queensland Scarborough To Tangalooma - Tuna Everywhere! 26/4

[The Mad Hughesy]

Howdy all,

Got a big monkey off my back on the weekend, had my first solo trip! Launching was easy, retrieving is a different story! much harder to get the boat on the trailer straight...anyway

Arrived nice and late around 7:30am at Scarborough marina boat ramp to see only 3 trailer spots left. I had no real plan except for looking for bust ups and hitting some beacons. Found a few bust ups on the way over but couldnt hook up. Hit the 4 beacons for no fish ( id never seen so many boats!!!) Looking at my navionics app, i decided to go all the way to Tangalooma for a look and hoped to find some fish along the way. i spent the next 2 hours chasign down schools, casting 30g halco twistys, 20g, 15g, 5 inch plastics...nothing worked! i was lucky enough to score one very small mack tuna. I had tuna all around my boat at many stages and i could see them hitting bait next to my boat but not my lures. But that's Moreton Bay tuna for you! every variety, bonito, mack tuna and plenty big large long tails.   Schools of fish everywhere in the main shipping channel running along the wrecks. 

i was happy with one fish, the day for me was more about getting out solo and teahcing myself to launch the boat alone and really testing myself and my boat. Not something id like to do again lol much better with a fishing buddy. Also learnt that i can get to Moreton and back on a single tank...unsure on usage as i havent filled it up again yet. I now have curtin artificial on my mind...next time!  

[ellicat]

Nice little mac tuna. Bet you put that in the fridge for some future sharking.

When I was running solo I had a rope attached to the port stern corner and would use that to control the rear end whilst I was up the winch end.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi christophagus

While you didn't manage to hook to many of the tuna (or they didn't take your lures), that still seems like a great session. Was the mac tuna bait or just released? Good job on it too!

It's good you could mange solo launching, but I think it would be easier with a fishing buddy too.  

Cheers Hamish 

[The Mad Hughesy]

12 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Nice little mac tuna. Bet you put that in the fridge for some future sharking.

When I was running solo I had a rope attached to the port stern corner and would use that to control the rear end whilst I was up the winch end.

great tip, thanks

No i threw it back actually! silly me should have kept it hah

[The Mad Hughesy]

4 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi christophagus

While you didn't manage to hook to many of the tuna (or they didn't take your lures), that still seems like a great session. Was the mac tuna bait or just released? Good job on it too!

It's good you could mange solo launching, but I think it would be easier with a fishing buddy too.  

Cheers Hamish 

let him go mate. would hae been a great small shark bait but i wanted to let him go as the tuna at the time were till all around my boat and i wanted a bigger one haha

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

39 minutes ago, christophagus said:

let him go mate. would hae been a great small shark bait but i wanted to let him go as the tuna at the time were till all around my boat and i wanted a bigger one haha

Hiya christophagus

Alright, pity you didn't get a big one. When you take them home, do you freeze them whole, fillet them, fillet and salt them, or just keep them in the fridge until use? I have heard tuna come apart quickly, so I was just wondering your method. 

Cheers Hamish  

[The Mad Hughesy]

never kept one to be honest, only ever caught a handful of them. Ive used them fresh before and whole. Unsure about the best way to keep them

[kmcrosby78]

Good to get out on the water and also get some boat ramp practice Chris. Something else I've realised lately when retrieving mine solo is the importance of how far I reverse the trailer into the water - too far and the boat doesn't sit/grip on the rear rollers and can float around in the water while I'm trying to get back to the winch. Take note of that next time and bit by bit you'll find it easier and easier  

[Old Scaley]

Thanks for the report @christophagus. I think you are right about Moreton Bay tuna. I have caught longies in Hervey Bay and up around Cape York and they were really aggressive compared to the skittish models we have here. What size is your boat?

[The Mad Hughesy]

51 minutes ago, Old Scaley said:

Thanks for the report @christophagus. I think you are right about Moreton Bay tuna. I have caught longies in Hervey Bay and up around Cape York and they were really aggressive compared to the skittish models we have here. What size is your boat?

I went out with a charter in Hervey Bay who did not believe on sneaking up on the schools. He literally drove right up to them every time and it did not scare them at all! Cant do that here

ive got a Quintrex 5m coast runner

[Nog]

Bloody Moreton Bay.

 

I went out Wednesday and did not see a scale, clocked up 120klms.......

That's Tuna.

 

[The Mad Hughesy]

For anyone interested, I put together a video of the teip

 

 

[ellicat]

I like your rig. How long ?

[The Mad Hughesy]

48 minutes ago, ellicat said:

I like your rig. How long ?

im 6'1, my wife says the same thing about my rig 

 

oh my boat? its 5m

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi christophagus

That was a good video, I watched it about 2 hours ago. Your channel on YT has another subscribers now .

Cheers Hamish