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5 days at Hervey Bay

samsteele115

By samsteele115
in Saltwater

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samsteele115 Newbie

samsteele115

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The trip that Wayne and I had planned for almost a year finally came around last week.

We planned to take a few days off work and fish Hervey Bay from the 19-23 March weather permitting to chase longtail tuna and whatever else we came across.

Unfortunately the long range wind forecast in the days leading up to the trip were not looking good, so we made sure we packed plenty of estuary gear in case we were forced to fish sheltered waters.

As predicted, the first two days the bay was blown out which was very disappointing, but the last 3 days were looking very good...

Here is a day to day report of the trip that I have tried to keep as brief as possible.

Day 1:

We planned to target some barramundi and mangrove jack up the Burrum and Isis rivers and hopefully get a mud crab or two.

Not a lot to report with no legal crabs and only 1 cod. We did hook a few fish but lost them. This was to be the pattern of the entire trip....

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Day 2:

Planned to fish the Sandy Straights and the mouth of the Mary River.

We did manage to get a keeper mud crab, which was only just legal but very full. It was delicious!

No fish again today which we couldn't believe because some of the areas we fished just looked incredible.

Day 3:

Finally got to do what we went up there for.

A 10-15 knot northerly was forecast which swung around to an easterly in the afternoon. The ride up in the morning was a bit bumpy but it smoothed out very nicely by mid morning.

It didn't take long at all to find the longtail and we got stuck in. By midday we had boated 4 and somehow lost 5 others much to our frustration. Wayne had a few leader knot failures which he could not understand and had never happened before. I had a lure knot failure which has never happened before (possible cut on the split ring), and we had countless fish rub through our leader not just today, but for the following two days as well.

In the afternoon the tuna decided to become fussy and whatever we threw at them they wouldn't touch. For those not familiar with longtail fishing, it is the most frustrating feeling. They can even be swimming all around the boat and still not take your offering on some occasions.

Not to worry, we still had some awesome line burning fun between us even on the ones we lost.

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Day 4:

A repeat of yesterday but with less hooked fish. Early in the morning they were more aggressive hitting stick baits and larger lures. As the day went on they got fussier and fussier. There were the most tuna Wayne and I had ever seen in a day. They were everywhere. We just could not hook the bloody things! We weren't the only guys struggling as we didn't see a single fish hooked all day from the other boats including the charters, although I'm sure some fish were boated.

We donutted but both had a couple of hookups each before the fishing gods took to our line with their scissors. I got a solid fish close to the boat before it wore through my 40lb leader. I think I have to check my reel after that one because that fish had some serious speed!

Day 5:

We made an agreement if the tuna turned off for us again by late morning, we would try something different instead of wasting our time.

This paid off and was one of the best days of fishing I have ever had without actually getting many fish in the boat.

We found the tuna early again and made the most of the morning bite period that we were experiencing.

We boated a tuna each early on and hooked a couple more but lost them during the fight. It was some awesome action with the bay being glassed out and the tuna staying in a small area which meant we could stalk the fish with the electric motor the whole time.

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Once the tuna frenzy died down a bit, Wayne dropped a micro jig down below a bait ball to see what was lurking below. First drop he hooks a beautiful golden trevally which we actually got in the boat for a few photos and release.

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A bit more tuna chasing followed, but again they didn't want to eat our offerings as the sun rose higher. We noticed some big fish on the sounder below a bait ball and Wayne drops down a micro jig. Again, first drop he gets smashed but pulls the hooks.

Then again, and again, and again whilst I was not getting a touch on my soft plastic so I had to change to a micro jig as well.

Finally the hooks stick but it was a much smaller fish compared to the others, a spotted mackerel. We didn't see it for long because a big shark came up and stole yet another of Wayne's lures along with the fish.

The next patch of fish we got monstered on most drops. They were big and only twice I started to gain some momentum with my 15-30lb terez and 5000 Stradic. But before we could see colour, we either pulled hooks or the fish rubbed through the leader especially on the bigger fish that were hooked.

After about 15 lost fish it was getting ridiculous, so Wayne decided to pull out his jigging combo with 10000 saragosa with 40lb braid and 100lb leader. Surely he could stop the fish now right? Wrong.

When the next show on the sounder came along he dropped down the jig and rod buckled over again.

Half an hour later it was still not tiring after each run. We couldn't believe we had found an even bigger fish than the others we were having fun with.

Eventually after multiple drag tightenings, the leader broke and the fish was gone.

The action slowed down by 2pm and we still had an hour and a half trip back to the ramp and a 4 hour drive home so we made tracks.

What a day, what a trip. There is plenty of room for improvement so we both can't wait to get back there and do it all over again, with more boated fish of course.

It is such a beautiful part of the world and we saw some pretty cool things such as a sailfish free jumping near Wathumba, a massive ray launching itself in the air, so many dolphins and turtles and stacks of fish!

Now it's back to work and dreaming about the next time I can get up there.

Thanks,

Sam.

(Wayne will add some more photos)

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Luvit Newbie

Luvit

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We had a ball and made the most of the weather. Camping at Wathumba didn't happen but that's something I would still like to do.

We exclusively used lures except for the Mud crabbing. Sam, after many sledges at the Micro jigs Sam finally conceded they catch fish and tied one on. From then on he was hooked literally.

Here is some of the photos I took off the video.

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I have finished the video now and just have to publish it to youtube. What's the go with putting music to it? I look in the free stuff and didn't like any. (I have been bagged for my music taste before) I have previously added music I bought off iTunes and its still on Youtube but banned in other countries.

Is the worst they can do is remove the video?

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samsteele115 Newbie

samsteele115

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good to see ,

we fished up there from monday and left on wednsday .We camped at station hill . I can tell you there where hardly any tuna schools up there for those 3 days any schools we found where very skittish.

good on you with your trip it looked awsome

Really? That's interesting. Where were you looking?

The majority we found were near wathumba.

They were skittish most of the time, early morning seemed to be the best to fish for them for some reason. Usually it's when the sun is high I've found they turn on a bit more in Moreton Bay but wasn't the case for us this time in Hervey Bay.

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ellicat Grand Master

ellicat

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The start of a tradition ?

Good one guys. Glad to see that you kept the fish entertained :P the fish kept you entertained.

What was the accommodation and what was it like for boat security etc ?

Wayne, on the vid music - I just use any mp3 and click what sounds like the right 'legal option' and usually have no problem. Twice they told me there was an issue with the US but the video and audio still worked here.

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samsteele115 Newbie

samsteele115

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What was the accommodation and what was it like for boat security etc ?

Thanks Brian, the start of one for sure.

Stayed at harbour view caravan park (powered site first two nights and in a cabin last 3). In terms of location it cant get any better. Literally across the road from the ramp.

Theres a few dodgy characters around but boat security seems to be ok because there is enough room for boat and car at each powered site, and you get your own little drive way next to the cabin.

Just wouldnt leave valuables obviously.

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Tybo Newbie

Tybo

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Theres a few dodgy characters around but boat security seems to be ok because there is enough room for boat and car at each powered site, and you get your own little drive way next to the cabin.

Just wouldnt leave valuables obviously.

Hervey Bay, the highest unemployment in Queensland, and yes, full of suspects. My old man moved up there a few years ago, and reckons he has nothing stainless on his trailer anymore as it all just got pinched.

Great report though, and good to see you persisted, when that northerly blows in HB, it's generally awful fishing. I'm yet to get across to Platypus bay and Wathumba, how long was the run across from Urangan to Wathumba?

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samsteele115 Newbie

samsteele115

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I think its about 50km from Urangan to Wathumba. It took us nearly two hours the first morning trudging slowly through the northerly chop. And when the conditions were 10 knots or below from the east it only took an hour to Wathumba.

It's a very pleasant trip when the wind isn't up around 15 knots from the north.

It's something I will be doing in my little renegade 420 when I get it :)

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Luvit Newbie

Luvit

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We were warned by another camper that had been there for over a month that solar panels etc had been going missing.

Because of the trash that do this sort of stuff you just have to take everything each night and reload in the morning.

We headed off at day break and the wind was down, so if we didn't stopped for birds we averaged 40km/h (20knots) took a little over and hour to Wathumba.

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Farawayfishing Newbie

Farawayfishing

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Nice one blokes. Those little barrels can be good fun, particularly on light gear!

What is the plastic Wayne has in the mouth of that first picture of the Tuna's?

Ive never been lucky enough to score a good session there but I reckon the site fishing on a falling tide with a low draw hull in Wuthumba creek would be something special.

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johnverano Newbie

johnverano

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we looked and fished rooneys as we where fly fishing as we left on wednesday i sounded lots of bait around station hill reef and wathumba reef . I said to my decky that anyday soon the fish would turn up .

I will be back at the end of april .Ive had plenty of awsome sessions up there so im not put off at all.

great trip you had and yes that caravan park is very dodgy

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Luvit Newbie

Luvit

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It might be dodgy but in such a good position. Have been thinking if I was to camp overnight on the boat I could leave the trailer and car in caravan park instead of the car park.

You can walk to the boat club for a good meal, get ice or bait across the road and walk to the launch ramp and 24hr petrol. It's got everything except a couple of no hopers taking stuff that doesn't belong to them. They would have to be very quite with the swag laid next to the boat

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