queensland Brisbane River Session #17

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi all

Today I went out for another session at the local park. If you haven't already as well, I recommend you read Brisbane River Session #16. It is a lot more exciting than this, although today was still a good day out. I was targeting bream, cod, and threadfin salmon/sharks. It was a early start as well, as we left at about 5:50AM to get there for a 6:00AM start. 

So, after arriving at six, we got the net out to see if we could get some live prawns. First cast of net net brings a prawn which I put straight on next to the pylon. The next cast brings two, and this one went straight out. We got about 5 more prawns, and this was while the tide was still rising. It was just about to change when my dad and I got a double hook up on the livies. I was on first, on what I thought was just small. After a little bit into the fight though, we hear a screaming noise and the other line is going off. My dad stops goofing around with me, and he proceeds to pull in the fish. Mine surfaced first, and I was surprised to see a decent catfish, which i only landed after 1 or 2 runs. We tried netting it, but it took a run under structure. Then my Dad pulled up a decent bream, and told me to sort it out while he sorted mine out. Eventually, we got the two fish up onto the jetty and took some pics. Here they are - 

The bream went twenty-nine on the brag mat, and the catfish went about 40cm (though it was an estimate). After that, we proceeded to do some more cast netting, which resulted in a couple of prawns, but mainly leaves and sticks LOL. It was about half an hour to when the fish was pulled up, and then I saw something swimming towards the bank. "Holy crap, a dog," was what I initially said as it looked a bit like a little Chihuahua head or something but then my Dad saw it and we realised it was a kangaroo. Swimming across the river, practillay in suburbia . It was actually a pretty bad situation as it was going towards the bank but then turned around the second it saw us then swam around in circles in the middle of the river. Luckily, the tide was just about changing so there wasn't any run to push it downstream any more. It was starting to go under, so my Dad said he might need to swim to get it, which would've been a great photo, but we decided to wait a bit more to see if a paddler could come along. Luckily one did, the old guy who comes down there for a paddle every day, so we asked him if he could paddle out to help it. He did, and while another guy came along with little to no care for it (my Dad yelled at him and he didn't bother about it), the man sort of shepherded it back to the jetty. Our plan was to scoop it up in the landing net then send it on its way, but it had other plans. We got it in the net but then it decided to hop straight back out into the drink. The man then proceeded to guide it back to the bank around the jetty and go off on his paddle. I know it was good, but I am just wondering how it will go in the local park since so many people go there. I suppose it will just stay around the outskirts and eat grass. Here it is - 

Sorry for the bad photos, but that is a wallaby in the BR!

After that, it was about 7:30AM. Since the tide had started to go the other way, I had the heavier line out. It had nearly gotten caught on the kangaroo, but fortunately with some manoeuvring it was free. It was baited with a dead frog mouth pilchard as we hadn't caught any live fish (mullet, herring, silver biddy, frogmouth pilchards, etc) , which was a pity any we didn't have enough prawns for one big bait. Within about 20 minutes, I had done a quick bait check and re-baited, but then the rod went off. I could distinctly see a bend, but I couldn't hear anything, so that told me it was a pretty small fish. I didn't even have a fight with it, I just basically pulled the catfish in. Here it is - 

After that, I chucked out another frog mouth pillie and checked the prawn lines. They had no bait, and I wondered if something had somehow picked them off without us noticing, and I doubted they had fallen off as we pinend them well through the tail. I rebaited the lines and chucked them out regardless, hoping for another fish. Though, in about ten minutes, there was another strike on the big rod. I ran down, hoping it was still on, but to my disappointment whatever it was had dropped the bait. I casted it out with another frogmouth pilchard and hoped for something. In another short while I was on yet again, pulling up a decent catfish. I de hooked it, took a quick pic and back in the drink it went. Here it is - 

After that fish, I got the line out again. My dad headed off now, and the bite was quite. My friend came down shortly after, and we were social distancing. I had one more strike on the heavy combo, and I missed it, so I decided to reel it in as I was out of frogmouth pilchards. I had a couple more throws with the net, but there were no prawns around so I resorted to the Australian farm prawns I had gotten the other week. I was doing everything from chopping them up to peeling them, to see what worked best. I found the peeled bits chopped up was a treat, so this is what I did. I had numerous nibbles, but they were all small. I then had a little take, but I unfortunately missed this. Then, with a new bait, slightly larger, the rod went off. I picked it up eagerly but to my absolute dismay whatever it was had dropped the bait. 

After that, I gave the other rod a bait check. after winding up the slack, I felt a tug, then a pull, then realised I was on. Whatever fish it was, it was in a bit of structure, but after a couple little runs and a bit of positioning, I got it out. I started pulling it up, and to my surprise up came a cod. I think there are a few cod under the pylons, so I was pretty happy with that. It didn't look to big, but when I got it up onto the brag mat it was about 30cm. No where near legal, but still not a bad fih. Here it is - 

After that, I put in about ten more minutes but it was starting to slow down. It was about ten, so I decided to call it a day. I was very happy with the results, 1 bream and cod in the day. . Hopefully you all stay safe with COVID-19, I hope you enjoyed the report. Sorry for any errors in the text. Here are the stats or the trip -

Statistics of trip-

Tide: High, 2.0M, 6:55AM, Low, .5M, .5M. I fished the run out

Moon Phase: Third Quarter Moon, so not that much run

Weather: 30c, 14Km/h winds, 41% humidity in Brisbane

Time fished: 6:00AM-10:00AM

Bait used: Prawns, live and dead. Frogmouth pilchards, dead.

Bait caught: Dozen prawns or so

Fish caught: Catfish x 3, Estuary Cod x 1, Bream x 1

Tackle Used: 14lb braid mainlines, 9 and 12lb leaders, 80lb trace for threadies due to sharks and structure, 30lb trace, 4/o circle and suicide hooks, size 2 sinkers, size 6 ball sinker, large swivels, size 1000 sienna shimano, size 2500 Shimano Nasci, Size 650 Penn, 30lb braid mainline.

Overall Success: 80% - A nice morning out with some good fish

Cheers Hamish  

[ellicat]

A nice bit of variety for your efforts.

I can't go out so am envious. Thanks for reporting again.

[fishingnut]

Snip the spines off the catties and send em back our for live bait, of better yet that bream if you want to tangle with a shark 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

24 minutes ago, ellicat said:

A nice bit of variety for your efforts.

I can't go out so am envious. Thanks for reporting again.

Hi ellicat

Yes, it was a bit of a mix. You must be in isolation, I would go crazy if I was.  

19 minutes ago, fishingnut said:

Snip the spines off the catties and send em back our for live bait, of better yet that bream if you want to tangle with a shark 

Hi fishingnut

Alright, I have heard of this before. I am mainly targeting threadies at the moment though, hence me catching one the a couple of days ago.

Cheers Hamish  

[fishingnut]

Put afew live prawns on the one hook to target threadies 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

2 hours ago, fishingnut said:

Put afew live prawns on the one hook to target threadies 

Hey fishingnut

Thanks for the tips, jon also recommended this to me so if I catch some prawns next time I will do.

Cheers Hamish  

[jon]

On 18/04/2020 at 6:21 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hey fishingnut

Thanks for the tips, jon also recommended this to me so if I catch some prawns next time I will do.

Cheers Hamish  

Nice work again,  for someone of your age to take  such good notes of weather, tides dates humidity etc and keep records of them is pretty impressive. The more you fish certain spots the more you’ll start to crack a pattern. The makings of a gun fisho indeed. Keep up the good work! 

Edited April 19, 2020 by jon

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hiya jon

Thanks for that, I have only started to take notes of the tides, moons, etc as of last year, mainly so I could find a pattern. I have worked out that the run out is the best at this spot, and I am starting to think about how much bait was around the day I caught that threadfin salmon. I will keep it up and hopefully learn more on the way.

Cheers Hamish