queensland Having a Whale of A Time

[Tom156]

Finally some really good weather has arrived for offshore and with the forecast of low swells and a south-west wind early it was always going to be an easy choice deciding what to do.

Brett and I headed out nice and early Monday morning with a bit of a westerly that was bloody cold and really dry. But heading out from the canals in Raby Bay we were greeted by a really cool looking moon, with just a whisper of a crescent lingering over straddie.

The trip out was pretty easy, with the bar having some pressure waves but glassing out once we crossed some of the shallower banks and it stayed this way for most of the trip until we started to get closer to our first spot. The wind had begun to push through on sunrise and was slopping the surface up a bit, but with little swell we couldn't really complain with the bumpy ride.

I had a bit of a pop early hopeful of a GT but this wasn’t going to happen today, I think the water temp is finally starting to drop but I could be wrong, there may be another band of warm current coming down from the north over the next week which could fire things up... Brett was having a jig and throwing plastics and hooked up to a nice Yellow Fin Tuna which made a good account for itself when it got chased by a shark. But once Brett started to bring it up he could feel the tell-tale signs of a Tuna with the beating tail through the line.

We tried a bit longer at our first spot but decided it wasn’t going to fire, even with all the current so a decision was made to move to another reef. We found some decent marks there as well but getting a good fish was hard work. Brett did get a nice squire which confirmed what was down there but we struggled to pull anything else to we moved again.

This time heading south. With all the whale action we had seen over the last couple of trips we made an attempt to get some good shots and on the way down south we found one whale that was doing its nut. I think it would have jumped easily out of the water over thirty times, it was a really awesome sight to see. Especially when the two whales came close to the boat to suss us out.

After spending about half an hour following these two whales we decided it was time to go fishing again and sounding around our desired spot turned out fruitless, with only a scattering of bait and Brett getting a small Bonito, so another move was decided and it was back up north.

I was feeling pretty defeated once we reached our next spot, having been on the dreaded doughnut. I lined up a drift but didn't get anywhere near where I wanted but still we stuck with fishing. At this spot we were fishing plastics with one ounce jig heads and a combo of Z-man plastics and Gulps. We were fishing quite deep being in 60-70 metres but this was right on the turn of the tide so we were barely drifting anywhere as the conditions were beginning to glass out. I was hoping for anything at this stage and got myself comfortable on the back of the boat letting some line out and giving the rod a couple of rips and hops every now and again. After a bit a felt a tap then I quickly hopped the lure and let it drop back down then felt a thud and line started screaming of the 4000 Saltiga after a good fight and a long wind back to the surface a very good Snapper was boated, seems it was keen on a lunch time feast.

Stoked with this capture I perked up a bit, as can be imagined. We drifted the mark I wanted the first time for no result so moved a little further north. We marked some really good bait and fish at this spot and where both hopeful of at least getting one or two fish out of this spot. But it was still very tough. Brett got a nice Pearl Perch from the area and I hooked a decent Mack Tuna but apart from some other decent hits and hook ups that result in the hooks pulling nothing else really eventuated.

The weather was really premo, with conditions possibly been a bit to good and because the run home is such a mission having to head back over the bar and through the bay back and we weren't all too keen on having a late one considering we were up nice and early and Brett still needed to head home to the Goldy.

We couldn't complain with the weather, that and the whales and the good snapper really made for a pretty good day, but still the Jigging isn't exactly going off up here with all the warm currents hanging around but hopefully we get a late season or an early season on the GT's either way win win.

Tom

/>http://tomsfishingblog.com/category/fishing-reports/

[Old Scaley]

Great report and pictures, especially the whale shot. I can send any number of whales to the bottom simply by reaching for the camera. Hard to get them out of the water like that.

[Tom156]

I have found the same thing, but this whale was going off its nut. It really was awesome, they move a bit of water and make some noise when they hit the water too. Got a cool shot from the sounder of the two of them under the boat as well.

[morty85]

Great report! Shame about no GT's, never popped for them but its a dream to hopefully try it one day!

[Angus]

Very nice lads!!!

Well done.

Brett long time no see on AFO mate

Angus

[Tom156]

He's a bit sideways in the last pic haha