queensland Clear Island Waters 24/10/09 Report

[Rocket75]

Knowing I was going down the coast last night visiting my parents at Robina I loaded up CEDRIC the yak for only his 2nd ever session since he and I teamed up.

CEDRIC, ( Hobbie Sport ) as he is now christened, stands for

Canals

Estuaries

Dams

Rivers

Inlets

Creeks

When the alarm went off at 5.00am I was tempted to roll over and head back to "Z land" but the lure of a big bream or bass was too much to ignore.

On the water by 5.45 I trolled my way down to the loche with occasional stops to throw poppers at surface action.

With dawn getting earlier by the day I think I missed most of the surface action, and that which was still around gave me no joy.

The punishing wind that has featured in our local weather of late was evident quite early making surface fishing difficult, so I stuck with trolling for most of the session.

On my only previous fishing session with CEDRIC I was saved from donutting by a lovely little bream, 1.5 hours into today's session I was fishless and thinking that the donut was going to catch up with me.

I pulled off the main canal into the little lake near the loche in the hope that there might be a fish or two hiding in there out of the wind tight against the banks.

I went to my confidence lures and trolled 2 RMG/Halco Scorpions 35 around the perimeter enjoying the experience but ultra keen to catch something.

Just as I was nearing the mouth of the lake ending my circuit I saw my 2-4kg Starlo Stix buckle over and heard that beautiful sound.

A screaming drag is the sound I dream of...is that unusual?

The drag on my Revros 2500 was going off as 4lb braid was stripped at a steady clip.

Being new to Yak fishing this was the moment of truth...what do you do first?

Loaded up rod comes out of holder, the hooks are set, the rudder gets a touch to keep out of the reedy shallows and the other line is clear of the area...now to land this angry critter.

After taking a lot of line on the first run and heading in the direction of some snaggy territory, I reckoned on it being a decent fish, so a slight increase in drag pressure was called for.

That done, after a few more solid runs and a rush of adrenaline I had yakside a cracking bream

I reach for my net...that would be the net I lost last trip out

So with little other choice and not trusting the 4lb flurocarbon I reached over and grabbed the lure's bib.

Next thing I know I have a lap full of angry bream...spikes and fins erect (the fish that is!).

With my new friend flopping around I called it for a new PB (approx 40cm) and when reaching for the camera and measure he makes a mad dash for H2O.

After bouncing his way to the peddles and leaving a track of puncture marks on my foot he executes a full somersault with half pike (not bad for a bream), and swims away leaving me with a sore foot and a big smile.

He was destined to be returned to the water anyway, but it would have been nice to get a piccy before we parted company.

Oh well, better to have loved and lost etc.

Lures re-deployed I covered the same area again (as you do) but no more action was to be had.

On the way back to the launch site I experimented with some different lures, but found that most anything that dived over 1.5m ended up getting too much weed to be effective.

The only other fish landed was a spunky little bass of approx 20cm that took a liking to my Scorpion, but in a different colour.

Every trip I make in the yak is a learning experience.

Lessons learnt so far:

- doing up the bung under the seat helps to keep your buttocks dry

- finding the right seat set up takes some work and can result in a sore back whilst experimenting

- clutter is a bad thing

- trebbles will manage to tangle in everthing at the most inopportune times

- double test all components before launching and maintain moving parts (partial mirage drive failure last time out and no sounder action today)

All up I'm calling it a successful trip, and I'm keen to give it another go soon...maybe tommorrow actually!

Thanks for reading, sorry for the lack of photos.

Rocket

ps (This report is also posted on KFDU)

[Dimo]

Shame about not getting your pic , Congratz on your PB bream

[wesfish]

nice report mate ! top read! are you sure you smiled as the bream swam away? :laugh: i would have thought some swear words were in order lol with the nice spikes before the flip!

[tacklebox]

great report rocket. well done on your new pb!

maybe try a comfort lift next time? either that or buy a new landing net

[Rocket75]

thanks guys.

I'm not gunna claim the PB as it was not measured accurately, but it was fun anyway.

Yes Wes, there were a few nasty words uttered around my smile

it's been ages since I wrote up a serious report, good to see you guys enjoying the read.

T-Box...the net will be first thing on board next time (and I'll try not to drop it overboard like the last one.

[benno573]

"After bouncing his way to the peddles and leaving a track of puncture marks on my foot he executes a full somersault with half pike (not bad for a bream), and swims away leaving me with a sore foot and a big smile."

I guess that's why they are called pikey bream?

Worst joke ever...

Good work on the fish mate, 40-ish is a biggun in anyone's books.

[Terry H]

Nice mate.

although I notice there was no O for Offshore..??

[Cowfish13]

CEDRIC-O?

Nice one Rocket There are some good sized fish in those Canals!

[Terry H]

Is that like, minus O? :laugh:

[Do$tylz]

Well done rocket. I haven't been ti CIW in ages. Did they ever end up building a real launch site or pontoon??

[Bommie]

CEODRIC

good read Rocket

[Dinodadog]

onya rocket, I just got my L plates too

[tomca]

using pool noodle on the handle will make the next net float.

Now the mornings are warming up, the surface action there should be awesome.

No pic= didn't happen

[Rocket75]

thanks for the feedback fellas.

Beno: yes that is a bad pun, but that's the way I like it. At least it wasn't a pike eel.

Yeh Dino, us old dogs are learning new tricks!

Henry, I launched from the same spot (near the dog park) and nothing seems to have changed there.

As for "O" for offshore...maybe, one day, CEDRIC will make it out for a snappa session, but that won't be his speciality

[Bluevien]

rocket, i got a little tinnie you can borrow if you get tired of a soggy backside .

great report.... gotta love it when you avoid a doughnut with a cracking fish.

[fergie]

good read rocket i also have a yak that i've used once at the flatty social (currimundi lake) but i'm keen to take it offshore if your ever keen!

[yoyo]

hey rocket nice fish there.

I had been carting around my environet, but it makes for a very good sail when the wind picks up so is not ideal for the yak. A few weeks back i picked up what is actually a trout net from Anaconda (mojiko brand), only cost 20 bucks and i have found it to be perfect for use in the Hobie. It even has a little belt clip and wrist strap that you can attach to one of your bungies if you're super paranoid.

I feel your pain with the flapping fish in the pedal well though, last week i had a rampant 57cm flathead in the same spot and he tagged me a few times on the shin (not with the gill spikes thankfully...)

wetaher coming up looks pretty ordinary for offshore yakking, but when it does improve we should hit up palm reef...