Mulgrave River 27/12

[Bad_Bubby]

Hi guys, been a while between posts for me but today I was finally able to get back out there. The aim was to try a spot pretty close to home with very humble expectations. Things weren't going to plan at the beginning of my trip, apart from snapping off my favourite popper on a snag it seemed nearly impossible to actually find a place to fish with all the people swimming everywhere. It took near on an hour of walking through thick scrub before I started being able to fish in solitude. I wasn't really alone though, sooties were much thicker than I expected. Most were so small I'd have trouble faking a grin for a photo, however there were some reasonable fish amongst the babies. It started when I had shaken off the umpteenth baby sooty when my popper was casually slurped off the surface Herbert River style (this is a sign of a big sooty). That fish was about 30cm. I followed this with a mid size jp and then tarpon. It all seemed to be coming together nicely. The tarpon were pretty big for their rapid habitat, taking plenty of drag on 2kg spin. The only downside was loosing my pliers sometime during the tarpon action. I was very happy with how things were going and took it easy just enjoying the scenery. One cast I noticed some pretty serious surface action in a section of water above a rapid, I wasn't too excited as this happens often when the tarpon work up some small fish to the surface. My popper landed right amongst it and suddenly I had some very serious weight on my line. The fish moved slowly against the current, which was very un-tarpon like. Line continued to slowly depart the reel, a weird feeling when you're fishing in a section of stream you could jump across. I watched in utter disbelief as a Tully gorge sized JP apparead arcing along the surface (still taking drag mind you). It took the best part of 5 minutes to actually get it to safety, more remiminscent of a barra fight rather than a jp fight. It had amazing girth for its length (40cm). I was very pleased to beat my previous PB JP. Unfortunately this fish was hooked badly in the gills, and with no pliers it was difficult to be gentle (hence blood). I spent a good 3 minutes or so reviving it, such an awesome feeling to watch a fish like that swim away. As I walked to the carpark darkness was closing in, my favourite time to get into the bigger sooties. Only one fish was landed but it was a great trip overall, possibly even my best stream lure casting trip to date. Enjoy the pics.

[Bad_Bubby]

Sooty

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another

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Releasing first jp of the day

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tarpon

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composing himself just after release

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Releasing one of the bigger sooties

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New PB JP

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Release...arent they pretty

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The last fish of the trip, 34cm sooty

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Final pic: The mighty Mulgrave. The afternoon tally...JP-4, Tarpon-2, Sooties-20.

[scuttlebutt]

that's a pretty good day there Dan. I might have to have a go at that myself now the wind is up

cheers,

steve

[barraboy2]

The Mulgrave is one special river. Has the last bridge been repaired yet.

[Bad_Bubby]

Hey barraboy...not sure where you mean. The only bridges I saw were the highway bridge and rail bridge, they were both in good shape.