Mooloolaba Report From Weekend

[Smithy]

Headed out Saturday morning to Murphies which was quite pleasent. Had a good 15-20 of SW come through on us there whilst we gathered bait. Kept doing that and waited for it to drop out as we were headed to the 18 mile and it was only going to get rougher the further out we went. Got there mid morning and deployed the baits. Were harrassed by bait stealing Dolphins all day till we finally hooked a Black at 3:50. Jumped him off on the second set of jumps. Only little around 15kgs like in Jeffo's avatar. Got another hookup at 4:30 and tagged this one. Same size as we jumped off. Decky was sick all day. Fished beside Slack Attack and Keneka.

Headed out next morning to some bait we found running in on the 13 mile. Couldn't find it and wind was getting up to 20knots. Flip of a coin time - do we keep heading out or do we head in. No bait onboard whatsover so we head to the 18. Can't find bait, conditions are crap, what are we doing out here? Finally find it East of the day before and start bringing the Slimeys on 4 at a time. Set up for a drit and worked out extent of bait. On about the fifth drift through it the bait looks better and is layered. Then we take a run and it starts to jump. Adam is on strike and this one keeps heading to Caloundra and takes over an hour. We tag it in absolute crap conditions and run back to the good bait. We are joined by Bangalee and BluewaterIV. Bangalee tagged a Black then we get our second run and tag a Sail. One other strike from something with teeth and one bait comes up Bill whacked but that is the day for us. Followed Outrageous in doing 25 knots.

Monday headed out to Currimundi reef in the dark. Do heaps of sounding and anchor on a good show before sun-up. Berley and floatline like mad for a few bait stealing Yakkas and one Paddy. Wind getting up by now so head into Raper shoal for a look. Good run home along beach and a few boats fishing off Pt Cartwright. Must be getting something there. Might have been Tailor.

[Smithy]

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[Smithy]

You don't need top quality sounders for Billfishing liveys!

[Brooksy]

Hi Smithy considered stopping at the 18 mile on the way home on Sunday but discounted that because of the conditions. Now wish I had.

Steve

[Matt_G]

Hey Smithy

Great effort. By the looks of it, there was a bit bait around. Be interesting to see how long it takes for the predators to mass up.

Heard a 300lb black was dropped in the vicinity too. Now that would have been some fun on 8kg.

What was the water temp like?

Matt

[jeffo]

who told you about the big black matt? ;) :)
water temp was a shade under 21 on saturday

[Colorado]

Good stuff Smithy 3 from 4 is a good weekend even if the weather was crap.

Looks like we will be up that way by mid September to get some fishing in before the Shootout.

Has there been any fish on the close marks or have they all been on the 18 and 21 mile.

[Smithy]

Leave that to Jeffo. Saw Keneka from 4 mile away heading out and didn't venture anymore than 1/2 a mile away from that mark all weekend. Did have a look at the 13 but nothing mid water. Bait on the surface everywhere.

[Smithy]

PS

If you lost all your marks when you put those new units in I volunteer myself and my hand held GPS with 500 marks to be a deckie any time at short notice.

[Colorado]

Smithy you will be getting the call up as soon as we get to Mooloolaba. The week before the shootout I will be up there all week and will try and sus out where the fish are.

Are you heading out his weekend? Colorado is doing a half day and giving spot x and the SE 50's a bash this weekend both for Bills and reefies.

[jeffo]

leigh- seams to be all pillies in close at the moment. moving way to fast to fish with baits. we saw 1 free jumper at the 8 mile a few weeks back on the way home.
heres hoping they turn up in close shortly ;D

[Fin_Addict]

Top effort that Mr Smith [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] Don't forget the Skipper who put you onto your first Black at the Trench ok

[Smithy]

If only Fraser could have converted one of his many shots, was it 5 or 7, three cherrys would have been popped that day.

[jeffo]

righto you mob.. stop talking in code ;D ::)

looks blown out for the weekend >:(

[gavsgonefishing]

Went for a run out yesterday, there was pillies close to the 10m but very small. The 18m had pillies on the surface and slimies a little deeper. They were scattered and kept moving around. The bait really didn't ball up all day. There were a ton of dolphins which kept on knocking the tails off the slimies. They would kill the baits within 15 sec of putting them in the water. This was a little frustrating. I ended up with half an eskie full of slimies that had been knocked off.

Got a sail to the back of the boat but that was it. Couldnt troll because of the dolphins. Ended up with squat. The day got flatter went out to wider and picked up some pearlies and an oversize bonito on a livey. Found some bait on the cal wide but it was on the bottom resting. Last couple of trips I have found dolphins working this area but never found the source. Got potential for next time round.

Had an excellent run home with a beautiful sunset

[jeffo]

good stuff gav.. dont forget those marks mate ;D ;)

you got a sail to the back of the boat... tagged? :-/

[Brooksy]

We might have to wait another week before we get a shot :'(

Steve

[Smithy]

Ad finally got me the photos.

Fishing beside Jeffo on Keneka.

[Smithy]

Me with the little Black late in the day.

[Smithy]

Ad on the first Sail Sunday in the slop.

[Smithy]

Again.

[Smithy]

Adam and his fish.

[Smithy]

Again.

[Smithy]

Later the wind dropped out. We pulled one beside the fleet which was good.