After the disappointment of a false start last weekend and a promising BoM report but with a fluctuating Seabreeze report after considering it was coming from the westish direction, I called the troops together for "communion" for the wee hours of Saturday morning.
I had been chatting with Dave Claussen (ala Mr Riptide Alloy Boats) through the week and Dave said he was heading out with Christian (yep, our mate who had his boat nicked recently) Russ and Billie - Christian's usual (or should i say unusual) deckie!!!
The crew on Flamin Riptide was Swano, Hodgie and my nephew Leigh. It was Hodgie and Leigh's first trip to the Banks area. Hodgie has been going pretty hard lately so it was good to get him out for some well earned R&R.
We left Brisvegus around the 1.45am mark, picked the lads up from BP Caboolture and met another Riptide "Prozak" to head for M'ba. When we fueled at the Pt Cartwright Shell the attendent told us of huge seas and 40 knot winds out wide and apparently some blokes had turned around and come in, so we weren't really too sure what we were getting into.
There was a cue at the ramp out to the street so I figured it couldn't be too bad and finally after launching and getting under way we gingerly poked our head out around the headland for a look see. It wasn't too bad, certainly not 40kts and the supposed huge seas weren't so bad, which got us wondering what the servo attendant was on about, so we headed to the northern banks area. Another of our Riptide mates with us in "Wot Eva" cooked his black anchor on the way out and needed a tow in. Jamie already had help on hand so we continued the journey through some washing machine slop but were able to make reasonable progress.
On the way out Shano in "Rippa" (another Riptide - man, they are getting popular) radio's us that the run out wide was making fishing hard in the conditions so we decided to fish some promising territory some 5k shy of our original destination that we snooped out.
After surveying the ground we located a number of rocks with good "show" (Foxy - you trained me well!!) so began to set our drift.
With the wind whistling 15-20 from the Nor' west we tried to anchor but it kept pulling, so we decided to reverse into the chop to try and control the drift.
The lads began to boat some squirey snappery things around the 2.5kg mark when the nephew hooked into something quite substantial. He was battling it well, so we began to give him some of the banter that Flamin Riptide is becoming known for...but too his credit he kept his cool and boated a nice snapper to around 6.5 kgish. Nice Fish! The look on his face said it all!!!. After that there was no stopping him or his mouth!!! Cheeky little bugger.
Swano was fishing well contibuting to our growing tally with some nice solid snappery things around the 3plus kg and a nice maori cod to a couple of kgs...but Hodgie was pretty quite. Eventually the big fella got onto a nice snapper and broke the drought.
Anyway we looked up to see 4 more boats had come to the drift party...it was almost like a parking lot. Really had to work the drifts carefully now...talk about muscling in uninvited...
As the wind began to drop out we decided to anchor on one of the rocks we were doing well off...so I ran the boat up to the top of our drift...there was another boat about 20 metres away when I dropped the pick.
When he got to inside 10 metres I called out to the other skipper and deckie who had their backs turned to us so they'd know we were there. He acknowledged the call and retorted that he knew we were there and that they would pass in front of us. (he looked a bit miffed I must say) I said I thought they might but as a matter of courtesy thought I'd say hi and gave him a "ya doin' any good?" "Yes we're doin O.K. but we'd be doing better just over there" pointed to where I had just anchored. I quipped "yeah, its pretty hard when people come in uninvited next to you isn't it?" his body language told me he wasn't impressed...then I just couldn't help myself and continued "we were first boat here and have been working this patch for 3 hours" He got the message and motored off...
It never ceases to amaze me when people move in on the patch you are clearly working over, then try and make out you're the one in the wrong. Look, I know the sea is a big place but I reckon if you've put the work in to establish the fishability of an area and as first boat in you are intitled to work the ground well and you have right of way...and I'd reckon if someone wants in...at the very least they should ask...or perhaps, if they must, ping it on the GPS and come back when you've finished your run that session. It happened to us again later in the day as well...
By this time the wind had dropped out almost completely and we got into a lovely session, almost bagging out on nice snapper setting out on our way to boat up a nice mixed bag of lovely reefies.
Hodgie must've got cocky 'cause he put away the 6ft medium penn jig stick/rovex big boss 6500 with 30lb braid and reached for this lightweight 7 ft graphite stick mounted with a small Penn affinity loaded with 10lb braid.
I laughed...man is he gonna get smoked!!! And after boating a nice squirey thing, parroty thing and pearly thing he loads up - his commentary said it all "Awwwww, shooot...don't do that, don't go there, here, come here, no not there, no...o-oh...I think he knows he's hooked now...now don't do that...bzzzzzz....ping...goodbye!!!! We were all ROFLOAO...What a hoot...
I had chimed in with a very nice 'lippa to 6kg plus and a stonker venus and a couple of snapper...dropping my best at the back of the boat after fouling the trim tab...I hate that!!!!
The nephew is getting real lippy by now...
Dave and the boys on "Riptide" had been having a good session too, but we decided we'd head to another area. We up anchored and went to another spot further north to be tailed by another boat.
After surveying the ground, we worked out our drift and started to fish. This other boat that tailed us was going around and around for about 10 minutes some 20metres astern and then anchored right in the path of our drift! I couldn't believe it! I was a little less charitable that time and gave the bloke a spray...actually had to calm the lads down a bit. I didn't want 10 balls being hurled from Flamin Riptide, its not as if we can hide in a crowd!!!...The bloke finally got the message and up anchored and off but fair go! I know no one person owns the ocean but surely there is some ettiquette? Perhaps I should start a thread on this one elsewhere although I'm sure its been hashed over before...
Anyway we finally bagged out on snapper, added a couple of nice gold spot wrasse...man they are a spectacular fish straight out of the water...and by around 4.00pmish called it.
We motored over to "Riptide" to see Dave boat a nice snapper. In the next moment Christian is in and finished off a nice snapper and the guys have these 2 beautiful fish holding them up for a photo...cheeky bludgers...those fish looked beautiful glistening in the late afternoon sun. Can't wait to see the photos
It had almost glassed out for the run home...4500 rpm 55klm/hour saw us home in the post sunset hew.
What a great day and despite the couple of minor incidents with inconsiderate others it certainly wasn't enough to take the shine off a great day.
Final tally - an esky full of fish, caught with great blokes and a mouthy nephew
By the way...did I say we had a great day?
I'll post the photo's later....we had a G-r-e-a-t D-a-y!! Oh, I think i said that already...
Til next time
Cheers
Rhys
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. Will have to catch up with you. Were both in the same area. Good to see the banks still fishing well. Good stuff.
Sounds like everyone did well at the Banks and Hard over the weekend!
