Alchemy's First Blood

[Alchemy]

After the build of our new boat and the long tow home I was keen to get out for a fish. It had been nine months since I'd been to the reef and shoals off Townsville, so after getting home on Sunday with the new boat arrangements were made for a trip for Monday night.

Matt and I launched late Monday arvo and headed for one of my shoal spots. The run was a bit bumpy with about 20kts from the east, but the new Origin handled it nicely. Arriving at our spot about 9pm and the lines went over. Matt got the first fish in the boat, which was a dirty tea leaf trevor. My first fish was what I was hoping for. A large mouth nannygai around 6kg. We opted to drift, but should have put in the time to anchor. By the time we called it a night around midnight, we had four nannygai to 7kg and two good grunter.

Next morning we were underway at 6am, headed for Broadhurst Reef arriving about 8am. We sounded around the 35m line and found some great shows. By midday we had our bag of trout. The trout ranged from just legal to a number of good fish in the 3-4kg bracket. Matt also had three good trout sharked. We also caught RTE, 2 spanish at 14kg, plus a smaller model spanish. The standout fish was a huge moari wrasse that took my pillie that was meant for a trout. After comparing it to the spanish I'd have to call it for about 30kg. Actually I'm surprised I got it to the boat, it was such a powerfull fish. It then took us close on an hour to successfully release the wrasse. We used a release weight with 7 big snapper leads tied to it. We were both relieved to see this great fish go back.

The pics aren't anywhere near as good as Nic was in Brisbane for work, but there is a "deck of death" shot and a few others. So far as the new boat went, well I reckon it was awesome. So much room, the layout with the walk around fish box/work station worked very well and conveniently. The ride and performance was also great.

Hope you enjoy my rough pics of Alchemy's first blood.

Regards,
Dave.

[marto78]

Thats a good blooding!!

[rosco1974]

nice way to blood the new boat...what a great fish that wrasse is well done on releasing it
cheers rosco

[Redrocks]

Awesome looking boat mate and a good first haul. I haven't seen a big wrasse on deck like that for 18 years, you forget how colourful they are.
Redrocks

[dfox]

You sure did well getting that wrasse to the boat Dave, glad your happy with the new boat mate, hope to catch up with you and Nic in a few months ... foxy

[therapy]

Wow, that wrasse!!! You weren't fishing under the Quicksilver pontoon out of Port Douglas...lol....Snorkelled with one of them up there on my honeymoon last year. What a majestic fish and well done on the release!! And really enjoyed your thread on the build of your new boat. Fantastic stuff!!!

Cheers.....Terry.....

[TimiBoy]

Onya Dave! Damn I'm jealous.

Cheers,

Tim

[PinHead]

great stuff Dave.

[littlemac]

great way to blood the boat.

well done

cheers

brett

[Spot82]

Thanks for the report and pics. That wrasse is huge!! Great to hear you got the beautiful fish to swim away hopefully to live for many more years.

Anthony

[pilchardjones]

absolutely awesome dave - that is as good as it gets and to get it on your 1st trip must make you so happy.
glad to hear the boat is such a success too - i'll be over soon to ogle.
steve

[backlash08]

thanks for the thread dave, great pics!
jealous!!

[bugman]

Dave,

How did you rate the overnight stay in the new rig. Everything where it was supposed to be with enough room etc. I've always thought it would be hard to design my own boat because I'd just want too much in there for creature comforts without making it a 60 footer.

Brett

PS top catch

[Alchemy]

Awesome looking boat mate and a good first haul. I haven't seen a big wrasse on deck like that for 18 years, you forget how colourful they are.
Redrocks

Thanks Redrocks. I think that wrasse is one of the prettiest fish i've ever seen.

You sure did well getting that wrasse to the boat Dave, glad your happy with the new boat mate, hope to catch up with you and Nic in a few months ... foxy

Found a few new muscles I think! Yes, will definately catch up. Be interesting to pitch Ted's boat against the Origin....

Wow, that wrasse!!! You weren't fishing under the Quicksilver pontoon out of Port Douglas...lol....Snorkelled with one of them up there on my honeymoon last year. What a majestic fish and well done on the release!! And really enjoyed your thread on the build of your new boat. Fantastic stuff!!!

Cheers.....Terry.....

Glad you enjoyed the build story Terry. I enjoyed sharing it; and no... no where near the Quicksilver pontoon!

Onya Dave! Damn I'm jealous.

Cheers,

Tim

Thanks Tim, but you do know there is a cure for your jealousy?

Dave,

How did you rate the overnight stay in the new rig. Everything where it was supposed to be with enough room etc. I've always thought it would be hard to design my own boat because I'd just want too much in there for creature comforts without making it a 60 footer.

Brett

PS top catch

Thanks Brett. I slept like a log as I was still tired from the drive up. Certainly enough room. The boat felt huge compared to my last. So far as designing this layout; I had been accumulating ideas ever since I took delivery of the last boat. I then got a scale drawing from Origin and went to work with my scale ruler. There is very little I would change at this point, though that may change in time.

Thanks to everyone else's positive comments too.

Regards,
Dave.

[jtpython]

Boats looks like an awesome weapon and some great pics. They are a beautiful shaped fish the Wrasse and top notch to you getting it in .
JT