Hervey Bay and Fraser Offshore

[luskin]

Great report Alchemy

After the 2nd time, any idea what was busting you off?

Cheers

Sy

[David_P]

Great report Alchemy

After the 2nd time, any idea what was busting you off?

Cheers

Sy

G'day Sy,

No idea mate. Bob and I got done over at least three times each. One of mine was a swivel blow out, the next got me in the reef and the third was the straightened hook. Think I should try mono next time as the braid is so unforgiving.

Regards,
Dave.

[Big_unit]

Great report mate.

Cheers
James

[SeaSaw]

Great report Dave. [smiley=2thumbsup.gif] That is one of my dream trips ... one day How do you carry the fuel load needed. Long range tanks? or lots of jerry cans.

Cheers,

Mark

[David_P]

Hi Mark,

I get about 300l under the floor in the tank, then load up with plastic jerry cans. I prefer the 20l cans as they are easier to stow on board, plus easy to handle when unloading at camp.

Would love another boat for company next time, so if your keen let me know.

Regards,
Dave.

[Chris_Riethmuller]

Good report Dave, sounds like alot of fun with SP's, how far from Wathumba to the breaksea and then how far out did you fish from there.
rgds Beefa

[Smithy]

Dave,

well done on your trip. As for the marks, if you know where to look they are available publicly, even the old 4 mile. Now you have those couple of crossings under your belt time to start looking at the 0mile, 2mile or new 4mile. With that run out tide though they might not have been a prospect. If your were fishing a bit SE of the 13 you were probably on an area called Clarks Knob I think. There is rubble all through there and we have punched in a lot of reef trolling past the bottom bouncing charter boats like Golden Pheonix and Summer Bay when doing the game tournament. That is always an option for anyone keen to explore up there. Work it in with the tournament in November so you can get a hot shower and a feed on the mothership and it saves a lot of travelling if the weather is good and the mothership can get to the lighthouse. Nothing stopping you reef fishing all weekend while us madmen waste fuel trolling.

Mark,

you didn't hear it from me but I believe some people take up the round 20 litre oil drums or 60 litre thinners drums and punch a hole in them after fueling up and create their own artificial reefs. The area near Keiths reef which will be in a green zone shortly I believe is a good place to stash fuel on the beach so I have been told. Alternatively if you have a green streak the 20 litre plastic jerrys would be a good idea.

Beef,

in a straight line Urangan to the 2nd mark of the 13 mile crossing is 95km. Wathumba to the same spot is 56km but you have Rooneys to get around. From my outside mark for that crossing there is Pelagic fishing straight away and mind blowing reef 5-7km away.

[BrandonH]

Nice catch guys love the shot of the tea leaf trevor with the turtle behind you!!!!!

cheers
Brandon...

[Nic]

I'm glad the Snapbacks worked well for ya... but jeez, the fish must have been biting their heads off for Bob 'Snipe' to catch any!

[Spectre]

Dave

Great report & great pics.
That sounds like an awesome trip...a good workout for the Fisher.

We did a boat trip across to Wathumba last year & camped for 5 days. An awesome spot.
Lotsa whales out the front but not a lot of fish on the nearby reefs. Looks like the go is to head north & out to get amongst the reefies !!!

Cheers
Phil

[DALEPRICE]

that was one hell of a trip by the sounds of it dave.
congrats and sounds like you covered some miles.
top report and pics.
cheers dale

[Cheech]

Was more like reading a magazine article. Great story.

Ok Mark, load up the boat. I'm in.

Cheech

[SeaSaw]

How often to you get up that way Dave. I would be interested in coming along if you don't mind another boat for company. With those distances there is safety in numbers. Maybe I'll have a new fisher by then

Start packing the gear Cheech.

Mark

[Big_Ren]

Ripper trip Dave. We used to do the Golden Phoenix (the vessel Smithy mentioned) with Arthur Mackie every June/July and scored some awesome reefies with them. Plenty of big, big tigers up there too

Cheers
Paul

[David_P]

G'day Beefa,

Once over the bar the grounds we fished were only about 7km out. Heaps more to explore too I'd say. From the inside of the bar back to Rooneys was about 35 - 40km, then about another 20km back to Wathumba. It really helps if you can stay up around the lighthouse overnight to save on time and fuel. Why, you keen on taking the outsider for a run up there?

Smithy, think we were more east rather than SE, though the rise we checked out from the GPS chart was more SE. How far down from the 13 mile are the shoals? Would like to check those out with a popper or three one day. So far as the crossings at to the south, think I'll wait for company or a day without wind or swell. Would be good to have a closer option to the island though. Apart from a couple of trawlers out there, we did spot Summer Bay, and another which I think may have been Golden Phoenix.

Mark, the more boats the better up there. You really do feel the remoteness once you cross that bar. This was my second trip this year and I'd like to go another once or twice if possible. I like to go in Nov / Dec to play with the spotties and tuna, plus a September trip could be on the cards. I'll let you know. A new Fisher 'eh, you certainly won't regret that. Hope Col's looking after you

Paul, I've only been hassled by sharks (read one big tiger) once up there, and that was at Rooneys. Lost some snapper to it, then he came up behind the boat for a look at us. It was a big fish

Thanks to everyone for your comments.

Regards,
Dave.