jon

I have been using up the last of my long service leave on the way to retirement and to any fishos out there who are close to the end of their working lives, I can thoroughly recommend tossing it in as soon as you can afford. No more sitting in boring meetings on those days when you know the Bay will be glassed out, just wishing you could be anywhere on the water.
Last Thursday was one of those perfect Brisbane weather days so I knew I had to take advantage of it. Contacted a few potential deckies but no one available so I was all set up for a solo effort. I do like the solo trip but also appreciate the company on other occasions. Anyway, at 5am @ellicat sent me a message to say he was recovering from his man flu and was keen to join me so I arranged to pick him up on the way through to the ramp at the port. The plan was to get to Mud around the turn of the tide and hope that a couple of bigger snapper may have been patrolling the area before too many boats moved in.
The ramp was relatively quiet (ah, the joys of the work day fish) and we put in just as the sun was coming up.  By the way if you are looking for a good bait shop around the Bayside try Mr Bait in Violet Street at Hemmant.  Good stuff at good prices. I lost my marks for Mud a while ago when I did a factory reset of the sounder so we sounded around until we found a nice drop off. Baits we’re deployed and I had a a plastic working as well. The baits were being attacked regularly but only pickers.  @ellicat was on a mission to show @jon how to wrangle a big tusky and it wasn’t long before he was battling his own pb. I have no idea why I can’t insert photos where I want them anymore but there is a pic below of the man himself with his monster from the deep.
Over the next couple of hours we landed babies of a heap of species including snapper, grassies, tuskies, lancer, bream, stripies and more, but nothing near a keeper. We decided to move to the front rock wall at the port where I had some success a couple of weeks ago.  Stopped at a favourite flathead spot on the way but no touches on bait or plastics.  The wall was a bit more productive with a few bigger but still not legal snaps.  We did get busted off a couple of times and lost connection with a few better fish. I managed a 41cm snap for a baked dinner but that was it for the day.  No crabs either.  Al in all, a very enjoyable day in perfect conditions despite the lack of keepers.  Not the most exciting reportbut then reports have been scarce the last few days.
 

Great catches there, that’s livin

little bit slower today on the spanish but ended up with one and a few snapps,lost some big snapper today

Nice work there so thick atm there, problem is so are sharks. If I can get things sorted I might go for another run tomorrow. It’s gonna get pretty yuck in the arvo though I’ll only do a half day

I went today mackies were thick at boat rock but heaps of sharks

Nice work there so thick atm there, problem is so are sharks. If I can get things sorted I might go for another run tomorrow. It’s gonna get pretty yuck in the arvo though I’ll only do a half day

I went today mackies were thick at boat rock but heaps of sharks

Horse hussar mate I’ve never seen one that big well done!

Horse hussar mate I’ve never seen one that big well done!

Headed out from Mooloolaba last week in some nicer weather. Well it might have been a bit too nice as the fish weren’t playing the game! Fished hard all day for a couple of tuskies, Maori cod, Moses, a nice snapper and the biggest hussar I’ve ever seen!
Between 6 of us on two boats we kept about 20 reefies for the day. 
Conditions were so nice my spearo mate was foaming at the mouth to jump in, even after we saw a decent shark on one of the spots! 
Brilliant day on the water nonetheless. 
Mmmm fish tacos!

Just got back from Evans Head with the caravan what a top spot the van park has. It has the river and surf as 2 borders of the park and on the other borders you have the Rsl, pub, surf club and bowls club. 

As I have never been there before I took this as a challenge to visit everything. So I had a drink in all the establishments and fished both the river and surf.
My brother also brought his van down as well as his roof topper tinnie so both he and our partners went fishing up river. The girls outfished us and got some big whiting and a nice flathead which fed us for dinner.

We fished off the northern wall which was 300m from camp but had no luck.


We went up to razor back lookout for beers and niblies with a spectacular back drop ,  it was good to see the position of everything. Then after we bought some ocean king prawns from the Co op to finish off our bellies. Here is the rainbow touching the lookout I was hoping it would bring me luck

The last day to keep it simple we pumped yabbies off the beach right in front of camp and fished off the bank for more good size summer whiting. The river itself is loaded with these yabbies banks more than I have ever seen in any estuary I have been on and each 1 loaded with yabbies.
It is a destination I will be going back to with plenty of natural beauty and of coarse plenty of fishing options.

If this holds up I’m gonna go mid next week. Fingers crossed I’m so keen to get back up there

I was looking at the weather spewing because I'm working right through next week and weekend good luck hope the weather holds for you

If this holds up I’m gonna go mid next week. Fingers crossed I’m so keen to get back up there

If this holds up I’m gonna go mid next week. Fingers crossed I’m so keen to get back up there

If this holds up I’m gonna go mid next week. Fingers crossed I’m so keen to get back up there

i set my pots in a way now i never get any tacken

What a trip!
Not exactly the one I wanted but there are stories none the less. To explain briefly without going into to much personal detail 1.5 days into the triup and my dad got extrmely sick forcing me to leave and take him back to Kimbe for care. Gutted. I was happy to write it off as I have enjoyed the experience before. I was devastated for him as he was having such a good time. He managed one small black bass for his efforts. Thus I am left with not a lot to report except images. I am sure @John would be happy to fill in many details.
Points of interest were the bass were challenging to target due to an early arrival of white bait but some creative use of soft plastics enticed many to bite.
As far as hard bodies go trends moved back to my first trip experience with FCL Labo lures killing.
I do not have heaps of time to write paragraphs so will add some pictures now and more text later or reply to questions as they come.
Visit to the village:

Black  Bass (Have so many more but how many can you see?):


 
Other Lutjanus species for the trip:

Trevally:



 
Questions? I have so many more pictures of bass, cod, randoms, jacks... just trying to choose highlights.

Noice boat

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold. 

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold. 

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold. 

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold. 

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold. 

Went along to it today, was pretty similar to last few years, but if you are looking to buy something new  that is worth a bit eg , boats, trailers, motors, sounders or anchor winches etc you can definitely score a better deal than you would normally at other times of the year from the same outlets or distributors. The bargain bin tackle section near the entrance had pretty much the same lures/ tackle as last year and will most likely drop prices right down on last day of the show but also some of the more popular items will have sold.