Mondy Nirvana - Metreys, Milestones, 17 Metres of Grunt

[Big_Ren]

The title sums it up aptly.

Three nights, four anglers and a pastry chef, 18 barra, 1777cm total length, 10 metreys, two little 60s fish, 98cm total average, two PBs.

It can get better, obviously, but add in some Group 1 company, loads of laughs, lots of p*ss taken out of the author (aka the pastry chef) and everyone else, and you have the ingredients of a magic time away with great mates.

I’ll break this report into parts (Lyndon style) so it is easier to read. If you don’t enjoy longer reads, look no further.

The Crew

Ben, Josh, Vin, Navi and Paul.

The Reason

A last minute cancellation of an eagerly awaited offshore charter chasing reds of the top of Fraser with the same mob of recalcitrants plus three others meant Plan B was swung into action.

With 24 hours’ notice thanks to a woeful offshore forecast, we hastily readied our gear and this time decided to camp instead of lounging around in our usual Gin Gin base station. Perhaps also because I had myself a new Oz Tent (thanks for the advice Brian R – it was a dream).

The Air Temperature

Throw in one 37 deg C day and two others shaving high 20s and low 30s and you could have sworn it was summer.

The Water Temperature

It seemed much higher than the seasonal average – varying between low 23s to a max of 26.4 deg C.

The Wind

Warm to hot northerlies, nor’easters and westers certainly helped our cause – sometimes gusting strongly, but mostly ideal for what we planned on doing.

The Barometer

Generally hovering between 1005 and 1010, although Navi confirmed a spike from 1010 to 1020 within a 30 minute window – coinciding with an escalation in barra activity.

The Moon

A waxing crescent, not more than a sliver on night 1 but becoming a handy visual aid by the last night.

Moon set started around 9.00 to 9.30pm and by the end of the trip was around midnight.

For the lunar lovers, it coincided with some hot action.

The Water Current

The northerlies pushed some nice water into the areas we fished. It was distinctive, changed direction favourably upon contact with structure, and was easily seen.

The Successful Lures

Hard bodies – Long Bombers and B52s
Softies – Slick Rigs and Storms.

Most lures were tricked in some way.

I must have fished with a black bait and it showed in the end.

The Areas Fished

Two Mile and B Bay.

The Fish (for the stat lovers – in cm)

123, 121, 119, 110, 110, 108, 106, 102, 102, 100, 99, 94, 91, 90, 89, 84, 66, 63.

The PBs

Navi’s 123cm pig and Ben’s 121cm log.

The Dropped Fish

Only 7 in total – which was a bit of a surprise to us all.

The Outstanding Efforts

Vin’s uncanny knack to regularly hook quality fish, this time chipping in with 7 barra – 4 over the magic mark.

Navi’s PB – he could hardly lift it being such a skinny bugger.

Ben’s new PB – we chased it all over the bay on a lighter drag but persistence won the day.

Josh’s two metreys and his commitment in making the long trip from Melbourne and also fishing most of one day with a bad bug.

My donut cooking, tour guiding (I obviously wasn’t there to fish) and new found ways of losing fish – jumping back on itself towards the boat, landing on the braid and snapping it like cotton.

The Summary

Everything came together when the weather gods smiled for us, some PBs were smashed along the way, and perhaps the most interesting snippet was the unseasonally hot conditions – we had to fish it like summer time.

I’m sure the boys will add to this but I wanted to put it down while fresh in my mind.

Awesome trip, awesome company.

Cheers
Paul

The Pics

Here’s a few, no doubt the boys will add more.



Josh 99




Josh 110


Ben 91


Vin 119


Ben 121


Ben 110


Josh 110 release


Ben 121 release

[leelee]

Awsome work mate.

That is great news.

I bet you guys are glad the charter was canned.

So many big fish.

Well done again.

Cheers

Lee

[vinny78]

Top yarn. Great pic of Ben's 121.

Cheers, Andrew

[Plastic_Magic]

Sensational Effort guys. Top report to go with a top trip.

Cheers Lachy

[jeffo]

Good way to make us feel real bad Paul.....haha. Our single barra and 2 cattys only just made the trip worth it.

Although yesterday I christened my haines with a 80kg black and a 110kg black so my bad luck at monduran seams insignificant now!

[robersl]

Well done great report and good to see the fish showing up

shane

[Awoonga]

Paul and Crew
A Trip to remember...Monduran the home of the big Barra
Well done to all

[NAGG]

Thems are the breaks
What a fantastic report Paul ........ certainly some good stats to go with the hot fishing
good guiding on your behalf ........ but sorry about the pastry.

So it looks like everyone will be following sweet chariot in 2 weeks time

AWESOME

Chris

[Whitto]

Thanks Paul.....Great outcome Lads......All great fish in particular Ben's 121.....Camping with the rank and file is what done Mate.....Looking good for the season....Whitto PS: No equipment broken or lost overboard.....No one Trebbled.....and all Fences still in tact.....Thats a Bonus right there....

[DEANO68]

great stuff lads, paul,i think you just made 30 odd blokes (and i mean odd) and a chicky or two start to shake uncontrollably, with the pending event at arms length.
great to see so many good fish over a couple of days...

well done to you all....
deano..

[Obi _ Wan]

Hey Paul,

That's a fantastic result mate and a great report, Well done to all.

All that and i am still wrapped in cotton wool at my son's place.

Cheers,
John.

[rc@hinze]

Great report and result for you guys. Well done.

[Peter4]

Outstanding Paul, simply outstanding........

Ben gave me the heads up yesterday but his PMs did not do justice to your report. The best stat is your hook-up to conversion rate of 72%. That's top barra fishin...

Hopefully a sign of good things to come for the rest of the season.

Regs

Pete & Kyle

P.S. I think you just managed to fill any remaning vacancies at the holiday park for the next couple of months - lol

[SeekingBarradise]

Paul & Team Magpies great report mate.

Love the read mate. Great to see you guys had fun.
Josh was he the Vic (mexican) up there last time with you & Ben?

Monduran can dish out some tough trips (donuts) so you have to be thinking
it was Xmas with a trip that good. 37 degrees and water temps up to 26 deg
in the middle of August, mate the barra must have thought it was the buildup.

Great in depth read and big barra photo's im happy for you guys.
Cheers Lyndon.

[NAGG]

great stuff lads, paul,i think you just made 30 odd blokes (and i mean odd) and a chicky or two start to shake uncontrollably, with the pending event at arms length.
great to see so many good fish over a couple of days...

well done to you all....
deano..

30 Odd Blokes Speak for ya self Wobblehead