Boyne Tannum Hurricane, oops I mean Hookup

[Spot82]

Sean and I had decided to enter the Boyne Tannum Hookup to try our luck. We decided we would head up a week early in the hope that the weather would play the game so that we could have some pre-fishes and to try and find some new ground at the same time.

We headed to Hervey Bay on the Monday prior to the comp and then continued to Turkey Beach on the Tuesday. Perko was kind enough to give us a roof over our head for the week, which was greatly appreciated. The wind wasn’t being kind but Wednesday looked like it would be fishable and so we headed out.
We left Turkey ramp at 5am and headed off, arriving on our first marks a few hours later, there was still a lot of chop and sea around so it was not the most comfortable trip. Fishing was slow nearly all day, with some new spots found which looked very promising on the sounder but nothing wanted to bite. We managed the odd Maori cod and hussar and Sean boated a just legal red.

We went to spot old faithful which was loaded with fish but once again not much biting. Finally after a few drifts they livened up, Sean was onto a good fish and as he boated his red, I hooked up to another good red. Not long after a good red about 9kg was boated. We pulled two more reds before they shut down.

We went looking but with no success and then come back to the same spot but did not loose a bait between 4pm and 7pm. We ended up with 15 fish including 5 reds for the day but travelled 260 odd kms to get them, it was a long day to say the least returning to the ramp at 9.30pm.

Perko and his mate Garry arrived Thursday night, and the weather looked fishable Friday into Saturday, only because we would be going in his kevlacat. It was a late night with a few yarns and a bit of banter and myself and Sean got to bed at 1am with the plan to head off at 4am. Come 4am the wind was still howling and we finally got away at 6am after some mucking around trying to get marks to transfer onto his gps.

We headed out in very average conditions and a good 20 knots of Southerly, I’m glad we were in a 2400 cat and not the 5 metre stabi as it would not have been nice, especially being completely overcast and gloomy.

As the day went on conditions started to improve slowly and it was hoped that we could fish most of the way through Friday night, which is when we thought the fish might fire. We got out to skyes and managed a triple hookup on trout with Sean’s being the biggest at 4kgs, not huge but a good sized fish. Perko then dropped a big trout at least double the size of Sean’s due to the fact he was not using PEtackle hooks and got straightened!

Friday afternoon was dead again, the sounder loaded with reds but none wanting to play the game. Finally found a spot where they wanted to chew but it didn’t last long, Perko dropped a good red, Sean had a couple of good hits but didn’t hook up and then Garry hooked up to a big shark, which 3 of us had a go at getting to the boat, about 30mins later we got colour and then got busted by the suit. After that the spot completely shut down.

We headed north and run across some promising ground but nothing was doing. Call was made to anchor in the shallows near Sykes and fish for some red throats at night in the hope the wind would continue to back out and we could hit some reds spots around 3am.

I was driving as Perko was in need of a nanna nap (and a cup of cement ) when one of the oil lights started flashing at me, not a good feeling when your 100km from the mainland and driving someone else’s boat. There were no odd noises, plenty of oil and oil pumping around the motor, so all we could come up with was that it was a sensor issue. We continued on and then just before anchoring the light for the other motor come on as well! We anchored up with nothing much we could do and started doing a bit of burleying in about 6 metres of water.

Perko went back to bed while the 3 of us had a ball catching some good red throats and getting blown away and sharked! About 3 hours later Perko woke up and had figured out the oil light issue, the motors were due for a 100 service! So nothing to worry about after all.

We headed to bed and awoke to a howling Southerly at 25-30 knots, little to say no more fishing was done and we decided to head home before it got any worse. We arrived back at the ramp at 8.30am and with 23 fish in the esky, nothing to write home about nor trouble the leader board at the comp.

None the less it was a good week with good mates and plenty of laughs. Just let me warn anyone who may go fishing with Perko, make sure you take twice as many lollies and sweet treats as you need because Willy Wonker as he is now aptly known will devour them before you get the chance! Between Sleeping and eating lollies I think he even managed to put a fish or two in the esky, amazing haha.

Sorry for the essay but I hope you all enjoy it. Until next time tight lines.

Anthony

6kg Red taken on Slimey Glow Fly and a whole Hussar


Garbage Guts


9kg Red taken on Slimey Glow Fly and a whole mullet


PEtackle Flys catch the plug too! Was not fun winding this 15kgs of bottom up from 65 metres!


4kg Trout on Hussar Fly with mullet head for bait


Two heads only a mother could love?

[lethal098]

thanks for the report guys,

yeah that wind was certainly not nice. ah well thats fishing, at least you got a few reds.

cheers Lee

[murf]

hard yards for a few nice fish

top effort

cheers murf

[hookinin]

Sounds like you had fun even if the fish didn't play the way you wanted them to but thats fishing. Bet you missed the stabi on the way home in 25-30 knots, be carefull those 2400 kevlar's will make you soft.
Cheers Gaven

[Angla]

Story was a bit long but certainly made up for it in pictures. Hard yards for sure. Those PE tackle bits look like they are really doing very well. I really liked the Hussar tail in the gob shot.

Cheers
Chris

[vertico]

The stabi just seems to be attracting those red fish atm when all else fails.... go out in a bigger boat in worse conditions and not one red to be seen... go figure

[Spot82]

Here is a bit of footage from the Wednesday before the comp, Double hookup basically on reds...



Hope you like.

Anthony

[vertico]

nice footage bruz

[hoops86]

top effort considering the conditions. at least you got a few good fish.
Im still waiting to test my petackle fly's out. hopefully will get out wide soon if the weather allows.

Cheers
Mark

[NEWBY]

We headed out Friday too mate and had to stop in the harbour to fix a GPS and Autopilot problem. Not a good start.
Stayed at Wistari reef Friday night but as we got in when the sun had set, couldnt get out of the wind so was a crap night sleep.
Saturday night we decided to head to Masthead but about 7 the wind came right up so headed in. We got pounded on the way in so much that I had to close the REAR clears on the Bertrams flybridge. Also had to tack in.
We got a few trout and red throat.
We fished Johnsons, Douglas, Wistari and out near North Reef but could not hit a red or a mack.
This was also my last Hookup as it is not a fishing comp any more.
Its just a load of sponsors expecting you to come in every day to have their products slammed down your throat.

[lethal098]

hang on Dave, who got the trout?? and the red throat?? sorry had to do it. But you did try hard to put us on to the fish, had a ball thats for sure.

but yeah was a rough trip back in, glad i wasnt up the flybridge, down stairs was rough enuf.

cheers Lee