Heading to Fraser and Taking the yak

[Just_chips]

Heading up to Fraser Island for the week of the Ekka holiday (Saturday - Wednesday only) with a group of 10 staying in a house at Orchid Beach. Me and one of the other guys will have our Viking Profish kayaks with us for some entertainment eyond the standard dawn and dusk tailor sessions.

I plan on hitting some of the in close bait grounds out the front of Orchid and also the wreck of the Marloo looking for snapper and mixed reefies from the botttom and floating lives for cobes and kings and maybe an early Long tail tuna. All the while though I will be using a shark shield to keep the bities at a safe distance as I am well aware of the creatures that lurk around the waters of Fraser Island.

We have also planned at least one day over at Wathumba chasing flatties and maybe also heading a bit wider to the ledge in this area chasing bigger species.

I will be getting a mark for the Marloo and a bait ground in close in front of orchid but any other marks for in close grounds (up to 2-3klm) will be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully a successful report will follow in a couple of weeks.

Kev

[Tailorfisho78]

Hey Kev

Found you already.

Bloody pumped about Fraser too! Next year will be the whole week!

Cheers

Keith

[JB]

The bait grounds you will find easy mate and im sure somebody will help you out with the marloo, love to see the report and pics when you get back. There are plenty of bities there but with the shark shield should be pretty safe.. just don't tie a half bloody tuna to the back of your yak lol. The bait grounds you can see if water is clear just behind the break at waddy. Im jealous.. have a good 1.

[hakuna]

don't forget is closed season fishing up there waddy to indian head and 400m seaward otherwise healthy fine will be provided at no extra cost to the establishment
means around all the rock areas,see dpi fraser website

cheers

[Just_chips]

Thanks Hakuna, I am well aware of the closed season being a seasoned Fraser visitor, as I have been fishing the isand between August and September/early October for the last 10 years regularly, this will be the first time with the yak though.

There is still plenty of water to fish without venturing near the closed areas and my GPS will keep me well outside the 400m zone if I feel the need to move over in front of Waddy Point but I doubt this will be the case. I was hoping to stay away from this area and fish from Connors corner to the north with plenty of patches of broken ground to explore. I may even get further north to the cape depending on conditions during our stay.

Kev

[Noddy1]

Game on mate, no doubt you will have an absolute ball on the yak up there . Really interested to see how you go. I go up with a group every year or two as well but never taken my yak. I remember reading a report a few months ago of kayakers up there, but more towards the cape. They had a few tigers follow them, more out of curiosity though I think.

[Just_chips]

Well the trip came and went and unfortunately I didn't get the opportunities I was hoping for in regards to kayak fishing. The boys that were part of my group were more interested in getting on the piss whilst they had time away from home than actually fishing. We burnt our best weather days messing around rather than getting the yaks wet and then, predictably, the weather turned ugly. This for me was an opportunity lost and I am not sure I will get the chance again in the near future.

I had two brief sessions on the yak in our 5 day stay, the first was up at the cape, right on the spit, current absolutely raging and less than ideal kayak conditions. But this is where travelling with 9 others had it's downfall, as I was transporting 3 of them in my vehicle and really had to stop with the group. The second was over at Wathumba creek which was approaching the bottom of the tide and running black with dirty fresh water from recent heavy rains. We got one trevally, a 30cm jew and a small flatty, I couldn't get out of the mouth due to the strong noreasters whipping the bay outside the mouth of the creek to a frenzy of white caps which would have turned even uglier once the tide turned and started running against the wind.

Beach sessions in the mornings and afternoons were pretty good with consistent fish coming in, no big fish though, with most gutters simply returning choppers of 35cm up to 45ish cm with a few throwbacks here and there.

We left our return run home from the cape a bit late due to playing with worms for too long and ended up with two slightly damaged vehicles and the need to take ridiculous risks with rocks and surf to be able to get home that night, we were prety lucky we left when we did though.

I always enjoy Fraser but this time feel dark and dissapointed about the opportunities lost.....


Kev

[PinHead]

gotta select ya crew better next time...you could shout myself and the boys a trip up there..LOL

Pity about the yakking side of things.

[Just_chips]

It wasn't my crew Greg, I was just a driver of a vehicle carrying three of them.

[darylive]

chips, it is always a problem with a crew who would rather drink and party.
(Not theres anything wrong with that in moderation) but it is an expensive exercise and opportunity lost if you choose to do it at fraser island when you are allegedly on a fishing trip.

Been there done that; there is a lot to be said for some independance. Your vehicle with a mate who had similar intentions is always a better option than being stuck with a group of P155heads.

Does the shark deterant put the fish off?

[Just_chips]

Does the shark deterant put the fish off?

Dunno, didn't get to test it....

[Blueroo]

Hey Kev don't get too down mate.
I'm keen on trip up there sometime if you plan another.
I like a beer after fishing and work but the fishing comes first.
Ive got a capable forbie (with winch & 100l waeco) if you want to take a couple of vehicles for safety.
cheers
Stue