Had a drop last week

[ShaneC]

Don't generally do reports but there's an interesting story that might interest some.

Went out for an overnighter last week with my mate Jason off here and his mate Andy the Butcher. Two top fellas and handy fishermen too I might add.

The trip was on and off half a dozen times due to pretty unstable weather but the call was made to go and have a look at spb and make a call based on the bar. Conditions were acceptable and we ventured forth. Conditions were hard once we got on the drift, wind and current not playing the game but we battled on and got a few fish on the first day. Went back into the 100m line to anchor for the night in sloppy conditions with big plans of beers, food and Monday night footy on the radio. In reality all three of us were on the seedy side (been a long time since its happened to me) with Jase and Andy adding new colours to the sides of the Noosa Cat whilst I hid under my doona in the
cabin with fingers in my ears embracing denial and trying not to spew.

Tuesday morning dawned with better conditions, we headed back to my favourite area and banged a few more on the head. Was still a struggle though, we had four or five scuds go through during the day that were pushing the boat along at four knots on the drift, I do have a way of fishing with that sort of speed but the fish were not hungry enough to justify it so we sounded around for new ground and stayed dry through the storms.

I've attached a phot of the interesting capture. Jase caught this Barry as part of a double header on a hungry patch, even though its my ugly mug in the pic. As you can see, the fish had been chewing on a 40cm redfish when it was hooked. I lined us up on the drift again and we dropped and I decided to cut the redfish for bait. The redfish had a still living squid in its mouth and the squid had a very recently deceased sprat of some sort in its grasp. I didnt get a photo of all the critters involved laid out which is regrettable, but its the first time I've seen four levels of the food chain (five including us) in one capture with all levels either alive or very recently deceased. Im really kicking myself for not getting a photo, but I still think its a cool story.

Cheers.

[soulfish]

Good read mate.....are those bar cod all year round or mainly when current permits?

[TREVELLY]

With five levels in the food chain in place you guys should have been looking about anxious like to ensure the sixth wasn't about to pounce.

Yep would have been a neat pic if you got it.

So the go is to fish for a sprat to catch a squid to catch a redfish to catch a cod.

Maybe if you looked into the mouth of the sprat there might have been a shrimp!

Good to see you got some as yep the weather is all over the place - looking at next week seabreeze is 10knots plus and willyweather is just over 5knots - they have no idea really.

Thanks for posting Shane

[ShaneC]

They are a year round prospect of sorts but when the current gets up and over 3 knots you have to refine your tactics for them and fish a little bit differently. I'm sick to the tits of this weather too Trev, but now I'm finished my holidays I'm sure it will come good.

[bannana]

Mate great read,

How long does it take in 300-400mtrs to raise these fish especially if you get a double header? Any shark probs?

Cheers Keith

[ShaneC]

Good strong reels will pull them pretty quick Keith. My big reels sort two or three out without too much fuss. It's not really CX4 or Tanacom Bull 1000 territory contrary to other people's thoughts, if you get a couple of big boys on one of these your in big trouble. Been there, done it and those sized reels do not last more than a couple of trips.

They pull hard for the first 100m or so and then lose their will due to barotrauma, so get easier as they get closer to the boat. I've never had one sharked and have only heard of one getting done but that's not to say it doesn't happen.

[bannana]

Shane,

Are you the fella I was talking to a few months back???

[ShaneC]

Yeah JG gave ya my number.

[bannana]

Yeah JG gave ya my number.

Small world I didn't realise that was you. I try calling you later

[Boab Bribie]

I will add to the trip, like Shane said we all had a great trip few coldies and some good laughs. Andy my fishing partner come along and meet Shane for the 1st time and it is a small world once they got talking and to know each other they realized they knew a few close friends of each other but had never meet and Shane knows Andy"s uncle real well from the fire brigade in Caboolture.
But on a more important note here are some more pic's of how trip.

Attachment 94920Attachment 94919Attachment 94922Attachment 94923Attachment 94921Attachment 94924

[outwide1]

It never stops amazing one what the ocean comes up with each time.
Every trip as we cross a bar my regular deckie asks''what will we see out of the ordinary this time''.
Good report Shane.
Cheers Mick.

[Horse]

Great report Shane. I'm dying to have a crack at those ooglies one day. I like the food chain part of the story

[ShaneC]

Cheers Mick, I don't think I've done a trip where something bizarre or out of the ordinary has not happened. I never take photos of most of them though which I kick myself for but its a product of my own laziness and eagerness to get lines back in the water. Horse, first time I've seen four levels in one go, I thought it was pretty cool.....