To guide or not to guide

[Zucchini_bros]

Hi all,
The ? us novices often ask ourselves is guide or no guide?
My answer is definatley YES. Weather you have your own boat or think you know what's happening, nothing substitutes for actual time on the water, watching, learning, developing techinics. Cracking the code so to speak. As you can see from my photo 12+ kg long tail tuna on fly. Without the resourses and knowledge of our guide this would have never happened. This was my first time try for Tuna on fly, and won't be the last with Paul our guide. I hadn't casted for over a year and was poor even before that. The guide planned the trip, picked the location, made the fly (absolutely perfect immatation), found the fish, gave me a refresher course on casting, got us close enough to cast, and talked me through the strike and following 1 hour and ten minute battle.
It should be noted that the fish was released and swam away strongly.
A special thanks to Paul Dolan of Fraser Coast Sportfishing & Eco Adverntures.
Paul if your reading this, firstly why aren't you out there planning our next trip and secondly, Mate that's four trips with you now, and we've never been fishless, there's your credentials in a nut shell. You are the Harvey Bay Fly Man.

Guys if your looking for success give Paul a call and try to get on.

YES YES YES go the guide.

May your hooks never pull

The Zucchini Brothers

[fisher]

G/day Andrew,thanks for the kind words mate.As you know it was as much pleasure for me getting you that magnificent fish as it was for you catching it on your first attempt at longies on fly.Just really dissapointing for James and all of us for that matter to see the line go slack so close to the boat with his fish.But in saying that it's what makes fishing so special and keeps us all going back for more .I still have a 100% record for clients getting fish here in the bay and as you know I give 110% effort in achieving that.Best Regards to you and James Paul

[Quinny69]

I love fishing with guides, Ive only ever fished with 2 but they were great days. Good guides keep on going and going, bad guides fall off the face of the planet whithin a few mnths (Thankfully). #I fished with Nat Bromhead at Hearvey Bay a few mnths back and had a great (half)day, couldnt find a Golden Trev(bad season,no fish on the flats at that time) but a Longy on the way home made up for it.Nice fish Zuchini and Paul. # Quinny

[Zucchini_bros]

Hi Quinny,

Thanks for the kind words, it was an enjoyable fish to be my first.
I agree totally the good guides are hard to find, and the ones that don't produce should fall away very quickly.
Great to hear that you got rewarded on the way back on the longies. That early in the season how did you go for size?
Would love to see the pics if you got the opportunity. Mate fishing the flats is really difficult, tide needs to be right, water clarity is important and luck has to be on your side, or a good guide. I've not had the pleasure, however i have watched my brother produce a nice Golden under Paul's guidence. I'll see if i can find the pic and post it. Nothing can compare to sighting them on the flats. Fortunatley Paul delivered again and that's why he gets us back time after time. That was that same day that the other Zucchini bro (my brother) dropped a kingie (very much to his discust) but the golden evened the score.

Zucchini Bros

[Quinny69]

Hmmmmm, my pics arnt working on this site. I agree on the goldie fishing, awsome fun, I havent landed 1 yet but they are responsable for 1 of my best angling memories. My Longie that day wasnt huge,8/9kg,1 of my smallest, but 1 of the most rewarding. Now the Goldies are starting to show Im gonna have to get back up there. quinny

[imported_admin]

You used the filename HBLongyjpg it should be HBLongy.jpg

Missing the dot .

[Scott_Natho]

Hi all,
Yes, I would have to agree that paying for the services of a guide is useful irrespective of your level of experience. #Thanks again Paul from Kelvin and myself for a great morning on Hervey Bay, not so much the weather but rather the company and the fishing. You know you have had a good trip when you talk incessantly on the way home and relive every capture (and perhaps embellish a little as well!!). Despite the conditions, your affable manner and efforts to get us on to fish were much appreciated (queenies, mackerel and golden trevally - pic hereabouts). Both Kelvin and I learnt a thing or two from a guide that was willing to talk, regularly checks on the satisfaction of his clients, puts them on to fish despite adverse conditions, provides a reliable and stable fishing platform and good gear to use. I am sure that we will both be back to use your service again (if Kelvin isn't out today with you already!!). Hopefully before the proposed EPA closures won't have too much of an impact on the available recreational fishing areas in Hervey Bay. It would seem wise to me to allow in the very least commercial guides to access such areas and supervise anglers in the catch and release of what is potentially a very valuable tourist and economic resource to the Hervey Bay area. Thanks again.
Regards
Scott and Kelvin

[Scott_Natho]

Yes, the golden wasn't caught on fly but Kelvin landed a nice queenie on the wand. Sorry about the size of the photo...perhaps the administrator could shrink it a little for me!!!
Regards
Scott

[fisher]

Scott,thanks for the kind words mate,I really enjoyed having you guys on board.It's allways good when you can have a good laugh while on the water.I took Kelvin and Noel out yesterday and the weather was alot better.They got some nice Longtails and mac tuna and a broard bar mac.Regards Paul

[barkerboi89]

i'd go with a guide. can learn alot form him lar.. plus it can make the difference between a trip where u fight fish till ur arms wanna drop off or a totally fishless trip.. jus my $0.02..

Tight lines!