queensland Byfield Back in December... Monster LB Queenie (more pics added)

[Damien2Rad]

Gents, late last / earlier this year I went on a big ol' drive.

Did a bit of fishing on the way, never got around to a report.

I spent a bit of time in CQ and took my car up to Byfield national park / 9 Mile beach and at the time, the conditions were absolutely horrendous, as you can see by this photo:

But while cooking breakfast one morning...

I noticed lots of mullet in the shallows, I JUST knew there had to be predators like Spanish mackerel and queenies coming in and boy didn't my patience, sitting in the shade drinking beer, pay off with this queenfish site casted from the bank on a 3000 size reel with about 18lb braid.

Sitting there, watching the water, waiting.... until I saw the dark shapes come out of the blue, into the green, then into the clear water right up behind the "breakers"....

Any way, I didn't measure it as I wanted to release it ASAP as it was quite spent in the fight.... but I reckon it was over 120cm...

Can't wait to get up there again and try for a LB Spanno and the many big Permit (Snub Nosed Dart) I have noticed in the water.

We also managed to score a feed of some great whiting and dart from the surf, including a dart of around 45cm and some small permit.

Enjoy,

Damien

[Old Scaley]

Breakfast beers and a pb queenie on a perfect day in paradise. :woohoo: did you seriously have to post that on a wet miserable workday in Brisbane?

Looks like a great trip. More reports and photos please.

[Damien2Rad]

I drove from Brisbane to Miles, got made redundant on the 15th; then - Miles to Biloela - Biloela to Rocky - Rocky to Longreach - Longreach to Cloncurry, where I spent Christmas with my nephews - Cloncurry to Townsville - Townsville to Bowen - Bowen to Airlie - Airlie to Rocky where I stayed for New Years Eve and got back to Bris on the 2nd. There are other stories from this trip better told over a beer, not for this site!

These fish were on the way up....

However, once I got to Cloncurry I went to the dam, but never fished, though it has been stocked with barra in the past.

No photo's from Townsville, didn't fish, stayed 2 nights at the new Quest, and spent time around The Strand. Nice area, but found a nice town, accidentally, while taking random turn offs, but have since forgotten what it was called This photo is from somewhere near there.....

Stopped in Bowen....

Got these Fresh local tigers, ended up at the pub, but caught a little GT on popper first. Bowen is a town I could see myself spending a lot of time in.

Except my smoke alarm went off in the cabin I hired.....

And that's after I took the batteries out! What a bloody pest that was, ended up in the car for a few hours......

This is Hydeaway Bay, north of Airlie. Beautiful spot. Also stopped for a Stubby at Montes Reef Resort.... Take your missus, it's beautiful....and there's a private boat ramp for guests....

And that's all the photo's I have (saved of facebook because I can't be bothered getting them off my phone in other ways....

So yeah, I had a fun and eventful break.

One more from Byfield:

[jon]

Nice work Damo , sounds like you had a pretty good trip and the photo of that queenie is awesome.