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Peter4
27-08-2007, 10:05 AM
After listening to Dave Downies radio report on Friday, we ducked into BCF on Saturday to pick up a couple of 'dark' lures as per his advice. Found a couple of $5 Kokoda shallow runners that would do the trick. According to Nugget the river mouth after rain was a good place to work these lures for jew, cod and flathead.

Covering all bets we also got some mullet fillets and squid before we headed out on Sunday morning. Decided to head from the mouth of the Logan across to Giant's Grave to try some whole squid for jew on the early morning slack tide. No good. Just one small chopper tailor on mullet and a moses perch on squid.

Headed back toward the river mouth and decided to slow troll the cheap lures across the shallows. Almost immediately 'bang' my son's on and a 45cm flathead comes aboard. Five minutes later and a 60cm (equal PB) follows on my line. I also picked up another chopper and a small grinner.

We now entered the river mouth and trolled slowly along the northern bank in 1.5m of water just off the sand bar. My arm and wrist were getting sore from working the lure on my Shimano Backbone Elite rod matched with a Pfleuger Echelon low profile baitcaster. Just as I started to put the rod down 'BANG' and I'm away again. This time it was a bigger fish. 'Look's like a jew' calls out my son after a big surface swirl. This fish ran hard each time it got near the boat then stopped after taking 10 metres or so of line from me. Finally I got a look. "Big, big flattie" I called "Grab the net!".

The next few minutes were a comedy of errors. The boat was drifting into the shallows, the flattie wouldn't fit into the net and then one of the trebles got caught up in the net. So the fish was in the water, not in the net but hooked up to it! She gives a big head shake and the lure flies free from the fish but is still caught in the net. Luckily my leader has wrapped around the head of the fish. A nervous lift and she comes into the boat. Onto the brag mat - 76cm - a new PB!!
A few pics and away she went unharmed by her ordeal.

We trolled up a couple more smaller models on my son's lure 42cm and 45cm (and another chopper) before he caught a small seven-fingered threadfin on yabbie near the end of the trip. Final score - 7 flathead, 3 choppers, 1 moses perch, 1 grinner and 1 threadfin. All fish were released to fight another day.

Pete ;D

bennykenny
27-08-2007, 11:10 AM
Greaat flattie, bet you were stoked with that when you eventually got it into the boat, heart would have been almost jumping out of your chest, congrats on the PB

1lastcast
27-08-2007, 11:16 AM
Pete that sounds like a pretty good day out you had mate well done some nice fish to .

I bet your son had a ball to , quality time with your son and some good fish you cant loose .

cheers Peter

timor 2
27-08-2007, 12:09 PM
nice fish there peter 4 was there any of that weed that everyone has been talking about? Did you go up the Logan if so was there much dirty water?

Peter4
27-08-2007, 12:28 PM
Thanks for the comments, guys. It was a great day to share with my (stoked) son!

timor 2 - Logan water quality was pretty clear from the first green beacon to the river mouth. Up river to the Carbrook ramp was a bit dirtier.

There was a bit of annoying weed that accumulated on our lines when we stopped and bait fished but none when we trolled shallow running lures. I reckon the flathead will be on for the next couple of weeks around the mouth and between the green beacons up river from Marks Rocks.

Pete

luckystrike
27-08-2007, 01:16 PM
Well done Mate..... Big flatties are good fun.... Gees you made hard work of the landing!!! I bet your young bloke was excited to see a big fish like that?

Peter4
27-08-2007, 01:51 PM
Yeah - we had a few moments of bedlam! I would much prefer to put the big fish on his line even though he gets a buzz from me catching a big un.

Kyle's only 15 so he's got plenty of fishing years ahead of him.

Regs

Pete

finga
27-08-2007, 02:23 PM
Good going matey :D
Those fish look to be well fed too.
Nothing like bedlam to get the heart pumping eh ;)
I suppose the young fella is a hardbody convert now??

Peter4
27-08-2007, 02:28 PM
He already was, finga. We chase barra up at Monduran from time to time. This summer we also plan to target some jacks with hardbodies in a few 'secret' locations!

Just remembered that the only downer about yesterday was those annoying jet skis buzzing up and down the river. They even passed within 10 metres of us while we were trolling! Very inconsiderate b*stards!

Pete

Little grey men
27-08-2007, 03:10 PM
Good report Peter4, thanks for sharing mate, sounds like a day to remember.
Congrats on the PB.

Crisp Bee
27-08-2007, 03:47 PM
Top effort. Some good size flatties and a good report.

Murph77
27-08-2007, 07:37 PM
top flatty mate, should be a good spring for them especially after this rain.