CAIRNS - reef flat lure theives

[scuttlebutt]

Went for a run out to Vlassoff Cay today. The girlie wanted to go snorkling and do some sunbaking, and as the freezer's full of trout, I was keen to have some fun on lures in the shallows.

My lure of choice was the little mad mullet in gold, but the crime rate was high. I was using 20 pound braid, though it felt more like cotton on a couple of occasions, and by the end of the day my favourite mad mullets, and a few soft plastics had been stolen by unseen criminals.

The most common volunteer were these ugly looking sweetlip things..

[scuttlebutt]

Though size didn't seem to matter, and the juveniles quite often had eyes bigger than their bellies...

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A couple of highlights were the big beakie that swiped the lure right on touchdown and then took to the air ....

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and a solid Coral Bream who must of been napping to end up in the boat. I'm sure he could have made it home if he tried...

[scuttlebutt]

I stopped at a trout spot on the way home and picked up one on bait, before changing over to soft plastics. No luck today though, but it's something to try next time.

Jumped in for a swim for an hour or so as well, and the water is just magic - words aren't enough!

Oh well, back to work on Monday (dammit)

cheers,

steve

[trout3030]

That aint no coral bream in the 4th pic. It is a red throat sweetlip or lipper as they are more commonly known. The first pic is a coral bream or grassy sweetlip. Nice trout too. What depth were you using the lure? Cast and retrieve I assume?

[devocean]

Awesome NQ how could ya beat it beats catchin snapper anyday awesome report

[scuttlebutt]

Stuie, you're right about the lipper (better tasting than a corallie anyway) - but the other one isn't a grassy (different head) - I think it's a yellow tail sweetlip - not sure - we get so many species of sweetlip up here it's not funny! It was all cast and retrieve around shallow reef and bommies.

yeah Devo, wouldn't be anywhere else

cheers,

steve

[Heath]

Awsome!! Looks like a great time out!

[trout3030]

Thanks for the correction. Did think the head looked a bit funny for a grassy but the colours were right and I thought it was just the angle of the photo. Nice fish either way.

[Daintreeboy]

some good pics again mate, you're getting stuck into them Coral Cod!
You're getting me keen to try the lures out next time I go, looks like awesome fun.
Cheers, Mark.

[scuttlebutt]

Mark, yeah it makes for a change - most of the time you see the fish hit the lure, and generally those sweetlip hit just as hard as jacks. Just don't get too emotionally attached to your lures!

cheers,

steve

[Lucky_Phill]

OH, btw Stuie, it's a Red Throat Emperor ( not that I'm picking on ya or anything ) They way these ferets name the fish species here in Gods own country is amazing. It IS definately Sweetlip looking, but for some reason, they plonked it in with the Emperors. Even in some books it's called a " Sweetlip Emperor ". Official name :-

Lethrinus miniatus

well spotted anyway.

nice report Steve.

Cheers Phill