Scott nthQld
31-12-2007, 02:31 PM
In case the title doesn't make sense, I headed out to Maggie Island this morning to try and get a feed for the BBQ tonight.
Launched at 3am from Ross creek, parked the car, jumped in the boat only to jump into ankle deep water, wtf?? Oh shit, forgot the bungs. Tie the boat off, back the trailer down the ramp and retreive the boat (bloody heavy btw). Sit and wait for 20 minutes until the water drains, plugs in and re-launch the boat::). Still dark so I switch the nav lights on, no lights, man is this going to be a tough day, anchor up to find the problem, no worries, just a loose fuse, so now I'm right to go (finally).
Conditions were glass like, scooting across the water @ 30knt (top speed for me). Anchored up at first spot, just west of picnic bay, burleyed and rigged up, on goes a squid. Nothng for 1/2 hr, same bait, so I decided to chuck a pilly on (yellow zone so only 1 rod allowed). As soon as it hits the water I'm on for a screaming run, definately a good fish, thumbed spool to try and stop it but as soon as more tension was put on the line, reefed, damn, this is starting to be a repeat of last time I was here. So after rerigging about 4 times due to bustoffs and brickings, i decided these fish were best left alone, the sun was beginning to rise, so I thought I'd find somewhere a little deeper, hopefully to entice a trout.
2nd spot at 4.5m deep on middle reef, anchor up, burley, out goes a squid. big hit annnnddd reefed, shit How unlucky can I be? Took tension off the line, hopefully he'll get himself out. After a short wait, he goes off on a screaming run, got you this time buddy, with 20lb braid and 40lb leader I was feeling pretty confident in my gear, so I let him have it, a short time later a nice red throat of 39cm in on board an in the kill bucket. Action went quiet from there, with only a few small cod and stirpeys being boated.
Chucked the bled red throat on ice, and what do I do? tip the bloody water over the side, for the next half hour I'm battling 3-4ft reef sharks, they were taking both squid and pillies, I couldn't get away from them. I finally hook up on what feels like a good fish, which turned out to be a grassy of about 40cm est, when a dirty great tiger shark decided he wanted it more than me. And of course I get hooked up on him. I estimated him to be around 10ft, as he was more than half the length of my boat (16ft). So I played him for a bit to try and get as much line back as I could, when he turns and steams straight towards the boat, and under, with no time to lower my rod, the sudden shock, broke my new 6-8kg berkley dropshot BC, well so much for that Christmas present, it now lays in 3 peices. and to really piss me off, the tiger decides to just bite through the line, why couldn't he have done that BEFORE he broke my rod?
Now with the shits, I move to another spot and use the backup rod, only to be pestered by pickers, with the odd good run and bricking. After getting tired of rerigging and the pickers I moved one last time, over towards picnic bay again. With the tide going out, water depth was about 2.5m. Starting to feel the heat of the day coming through, and nearly ready to head for home, I spot a BIG GT hovering across the reef, with no lures on board, I tried to tempt him with squid and pillies, but the most interest he showed was sniff and off he went. With the heart pumping, and ready to spend all day on the water for another chance with that GT. Baited up with squid and sent it out, with a hand full or cubed pillies to generate some interest. All of a sudden BANG, my backup rod nearly snaps in 2 and I'm on. definately a good fish, ducking and diving all over the place for cover, peeling line off the reel, I'm think big jack, c'mon big jack. But no, after a 5min battle, up comes a Trout, Hooray, even better. In the net, for a quick measure, and he goes 45cm, into the kill bucket with you mister. In 2.5m I reckon trout shit all over a jack for fight, and also eating too, which is a bonus.
Heart's racing again, adrenalin pumping, time for another of those if you please, oh wise fishing gods. Out goes another squid, only to be taken by small sharks again, with a couple more small cod and stripey's in between. Getting tired of sharks I decide to head for home at 10am. Still glassy conditions and only a veeerrry light breeze, just to take out a little bit of heat. So with 2 fish in the esky, I hook it home, hitching a ride on one of the Maggie Ferries wake, boosting me up to 35knts.
Definately a good day on the water for me, especially considering I have only ever fished that area once, a couple weeks ago with nonibbles.
No piccies as of yet, The camera batteries are charging, and I didn't take it out on the water today. Stay tuned for pics to be added soon.
Cheers
Scott
Launched at 3am from Ross creek, parked the car, jumped in the boat only to jump into ankle deep water, wtf?? Oh shit, forgot the bungs. Tie the boat off, back the trailer down the ramp and retreive the boat (bloody heavy btw). Sit and wait for 20 minutes until the water drains, plugs in and re-launch the boat::). Still dark so I switch the nav lights on, no lights, man is this going to be a tough day, anchor up to find the problem, no worries, just a loose fuse, so now I'm right to go (finally).
Conditions were glass like, scooting across the water @ 30knt (top speed for me). Anchored up at first spot, just west of picnic bay, burleyed and rigged up, on goes a squid. Nothng for 1/2 hr, same bait, so I decided to chuck a pilly on (yellow zone so only 1 rod allowed). As soon as it hits the water I'm on for a screaming run, definately a good fish, thumbed spool to try and stop it but as soon as more tension was put on the line, reefed, damn, this is starting to be a repeat of last time I was here. So after rerigging about 4 times due to bustoffs and brickings, i decided these fish were best left alone, the sun was beginning to rise, so I thought I'd find somewhere a little deeper, hopefully to entice a trout.
2nd spot at 4.5m deep on middle reef, anchor up, burley, out goes a squid. big hit annnnddd reefed, shit How unlucky can I be? Took tension off the line, hopefully he'll get himself out. After a short wait, he goes off on a screaming run, got you this time buddy, with 20lb braid and 40lb leader I was feeling pretty confident in my gear, so I let him have it, a short time later a nice red throat of 39cm in on board an in the kill bucket. Action went quiet from there, with only a few small cod and stirpeys being boated.
Chucked the bled red throat on ice, and what do I do? tip the bloody water over the side, for the next half hour I'm battling 3-4ft reef sharks, they were taking both squid and pillies, I couldn't get away from them. I finally hook up on what feels like a good fish, which turned out to be a grassy of about 40cm est, when a dirty great tiger shark decided he wanted it more than me. And of course I get hooked up on him. I estimated him to be around 10ft, as he was more than half the length of my boat (16ft). So I played him for a bit to try and get as much line back as I could, when he turns and steams straight towards the boat, and under, with no time to lower my rod, the sudden shock, broke my new 6-8kg berkley dropshot BC, well so much for that Christmas present, it now lays in 3 peices. and to really piss me off, the tiger decides to just bite through the line, why couldn't he have done that BEFORE he broke my rod?
Now with the shits, I move to another spot and use the backup rod, only to be pestered by pickers, with the odd good run and bricking. After getting tired of rerigging and the pickers I moved one last time, over towards picnic bay again. With the tide going out, water depth was about 2.5m. Starting to feel the heat of the day coming through, and nearly ready to head for home, I spot a BIG GT hovering across the reef, with no lures on board, I tried to tempt him with squid and pillies, but the most interest he showed was sniff and off he went. With the heart pumping, and ready to spend all day on the water for another chance with that GT. Baited up with squid and sent it out, with a hand full or cubed pillies to generate some interest. All of a sudden BANG, my backup rod nearly snaps in 2 and I'm on. definately a good fish, ducking and diving all over the place for cover, peeling line off the reel, I'm think big jack, c'mon big jack. But no, after a 5min battle, up comes a Trout, Hooray, even better. In the net, for a quick measure, and he goes 45cm, into the kill bucket with you mister. In 2.5m I reckon trout shit all over a jack for fight, and also eating too, which is a bonus.
Heart's racing again, adrenalin pumping, time for another of those if you please, oh wise fishing gods. Out goes another squid, only to be taken by small sharks again, with a couple more small cod and stripey's in between. Getting tired of sharks I decide to head for home at 10am. Still glassy conditions and only a veeerrry light breeze, just to take out a little bit of heat. So with 2 fish in the esky, I hook it home, hitching a ride on one of the Maggie Ferries wake, boosting me up to 35knts.
Definately a good day on the water for me, especially considering I have only ever fished that area once, a couple weeks ago with nonibbles.
No piccies as of yet, The camera batteries are charging, and I didn't take it out on the water today. Stay tuned for pics to be added soon.
Cheers
Scott