queensland Slow Morning at Caloundra

[ellicat]

@Kat came over to my place at 4am today to get the days proceedings underway. We hit the ramp at Bribie about 5.30 and were on the water heading to our destination at 5.50. First we headed to some bait grounds where Kat jigged up two bite size pike that went to the livewell.

Then we couldn't jag anything except a couple of baby squire so small, you could swallow them whole in place of the usual goldfish. Also a butter bream. So we headed off on the long trek to Caloundra encountering a couple of showers on the way that required the donning of the wet gear.

Eventually we were at the mark and anchored up. We were greeted by some lancers and whiptails. Bad start. About half hour in I got a decent hit and wrangled the first tuskie aboard. Quite a pretty specimen.

 

It went 43 on the lie detector

 

The pickers forced us to move to the second spot after Kat pulled the anchor in 20 metres. (better her than me - I could watch all day).

Onto the second spot where anchoring saw us nowhere near the mark, but we deployed our baits anyway. Up came a 40cm grassie. Kat wasn't on the board yet except for some Lancers, so we (I mean Kat) pulled anchor and we sounded up some new ground. It seemed all the fish were on my side of the boat today. Despite a couple of good hits Kat just couldn't get one in.

Finally Kat did get one in and it was a nice 33cm Spanish Flag / Stripey. Off the donut! phew.

Then I was onto a decent grassie again about the same size as the first before we changed spots again.

It was at this last spot that I hooked what I think was a big snapper (by my standards - maybe 65+). I got it about three quarters of the way in when off it went at a rate of knots. "Damn Damn Damn" I said (or words to that effect). I'd been sharked again. They really are trying to spoil my summer. I had a little sit down to cry, rerigged and sent out another bait. It was getting pickered when suddenly the heavier thump came in. I loaded up and muscled it to the boat before a shark got it. Another tuskie about the same size as the first. Woohoo. Eating well tonight.

I'd sent Kat up the front of the boat to try to cast closer to the mark that we had missed again. Unfortunately that wasn't so successful, so she returned to the stern where she was able to boat another fish - a grassie going 35. Dinner sorted for both of us.

Conditions had been ideal all morning until about 11.30 when the breeze sprung up and the surface started chopping so we called it and ran for home. We raced against this ominous bit of heavy rain to our east.

We beat it and made it safely back to the ramp right on time at 1pm.

So it was a fairly slow day, but we put a feed together and the quality was good. Can't complain about that. Thanks for coming out, Kat. It was a top way to spend the last of the good weather for at least 10 days or more.

Kat will have a couple of pictures to add later.

Here's the extent of my success today -

All fish caught on Cuttlefish heads, except Kat's grassie that was caught on a fresh Lancer fillet.

 

 

[ellicat]

Also, I forgot to mention I went fishing with @Old Scaley last week and he caught this remarkable flathead. When we put him on the measure he was just under ...

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Nice work Kat and Brian! I’m glad you got onto a few decent fish. It’s a real shame about the big snapper though. 

Was that in a similar area to where you fished with Benno the other week?

That flatly is so tiny I could hardly make it out in the photo . At least you didn’t donut, @Old Scaley.

Cheers Hamish

 

[GregOug]

I’d be happy with those. Nice tuskies. Pity about the bloo….dy sharks!

[ellicat]

2 minutes ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Was that in a similar area to where you fished with Benno the other week?

Sure was. My new favourite spot. Only trouble is the weather has to be pretty good to go there in my tub.

[Angry51]

34 minutes ago, ellicat said:

  he was just under ...

 

Just under what? .05

[Old Scaley]

Can’t complain about that bag, @ellicat and @Kat. You are starting to get a bit of mojo in the ellicat hope, Brian. @AUS-BNE-FISHO, we did put together a small feed of average summer whiting that trip, and a few small flatties on the troll. 

[ellicat]

22 minutes ago, GregOug said:

I’d be happy with those. Nice tuskies. Pity about the bloo….dy sharks!

Very happy with the fish. A bit unhappy with the pickers we had to fight through to get them. Those sharks are driving me nuts.

 

[ellicat]

1 minute ago, Old Scaley said:

Can’t complain about that bag, @ellicat and @Kat. You are starting to get a bit of mojo in the ellicat hope, Brian. @AUS-BNE-FISHO, we did put together a small feed of average summer whiting that trip, and a few small flatties on the troll. 

Yes, we did. However it is a funnier story to just show one pic. haha

[ellicat]

14 minutes ago, Angry51 said:

Just under what? .05

Just under the measure.... we couldn't find it for awhile.

[benno573]

Last spot I show you @ellicat… very very rude of you to send me photos of tuskies while I’m run of my feet at work.

 

glad you got a few decent fish though mate. You have to chip away constantly but there are almost always good fish there somewhere!

[ellicat]

Just now, benno573 said:

Last spot I show you @ellicat… very very rude of you to send me photos of tuskies while I’m run of my feet at work.

 

glad you got a few decent fish though mate. You have to chip away constantly but there are almost always good fish there somewhere!

I was just trying to ease your pain...honestly...

Yes, like you told me, we moved around a bit today to escape the wee creatures. Kat has promised to donate to my electric motor fund. haha

[Kat]

Thanks Brian!  Well actually I woke up today with sore legs, arms, shoulders and stomach muscles and have recently cancelled gym membership so I think I would prefer to continue pulling in the anchor and keep some of that fat away

Thanks @benno573 it is my new favourite spot too!  

Did also catch a 33.5cm squire just before the wind came up and we left.

After Brian was sharked and the swearing and grumbling stopped he got back to fishing and it was almost comical how fast he was then reeling in his hookups.

Fantastic day out so grateful. 

If anyone can ID the fish in the third pic it would be appreciated

 

[ellicat]

So, pulling anchor is good for you. I will remember that.

Thanks for bringing the food too. Michelle is more grateful of the tart than the fish. haha

[benno573]

@Kat - that is a brown hussar and as long as they are 25cm+ should be added immediately to your esky.  they taste just as good as that stripey you got.

 

don't tell everyone my not-so-secrets either...

[ellicat]

D'oh. Kat got a few of them and we categorised them as pickers.

[Kat]

3 hours ago, benno573 said:

@Kat - that is a brown hussar and as long as they are 25cm+ should be added immediately to your esky.  they taste just as good as that stripey you got.

 

don't tell everyone my not-so-secrets either...

My lips are sealed - but I definitely plan on a trip there again.  Hopefully my fishing skills will have improved by then!

Thanks for the ID!

[Kat]

Forgot to add that my Grassie and the almost legal squire was caught on a fresh strip bait - a Lancer was it Brian?

[ellicat]

Yes, it was a Lancer fillet.

 

 

[kmcrosby78]

Not a bad result for a slow day, some tasty fillets to eat there, well done .

[benno573]

10 hours ago, ellicat said:

D'oh. Kat got a few of them and we categorised them as pickers.

Next time send a photo through and ask! At least they’ll be there for next time.

[Kat]

So without dissing Brian, I am quite shocked that he considered yesterday a slow day! So slow that he thought it should be the title of the post! Especially since we caught 12 potential keepers the last time we went out fishing together.

12 sharks and 2 stingrays.  Brian has a few stills from his Go Pro but I can't locate them to post.

Do sharks a s stingrays not count? Lol

Bit of a bummer I didn't keep the Hussar.  Will make Brian call you and send a pic next time @benno573.

anyway I thought yesterday was a fantastic fishing day and in my books definitely not slow.

 

 

 

[benno573]

Further research indicates the technical name is a striped sea perch lutjanus vitta but commonly referred to as a hussar. Grants guide agrees with me re edibility and says “they are not to be despised as a panfish”. Grow to 380mm apparently. Would fall under the category of “tropical snappers and sea perches” for legality purposes, bag limit 5. 

[Kat]

 

3 minutes ago, benno573 said:

Grants guide agrees with me re edibility and says “they are not to be despised as a panfish”.

Excuse the ignorance but why would you despise a "panfish"?  What does he mean by a panfish?

[ellicat]

7 minutes ago, Kat said:

So without dissing Brian, I am quite shocked that he considered yesterday a slow day! So slow that he thought it should be the title of the post!

From launch to retrieve it was 7 hours fishing for 6 keepers, so that's a bit slow. Don't get me wrong, the day was great with plenty to keep us entertained. Very happy with the end result.

[ellicat]

6 minutes ago, Kat said:

 

Excuse the ignorance but why would you despise a "panfish"?  What does he mean by a panfish?

I think you've read it wrong - it says it is NOT despised as a panfish. Panfish meaning a fish for the frying pan i.e. good eating.

[Kat]

Ah I missed the "not" and as far as my usual fishing sessions go - including the ones with you - the session was not slow!  Lol. 

As an aside it definitely didn't feel like 7 hours!  But such great company the time went so fast

[Angry51]

14 hours ago, Kat said:

  But such great company the time went so fast

Is that crawling or What?

You can tell the truth Kat!

[ellicat]

[benno573]

3 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Is that crawling or What?

You can tell the truth Kat!

I was thinking it... you said it...

I think it is a mutually beneficial decky/skipper relationship - @ellicat gets provided with snacks after all!

[Drop Bear]

On 22/02/2022 at 7:44 PM, Kat said:

Do sharks a s stingrays not count?

yep... some of us clowns target them haha. 

 

[Drop Bear]

Well that is a cracking trip in my book. Delicious results and a nice day on the water.

Well done and thanks for the report.