Bay Rock Dud

[Mozza]

What great weather!

Upgraded my late start Wed. from a late start/early fish to a day off to take full advantage of the conditions.

I was undecided whether to check the shipping lane pylons or fish West Point/Bay Rock but on the back of a good report from Bay Rock decided to fish that side of Magnetic Island. Well, I should have guessed when I observed every sea-bird flying South toward Cleveland Bay, that I was going to have a quiet day.

Nevertheless I headed out with determination and an over-inflated confidence in my abilities to catch a Spaniard - the one species that so far eludes me. Picked up a nice showing of bait on the southern tip of Bay Rock and drifted with pillies and slugs past a few times before taking the option of anchoring up and berleying for an hour or so. Didn't get so much as a snodge of a pelagic and gave up at 10:00 to pursue other species.

Headed off to spot "X" for the rest of the day to pursue other, more predictable species like barra. I found that every 'likely' rock/snag held a cod - I've never caught so many and brought home one keeper.

I was encouraged by a couple 'follows' by barra and lost a little tucker at the boat. But couldn't get a good hard strike. Things died around midday, even the cod had gone off the bite - so put the feet up and had a snooze thinking about all those poor souls at work.

Heh. Heh.

Got the 2nd wind and decided that since it was supposed to be a 'pelagics' trip, to tie on the 12" bomber in mackeral red/white colours and go for a troll.

Surprise, surprise - whack! Out of the water comes a ripper of a barra - geez thats big thinks I - its gotta be +90cm. Obviously, all the u/s cod I've been catching have given me a bad case of fisherman's eye because he/she comes in at a shade over 70cm.

So headed home somewhat disgruntled with a 73cm barra as a pacifier.

[FisherFreak]

Sounds like the Barra saved your day mate.. Well done.. I too hadn't caught my first Spaniard until about this time last year when we went out trolling at the Bomber wrecks and caught 7.. You'll have your day.. Sean

[Mozza]

Yup,

Ta Sean - next time I'll head further out. Could gone to Vanuatu earlier this week. Buddies of mine had a ripper trolling the Palm Isles, double hook-ups, the lot.

Probably should have tried Acheron...

Doug

[chicken]

Still great to be out on the water instead of work like you said and still got to have a feed well done