Cape Cleveland to Alligator Ck and no fish

[No Barra]

We headed out from Coast Guard boat ramp at about 5:45pm intending on chasing Fingermark or Cape Cleveland, weather was predicting 20-30 knot winds but did feel it was blowing that hard.
While the wind wasn’t blowing that hard, it was rather rough when we ventured past the wharfs. We were keen to get some fishing in so with the wind blowing from the SE we decided to do the run around the bay so we were shelter from the wind. This was a good idea and a good run around the bay and thought we could put up with a little of the rough stuff getting out to the mark I have been given. We all was good right around the bay however once we got past the Cape my little 4.4m was up and down in over 1.5m seas and at last we found the winds that the weather man was talking about. So around we turned and headed back into calm water.
We decide to give drift fishing a go inside the Cape, and all we ended up with was 1 catfish, but on a bright note the squid light I built work well no squid seen but lots of Gar and Mullet around.
The next plan was to go and have a look for a hole outside Alligator Ck we had been told about. We found what we believe to be it, but did not relinquish any fish for the dinner plate. Next plan was to troll and have a look up Alligator Ck as we had never been in there before. So out with the spot light and in we went.
The signs were looking good with little prawns, Mullet and plenty of other bait fish all very, very active. But it was not meant to be, we only saw 1 little Barra with the spot light.
I was very surprised with the amount of bait around, the prawns were a little on the small size but the Mullet were from the smallest to good Barra bait size and bigger. So out with the cast net to get some mullet for the freezer for another possible trip soon. In the end we believe that we did no good around Alligator Ck due to all the bigger fish being to well feed on the amount of bait around.
Think I need some old salty sea dog to teach a novice fisherman a trick or 2 or maybe even get motivated and join a fishing club like I have been meaning to do.


Jeff

[snagking]

Sounds like you unlucky, but it could've been worse, you could've been at home instead.

[danryan75]

Sounds like you unlucky, but it could've been worse, you could've been at home instead.

Or worse AT WORK!!!

[ronnien]

jeff,
no luck at all mate, thats a bummer mate.
i know a af that went over that way yesterday & done very good but i wont say to much ( still waiting for him to put up a report).

i am going to take my boy down the ross & work the mouth tomorrow arvo, get some livies, work some sp, & even do a few trolls.

ron.

[No Barra]

Ron,
will be waiting for the report and it will may be followed by a few questions to help a novice do better next time.

Jeff

[levinge]

I think with all the big wind and swell, the bait fish were pushing up the creeks to stay out of it. If theres that much bait around it will shut down the creeks pretty quick, the barra are already full.

Best of luck next time!!!

[batten]

yep we went out all day saturday up crocodile creek, got a few mullet and put them out whole. all day we only got 1 stinkin catty.checked the pots and only 1 crab. got a dozen prwns the just get the smell of tho.worst trip in ages.

[ronnien]

Ron,
will be waiting for the report and it will may be followed by a few questions to help a novice do better next time.

Jeff

((((
jeff,
didn't go, kids fell asleep & mum had to take our daughter to the civic thearte for practice, the boy from oz.

ron.

[No Barra]

Sorry to here that Ron, there is always a next time, I may get the boat out tomorrow as Mum keeps telling me she and my daughter never get to go in it. So I may go chase a bucket of prawns, it can be hard with the daughter in the boat as she is only 3. After this weekend I am high and dry due to Mum going to a conference overseas.

Jeff

[ronnien]

got the boat out on saturday night, went & put the pots in (6) 4 of mine & 2 for the young falla. picked them up on sunday morning & came home with 4 big full muddies! had a troll along the edge out at the mouth (ross) with no luck.

ron.

[levinge]

Howd those pots work there Ron, big suckers hey!!!

[ronnien]

not bad brett, but my other 2 are just a bit bigger.

ron.

[levinge]

good to see there getting used.

Took a trip down to Morrisey's with a mate Sat thru to Sun mid morning, water was down to 26 degrees, nothing feeding, hard to find livies, water was clearer than we would've like and basically we got crap, big run in tide and undersized stuff all weekend, biggest was a barra 2cm short of legal and 1 rusty buck (caught on a live herring).

Looks like its going to be a bit harder to target the barra up the creeks now that the temps are dropping!!!

I now know why I like offshore fishing!!!

[ronnien]

brett,
i think that the barra will start to hang around the snags now & you still will get them feeding over sand flats during the hotter part of the day.

ron.

[No Barra]

Ron,
I hope the Barra keep biting for awhile yet, will not get back out until after ANZAC day. I have been thinking about going with a charter up at Hinchinbrook to catch that first Barra.

Jeff