Howdy

[Huxstang]

Thought I should say gidday.  

Not new to fishing just got the bug again with an opportunity to go out to the Swains again (after probably 15 or more years since my last trip out).  Life, work meant I pursued other sports that were less dependent on days off and good weather coinciding.  This all comes together with retirement in @ 18 months and my desire to work out what sort of fishing I want to pursue most when I finish.  Got the big boat sorted with a close mate - who is about tot retire having a CC Outsider and always keen for a passenger, so it will be what size/shape tinny I get for myself.

Fishing preference - Done a lot of bait fishing but love flicking lures more than anything.

Last trips out to the Swains were on Grey Scout (Owner/Skipper Kev Benn) out of Gladstone, this trip in on Big Cat Reality out of Bundy.  Its been a blast looking at all the YouTube videos and the huge improvement in tackle and techniques since I last did any serious fishing.

So I have spent what seems a metric **** tonne of cash on new gear ready for the trip and afterwards in my reprioritised life at work- after watching way too much video I just need to do slow jigging, some top water and of course update the spinning gear for something that will work on vibes and plastics.  I have a few Livefibres that I bought back in the day which are still great solid rods and they are still perfect condition but these new composites and performance guides are just amazing.

Anyway enjoying the read so far and nice to see a happy and helpful online community.

 

 

[ellicat]

G'day and welcome to the AFO forum.

Just to be clear - are you looking for a tinny for inside/bay fishing ?

Youtube videos certainly get the blood pumping. haha

[Angry51]

Welcome to the forum mate.

Plenty of good people on here, and good advice.

Send plenty of pics of your fishing trips.

That retirement scheme is a good lurk mate. Should have done

it years ago.

Have fun getting back into it, good luck..

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Welcome to the forum @Huxstang, I’ll be interested to hear how you go.

Cheers Hamish 

[Junky]

Welcome.

 

I did a big cat. Never again. 

I hope your experience is different to mine. 

It wasn't the boat. 

It wasn't the crew. 

It was the restrictions and giving away my fish at the end that did my head in. 

 

[Huxstang]

On 27/5/2022 at 9:59 AM, ellicat said:

G'day and welcome to the AFO forum.

Just to be clear - are you looking for a tinny for inside/bay fishing ?

Youtube videos certainly get the blood pumping. haha

So pretty much need to get my head in order for what i will do the most of.   I am thinking something like a seajay 460 that can do estuary and bay plus take it up north once a year or so….if we can afford it with fuel costs!!!  Got a free house in cooktown i can use

Probably do the boat show circuit next year and get a feel for things.   

Never fished a side console and wonder what they are like if you were coming back from Moreton with some typical afternoon slop…..in most boats it seems more comfy to stand and let the knees do the work.

I know what i will have on it an that is a decent sounder and electric.

[Huxstang]

11 hours ago, Junky said:

Welcome.

 

I did a big cat. Never again. 

I hope your experience is different to mine. 

It wasn't the boat. 

It wasn't the crew. 

It was the restrictions and giving away my fish at the end that did my head in. 

 

What restrictions do you mean?  Isn’t it a 60 reef fin fish bag for trips over 148hrs?

This is a full group organised by my mates b-i-l, so everyone is connected to some extent, the even split of the catch was the same on past swains trips.  All my past trips we would bring home the best part of 35kg of mixed reef fillet search which is more than enough.

[ellicat]

14 minutes ago, Huxstang said:

So pretty much need to get my head in order for what i will do the most of.   I am thinking something like a seajay 460 that can do estuary and bay plus take it up north once a year or so….if we can afford it with fuel costs!!!  Got a free house in cooktown i can use

Probably do the boat show circuit next year and get a feel for things.   

Never fished a side console and wonder what they are like if you were coming back from Moreton with some typical afternoon slop…..in most boats it seems more comfy to stand and let the knees do the work.

I know what i will have on it an that is a decent sounder and electric.

Yes, I don't have an electric yet, but it is on the shopping list.

With 18 months to go, time is on you're side to suss out the right setup for you. There's a few threads in the Boating Forum on here where people have given their opinions and pros and cons of the different options for boats. Always good for a new thread though.

 

[Junky]

2 hours ago, Huxstang said:

What restrictions do you mean?  Isn’t it a 60 reef fin fish bag for trips over 148hrs?

This is a full group organised by my mates b-i-l, so everyone is connected to some extent, the even split of the catch was the same on past swains trips.  All my past trips we would bring home the best part of 35kg of mixed reef fillet search which is more than enough.

Our tender was the only one catching. And if the others caught anything they'd trophy it so it didn't get shared up. 

One bloke sat on the mothership all week and watched movies. 

I went home with a hell of a lot less than I caught, not only that, I caught good size fish and the fillets I got were piss poor. 

 

No diving for crays or snorkelling of any kind. 

Website is full of pics of crays but your not allowed in the water. 

Funny thing is the crew watched us put our gear on board at the harbor but told us when we were out there that it was not allowed. 

 

Never again. Stick to doing it myself in my own boat. 

And when you chuck 3k at a fishing charter you expect more fish. 

Sour taste for me, but I've always struggled with charters. 

 

 

 

[Huxstang]

12 hours ago, Junky said:

Our tender was the only one catching. And if the others caught anything they'd trophy it so it didn't get shared up. 

One bloke sat on the mothership all week and watched movies. 

I went home with a hell of a lot less than I caught, not only that, I caught good size fish and the fillets I got were piss poor. 

 

No diving for crays or snorkelling of any kind. 

Website is full of pics of crays but your not allowed in the water. 

Funny thing is the crew watched us put our gear on board at the harbor but told us when we were out there that it was not allowed. 

 

Never again. Stick to doing it myself in my own boat. 

And when you chuck 3k at a fishing charter you expect more fish. 

Sour taste for me, but I've always struggled with charters. 

 

 

 

Yes that would have been frustrating.  The group is pretty much all hard core fisho’s from what I can tell, (one guy is did tournament fishing and has mates with him) so I think/hope we will be right not to have that experience.  We are getting together this weekend and the split will get discussed.  

If someone is seasick I think it is fine to share but if they aren’t fishing well faaark them.

 

[Hweebe]

@Huxstang what's your budget range for the boat? New or Used?

For all year round fishing for your retirement, can't beat something with a bit of cover/protection if you plan fishing Moreton Bay.

Afternoon chop is a regular thing in the bay