Fraser Island Reds

[Shane69]

With the excellent forecast for the weekend i decided to gather a couple of mates and head up for an over nighter off Fraser. We crossed wide bar on first light and made our 80ks north of the bar to an area i have been meaning to go ever since i started fishing out there. The weather wasnt the best but we could still sit on 22 knots. Upon arrival i was quite dissapointed with the amount of big reefs in the area. I tried to stay clear of these as much as possible trying to find isolated rocks away from the structure. I headed another 20ks north picking up fish here and there but not the target species.

By mid day it had totally glassed off, the current had picked up by now.

I decided to head in from the shelf and work south trying to get out of the current. By 3pm i was back to where i started. I chose a reef that had lots of bait on it to anchor for a arvo bite. The current was strong so to hold bottom in 55m on anchor we were using 24oz lead. A few fish came over the side but nothing special. The sharks took their fair share too. Around 8 we decided to hit the sack so we are refreshed for the next days fishing.

i woke up at 2am and looked over the side of the boat. The current was even stronger now.4-6 knots i reckon. The was a wake at the back of the boat. The wind and swell had totally dissapeared and i knew it was going to be a glass out next morning. 5am i got off anchor and made my way south 40ks south to an area i have done abit of fishing. A couple of ks before my desired area i ran across a nice little rock with a good show of fish. 

The first drift resulted in a 3 way on big reds. This had lightened the mood in the boat. Biggest going a touch over 11. Next drift we got a couple more and i got a low 13 fish. That one fish had made my trip.it put a good account for himself too.

I left the spot Shortly after this as im trying to save it for future trips. We fished few other spots in the area till mid day picking up a varoety of reef fish. 

At mid day i made the call to head back in. The trip back Didnt take long as we got to sit on 30 knots the whole way back.

All up it was a great trip. Went to a Whole new area with no marks. Did a bit of searching and it paid off. Total distance travelled for a dat and half. 326kms.

All the fish were caught on various PE tackle flys and BFG hooks. They are a must when chasing big fish offshore. 

 

Couple of photos from the trip

[ellicat]

Nice work on the new spots. Plenty to keep the hunger pains away.
Have you updated your boat in the last couple of years, Shane ?

[Shane69]

8 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Nice work on the new spots. Plenty to keep the hunger pains away.
Have you updated your boat in the last couple of years, Shane ?

Hey mate yeah i did.i got a 6.5m platey now. Have had it for about a year now. Its great for up north trips. 

[Luvit]

Such a good read and magnificent fish.  I am looking forward to catching my first Red.

I was looking through some of your previous photo today to see which PE hooks to get. The swivel ganged in the pilchard bomb colour seemed to feature a lot in your captures.

I was going to get some in the 8/0 and some in the 10/0 sizes. 

Some serious kms to find the fish. I don't have that range or that size boat but I will find them eventually. Bars are the biggest barrier for me. 

[Shane69]

10 minutes ago, Luvit said:

Such a good read and magnificent fish.  I am looking forward to catching my first Red.

I was looking through some of your previous photo today to see which PE hooks to get. The swivel ganged in the pilchard bomb colour seemed to feature a lot in your captures.

I was going to get some in the 8/0 and some in the 10/0 sizes. 

Some serious kms to find the fish. I don't have that range or that size boat but I will find them eventually. Bars are the biggest barrier for me. 

Cheers mate.

chasing reds is an addiction lol. Nothing else matters when you are out there. 

At one stage on the trip i was east of waddy. Gives an idea where i was first day. Its a good area but have to spend alot of time searching away from the structure. 

The pillie bomb is my favourite mate. Just a awesome colour. I also like the hussar glow. They work a treat. I use size 10 or 12 for reds and 6 and 8 bfg for snapper. 

Mate you dont have to go that far to get them. 1770 they alot closer. But if you want a big bad red. Fraser is the place.

Get a fuel bladder mate. Your boat would get 2km per liter hey. 100l bladder be enough. They not expensive either. Run your tank and as soon as its finished fill bladder in and it rolls to nothing. 

 

[Luvit]

I'll will be trying 1770 first. I'm just not confident in an open CC to go through bars. Thanks for the hook size advice i was going to message you but you save me the trouble.

I can carry 150 litres of fuel and allow 1.5 km per litre to be conservative. In good weather in get 1.9km/l

So I have a safe range of around 200km and should be fine if the weather blows up. 

How do transfer the fuel from the bladder, a siphon? (I couldn't lift a 100kg there abouts).

[Shane69]

100l isnt 100kg mate. About 70-80 tops.and you buy the pump. Its easy as. Wide bay is a long bar. Have to treat it with respect.

Need atleast 300km range for 1770 too mate.

Im going to sell mine end of year too mate. For the fishing i do etc. a cat is the way to go. Good range comfortanle in all weather and space. I will be looking at a 2300 noosa cat or 2400 kevla cat starting of next year. 

 

[jon]

Nice report there buddy, some prime fish too. Love that sounder shot just has big red stamped all over it

[Luvit]

Be done with it and run charters. A boat that big will need some rich mates to put in for fuel. 

You won't need your bladder by next year then? It maybe going cheap, ha, ha

 

[Shane69]

14 minutes ago, Luvit said:

Be done with it and run charters. A boat that big will need some rich mates to put in for fuel. 

You won't need your bladder by next year then? It maybe going cheap, ha, ha

 

Haha stuff that. I am not patient. Il throw people over board. Just ask seff lol. 

Mate you would be suprised. Cats are very efficent. My mate had a 2400 kevlacat. Out here he got 1.2k per l. Up north 1-1. You can fish 4 easy out of them too. I spoke to a guy with a noosa cat 2300 and he had loaded boat and he said with twin 150 he gets 1 to 1 every day. 

Haha il still need bladders: once i get a cat i will attempt to do swains from gladstone. 

[Luvit]

1-1 I'd be happy with that.

If I had a mate with a 24ft boat..... Who am I kidding, I don't have any mates.

The bigger boat you have the more people that want to be your friends. 

I'll stay with the small boat and catch the odd good fish.

[Shane69]

9 minutes ago, Luvit said:

1-1 I'd be happy with that.

If I had a mate with a 24ft boat..... Who am I kidding, I don't have any mates.

The bigger boat you have the more people that want to be your friends. 

I'll stay with the small boat and catch the odd good fish.

You certainly fish less with a bigger boat. Sometimes i wish i had smaller boat too. 

I dont really fish down here anymore mate. Id rather not go out 2-3 trips here and just go north these days. So much better fishing. Like dont get me wrong good fishing down here but hard work.

 

[Luvit]

So you're telling me it's not your skill that catches fish,  it where you go

Keep the photos coming. 

I agree, I like going North.

When I get a bigger boat I'll expore further a field. 

 

[jon]

 

30 minutes ago, Shane69 said:

Haha stuff that. I am not patient. Il throw people over board. Just ask seff lol. 

Mate you would be suprised. Cats are very efficent. My mate had a 2400 kevlacat. Out here he got 1.2k per l. Up north 1-1. You can fish 4 easy out of them too. I spoke to a guy with a noosa cat 2300 and he had loaded boat and he said with twin 150 he gets 1 to 1 every day. 

Haha il still need bladders: once i get a cat i will attempt to do swains from gladstone. 

I've just been pricing two hundred litre bladders myself , a few more mods and we can leave your boat at home and fill my sounder with all the red marks lol

[demarc]

Well done again Shane. You're a fishing machine mate! We still need to do a tag-team trip at 1770... Boat will be back on trailer this weekend, then I'll watch the weather. Otherwise Ausfish m&g is coming up quick, I'll always have room in the house for you mate. Talk is cheap remember, make it this year!

[demarc]

21 hours ago, Luvit said:

So you're telling me it's not your skill that catches fish,  it where you go

Keep the photos coming. 

I agree, I like going North.

When I get a bigger boat I'll expore further a field. 

 

Wayne, I'll be up at 1770 in September. I have not filled my deckie spot this year, unless Tugger can make it. If you're keen, I can make it happen. Quick trip up for you with no boat, under 6 hours if you're Tugger. The week I spend up there with the Ausfish blokes, we only every do 2 days on the reef, so it's a good intro trip. Can't promise Reds... And if you can dive/spear, I know this awesome cray spot and have an accurate mark for it.

If you're keen, PM me and we can talk more.

[Luvit]

Thanks for the offer Julian. Unfortunately the dates won't allow me to go with work commitments. 

Will have to get there another time.

 

[Angus]

This was such good motivation up at 1770 @Shane69

[PA Pete]

Good quality fish. Not a bad read, all those reds make me home sick for the swains [big reds, BIG REDS]. 1770 holds good size reds but every now and then a horse comes along. Keep the posts and fish rolling in.

Cheers Pete