Sept/Oct round-up, inc NQ salty Barra

[craigie]

Have not posted a report for some time, so will be giving a run-down of whats come over the gunnel in the last 4 weeks.

Have had a couple of good sessions on the School Mackerel in Southern and Central Moreton Bay. Floated Pillies and slugs worked a treat.
Most of the fish were between 55 and 75 cm with just a few throw backs mixed in with them. Always good fun on light spin outfits and some heavy leader.

[craigie]

Good numbers at times

[DaneCross]

Good stuff Craigie, was beginning to wonder where you've been hiding Now bring on the spotties - hopefully its a good season for them...

[JB]

Good to see you bak craigie, those doggies dont taste too bad at all . You blokes sure look like ya got a good haul. I have been meaning to try chasing them for a while, a lot of blokes troll the paravanes / spoon setup , but i find that too much effort. Floating pillies and spinning sounds like more fun.

See you on the bay this summer mate, as DC said bring in the spots.

Hope you got that boat of yours preped up for some zippin about DC

Jas

[craigie]

My mate Andy and I had been talking about doing a charter with John Gooding, owner and operator of "Outlaw Charters".
John runs a 680 Haines Hunter equiped with twin 140 suzzies. He caters for small groups up to 4 people and is based out of the Manly Boat Harbour.
After months of delberation we were booked in for a midweek live bait session on the 65 - 85m grounds out off the south passage bar.
Turned out to be a cracker of a day with the AJ's and Kingies on the chew.
We landed quite a few to 12kg's, but were comprehensively blown away but many larger models as the live baits were slammed and smashed off in 5 seconds of furry when least expected .
John knows his stuff and gave us all a great day on the water.

Now planning A Mackerel trip with him later on in the season.

[craigie]

Non stop action was the order of the day

[craigie]

Andy with his hands full

[craigie]

I'm hooked up to yet another solid Amberjack

[craigie]

Andy with 4 kg's of "Livey eating" Pearl Perch.

[craigie]

Plans had been laid down earlier in the year for a trip to the North leaving Brisbane on the 7th of October.
With the boat hooked up, our destination was Townsville. There I would meet up with Danny Brooks (owner of Tackle World Townsville) who would show Andy and I some of his fav spots in the local creeks.

We had always considered the trip to be more of a bucks party prior to Andy's wedding in Townsville on the 15 th of October (he has a very understanding new wife )

We left on the Friday night and drove through to Mackay, arriving the next morning, where we procceded to hunt down the boat ramp to launch the 5m Quinnie.
A quick chat to the locals and we were headed out to the Islands 30k's offshore hunting Mackerel & Reefies.
20 knot + winds made life a bit wet & bumpy but we pushed on and anchored up in the channel that runs between Keswick and St Bees Islands.
Apart from a School Mack for the Esky, it was a string of undersize reefies being released to fight another day.

Note the fire-power in the rod holders

[craigie]

Our neigbours for the night, "Reel Screamer" & mothership.
We were hoping for an offer to come aboard for a Chardy

[craigie]

Sunday morning we spend a few hours trolling around for a Spanish at a little rocky outcrop off the south East side of St Bees Is.
No luck, so we head back to port, running across feeding spotties and Tuna close to the entrance of the harbour. Its slug time, but after a few bite off's and blown fish we continue back to the ramp.

Boat on the trailer, we head for Townsville, arriving Sunday evening very tired but optimistic about the next days fishing.
The winds were still going to blow so it would be a creek mission into cleveland Bay.

An early start Monday collecting live prawns before we anchor ourselves off a prominant snag in Crocodile creek.
We land our first Barra for the trip, but only a little fella around 50 cm and it's released. A little later a second Barra then a couple of solid Tarpon. Nothing for the esky but still having fun.
Next fish is a Fingermark around 33 cm, then a monster Pikey Bream just under 40cm.
I send a live Mullet out and gets slammed with 2 minutes, bloody hooks pull before I get a look at it, Bigger Barramundi ???????
We troll lures for a while to no avail and call it a day.

Tuesday and Wednesday will be spent with Danny Brooks fishing the creek systems south towards the Burdekin.
The wind is still blowing 20 knots, so it's still our only option, and proves to be a very memorable couple of days !!

I won't waffle on too much, think I'll just let the pics doing the talking !!

[craigie]

Apart from numerous little cod, we lured a Jack and some quality Barra, while the live bait produced Fingermark, Salmon and Grunter.

Still trying to post a few more photos ??

[craigie]

I can't hold my tongue any longer , I scored a 100cm+ Saltwater Barra while trolling a snaggy mangrove bank.
It jumped a couple of times and almost came clean over the transom during one of it's leaping fits.
Danny was kind enough to video and photograph it for his segment on WIN news (Townsville) last Friday Night.

I'll try again later to get a photo up of it. It's only my second Barra landed and a PB that will be hard to beat in the salt !!

[DaneCross]

Awesome stuff Craigie. I was wondering why you took two hours to finish your report, now I know, you were building the suspense! Great fish, can't wait to see the photo, no doubt you're all smiles [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]