What a fantastic tournament these guys pout on from the Hervey Bay Game Fishing Club.
This is my second year and I am already committed for the third...
Started the trip on Wednesday 17th November from Gladstone to Hervey Bay at 6am with Lethal Lee, 4 button arnie or Josh as we know him better and my youngest son Justin.
8 1/2 hours later we pulled up to the fuel berth at the marina.
Thhursday: After a hotly contested Calcutta, we headed out to Roonies Point for the evening and enjoyed a few beverages while the sun set along with some awesome gourmet steak that Lethal supplied.
Friday morning and up with the sparrows we head out to the 13 mile crossing.
As soon as we cross the bar, the 8kg gear goes out and I head straight for some bait grounds I found last year. By the way, we tagged an entire total of 1 fish last year....
Almost immediately we hook up and after 2 or so minutes, a 7kg Mack Tuna comes aboard. Justin on strike. Tag in and back she goes. Next strike was the Mahi Mahi (dollie) with Josh on strike and this thing somersaulted and flew through the air. I have never seen such an areal display from a Dollie before. Our day ended with us maxing out on non billfish tags and we headed in satisfied with our work. The weather was sensational.
Friday the wind had come up a bit so we (I) decided to stay inside the bay and once again, trolling a contour early on we immediately hooked up this time to a mackerel. All day through the rain and wind we trolled and chased bait and finished the day early with the flybridge letting lots of water in so we had to stop for some running repairs. That ended our Saturday.
Sunday we woke to 20-25s and there was no way I was going over the bar in that so once again we stayed inside the bay but with a new plan. A mate of mine in Vanuatu, and charter boat operator, once told me "never leave fish to find fish" which was the mistake we made the day before, or I made anyway as I was skipper. So today I went back to the bait I had marked, and left, the day before. Today we went ballistic and today we bagged out, once again, on non billfish species being mainly macks.
We figured out that we finished the tournament in third but only 1 fish away from actually winning the whole thing. Considering the lack of billfish, we were very happy with that.
My 10yo son took out the junior title on count back. He talks enough normally so I wont be able to shut him up on this one for a year or so.
Lethal made a fashion statement with sandals and socks but thats ok, we expect that sort of behaviour from him...
If you have never competed in a REAL fishing tournament, do yourself a favour and enter the Hervey Bay Game Fishing Tournament next November....Win lose or draw it is a great time. I think we got a total of 31 tags in for the 3 days.
I am looking forward to the Next REAL fishing tournament in August next year when the Gladstone Motorworld Offshore Classic is held from August 19-21
Oh, 1 more thing, the trip home ended up in 30 knots and 3 meter seas.
I took some video leaning on the game chair. Watch the wave build up behind the boat...Great stuff....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG6qWHt9WpA
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Originally Posted by lethal098
I think I almost heard him traveling back to Gladstone.........F$%K the F&*K*NG F$#%ER's ...............
to you pal...
