway the aquatic mayhem continues. Occasional small sharks can be seen feeding on the sprats, and once or twice I spot a tuna leap clear of the water. The spotties tend not to do that, being content to stay below the waterline. Jaro's score is up to three, and I've lost my third slug. I chuck a soft plastic into a feeding frenzy and don't even get a chance to start retrieving it before it's eaten and the line severed.

Below: a couple of scenes typical of this morning's activities:

Jaro has four, then releases his fifth ("a little small" he says). I borrow a slug from Jaro and while I'm tying it on, Jaro hooks up and is towed past me by what is obviously a more powerful fish. I suspect a tuna and follow on out of curiosity. Sure enough, after a tough fight of five minutes or so, Jaro has a good sized mack tuna (his first -- another first) under control next to the yak. He consults me on its eating qualities and I advise that it should be released as it's nowhere near as good on the plate as spotty mackerel. Here's the tuna:

It swims away a bit languidly, but turns the right way up and with a beat of that wonderful tail, heads off, hopefully for a long life.

Shortly afterward, Jaro bags out on spotties, I have three, and we agree that we have enough. So we leave them biting. We paddle the 500 or so metres back to the beach and that's it. Take a few pics, answer the beach-goers questions (no, they aren't whiting or bream, they're spotty mackerel), clean the gore off the yaks and head home for brekky. What a morning -- two hours of unceasing action, surface strikes, screaming drags and glassy seas, all 500m from the launch site. Wow -- you've gotta love this kayak fishing!

As I said, you should have been there...

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri liberally sprinkled with spotty mac scales, black paddle,
VHF channel 09, Call Sign: sunshiner