queensland Fishing Report - Hutchies Saturday 17 November 2018

[Poddymullet]

Report from yesterday heading out from Scarborough to Cape Moreton then Hutchison Shoal

Weather forecast kept getting better all week with Saturday morning looking like it would be perfect for a trip outside for some bottom bashing... been waiting for some decent conditions to stretch my legs and build some more confidence outside in the boat. 

So by Friday it was so good I almost thought about pulling the pin on work and heading out to stay overnight at Combo, but had too much on. Was so pumped still thought of heading out at 2-3am...but decided on a 5am push off at Scarbs. 

Had my Uncle has deckie and an experienced hand around Moreton so we both decided to head to tempest or Hutchies or just go straight north up the channel...still trying to work out the payoff in my head for time spent v fish in the esky and I still have minimum hours outside of the Northern Bay (even then I have only clocked up about 70-80 hrs in total - so much area still to explore close in) so a bit of flip flopping going on in my head. 

Stopped off at one of the beacons close to Bribie to get some livies ... happy to report there was plenty around and had about 12-5 assorted pike, herring, yakka. Couple of boats were chucking slugs around and it looked like one got a mack on a pillie floater and was thinking we might just anchor up for a while but then reminded myself today was the day to head further out.

Was going to head straight to Hutchies but decided to stop by yellow patch (think it is anyway) and pulled in some more livies then headed off. 

Must admit the swell was a bit bigger than I was expecting ... definitely 1 to 1.5m I reckon and still a bit of wind around so it was a bit bumpy ... was cruising around 20kts though before opening it up to 25-7kts as we got closer. Must remember to hook in closer to the cape and then head straight north - seems to be less swell. 

As per usual you can see the boats going up and down between Hutchies and Flinders, but I was trying to figure out where to go as I had no marks. 

So did one drift to get the direction ... reset and started our NW - SE drifts. New sounder is awesome - even with Mr Novice at the controls. 

I decided on using ball sink to swivel and 50cm leader to gangs with either a livie or slab of fresh livie, uncles was on a store bought double paternoster and fresh frozen bay squid. Would have to say that for bottom bouncing this time round the paternoster was a winner and the squid even more. Strange as last time it sucked ... could have been the tide as we most probably hit the first our of the ebb when we go there

First drift and uncle pulled in a Pearlie (just legal - and we nearly threw it back but I said the fridge is empty and is hungry so kept it), I got hit a couple of times but no luck. The sounder was showing tonnes of fish high up the water column, and some occasional marks on the bottom but still not sure what is what. Pretty sure there was a massive school of Macks beneath us a couple of times but couldn't get any hits on metal slices. So keeping to the rule of don't move if you are getting fish ... decided to keep doing the same track. Got some more reefies gold stripped snapper, trevally etc - but by this time my uncle was well and truely giving the reef his view of burley from a bent over position. He was out for the count and while I said we could head in he said he'd push through so I could keep fishing a bit more.  Couple of more drifts with plenty of bait being taken but nothing hooked (using big hooks) and then I got absolutely taken to the cleaners that just pulled the line off for 10m and then left me with my swivel - might of been Dr Greynose. Catch of the day was the Gold Spot Pigfish landed by my uncle, I got one as well but dropped at the boat (you think I would have got the net re ady ... rookie). 

Couple of boats trolling back and forth and almost thought about it but still learning the fuel economy (150l tank) and with Uncle looking bad decided to call it at 11.15 and headed back in. Felt pretty good about the decision as we got 15m away from Scarborough you could see the wave tips getting white and then just past the tri pod beacon it was really blowing up - to the point I was getting spray across the wind screen! 

All in all great day with some more experience under the belt and feeling better about the boat. 

Should have taken some more pics but here is the pig... almost too beautiful to keep.

The gold spot pig fish went 45cm and looking forward to heading it tonight (first time - so going to steam the fillets I think) 

How did everyone else go ?

p.s My Suzuki DF140 (2008) was fully serviced at 195hr when I bought the boat, but while I was out there it would start then stop, then when I started it again it would go...anyone got any ideas? Also anyone got recommendations for trailer rust repairer around North Lakes? Just realised there is a hold on one of the cross beam struts I didn't see when I bought it. 

[wesfish]

Nice gold spot wrasse! Great eating fish

[kmcrosby78]

Sounds like you had a good day out. I'm wondering if your engine problem could be the same as I had - mine is a 2003 90hp Suzuki four-stroke and it involved the Idle Air Control valve, which just needed a spray to clear the condensation/cr@p around it. I'd take it back to whoever serviced it and ask them to check that - depending on how long ago the service was they should be able to do it for free (if that's the cause of your problem). Fingers crossed it's something simple like that.

[Poddymullet]

15 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Sounds like you had a good day out. I'm wondering if your engine problem could be the same as I had - mine is a 2003 90hp Suzuki four-stroke and it involved the Idle Air Control valve, which just needed a spray to clear the condensation/cr@p around it. I'd take it back to whoever serviced it and ask them to check that - depending on how long ago the service was they should be able to do it for free (if that's the cause of your problem). Fingers crossed it's something simple like that.

Thanks mate. Will ask then today. It was Brisbane Yamaha who have been pretty good to date. 

[benno573]

hey mate,

sounds like a good trip out, weather on saturday was mint. 

 

there's heaps of ground out there running from hutchies down to roberts/brennans.  i always found the best success was on a paternoster but fishing as light as possible, or floatlining baits using small ball sinkers, again fishing as light as you dare, i usually ran 15lb or 20lb main line for this.  i usually fished right up on the shoals or on the eastern drop offs, plenty of quality reefies like your gold spot wrasse to be had, snapper, grassies, moses perch, spangled emps etc.  Always have a floater out for a pelagic as well, there's often spanish macks, kingies, cobia and even occasion green jobfish around there that will willingly take a floated pilly or livie.  in the shallows spangled emps and snapper will willingly rise up to take baits pretty much off the surface if they are hungry.  also worth a smash with plastics too, a lot of time the smaller stuff picks baits apart but they'll leave a plastic for the bigger guys.

There's some other spots closer in that are always worth a look for a bag of mix reef and occasional pelagic too.  Happy to come for a run one day and show you a few bits n pieces and how i used to fish the area.

Cheers

benno

 

[Poddymullet]

Thanks @benno573 for the tips and advice. I’ll pm you about coming out...would really appreciate that. Not sure of the plans this week or next but soon for sure..

[Drop Bear]

Great trip mate. How was the feed? Looks like an awesome fish!

Top report too. Thanks for the read. ROTM worthy for sure.