Cato Exploration Trip

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Well the charter company I work for are thinking of extended trips to Cato Island so we had to go up there to check it out last week. Left Monday arvo for the 24 hour drive from Mooloolba. When we got there to find a beutiful untouch Island in the middle of no where drop offs 25m-1000m birds working as far as the eye can see. The bottom was cyrstal clear seeing down to 30m with bommies rising upto 8-10m. A bit of snorkling was done to see a mass of fish everywhere GTs, coral trout to 12kgs, job fish and heaps more. Time was a issue so some poppers were out the back of the tinnie trolling around the edge of the island but we were serverly under gunned with 50lb and smoked lots with only some of the smaller gts to 15kg brought in and realesed and a couple of job fish to 12kg kept.
Day two was trolling the drop offs in the big boat through the masses of birds working. With 3 lines out the back was hard work keeping up the lines in the water less than 2 min triple hook ups were all to common with 20-30kg Wahoo and 30-40kg yellow fin tuna giving us a work out all day and a couple of striped marlin to 150kg to throw in the mix. Would have to say its a trip of a life time but we enjoyed it so much we have to go back next week to see more with only 2 days there.

Mark

[Alchemy]

Mark,

Looks great, and what a job to have to do.... exploring Cato, wouldn't get much better. Let us know how the next trip goes.

Thanks,
Dave.

[DAVE_S]

See do you believe me now,i would be keen on a charter trip.

[-spiro-]

Would be interested to Mark..let us know

[weasel]

Whats With The Longline Gear Mark Is It A Duel Licsenced Boat

Dave

Ps One Of The Fishiest Places On The Planet Did A Tuna Survey The Coral Sea 1986 For Qld Dpi And The Gov Were Letting Jap Longliners Using Deck Winchs In To These Areas And Was Sickening To See How Much And How Quick They Were Catching Tuna And Marlin Just So We Could Sell Them This Shit Or That

Dave

[backlash08]

looks good mark
thanks,
Craig

[Chookman]

Not a bad job to have,
some very nice fish there mark, nice work.

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Whats With The Longline Gear Mark Is It A Duel Licsenced Boat

Dave

Ps One Of The Fishiest Places On The Planet Did A Tuna Survey The Coral Sea 1986 For Qld Dpi And The Gov Were Letting Jap Longliners Using Deck Winchs In To These Areas And Was Sickening To See How Much And How Quick They Were Catching Tuna And Marlin Just So We Could Sell Them This Shit Or That

Dave

Yes it is a dual licsenced boat.
Yes I did see a old jap longliner boat wreck on Cato it is at the Southern end.

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Also it not worth getting tuna from there as the water temp is high and is very little fat in the tuna meat meaning a low grading in the tuna not worth the money.

[Fishbait]

Awesome fish - trip of a lifetime. Congrats. Darren.

[no_worries]

been there snappercoffin,truely wonderful but i think wreck reef further north is better and just think the fishing is nowhere near as good as it was in the 90's as you didn't even troll for the wahoo just drop your line over the back and pick out which one swimming around you wanted to catch,cheers no worries

[ON-THE-CHEW]

Awesome spot, when does the charters there start up sounds like something I would definately be keen for.

Andrew

[sleepygreg]

I am interested as well.

[SNAPPERCOFFIN]

Will let all of you know when charters become avalible but will talk to Steve about advertising first want to do it right.

Mark

[Lovey80]

That looks great. How many km's is Cato out from mooloolaba? I'd be interested in the trip too.

Cheers

Chris