queensland Barwon Banks-Yesterday

[daveylad]

Met up with Dhess and his mate at 3am at the Coast Guard ramp Mooloolaba and we were on the water by 3:15am. We headed straight out to the Banks a trip of about 38 kilometres to our marks. On the trip out we travelled about 32 kilometres per hour on fairly smooth water. when we arrived at our marks the sun was just appearing and in the south easterly sky we spotted a low burning light what appered to be a shooting star only much larger and it remained lit all the way to what appered to be the water, it was much larger than any other thing Dhess and I have seen fall from the sky at night and didnt burn out so it must have been a huge size before most of it burned up.

We headed for the Northern marks and deeper water stopping at the odd spot that looked promising on the sounder and made on or two drops but nothing biting. At the northern spots about 100 to 130 metres we dropped and drifted over several marks and didnt even get a bite although the sounder was showing signs of fish on the bottom and at about 70metre mark. So we decided to look around in some shallower reefs.

Again not even a bite with signs of life everywhere, we even spotted a Marlin jusping around about 100metres from us fantastic site and he really put a show on jumping at least half a dozen times well out of the water so we dropped some lures into the water and had a troll around for half and hour only bringing in a large Bonito. About this time we started to spot all sorts of action and it was like a day out at waterworld aquarium, Turtles, Whales pods of Dolpins, huge bait action near the surface and a cobia hanging around near the boat. But still not even a bite.

We headed of back to deeper water again and after a short while Dhess lands a large Yellow Tail Kingfish, and then a decent Pearl perch. one or two more pearlies were landed but put back as just undersized. Not long after this it stopped dead, the water by this time was complety still hardly any swell and little drift, you could see the bait going down at least 50 metres I've never seen the water so clear.

We pulled up stumps not long after frustrated and headed off back to Mooloolaba we managed to travel for most the trip travelling about 40 to 45 Klm per hour on still water. When we got about 15 Klms off Moolloolaba the wind picked up there blowing a Northerly making the travelling a bit bumpier. Overall a poor trip fish wise but really pleaseant day on the water with good company

[dassa]

What a great looking day to be on the water and bad luck the fish didn't come to the party for you gyus but a bad day fishing is better then what I was doing (working).how good does that water look and what water temps out there.

cheers dassa

[daveylad]

Screen shot of area

Something hanging around the boat looked like a Manta Ray

[Angus]

Shame it was so slow. Boydy was out there as well on Sunday and could not raise much besides one or two pearlies either!

Angus

[daveylad]

It appears that this happens regular when the conditions are what appear to be perfect the fish are off, is this a falicy or do you find this Angus ?

[Eug]

conditions looked great, shame about the fish.

[tugger]

northerlies can put the fish off the bite and sometimes they will come on at a particular time of day when its like that so it pays to be patient if you got the time, then somedays you just can't win a trick and i guess thats why they call it fishing not catching. it still would have been a lovely day to be on the water Dave did you see any whales out there with it so flat

[daveylad]

Yes Mark we saw a couple with young ones, bit surprised being that far East we were I think about 40 to 50klm North East of the coast, what we thought was a Cobia hanging near the boat it looked a bit like a shark fin out of the water and showing some tail also out of the water looked like it was at least a metre and a half long threw some bait towards him but couldnt entice him closer. I think I would rather have a little swell than none at all it was that calm it was like something on one of the movies about the Bermuda Triangle bit eerie, bit of swell keep things moving. :laugh:

[mick fillet]

sounds like a great day on the water.pitty about the fish not being on the chew.

Its definatly the northerly wind that shut em down on ya.

that would have been pritty cool stuff seing a marlin jumpin around the place.

[Old Scaley]

Should have gone out on Friday Davey. Here's a picture of the catch from Odyssey Charters from the northern end of the banks on Friday. Can recommend this charter if you are looking for for someone on the Sunshine Coast. Nice new 44 foot Noosa Cat with full walk around sides - plenty of room, good skipper and deckies.

[rosstralia46]

Old Scaley wrote:

Should have gone out on Friday Davey. Here's a picture of the catch from Odyssey Charters from the northern end of the banks on Friday. Can recommend this charter if you are looking for for someone on the Sunshine Coast. Nice new 44 foot Noosa Cat with full walk around sides - plenty of room, good skipper and deckies.

Looks like they didnt do to good either :laugh:

[dhess]

Yep Dave pretty much summed it up. Awesome sight seeing trip but crapola fishing.

I reckon it was a combination of a NWerly wind (have had a few really good sessions with a NWer though), dead still conditions all day with no wind and very little current. In anything up to about 60m of water it was ridiculous. I could find bottom with an unweighted pilchard.

Pretty pissed off at myself for not bringing the trolling gear along so we could have a serious go at it. The first black marlin we saw would have been around the 50-60kg mark and was jumping all over the place. In about 30-40 offshore trips this is a first for me. Soon after we saw another one tailing. Shortly after that I saw a manta cruise by that was only slighty smaller than the boat. Also heaps of whales around and pods of little oceanic dolphins that you don't see closer in to the coast. Later on saw a big mahi mahi cruise past but couldn't entice him by throw choppped up pillies his way.

All of the very limited action occurred fishing around the Tiger Kelly wreck in 120m of water. Thats about the only time we could get a bite even off awesome shows on the sounder. Even in 80-90m the fish were not having a bar of it.

We tried everywhere and everything but couldn't make it happen. Its the first complete dud offshore trip I have had but not a complete write off as some good, new ground was found and saw some cool sights. Also I guess you need to have a flop every now and again to appreciate how good it is when the bite is hot.

[dhess]

Old Scaley wrote:

Should have gone out on Friday Davey. Here's a picture of the catch from Odyssey Charters from the northern end of the banks on Friday. Can recommend this charter if you are looking for for someone on the Sunshine Coast. Nice new 44 foot Noosa Cat with full walk around sides - plenty of room, good skipper and deckies.

Nice haul indeed. A few of those rosy jobfish are crackers.

[Old Scaley]

dhess wrote:

Old Scaley wrote:

Should have gone out on Friday Davey. Here's a picture of the catch from Odyssey Charters from the northern end of the banks on Friday. Can recommend this charter if you are looking for for someone on the Sunshine Coast. Nice new 44 foot Noosa Cat with full walk around sides - plenty of room, good skipper and deckies.

Nice haul indeed. A few of those rosy jobfish are crackers.

Tasty too. Pity they have a habit of doing circles under charter boats to pick up other lines Seriously good day out though with lots of variety in the catch and some good whale watching as well.

[daveylad]

must have seen your boat out there . there were only about half a dozen boats we saw all day most were moving around we were on the Northern Marks but what a massive area it is out there, Next time give us a hoy :laugh:

[dhess]

Wrong day they were on the charter friday we were out there monday.