queensland Brisbane River Session #32

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Evening all

I went out for another arvo session at the park today, even though it was a bit drizzly. I might start from the start of the day though, so you all have some context in the story. After I'd woken up, I was told tennis wasn't on, which was annoying because if I'd known the night before I would've been going for a morning session today. I just slept in this morning though, which was nice and relaxing. 

By about 10:00AM though, I had decided I would be going out this arvo. The first thing to do was give all the gear a bit of maintenance, which involved me oiling the reels and other gear. Once that was done, I decided I would make a short length or rope for the floats for our crab pots, so we didn't have to gin around with them as much when pulling them up. I simply cut about one metre of rope, tied a loop in the end of it, and then tied the other end to two milk bottles, as our floats. I also had to burn the ends of the rope so they wouldn't frey. Since I was quite chilly, I went and got some wood shavings from when I did a little bit of whittling, and since it was so damp and cold outside, I decided to cheat... . I went and got a little bit of metho and tipped it on. The flame lit up nicely, and I quickly did the ends of the rope. As I was pulling one out though, it was still on fire. I gave it a shake to put it out, but silly me, ofcourse, also didn't notice the bloody hot wax still on it. Long story short, I ended up with a slightly burnt finger for the rest of the day . 

Once it was 1:30PM I got ready to go fishing. By about 2:00PM, I was out the door going down to the park. The lines would've been in by about 2:15PM. After I baited them, with dead fresh prawn, I got to cast netting. The first cast brang a few prawns, as I found the prawns first try. I got about 5, so I could bait the lines with some good bait. The salmon line was given quite a few prawns, and the other one that was casted out into the middle of the river was too. On the second cast with my net, I felt some OK tugging as I pulled it up. To my surprise, a little breambo was in the net. I untangled him, grabbed a quick pic, and sent him on his way. Here he is - 

aw

After that, I put up my umbrella up over the cart and shifted everything that couldn't get wet under it, as it had started to spit. This last for about ten more minutes, and then the rain subsided. In this time, I got a few more prawns in the cast net. 

My lines were still getting picked by something small, so I was going through quite a few prawns. Luckily, I was catching more than I was using. Each cast off the end of the jetty would get my five or so small prawns, maybe a couple less. I would throw the net off the end and let it drift around and in front of the pylon, then pull it up from the other side. It seemed with the combination of a running out tide and the structure, a lot more bait was here than just on the end of the jetty. 

This trend continued for about another hour, but a bit before this (maybe at three) my mate came down. He was giving me a hand with the cast netting, and watching The lines. The pickers were truly relentless. We must've given them a good feed. I am thinking smaller hooks may be the go but I don't want bigger fish to swallow them straight down their gobs, LOL. While I was standing up on the wooden part of the boardwalk, the rod out in the middle went off. Unfortunately, it didn't hook up. 

I was about to spit the dummy at the pickers, which probably wouldn't be possible until I landed one, but then my dad called. It started like this, "Hey mate, ya caught any?". I replied by saying I'd caught bugger all, and then my dad said (very disgraceful), "Well, maybe it's time you come home mate, it's getting a bit late" (not that it was). I hung up, and decided I would catch a fish today! 

I was back on the jetty when I saw the rod (which I pulled out of the drink that time in session #4) going off. I ran up, and to my delight it was still on when I set the hook. It was right under though, but luckily it didn't go running off. I was thinking it may be a pike eel, but after some fun fighting I saw it. At first I just thought it was a catfish, but then I realised what it was. Yes, it was a thready!  While it was not that big, I was still stoked as I consider them quite 'prestigious'. I told my friend to get the net, an he jogged down onto the jetty while I walked it down. He scooped it up perfectly, and we then got to work. I measured it hastiy and got a brag mat photo, de-hooked it (well, the hook came out itself) and took a quick photo.

Here it is - 

While in no stretch of the imagination is it big, it is still a threadfin!

I then got him back to the water, where he swam off strong. It probably could've done with a longer swim but it took one big splash and it was off. Here is a quick release shot we took - 

After we let him go, the next five minutes was high fives and cheers!  Then, I re-gathered all our scattered gear and re-baited the lines, with live prawns, and kept fishing! There weren't anymore bites for the next half an hour or so, and while we were waiting, the only things I had managed were snags (I need to re-spool a couple of reels but they are well overdue for that anyways) and a few more prawns (not to mention a bloomin glassy). The next cast I did felt no different, and when I pulled up the top of the net there were still prawns. But I got a big surprise when I pulled up the bottom. A big fish, which I initially thought was a catfish, was there. On closer examination, I realised it was a big mullet. "Hooray", I thought. I told my mate to come down and then I dealt with the mullet. It was very squirmy, and I needed a very tight grip on it.  Once I got it up, I put it in the esky. It will either feature as crab bait in our next POB trip, or become a strip bait. 

Since it kept flopping around, I slit it's throat and took a quick picture. Here I am with my '50cm' mullet. A true monster - 

The oldest trick in the book... It was only 33cm. 

 After him, I was quite satisfied with the day. A salmon and a new PB mullet. Yippee. I think I should learn how to brain spike fish though, as I got a lot of blood on my bait board. I think it is also a bit more humane. Maybe a screwdriver will work next time? Any tips anyone? 

It was now nearing five, and the tide was changing. The rod out in the channel, which I had just re-rigged with a live prawn, then took off. I set the hook, tighten the drag, and then handed over to my friend to pull it in. Up came an OK river perch, skull dragged from the depths . I de-hooked it, and gave him a quick release. I thought it swam off very nicely, but I may have been wrong... 

The next perch came practically back to back to that one, and on the next one, which my mate said I could have, had an audience. An Asian family watched me pull it up, and then they all cheered when I got it. This seems to be a normal thing here, but, I'm not complaining . Unfortunately the photo on his one wasn't very good, as we were rushed trying to get it back in and wanted to see him swim off. My friends filter and the focus of his lenses must've clashed. Here it is (I think you can still see that shape of the fish, LOL). 

We were just about to begin packing up, and my mum was down there as well, but then we saw a poor little perch on the side of the bank. At first I thought it was dead, but then I realised it must've been one of the ones I let go. I was a bit confused, as both of the fish swam off well, but I guess one of them actually didn't. I tried tipping some buckets of water on it, so it might get a bit of energy back, but that didn't work. I didn't manage to scoop it up and give it a proper swim off anyway. "Oh well", I thought. It is a shame, but (from what I have been taught off here ) the fish will go back into the ecosystem, and be recycled by the environment.  

On the way home, we lost a couple of the tubes from the cart, which fell off, so I will re-do them tomorrow, most likely anyways. I;m going to a mates tomorrow though, and then have school mountain biking on, so I'm not going to manage a fish . I hope you enjoyed the report everyone, I know it is a more memorable one for me... And just another thing which I find funny: there has been a pattern with my better sessions. +5 and then +11. For example, my first good session, or report, was session #5. After that, 11 sessions later, in session #16, was my next good one. #21 was another five session after that, and this one, #32, is 11 sessions after session #21 - funny, ey!  Here are the stats of the report - 

Statistics of trip - 

Tide: 10:00AM, 1.7M, high, .2M, 4:15PM, Low

Moon Phase: The moon is 95.5% full! 

Air Pressure: 1022

Weather: 13-21 degrees Celsius weather, overcast, and a tad of rain.

Tackle Used: Ugly Stik 6"6' and 8", Rogue Firepoint Boat Rod, 2M, Penn 650, 14lb and 30lb braid mainlines, 15lb, 20lb and 30lb fluorocarbon leaders, 80lb mono trace, 4/o circle and suicide hooks, size 2 and six ball sinkers, largish barrel swivel, size 1000 and 2500 Shimano Sienna and Nasci, Size 2500 Diawa Shinobi. 

Bait used: Live prawns

Time fished: 2:15PM-5:15PM

Bait caught: Prawns

Overall Success Rate: 100% - Target species caught, as well as some welcome by-catch

Cheers Hamish  

[ellicat]

Well done. Sounds like a very entertaining session with a thready to boot. No catties to slime you up either.

We call metho "kindling in a bottle" and it is one of the first things to get packed when we're off for a camp. haha

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hey ellicat

Yes, it was good there were no catties this time. I would've thought the rain would've fired them up, but obviously not. 

That is also very funny, ahaha, 'kindling in a bottle' sounds like a much better name than 'methylated spirits', LOL.  

Cheers Hamish

[Drop Bear]

Yew! what a great session mate. Getting a great mixed bag there too. 

Fantastic to see mate, keep up the good work. 

Also have you ever tried to eat the prawns? I love the little ones. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi Drop Bear

Thanks for that, yes, it is actually the first decent mixed bag I've had there in a while. 

I haven't tried eating the prawns from that part of the river, but I had some from Colmslie (big ones) a while ago and they tasted fine. . Maybe the little ones are something I should try. 

Cheers Hamish  

[Drop Bear]

2 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi Drop Bear

Thanks for that, yes, it is actually the first decent mixed bag I've had there in a while. 

I haven't tried eating the prawns from that part of the river, but I had some from Colmslie (big ones) a while ago and they tasted fine. . Maybe the little ones are something I should try. 

Cheers Hamish  

https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/fried-small-prawns-and-baby-fish

This is how I do them but I prefer potato flour or corn flour or something. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hey Drop Bear

Great, thanks for that recipe. When I catch a few next (probably next weekend) I might take some home and see how they taste. Hopefully I'll like it  I will eat a couple first just to check if they are OK, because I'm sure my mum might be a bit 'cautious' on eating them out of the river (water quality). 

Cheers Hamish

[Drop Bear]

4 hours ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hey Drop Bear

Great, thanks for that recipe. When I catch a few next (probably next weekend) I might take some home and see how they taste. Hopefully I'll like it  I will eat a couple first just to check if they are OK, because I'm sure my mum might be a bit 'cautious' on eating them out of the river (water quality). 

Cheers Hamish

I look forward to seeing how you go. You can eat the whole prawn, head, shell and all. I think they are great this way. 

[Hweebe]

Hey @AUS-BNE-FISHO

Awesome mixed bag session report and no Catties!

I'm wondering weather you burley up when you are jetty fishing to entice some bait fish or shrimps to make enquires?

How does that spot go at night, cause I'm thinking you would be able to get onto  some bigger threadies at night? Is the Jetty lit?

Cheers

Hweebe

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

1 hour ago, Hweebe said:

Hey @AUS-BNE-FISHO

Awesome mixed bag session report and no Catties!

I'm wondering weather you burley up when you are jetty fishing to entice some bait fish or shrimps to make enquires?

How does that spot go at night, cause I'm thinking you would be able to get onto  some bigger threadies at night? Is the Jetty lit?

Cheers

Hweebe

Hey Hweebe

Thanks for that, and yes, I was happy that there were no catties as well  I don't use burley here normally, but every now and then I will chuck a few prawn heads in a burley bag and make a trail/slick. I think it is something I should get into more, because the other day when some people threw some bread in I saw a school of mullet under them eating it (just poddies). I think if I made a bit of a better mix, I might be able to get some more bait, as well as fish  

I have never really tried at this spot at night, simply because the few times we have, we've caught suat. In saying that, like you said, I think I've got a good chance at a salmon or something larger at night time there. There aren't any lights, which is probably one of the reasons it has such little fishing pressure. The only main problem at night time are the mozzies, which will annihilate you. Maybe if I bring a mosquito net,  some chairs, some good lights, and some glow sticks for the ends of my lines so I can see when they go off it would be OK. 

Cheers Hamish