Macs or jacks?

[Bluevien]

With this weekend's weather looking pretty darn good and it being my only one off for Feb, I have to make the most of it.

Has anyone been out in the bay lately and any reports of macs out there? I would head out to the 4 beacons or the channel but if the water is still too dirty for them I won't waste my time and head to my old jack spots.

So will it be macs or jacks this weekend? What do you think?

Cheers,

Rob

[tugger]

Rob come down the gold coast we're chasing the macks and are all camping on wave break island they have been thick down there

[straddiebrad]

i would have to agree with mark on this one and the macks are a lot bigger down the goldie,still trying to get saturday off dont want to miss this i know if i do i will be kicking myself.brad

[hog23]

Hi Rob I was out in the bay on Saturday started at the measure mile beacons chucking slung them anchored up with pillies got a double hook up on sharks them out to m1 nothing 4beacons next nothing ended up back at the ramp with no more than the sharks great day on the water but the fishing was slow I would head to the coast for shore.

Cheers Hog

[Bluevien]

Thanks for the report, hog. That's the info I was after.

Good idea Mark, I didn't even think about it as I was meant to be working. I'll check with my mate to see if he can spare a whole day. It'll be Sunday if we can make it. I'll get back to you or read through the other thread for more info.

Cheers.

[kmcrosby78]

Bluevein - I have been tossing up the same scenario. I am staying Sat night at my relatives place in Nerang and planning to fish early Sun morning with my Uncle. Same options as you - join the hordes at Coomera hunting red or head out chasing macks. Leaning towards the latter as the winds are meant to be REALLY low and the 11am high tide appeals.

So .... Tugger and crew, I'm assuming the closest way to Mermaid Reef is out through the Seaway? If so, I'll prob head via Currumbin Creek and out to Palmy instead and fish Mermaid next weekend with the crew. Have only been there once and have no sounder - should I head slightly north of Tallebudgera Ck or south? If I am there right on dawn (ie. before the millions of other boats arrive) would I be best to drift to find the fish or just anchor up and burley?

Last thing - Tugger, any chance you could describe the process of making your mackeral rig as would like to use it this weekend. Haven't used wire in years so just not sure if you crimp it or whether the single strand stuff you use can be tied (hopefully not a totally dumb question!!!!!!).

Thanks and good luck with the macks Bluevein, Tugger and crew.

Kelvin.

P.S. Hope this isn't classed as taking over the post?

[Bri The Pom]

Don't worry head out of currumbin up towards burleigh headland you will see boats whatever time you go.

Im trying sat morning.

[Bri The Pom]

Bluevein - I have been tossing up the same scenario. I am staying Sat night at my relatives place in Nerang and planning to fish early Sun morning with my Uncle. Same options as you - join the hordes at Coomera hunting red or head out chasing macks. Leaning towards the latter as the winds are meant to be REALLY low and the 11am high tide appeals.

So .... Tugger and crew, I'm assuming the closest way to Mermaid Reef is out through the Seaway? If so, I'll prob head via Currumbin Creek and out to Palmy instead and fish Mermaid next weekend with the crew. Have only been there once and have no sounder - should I head slightly north of Tallebudgera Ck or south? If I am there right on dawn (ie. before the millions of other boats arrive) would I be best to drift to find the fish or just anchor up and burley?

Last thing - Tugger, any chance you could describe the process of making your mackeral rig as would like to use it this weekend. Haven't used wire in years so just not sure if you crimp it or whether the single strand stuff you use can be tied (hopefully not a totally dumb question!!!!!!).

Thanks and good luck with the macks Bluevein, Tugger and crew.

Kelvin.

P.S. Hope this isn't classed as taking over the post?

As Mark is offline and he got the rig from me:whistle: I will try and explain.

18 - 24inch of 27 lb - 36 lb single strand wire a 4/0 - 6/0 mustad big gun hook and a very small swivel, haywire twist swivel one end hook the other.The haywire twist to be about 1 1/2 inch long.

Mark correct me if im wrong.

[tugger]

yep thats right and then u need a bait needle which i use 300mm length of stiff wire with a small bent end enough though that the swivel fits through then put it up the bum of the pilchard and out the mouth and pull the swivel through the mouth so the hooks ends up at the bum then tuck the point of the hook into the pillies back so the hook does not pull through the stomach tie it on and float it out

[kmcrosby78]

Cool - after a bit of decoding (I at first thought there was a swivel called a Haywire Twist Swivel - turns out it's all in the reading!!!!! - I have now got it. So Haywire Twist the wire to the small black swivel, Haywire twist the hook to the other end, use the bait needle/stiff wire to make the wire trace go through the body of the pilchard and keep pulling til the hook end is at the tail, then hook into the pilly, tie main line to the swivel (so obviously if you managed to get baited - probably unlikely - then you'd need to cut the main line, prepare the next pilly then re-tie the main line?), put a float on (prob 3-4m I guess depending on how sunny??) and Bob's your aunty .......

If I get to Palmy just on daybreak (before thousands of boats arrive) would you guys suggest drifting (to find the fish) or just anchoring and burleying with pilly cubes?

Thanks Bri and Tugger - can add another skill to my repertoire (hopefully!!!!!). Presumably you use this instead of gangs as it's a little more discreet/less noticeable?

Cheers,

Kelvin.

[tugger]

if there's a little bit of current i send 1 of the baits out without a float and the 1 with the float i have the bait about 4m under it and i tend to anchor somewhere there or drifting if the boats start to leave

[Bri The Pom]

Sorry about the haywire swivel, it's the pommy acsent, but youre on the money. As for drifting mostly too many boats to get a good drift.

Don't know what boat you have make sure youre anchor rope is long enough 75 ft deep from memory.That was my first mistake

[kmcrosby78]

Tugger - cheers mate for all the tips, it is much appreciated. Hopefully will have luck this weekend (ALL of us!!) and then looking forward to meeting you next weekend and having a beer.

Bri - no worries guv'na!!!! Yeah did a quick Google search to find out what it was - haywire twist is now part of my vocabulary!!!!! With regards to anchor rope, think I will be OK but will get it out tomorrow and double check. Have fished there once before (at least where I think PBR is - no sounder ...) and reached the bottom. Boat is a 14ft Stacer with 30hp Johnno.

Thanks again guys, catchy you next weekend.

Eug - good luck to you mate, and sorry again if I took over your post. Hopefully the info from Tugger/Bri is useful for you also.

Kelvin.

[kmcrosby78]

Actually Tugger/Bri - one last question (I promise ..... maybe!!!!!). Is it easier to thread the trace through a frozen pilly or thawed (just wondering if they are a little too fragile once thawed?).

Kelvin.

[Shirvo]

Hey guys - just 1 question - wHAT IS THE "MAIN LINE" ? Braid/Mono and weight?

Cheers

[Bri The Pom]

It really depends how stiff the bait needle is, i go partially frozen and then store them back in the esky and ready to just tie on.

I personally use 40lb braid with 40lb mono leader about 3-4 mtrs long.

[kmcrosby78]

Eug - good luck to you mate, and sorry again if I took over your post. Hopefully the info from Tugger/Bri is useful for you also.

Kelvin.

[Shirvo]

Cheers Bri,

Will have to hit you up one day if u have a spare seat to come out and learn a few things!

[kmcrosby78]

It really depends how stiff the bait needle is, i go partially frozen and then store them back in the esky and ready to just tie on.

I personally use 40lb braid with 40lb mono leader about 3-4 mtrs long.

Told you I wouldn't ask any more questions Bri .........

So you have the braid, then tie a bimini twist (or similar) to your leader (Black Magic, Vanish, etc) then tie your leader to the wire?

Ta,

Kelvin.

P.S. Am presuming the reason for the single hook and not gangs is so the hooks aren't as visible, therefore more solid bite, therefore better hook up rate?

[Woodlaz]

HAHAHAH sry this is wayyyy off topic, but while reading this thread I noticed Bri's signature of PB's. 1120cm threadfin salmon - HOLY SH1T. Thats like 2.5x the length of my tinny - I bet he dont have pics tho. HAHAHAHAHAH jk - typo or purposely done - still funny.

Again, sry for being off topic.

Cheers

Glenn

[Bri The Pom]

I personally use 40lb braid with 40lb mono leader about 3-4 mtrs long.

[Bri The Pom]

HAHAHAH sry this is wayyyy off topic, but while reading this thread I noticed Bri's signature of PB's. 1120cm threadfin salmon - HOLY SH1T. Thats like 2.5x the length of my tinny - I bet he dont have pics tho. HAHAHAHAHAH jk - typo or purposely done - still funny.

Again, sry for being off topic.

Cheers

Glenn

Well spotted Glenn, Ive always measured in mm not cm, so yes typo.Would have been a cracker that size

[kitacooch]

Hey guys newbie to macs here, just wondering if you use any other fish for bait, livies etc, are there bait grounds you guys use? What macs are on the go at precent and how big??

cheers

[kmcrosby78]

Hey Kitacooch,

Mate do a search for the Wavebreak weekend (AFO Wanderers) from about 3 weeks ago, plus any mackeral reports from Tugger (Mark) as he gets PLENTY!!!! Good spotties around the Gold Coast area (I'll add at this point that I'm just regurgitating info from OTHER PEOPLE as I only caught one 71cm model) up to arond the 1 metre mark, pleny of spanish around the 1m-1.2m mark and just saw a post by Mick Fillet with decent schoolies over at Tangalooma.

Popular inshore Reefs seem to be Mermaid and Palm Beach on the Gold Coast - with a few others slightly further from there. The weekend we were at Mermaid we were getting live yakkas.

Good luck!!

Kelvn.