Coomera Jacks 05-01-06

[JT]

Well after our nice little session on Monday, Marty_Z and myself decided to see if we could do it again this morning. We hit the water at "What the hell am I doing up" o-clock (3.30am) and started throwing around soft plastics. After all the bust ups I have had recently on bream gear, I started with 14lb Fireline and 20lb leader, I was ready for Mr Jack. Marty was using the same I think.

There was a lot of surface action when we hit the water, no so much the bait (huge schools of mullet) being busted up, but more that they were very flighty, like they knew there was trouble around.

We started working a likely looking rock wall which had a couple of pontoons on it. With no touches after 1/2 hour I dropped my 4" Berkley Jerkshad down the side of a pontoon, let it sink to the bottom and slowly started working it back to the boat, after the first lift I got a very small bump, which felt very bream like. I set the hooks and it was on, couple of small screaming runs and some nice weight. With the drag done up quite tight it was over very quickly and 10 seconds after the strike my new PB (40.5cm) Jack is in the boat . A couple of pics and it was released.

We worked the line of pontoons and when we got to the end we headed back along the same track, but had no touches. So we decided to try a new spot. After about 10 minutes here, casting to the bank, Marty's
3" Berkley Fry is absolutly smashed, drag screams and after a short but torrid struggle Marty now has a new PB (46.5cm) Jack in the boat . Some more pics and back it goes.

Well this session has lived up to our hopes, surly we can't get another Jack and break our record of boated Jacks in one session.

We worked this bank over pretty hard and after no more action we headed to some flats that had a bit of activity on them. Marty throws in a popper and in rewarded with some follows and a small bream. After about 1/2 hour of getting lots of follows and with Marty clock watching as he needs to go to work (I took the day off ) Marty comes up solid on something. He first calls it for a Trevally, then a Flatty, then as it comes to the boat I see it's a very healthy looking Jack, Yes here comes the record, NO, Mr Jack pulls the hooks as I reach for the net. . Marty is not a happy camper, but we can't complain about the session as I drive him back to the ramp - what a bugger to have to leave them biting.

After I dropped him off, I hit all sorts of structure with a mix of plastics and hard bodies for 2 nice bream and a Estuary Cod. I decided to call it quits and head back to the ramp along the way hitting the same stretch where I got my Jack. No touches and time to go. As I started packing up the boat before I head back to the ramp there is an eruption of bait behind me in about 2 metres of water. Straight away I throw a Jack Snack into the area and come up tight on something solid, my second Jack for the day, at 37.5cm a nice one too. Wooohooooo, new record 3 Jacks in the boat in a session,

Head home very happy indeed and looking forward to the next session.

Sorry for the long winded story, but it had to be told.

Cheers

John

40.5 cm Jack

[JT]

Marty's Jack

[JT]

My second - 37.5cm

[jeffo]

it really is excelent to see just about every one releasing their jacks this season, maybe its just a coincidence but there also seams to be a lot more being caught.

great stuff. awesome fish.

[Franco]

Excellent work lads.

No jack story with 3 in a session is too long John!!
You're deserving of the result you guys have been putting some hard work in the last couple of months so enjoy the glory. I've had a real lapse in enthusiasm for those red-eye, God-forsaken hour, jack sessions and am waiting for the mackerel.

How cool was it nailing one on the way home with a jack snack!!

Might catch you at the club meeting next week mate.

[Commodore]

Nice fish JT & Marty, good report and pics, those fish look in great condition, well done on the new record.
Cheers,
Chong

[keen_as_mustard]

Buggger - I knew that session was too good to leave! Oh well - we have to work so we can afford to fish! Still can't complain with my biggest Jack to date.

The session was a big strange as the water temp had dropped a couple of degrees but the amount of mullet was ridiculous - we estimated in the thousands. After a while we came to realise most of the surface action was skittish mullet. We didn't get the usual amount of by-catch, but that may have been due to the fact we really concentrated on Jacks only?

Bring on the next trip!

Marty

[JT]

Cheers Guys,

Jeffo, I just think Jacks are too good to only catch once, so we release them all. I actually bought some Jack fillets from the Supermarket last week just so I could taste them. Mmmmmm Yummy, nicest tasting fish I have had for a while, but that's the only way I'll be tasting them, by buying them. But I don't begrudge those that do take home a feed either, it's a personal choice.

Franko - mate, anyone driving past my boat after I hooked up that last one, would have thought there was a loony on board, what with all the hollering and dancing going on. Although that happened with the first two as well

Cheers Chong, you know what the best part about breaking our record is, now we have to go out and try and do it again

[Benno]

Excellent work boys.. bloody enjoyable read that.
Now for five eh..!!

Benno

[Franco]

Next year We might have to have a season's comp against Flickflack & the tweed boys and have a special prize for the person who catches a jack at the most inhumane hour, with the least sleep, in the coldest, windiest / stormiest & most adverse conditions, who still has the courage to admit on Ausfish that they bothered going fishing!!!

My mate Lynchy would have to win that one for sure for following me into a definitely stupid jack fishing trip and coming up trumps!! I still have nightmares about hiding from the lightning for 3 hours under a bridge only to be greeted by 2 jacks on sunrise in a freezing hurricane wearing a lifejacket to keep warm!!

Bring it on. JT with that last arsey jack you're on our team mate!!

[flattymattyb]

Hi JT,

Top stuff what a morning & a great read, should have given the offshore a miss and headed into the estuary by the looks, you had a lot better day than us . I hope you left me some for tomorrow morning .

Cheers
Matty

[flickflack]

Top Story guys, a good read. Well Done on the new record, man I wish the silly season was just about over we are flat out at the restaurant(word must be getting out about the ribs) and there is no way of an early morning fish. Almost went last night when we closed up at 1130 but sanity prevailed (or was it the missus cant remember )

Oh Well still good reading your guys reports gets the heart pumping again.
Keep at it guys sure it wont be long before you nail a few more.

Rod

[gogecko]

Well done guys, nice jacks. So you did this on the low tide, eh? I reckon the southerly change produces better jacks than the north wind.

Im going out tonite while the missus is away. Im gonna work a diff section of the river, but now I see your report I might try both sections.

Andrew

[keen_as_mustard]

Andrew - hope to see a few pics on this site tomorrow morning of your Jacks.

Roderick - I start working 2 nights a week from February so I have to get as many Jack sessions in as I can while I have the time. I am very lucky that JT is only a stones throw from the Coomera - makes it easy for me when we take his boat - although I am still getting up at 2am for these before work sessions. Your advice still rings in my head - "you have to be on the water when everyone else is asleep"

Matty - Good luck tomorrow morning - if it is anything like today it should be a hot session.

Here is a better pic of the 46cm Jack - they sure are beautiful fish!

Marty

[flickflack]

they do look tough. Sounds like you guys have got em sorted now, heavy gear and early morning starts, thats the ticket.
Cheers guys look forward to a few more good posts. I will probably start chasing them again next week once we quieten down. We have been working from 7 in the morning till 1130 at night everyday. Definately next week for the red devil.