Hervey Bay report

[Lucky_Phill]

The annual sojourn to Hervey Bay, took us on the road on 27th December. A few reasons for this, firstly, most folk take their holidays from early December with the kids. So I was trying to miss the big crowd. Secondly, the full moon was on the 29th.

Setting up camp at Happy Wanderers took a little over 2 hours. Why ? Cause I take a lot of gear. I want to be comfortable. Bar Fridge, Fans, TV/VCR, Fairy Lights etc etc. Well, that was Monday gone, OH, a few drinkies were downed after dark.

Tuesday, and weather was not playing the game, so pool, spa, drinkies, sight seeing was the order of the day. I got the call about 6pm for a Spot of Spotty bashing. Early start Wednesday, and off up to Wathumba area. Not much happening, and by this I mean ‘ birds working ‘. Ended up at Roonies for some bottom bashing awaiting the “ feed “. Back down to Platypus Bay and around midday, the birds were chewing. When Les, Terry, Ray and I, found the school, it was only 45 minutes later we had bagged out. Lucky_Phill’s slugs and Raiders were working a treat. Lost only 4 lures for the session.

Favourite rig was the 10ft 6-8kg Ugly stick, Platypus Pre-test 9kg line, Tica Sportera, using a 60lb Penn 10X leader of about 800mm tied directly to the mainline, and a 40gm Slug hanging off the end.. Although this reel and rod combo worked well, the Tica was a little slow in the retrieval rate. I progressed to the 10ft Ugly 10kg, Penn 8500 for faster retrieve and more muscle. Not, that you needed it, the Spotties were in the 65 - 70 cms range.

Next day out was with My-TopEnder ( Rob ) and Dirty_Mole ( Sam ). Jeez, hard work. The wind was not favourable and the birds were not feeding. Found some fish within 500mtrs of the beach, but few and far between. Even got a Spotty on the troll using, well, you guessed it. A Lucky Slug. Bit of a surprise really. The pro’s were also out today, but looked like they were doing it hard as well. Headed home prior to midday and stopped over at a small reef patch around the Coongul area. Sam picked up a couple of Nannygai ( just under ), and the rest was bits and pieces. I managed to snare a Bonito on a piece of fish skin hanging off the hook on a fast retrieve from the bottom ! To prove it was not a fluke, I did it again. Third time.......nope. Bugga !

Next day was blowing a bit, so in the arvo, Rob in his boat with his Dad and Sam, I was in Skanky Hoe with little Brooke and we hit Gatakers Bay. Launching directly into the ocean can be a problem, sometimes, but not today. Seas calm and wind going over our heads. Travelled 250mtrs from ramp, sounded and threw over the pick. Baited up a pillie tail, ( that was given to me by fellow Ausfisher, James_V17L, back at camp ) and set up Brooke with a 6ft Pinnicale Rod, 4500 Shimano baitrunner, 9kg line with a 2 ball sinker on top of the 2/0 suicide Dynatec.

I lost a couple of fish, and then the 4500 calls me ! One small strike and the fish is attached. Brooke is able to get the landing net and scoop up a 39cm Coral Trout ( really a Islander / Bar Cheeked Trout ), but all the locals these fish Coral Trout. That’s it, job done in half an hour, so back to ramp. Of course, Brooke is telling anyone who’ll listen, that she caught the fish. Well, she did get it into the boat. !

New Years Eve was a quiet affair, with Rob, Sam, their parents, The_Deckie, Liz & Mitchell, Tony, Pam, Tomato Head and Dwayne, Maree & The Brookster all having drinkies and sparklers.

6am next morning, The_Deckie ( we’ll call him Paul ) and I headed out in the Skanky Hoe to River Heads boat ramp and down to Ungowa, Deep Creek etc. Amazing place with sandbars, steep dropoffs, ledges, high banks, creeks, bait fish, Turtles, ship wrecks, bird life and a serenity you will NOT find in Brisvegas. I cast netted a few livies and we swam them in a couple of likely places for no results. But the scenery made up for it. Saw a school of about 50 plus, 30cm Queenies smashing up the bait fish, just 40 mtrs from us. The noise was sensational ! Got a call from Ray, Troy and Kayle, that they were onto some Tuna near Kingfisher. So we headed up that way for a shot. W.O.T all the way. Sourced Kingfisher, but no ReBait crew ! ? Saw Little Woody Island to the north, and that’s the direct we headed. Half way there, I spotted working birds.....mmmmmmmmmm !

Mack Tuna, free jumping and feeding. The Lucky Slug comes to the for again. 3kg of mack comes aboard. And then Paul’s on. OH he’s off, but soon back on and into the brute. We chased these speedsters for 1/2 hour and needed a rest. While waiting for the school to show their presence, a school of about 40, 1mtr and bigger Golden Trevally, were lazing under the boat. We were in 12ft of water with a sandy bottom, clear as a crystal, and these Trevors were mid water, just staying with us. But no matter what we chucked at them, they would not take a lure. Truely amazing sight. So up to Little Woody, no luck. I have some old marks for some wrecks on the Artificial, so over to them. Found a good show some 100mtrs from my marks. Others in the area were drifting, but I had no intention of snagging up, so Paul tossed the pick and we settled perfectly. First bait ( bottle squid ) and Paul nails a 40cm Squire. Next cast and he’s on again, and again. I was fishing out the wrong side of the boat, apparently ! Ray and the boys called in to see us. They had been up at Moon Point donging Macks and Bonito and Schoolies, No Spotties. With the wind picking up 2 knots to 10, I called it a day and we made the long run back to River Heads. The sights were fantastic, passing Big Woody, Duck and Picnic Islands to our right and Fraser and Kingfisher to our left. Doesn’t get any better.

A road trip was called, so off to Bundaberg. Bagara Beach, Kelly’s Beach, fish and chips and Mamino’s Macadamia & Ginger ice cream on the way home. mmmmm ! Another call from Ray, late in the day, saw only us 2 head to Wathumba at 7am, next day. Found the birds working about Arch Cliffs area. Ray’s first cast saw him hook up big time. Line peeling from his little Penn at a great rate. NOT a Spotty, was the call. As I swung ReBait around and started to chase, Ray tightened the drag ever so little...... twang ! Yep, Gone ! My first cast saw a solid hookup. A bit of chasing, grunting and groaning, the little Tica making funny noises and 10 minutes later, 6kg of Mack Tuna comes to the net. Had a bit more fun and all macks released and lived.

Cruising past a little reef area a short distance away, called into a boat there and had a chat. No luck on the fish front, even at Roonies, a few Squire and Sweetlip. So off we go in search of the Spotty clues. Birds, birds at 11o’clock, and full throttle. First cast, hook-up, second cast, hook-up, third cast hook-up, and on it went and went. 9am and we had bagged out. Ray managed to loose a Raider. Caught around 30 fish with all but our bag released. Funny thing, the Lucky Slug was not being hit for a while, but being followed and nudged. So even I changed to a chrome slug ( my own, of course ), and never looked back. Made the stop at small patch of reef on the return trip, for fun, really.

While at the RSL for dinner, the next days trip, a prawning session in front of the Turtle Cove Estate, River Heads was decided on. Troy and Ben in the Edge Tracker, Ray and me in Skanky Hoe. We worked the dropping tide in some small channels for good results. Pics here somewhere. Troys net was professionally made with a huge spread, middle and top pockets only. I was using the standard breed. So, with large Bananas, Whiting and Sandcrab in the bucket, home for a well deserved feed. Did I mention, the fresh food was washed down with a XXXX ?

The next days were taken up with drinkies, swimming, movies, spa’s, road trip to Lenthals Dam, Burrum Heads, Woodgate, beach driving, National park exploring, bike riding, eating out, drinkies, etc.

Once again, the Happy Wanderers Holiday Village was spotless and the managers Taryn & Matty, owners Chris and Robyn were perfect hosts. To all the Ausfishers that were up there, hope your time was enjoyable as mine. Pics to follow.

Cheers Phill

[Lucky_Phill]

Banana Prawns, mmmmm

[Lucky_Phill]

Bananas cooked

[Lucky_Phill]

little Macks

[Lucky_Phill]

big Macks

[Lucky_Phill]

Hard at Work. me

[Lucky_Phill]

Paul at work on Macks with Little Woody to the north rhs.

[Lucky_Phill]

The Brookster and That Trout !

[Lucky_Phill]

rough day at the office. Moon Point on return. Mack bashing gear in holders.

[Dirty_Mole]

so you finally made it home aye, have fun in the last week i guess

cheers sam,

[Lucky_Phill]

Bag of Spots

[Lucky_Phill]

another small pic, some spots

[bugman]

Any Marlin buddy.

Apparently you're not allowed to post a fishing report up here now unless it's got marlin in it - apparently

he he he he he he he

[krtazy]

lucky phil you have some great fish there mate and that is an awesome trout to brooke congratulations. we had the same thing happen with trevally at rooneys point no matter what you chucked at them they would not play the game. i enjoyed reading your post mate keep them coming

[Reefmaster]

Phill
Good to see a good time had by all.
nice part of the world to be thats for sure.
Mate can please get some longer shorts because one of those pics in the tinnie with a mac tuna almost shows off your family jewels By the way i wasnt looking someone told me

Cheers Greg