queensland Aaahhhhh Bucket!!!!!

[Drop Bear]

Breeezzzing morning. Don't tell @rayke1938 but when he said that I should meet him at Chandler my brain thought the Boondall... I don't know why. Perhaps it was just that Boondall is on the way and Chandler isn't for me. Well whatever.

So as soon as I realised my mistake I gave him a call and told him I'd meet him at the gate.

This meant I was super early so instead of camping out in the cold at the loneliest place on the planet, the PRFMA gate, I did a bit of an explore around Bullocky Point. Its a great little picnic area. I think it would make a great day fishing from the bank and having a bbq. 

After a bit of a cruse around the lonely pre dawn picnic areas I made it back to the gate. The moon was up but small. It was cool but as there was no wind it was bear-able. 

Ray and Rick turned up and the tripple R crew prepped the boat and waited for the 6am kick off siren. 

There was a cute little Drop Bear in the tree waiting for us that we made out in the light mist that sat on the water. 

We picked up the Red Claw pots. They were all really full and we soon had a big bucket full of them. Rick is the master Red Claw machine. No sooner than they arrived in the boat they are dispatched and cleaned. He has this awesome technique where after killing them he pulls the middle tail fin out and the poop shoot comes with it. Very easy and clean. Cracking tip this one. 

It was cold. My hands didn't work properly and it made it really hard to do the cable ties up.

We tried a few places and although the fishing was a little slow for Ray's usual standards the quality was great... well not for me... Ray and Rick pulled in crackers while I was catching a few small versions. 

Rick's rod doubled over with line screaming off. He expertly feathered the spool so the fish could not bust him off in the snags. Thumping runs Rick soon had the fish under control and he called for the net. A stonking 50cm Bass landed on the deck. A real beauty. We all got a few photos and let this beautiful silver armored fish slip back into the cool deep green waters. 

I love seeing good fish come on board no matter who catches them on the boat but... My PB Bass is 46cm and a 50cm is firmly placed on the Bucket List. So not to take anything away from Rick's cracker I wanted to have a little tantrum. 

We moved a few times and Ray caught a few nice fish but them he was onto a gooden. The played it without fuss but line was stripping off the reel. Rayke slipped the net under another 50cm Bass.

Stunning with huge shoulders and a full belly. The familiar routine of a great fish we took some photos and off she went... A great fish... but where was mine! I really was being out fished today. I had probably caught about half the number of fish that Ray and Rick had caught. I had a similar rig, same bait so I had to put it down to luck... I was not going to admit skill...

There was a fair bit of activity around the place today. They were burning off over the hill and a brave helicopter was checking out the high tension power lines. 

I was using my favourite 4" Alvie. It was my grandfathers reel. I had 8lb line on it. I love using Alvies for this sort of fishing. I caught a few 30+ cm bass and it is really fun to have the challenge of playing out line by hand. No drag and no one to blame for a lost fish than yourself. Old meats new. The rod is a nice Nordic stage. 

The last move was back to the floats across from the Eagle Tree. The tree has a huge nest in it but no sign of its occupants. It really is huge and must be a massive undertaking to have built it. 

The spot lock was playing up a bit and at the floats there are a lot of snags so we all lost a little gear to them.  Something changed. Perhaps just how chance and luck works but I was smashing them here. No sooner did I drop the shrimp to the bottom than I fealt the tell tale flick flick of the shrimp trying to run before a bump and pull. Quick lift to set the hook and on. This was great fun. I battled good 40cm+ fish playing out line by palming the spool. I think I caught 6 or so fish in quick sucsession. the hoodoo had lifted.  Very happy with myself I put down another shrimp. Flick Flick BOOOOMMMM a huge take. Line screamed off and the fish headed away. I needed to apply extra pressure as it was so snaggy here but not so much that the light line would pop. 

We use a one hook Paternoster rig. I bought some nice little sinkers for the bottom and #2/0 wide gape hooks. The live shrimp are pinned just below the tale. I used a fairly simple figure 8 knot to make the loop in the Paternoster and was worried that this less than pro rig would weaken the line. Thump thump thump down low. This was a good fish. Slow heavy bumps rather than fast darting runs. Surly it was my time to shine. I saw colour but this handsome aquatic beast was not done yet and it charged back down out of sight. the spool fizzed in my hand and I feathered it lighter now that it was away from the worst of the snags. This was its last big run. It circled around with strong but weakening thumps of its broad sturdy tail but soon came in reach of the net. 

It was huge. I couldn't call it as a Bucket list fish yet... It wasn't a 55cm one. It only had to beat 46cm to be a PB and I was pretty sure it would do that but would it make the 50?????

I glided the fish across the glassy surface to the waiting net and lifted it into the boat with a bit of a Woop! 

Was it????

I got the bogar grips and holding the belly and wetting the ruler lay it on the truth maker... So close... was it?

I really had to adjust it so the mouth was right on the 0 and the tail was right on the..... 50!!!!!!

Boom yeah Smashed it. It only Just made it with about 2mm to spare but it was, undeniably a 50. Bucket list Tick

A few quick photos with it held out a little bit to make it look bigger and back she went to grow some more. 

Ahhhhh Done. 

I kept a couple of Bass for dinner. they were about the 42cm mark. We were having some friends over and I was keen to do the Yabbies and the Bass.

Ray headed back to the ramp only to stop off at a mate of his and donate a few shrimp so they could catch a few fish as they had not had much luck with bibbed lures or blades. 

Back at the ramp and the Koala was still in the tree waiting for us. A sexy girl bear even if not a drop bear.... Sorry Mrs Drop Bear but she was quite a stunner. 

Ray and Rick let me take all the Red Claw as they said they had enough. There was so much. I am amazingly privileged to have gotten them. I payed Ray a small Decky Fee and headed home. 

What a great day. Thanks so much @rayke1938 and Rick... Sorry I lost that bit of paper you gave me... PM me please with your details and I will send all the photos through. 

So... To dinner!!!!!

Yabby pasta and steamed Bass!!

Recepies were;

Yabby Pasta

Ingredients

2 fine chopped onions

2 full bulbs of garlic (not cloves but 2 of the whole bulb)

2 chillis

Good splash of olive oil

Huge amount of butter. 

Big bag of Pasta

So clean the meat out from the shell (Rick pro tip is to freeze the tails first as it loosens the meat. Works a treat thanks Rick)

I fried the shells in some oil in a big pot then half covered with water and stirred until they were cooked. This makes a nice stock. 

I saute the onions and garlic in a splash of oil

Add the bug meat and lightly cook untill just under done. 

Remove the meat and add a big glug of white wine and the shell stock. Reduce this until it is about half gone.

Add a massive dob of butter and when melted and cooked down a little put the meat back in and stir around.

Mix through the pasta and serve. 

I like to put some chopped chilies and chopped parsley on the top. Looks great. 

Drink this with a large glass of Granite Belt Pinot Gris. 

Steamed Bass

I have put this recipe up before but its pretty simple.

I just scale and gut the fish

Put large slices in the fish

Put huge amount of fresh ginger and shallots on top with a good glug of soy sauce.

Wrap it in foil and cook until you can smell the sweet fish wafting from the oven. 

Drink this with a Clair Valley Riesling. 

Thanks

 

[kmcrosby78]

Cracking report yet again Rob. Congrats on the 50cm beast and well done skipper on another successful outing. Going to have to try your redclaw recipe sometime - just need to get some redclaw first ....  

[Junky]

Sounds like a cracka day. 

Damn that pasta looks mighty tasty. 

[Drop Bear]

10 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Cracking report yet again Rob. Congrats on the 50cm beast and well done skipper on another successful outing. Going to have to try your redclaw recipe sometime - just need to get some redclaw first ....  

Thanks mate. I had a great day with a great skipper. 

That recipe is really easy. You can use it for fish or squid. 

[Drop Bear]

1 hour ago, Junky said:

Sounds like a cracka day. 

Damn that pasta looks mighty tasty. 

Thanks mate it was a great day and yes super delicious.

[rayke1938]

Just a point of clarificarion . Although the redclaw were deheaded in the boat the heads were kept and dumped in bins at Kurwongbah .

Cheers

Ray

[Luvit]

Great report and congrats on the 50cm Bass.

When you make it out with me one day, we'll have a bartering system.

Where we both catch the fish, you work your magic cooking them and we eat them together.

No money changes hands 

[Drop Bear]

20 minutes ago, Luvit said:

Where we both catch the fish, you work your magic cooking them and we eat them together.

I'm in!

[kmcrosby78]

5 hours ago, Luvit said:

Great report and congrats on the 50cm Bass.

When you make it out with me one day, we'll have a bartering system.

Where we both catch the fish, you work your magic cooking them and we eat them together.

No money changes hands 

Geez Rob, I hope Wayne's wife (and husband Luke .....) doesn't read this, he's openly and brazenly propositioning you for a date ..........

[Luvit]

7 minutes ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Geez Rob, I hope Wayne's wife (and husband Luke .....) doesn't read this, he's openly and brazenly propositioning you for a date ..........

It’s all good Kel, l could invite them too.

[kmcrosby78]

Who's providing the bowl to put the keys into .........

[Luvit]

Leave that up to Mrs Drop Bear.

[Drop Bear]

Did it just get hot in here? 

At this rate we are going to need an eski instead of a bowl...

[Luke Landrunner]

....... I make my own fresh pasta.

[Drop Bear]

7 minutes ago, Luke Landrunner said:

....... I make my own fresh pasta.

What a team! Not much better than home made pasta. 

[natang]

Drop bear I am going to use that recipe for squid! 

 

[Drop Bear]

8 hours ago, natang said:

Drop bear I am going to use that recipe for squid! 

 

It will work really well with squid. Remember lots of butter and make sure you take the Squid out to reduce the sauce. You could use fish stock instead of the yabby stock I made or just leave the stock out and add wine and reduce this.