A Retrospective View of 2009

[nipsta]

Carefull what you wish for Pete - team Rocky Road Lotion Frenzy may look at recruiting you when they see that!


[/i]

Nope no problem now - I got another boat again so problem solved!!!! Yippee!!!!

did the pearl sell tony and what did ya buy this time

[Tropicaltrout]

I must say a big thankyou firstly to Nagg for a great couple of days at the muster I was at a loss without a boat going up the goat track but on arrival felt no stress as I boarded the hornet cheers mate, also enjoyed a roast with him at somerset and a night dash in the cold brrrr...

To my good friend Whitto I know its been a tought year to mannage a trip but never the less the aussie day weekend and the few after where all fun and totally enjoyable.

To Poiter mate you above all deserved a fish this year and I can tell ya I was so happy for ya when we got the news and I know there will be many more.

John mate so glad to see ya at the Jack comp mate you are a credit to all those fighters, great to have ya back in the saddle mate.

Brian mate great to finally throw a lure side by side mate been a long time coming for sure and look forward to doing it again soon.

Trev well mate you are the man I know you are humble but let me say I inspire to blokes like you, you certaily respect the fish and to me thats the number one quality above all that fish for them.

Kimmy and fish magnet Roo you guys are brilliant so happy and cant say how much I enjoy see you guys around the camp. Not to mention Kimmy with he impressive boat skills under Roos brilliant guidance..

Darryl mate a camp without you is a quiet one mate, you are so fun and enjoyable to be around who in this world would want a quiet camp. As for the fishin mate this year you are going to smash em but please where a helmet just in case...

The crew as a whole are just like a extended family we love the fishing but we love the thrill of being there just as much, you are all the best people Steveyb, Simon, Steve (apollo) Dave, Benny, the bro's of darkness, Big Paul, Foxie, Tony the list goes on..

Last but not least my mate Deano what a top bloke mister social butterfly cant drive past a boat without a gday, we share many trips, and sessions chacing Barra and jacks and I cant think of a moment where I was not haveing a ball, seeing the excitment of a fish on the deck the little gay dance he does is so funny he is generaly a top bloke thankyou mate for the year that was 09 and look forward to many more barra and Jacks in 2010...

Thanks again to you all see you all again in 2010 at the sensations

[Dick Pasfield]

Not been the best of years for us, might say it was a shocker, between my wife and I we lost three parents, had our son hospitalized after been beaten senseless by drunken thugs and to top it off the wife’s sister suffered a stroke last week. Missus is on a plane to Perth (again) Christmas day. We’re as gun-shy of the phone as a dingo on a cattle station atm.

In the midst of that Brad our youngest son shot off to the big city with his girl friend seeking fame and fortune, we keep in touch by sending him money, cant wait for the fortune to materialize so we get a return on investment.

Our wet in the early new year was a goodun, set the river up or some vintage fishing, everyone got a piece of the action over the run off and well beyond.





January: Brad and I did one of our frequent quad bike trips, this time to the top end of Lake Argyle and some of the mountain ranges to the north of the lake.







February: delivered my best barra to date on the back of a monsoonal system that flooded the countryside. Got six over the metre that night as they went berserk, lost another to the rapids a few metres downstream.




The sootys up the lake liked it as well so fishing wasn’t hard unless you wanted to keep up; surprisingly no one was out to take advantage, preferring to wait until it got a bit drier.




March; was quiet but did manage a couple from the fast water. Those pressure waves in the background are well over a metre tall.




The fish behaved themselves well into the dry season only starting to get a bit hard to get about August September. From then on they got pretty willing again except for the sootys who sulked until TC Laurence recently dumped some rain and cool weather on us in December. On the barra front I finally got seduced by soft plastics when Lyndon sent me across a smorgasbord selection of dainties that had no resemblance to the meager offering on offer in town. The learning curve was a steep one but now they sit alongside the hard bodies as weapons of choice.




April: This happened twice, once again later in the year. Rescuing canoeists coming to grief was getting to be a habit




May: saw our 25th wedding anniversary; we got away to Phuket to celebrate in November. Daniel had his 21st in September; two weeks later he was air ambulanced to Royal Darwin, spent 10 days there.




July: Was my visit to Awoonga to see about this thing called impoundment fishing, the fish were a bit harder to please but happily they played up as well as any across this way.




September: some of the ‘hard to get to’ places were dry enough to drive into; waterholes like this one are spread wide and far across the Kimberley. This one was drivable but barely with the boat on the back.

[Dick Pasfield]

..................cont

Brad and I got into another water hole later in the year, no roads here just a gorge out in the middle of nowhere full of fish and plenty of spectacular scenery.







November was supposed to be a quieter time at work; this fire looked like it was going to cause trouble as it moved against the wind towards some environmentally sensitive ground and town. Funnily enough the front was extinguished by a storm generated by its own heat rising in the late afternoon. Sat in my boat watching the storm build on top of it, the lightning was spectacular, all captured on film.




November also brought about our local tournament, old age and treachery won the day with the breaking, sparring was a different matter against youth and speed, got to the finals and was stopped there. The bruises healed in time.







December reacquainted dog and me with some old friends and the usual suspects








Looking to next year in the hope that some sort of normality returns..........and the fishing is as good.

[NAGG]

Hopefully 2010 will be a little kinder to you & the family Dick - -

Have a fantastic & safe festive season

all the best

chris

PS ......... Interesting & awesome photos as usual

[Whitto]

Thanks Dick.......Your family has had a rough trot and I wish you all a Merry Christmas and an even better 2010....... Thanks for your report through out the year...not to mention the photography.....Keep it coming and best wish's.

[TonyM]

Dick - Whitto summed up my sentiments perfectly, I hope you and your family have a great new year and thank you for sharing your reports - they are amongst the best I ever see.

did the pearl sell tony and what did ya buy this time

Yes she's gone Simon, although I got a 435 Topender with 50 Merc 4stroke and all the bits as part of the deal so I'm still on the water and can even start to fish Lenthalls again

[NAGG]

Dick - Whitto summed up my sentiments perfectly, I hope you and your family have a great new year and thank you for sharing your reports - they are amongst the best I ever see.



Yes she's gone Simon, although I got a 435 Topender with 50 Merc 4stroke and all the bits as part of the deal so I'm still on the water and can even start to fish Lenthalls again

Talk about going back to your roots Tony

Chris

[TonyM]

Talk about going back to your roots Tony

Chris

And that's exactly what I'm doing in 2010 Chris


My youngest fella turned 5 a few weeks ago and it's time for him to head up the creek in the tinny with Dad, get some live bait (translates as little fishies) , troll a bit, drop the pots, soak a few baits, pick up the pots and home to Mum.

Hopefully I'll get to repeat that a lot this year!

[BR65]

Hey Dick, your barra fishing is so differant to ours, awesome stuff, thanks for your input.
Best wishes to you and family, and to all the IBD sufferers around here.

[Barry Ehsman]

I havn't met any of you fella's yet but it will happen one day,,, whenever i get back up there..

Merry Christmas to all & stay safe & well

Cheer's Baz

[TinarooTriumph]

A good thread Mr Chris!

2009 hasn't delivered the amount of fish I think a lot of us were hoping for at the mighty Tinaroo. After an absolute deluge of rain at the start of the year, & an absolute Fishathon February where 2 or 3 meteries per session kept us on the water, the rest of the year has been some what quiet. A few good weeks in August & September provided good fishing, as have the last few days would you believe it or not!

FNQ has always been known as a slightly 'wet' place. No lie in telling this, but before last night where we recieved 6mm of rain, we went 8.5 months without a single drop which has burnt the land to a crisp. Large tall gum's which have stood solid for decades of years start to die back, as do smaller tree's which provide vital homes for our wildlife. The last few weeks since finishing study have seen me on the back of a Slip-On unit & helping with much needed back-burning & land clearing, however I'd rank it the next best thing behind going barra fishing on Tinaroo. It just shows that we are indeed the driest country in the world during desperate times like this.

Special moments of 2009

Most precious moment; Landing a 124cm & 112cm in the space of 30mins in my cousins 3m flatbottom tinny. My cousin has been through hell & back in the last few years with prostate cancer & the like, though he is a true testament to a Aussie from the mighty North & battles on. To take him fishing & show him what barra fishing in a Dam is all about was extremely special.

Most memorable session; A few come to mind, none more so then when I was fishing solo in the cool month of June late on night. Air temps were below 10 degree's easily as it does at Tinaroo, though at 11pm scored my first fish on the beloved Frog (110cm). To say the fish took the Frog well is an understatement - it was like it was shot out of a cannon! Returned the next night in a mates boat two score a few more barra.

A session with good mate Dan only a few months ago when we experienced a fish/or hit a cast session in the Barron Arm on a day when a Ski comp was being held directly across from us in cold, blustery conditions.

Fish of the year; Without a doubt Dan's 127cm brut that took a 5cm Shimano bibless rattler. This fish would easily be over 12 years old as its build is of a Weipa-strain fish which have not been stocked into the Lake for some time. A capture to remember.

Humurous moment of the year; These moments I love about barra fishing & just being on the water. About a month back after a night session, called it quits & put the boat back on the trailer & headed up next to the toilet block to pack the boat (lights overhead... saves the head-torch). A boat pulled up at the ramp & 5mins later rocked up a few blokes who had obviously been on the piss ALL NIGHT. Harmless as all hell, but pretty blind. One of the guys had hooked his mate in the arm & imbeded in his hairy limb was a 160 Classic, Owners and all - bleeding like a prick!!!! The bottom of their boat resembled a recycling tip & I'd estimate that between the 3 of them, there would have been close to 2 and a half cartons of empty Gold's in the bottom. Every second word began with the word 'F', the ones in between either beginning with a 'C' or a 'S' LOL!!!!

Anyway, here's a few pic's of what the year was up here. One or two are from the other morning where a good Froggin' session was had by myself off the bank... 101 & 104cm fish with many others following to my feet (larrrrrge fish!).

Regards. A happy 2010 to all, when it comes!

Theo @ Tinaroo

[NAGG]

A good thread Mr Chris!

2009 hasn't delivered the amount of fish I think a lot of us were hoping for at the mighty Tinaroo. After an absolute deluge of rain at the start of the year, & an absolute Fishathon February where 2 or 3 meteries per session kept us on the water, the rest of the year has been some what quiet. A few good weeks in August & September provided good fishing, as have the last few days would you believe it or not!

FNQ has always been known as a slightly 'wet' place. No lie in telling this, but before last night where we recieved 6mm of rain, we went 8.5 months without a single drop which has burnt the land to a crisp. Large tall gum's which have stood solid for decades of years start to die back, as do smaller tree's which provide vital homes for our wildlife. The last few weeks since finishing study have seen me on the back of a Slip-On unit & helping with much needed back-burning & land clearing, however I'd rank it the next best thing behind going barra fishing on Tinaroo. It just shows that we are indeed the driest country in the world during desperate times like this.

Special moments of 2009

Most precious moment; Landing a 124cm & 112cm in the space of 30mins in my cousins 3m flatbottom tinny. My cousin has been through hell & back in the last few years with prostate cancer & the like, though he is a true testament to a Aussie from the mighty North & battles on. To take him fishing & show him what barra fishing in a Dam is all about was extremely special.

Most memorable session; A few come to mind, none more so then when I was fishing solo in the cool month of June late on night. Air temps were below 10 degree's easily as it does at Tinaroo, though at 11pm scored my first fish on the beloved Frog (110cm). To say the fish took the Frog well is an understatement - it was like it was shot out of a cannon! Returned the next night in a mates boat two score a few more barra.

A session with good mate Dan only a few months ago when we experienced a fish/or hit a cast session in the Barron Arm on a day when a Ski comp was being held directly across from us in cold, blustery conditions.

Fish of the year; Without a doubt Dan's 127cm brut that took a 5cm Shimano bibless rattler. This fish would easily be over 12 years old as its build is of a Weipa-strain fish which have not been stocked into the Lake for some time. A capture to remember.

Humurous moment of the year; These moments I love about barra fishing & just being on the water. About a month back after a night session, called it quits & put the boat back on the trailer & headed up next to the toilet block to pack the boat (lights overhead... saves the head-torch). A boat pulled up at the ramp & 5mins later rocked up a few blokes who had obviously been on the piss ALL NIGHT. Harmless as all hell, but pretty blind. One of the guys had hooked his mate in the arm & imbeded in his hairy limb was a 160 Classic, Owners and all - bleeding like a prick!!!! The bottom of their boat resembled a recycling tip & I'd estimate that between the 3 of them, there would have been close to 2 and a half cartons of empty Gold's in the bottom. Every second word began with the word 'F', the ones in between either beginning with a 'C' or a 'S' LOL!!!!

Anyway, here's a few pic's of what the year was up here. One or two are from the other morning where a good Froggin' session was had by myself off the bank... 101 & 104cm fish with many others following to my feet (larrrrrge fish!).

Regards. A happy 2010 to all, when it comes!

Theo @ Tinaroo

Good one Theo ........ always enjoy your read from that most magnificent dam - Its just awesome

Maybe ..... we could see yourself , Andrew & Matt do a little road trip down to Mondy in September & join us for the Muster - --- i'm sure we could accommodate you all on a boat or 3 ......... - something to consider

Have yourself a great Chrissy & hopefully plenty of those big silver ladies in the new year

Chris

PS ..... Your runoff fishing would be the ducks nuts - for impoundments

[NAGG]

I havn't met any of you fella's yet but it will happen one day,,, whenever i get back up there..

Merry Christmas to all & stay safe & well

Cheer's Baz

Maybe you could show a few of us how to catch Cod - Its on my list for 2010 ........ Thanks & enjoy a happy Christmas Barry

chris

[NAGG]

I tell you what ...... I really had a ball fishing with a fair few of you during the year .... Whitey , Trev , Steve, John , Lee , Paul , Gaz , Deano , Nath , Simon & Daryl ........... & had a ball every time.

To Trev ...... had a great time fishing with you bloke - both socially & competitively

Hopefully ...... I can manage a fish with a few others next year

Chris