queensland Batty's Brissie Yak night prowl!!

[batman]

Hiya

Thanks so much for responding, it’s great to know that there are like minded people who have the same passion.

I am away this weekend down in Melbourne so no fishing for me and I think the next few weekends are going to be out to due to family commitments, holidays etc. I will PM you when my next expedition is going to be and hopefully we can met up for some awesome fishing.

I launched at Ballimba yesterday at 4pm and headed over to a few of the storm water drains and rocky walls. It’s the first time I have fished with lures and I used a sx40 to start. Didn’t take me long a few casts and bang I was on the end of another bream, just a little fella but it was my first “fair dinkum†catch as the other bream I got was trowling along and I snagged him in the eye…(felt a bit bad about that!)

After giving him a kiss I let him go and I headed over to Tenerife wharfs it was getting dark and I don’t have a “proper†light on my yak. I have a head light that is very powerful and it has a flashing option to. I rigged up one of those strobe lights you break and shake on one of the rods and it was very effective. Being alone in the dark on the water was a weird feeling but I got used to it. I found a few barges over at the sand depo, it has heaps of large pylons and spot lights that light up the water, I figured that would be a great spot…so I hooked up to one of the guide ropes from the barges and started to cast next to the pylons where the spot lights where on the water……second cast BANG something huuuge hit my lure and snapped my girlfriends graphite rod!!! Holy teledo! One broken rod and one SX40 lure gone….! I was in disbelief.

That made me more determined…so I rigged up my rod with another sx40 and third cast in bang again but this time another small bream. After letting him go second cast in bang again another bream (must have been his mate!). Then I got snagged really badly on one of those huge ropes and had to paddle over to sort things out. After that the bream clan must have thought to leave town cause everything went quite. I rigged up my heavy rod with a Jackall and headed to deeper water, I did some trowling up and down but no interest.

Exploring the Brisbane river at night on a yak alone is such an adventure and by the time I paddled home it was bang on 9pm!! The missus was ready to send out the coat guard….she forgot that I had my phone on me doh! All in all four Bream and I am left wondering what got away?!

Batty

[namyau]

what a shame about the one that got away, at least you sounded like you had soe fun, better luck next time

[Jordan]

thats awesome, would love to join you next time you do one of those trips

[benno573]

a jack maybe?

[Angus]

Jordan wrote:

thats awesome, would love to join you next time you do one of those trips

Ditto!

I have wanted to do something like that for ages.

I was just not sure about nav lights etc....

Angus

[benno573]

all round white is all you need at night in a "paddle powered" vessel.

[batman]

Fella's

I am off to Melbs this weekend but maybe we can do a mid week "Night Prowl" next week.

Not sure if you guys can get an early mark but I like to launch around 4pm at Ballimba (I was back by 9pm, had a snack on the water) and head up stream a bit and then across to the Tenerife terminals, I am happy to show you this spot that I found...it is fully lit up with spot lights on the water, figured the fish mite use it to hunt. The Bream did! (not exactly sure if you are allowed there but that adds to the fun).

When I am back from Melbourne I will post a date, time etc and get a few of you to come along.

A couple of questions (and observations) from last night - need feedback:

Are my rods/reels set up correctly? - I have three rods that I carry with me:

• A light graphite rig (Need to replace now) with a Ecogear "popper" rigged up (- changed it to a SX40 last night).

• I have a slightly heavier graphite rig - Penn reel also with a ecogear sx40

• and then a heavier Ugly stick with a shimano "sahara" reel, I use a expensive Jackall soft lure on that one.

• I use braid on all the rods with 6-10 pound lead line attached.

A chap at BCF said that I shouldn't use "swivels" with lures? Why? He said that the lures do not run through the water correctly? He showed me how to tie a lure knot set up - two knots that slip into each other, not easy when you have to re-rig up on a kayak at night!! I resorted back to swivels cause it was easier to re-rig. Comments?

I like catching Bream but I want to hook on to a big mungral of a fish! What can I expect to catch around that Tenerife area?? Will my Jackall lure cut the mustard or should I be using live Prawns?

Observations:

Lighting.

When fishing at night, especially on a Yak, you can never have enough lighting - a city cat came way to close to me at speed! invest in one of these "Tactical" head lamps, they are awesome!! so bright and they have a flashing option, I think the City cat capt was being a dick! I also tied a break and shake fluoro to the broken rod - pretty effective. I also carry a heavy duty Dolphin torch with me just in case. One of those purpose built screw in lights for the Yak are $140!!!! I guess I better get one..

My new PFD! Always wear one!

Awesome! Designed for fishing - the front pockets unzip and act as trays to use when re-rigging etc. Excellent idea, comfy to!

A paddle leash - last Sunday I dropped my paddle out the side of the yak and it was on a one way ticket to Morton, I had to paddle the yak surfboard style to get it! lol! :laugh:

Leatherman mini tool!! Man o man - the scissors are awesome for cutting line and I keep mine on a stretchy cord attached to my PFD.

Take food and water with you cause all that paddling makes you peckish!

Keep warm.

Take extra warm clothing - it got pretty nippy out on the water last night - I invested in some waterproof pants and a spray jacket - I carry a beanie and long gloves just in case - Hypothermia is a bitch!

Anyway I am rambling on now…so I will post an invite next week for a “YAK Night Prowl†weather permitting.

Cheers Batty :woohoo:

[Terry H]

If I went for a night time yak, it'd PROBABLY have to be after those times. Quite often I dont get home until about 9pm :S Other than that I'd be keen to join ya.

[batman]

By the way for all you people that use Google Earth to plan fishing trips here are the coordinates!

Pointer - 27 (degrees) 02' 54.80 E

153 Degrees 02' 54. 80" E

Or type in Tenerife - the blue dot closest is MacTaggart's Woolstore in Tenneriffe. Its the set of barges approx 300m heading north, if you look behind the barg there is a little beach and shollow waters for poopers and light rigs.

batty

[Cowfish13]

Sounds like a fun trip:cheer:

I reckon it could have been a Jack that busted you off, or maybe a big Cod.

But yeah, the swivels do hinder the lures action a bit when used with light lures. It's best just to use a joining knot like the uni-uni or Albright. Uni-uni is easier, but, if tied correctly, the Albright is better for casting and can be stronger.

[flatty_catcher]

yeah mate i was bait fishin a few nights back and somthing went whack and just took the reel strain staight out, then a few seconds later snapped the line, whatever this was I didnt even turn it, it just keep going ...

[batman]

It might have been a small shark or something bigger cause it took off with a bang, saying that I have been chatting with TerryH and I was running a very light rod/line combo which was siting in the rod holder of my Yak. The fish must have hit it at the wrong angle and bam the rod went the wrong way to fast.

Oh well I was just saying to the missus the other day, what could I use as a light holder for my Yak. Perfect...I am off down the bicycle shop to get a few white flashing lights to fix to the broken rod, I will zip tie the rod to my milk crate and Bonza I have a light on the back of my Yak! :laugh:

[Jordan]

were you using bait or a lure? why would you have the rod in the holder if you were using a lure?

[Terry H]

I think he was trolling... In which case if you have your rod tip facing towards the front of the yak a big hit will cause the rod to bend a long way back in a flash, and can break your rod. That's why my holders have the rod almost perpendicular to the yak, and only slightly forward. That way the bend in the rod isn't too extreme.

That said, I thought lee had his at a decent angle, but a big barra still snapped his rod:O

[Mozza]

Sounds like a great session... unlucky though about the big fish that broke your rod and stole your lure :S i reckon it must have been a big cod, jack or bream.

[pinkey]

Nice session, I reckon the thing that busted you would of been a big cod, they get over 60cm in the river.. or even a thready or jew, maybe even a jack but its getting abit late for them to fire.