queensland Barwon Banks-Friday

[daveylad]

Met up with Dhess and Shane at 3.30am at Mooloolaba Coast Guard Ramp on a still clear morning, we were quickly out into the river and okay till we entered the exit to the sea, there has been some work done on the entrance due to sand bars forming, As soon as we arrived it all looked very different to previous trips there was a good size wave forming up to our left coming across from the entrance, we waited for a while looking at it to see what it how it formed up, the tide was out at that time then 2 boats came into it, thinking we'll watch them and follow, one boat went straight ahead and the other went leftand around the front of the wave whicj looked a bit odd considering the size of the wave so we followed the 1st boat. It was okay for crossing but the depth was down to .5 of a merte in spots to an average of .75, very different to the past. Anyway soon passed it and entered good clean water.

it takes about 1.5 hrs to travel to the banks and it was not too bumpy a trip, not quite what was forecasted. We arrived there before sunup and got some good indications on the sounder at one of Doms favourite spots.

It didnt take too long to get some hits, all of us got bitten off several times with some really big hits.Sahane struck first with a legal snapper. Then Dom got a big hit and pulled in the Snapper of the day.

Overall it was a great day with a reasonable catch with many lost over the day and some undersize, on the way back Dom and I had a lesson in catching Macks with Sahne pulling about 10 in the baot in as many minutes using a small slug. The area was the outer Gneerings and was alive with bait and Macks boiling up.

[Manni79]

Well done guys, definitely a good feed and a few shark baits too

[Bluevien]

Nice feed fellas. Certainly worth the trip out. I dig the fish on the grill shirt too.

Cheers,

Rob

[rosstralia46]

Nice work guys good variety

[zan0_15]

wow, u need to tell shane to leave the bong at home next time! that photo is too funny! hahaha

well done fellas, looks like a great day was had.

[Shane69]

wow, u need to tell shane to leave the bong at home next time! that photo is too funny! hahaha

well done fellas, looks like a great day was had.

Haha i just saw that.

I didnt know he took the photo.

I was too busy tryna Unhook fish and tryna get cast in.

[zan0_15]

wow, u need to tell shane to leave the bong at home next time! that photo is too funny! hahaha

well done fellas, looks like a great day was had.

Haha i just saw that.

I didnt know he took the photo.

I was too busy tryna Unhook fish and tryna get cast in.

lol its a classic, i love it hahaha.

how many kms is it out to the banks from the ramp?

[Shane69]

Depends where you fish about 40ks to shallow reef.

Why you wanna go :whistle:

Your boat will make it there easy on half decent weather.

Ask Dom hel tell you exact

[zan0_15]

yer well i got 240km range in reasonable conditions. im keen to do it, now that ive got a better tug for the boat im keen to start heading up the coast a bit more.

[daveylad]

If the weather comes good in the next week or so Dom and I will be heading out there again in my boat hopefully do an all nighter if the conditions are like they were on Friday. 40 k's is the distance then about another 10 to 15 to the further out reefs or wreck.

[tugger]

A couple of nice snaps fellas the conditions would have been perfect

[dhess]

It was an anteresting outing. Still peally pissed off about the Mooloolaba entrance. A few months ago it was equally shallow but also easily navigablewith buoys marking the way out. The knob ends have removed the beacons and now there is a breaking sandbank 50m past the walls. Great on a port where dozens if not hundreds of people go out of during darkness.

Anyway to the fishing, it was really strange getting bitten off right on the bottom several times. Have never had it happen out there. Finally realised who the culprits where when I brought a very nice sized spottie from bottom in 80m of water, only to be bitten off boat side. Even more bizarre.

Shane's redthroat was awesome. Usually only get them that size above Fraser, all the ones we have caught down that way have been just legal.

Despite drifting over acres of wire weed we couldn't get onto the pearlies. Caught a few just unders.

Seeing Shane smashing the mac tuna on slugs was quite a spectacle. I was happy to just sit back and drive.

Zano, the southern end of the banks is about 37km from the Mooloolaba headland, the northern end is about 50km. The deeper spots are another 5 or so km out. NE of the banks are the Hards which is another huge range of reef, but I haven't been up there yet but have heard very good things.

Nice to fish again with you Dave and really nice to meet you Shane.