jon

Gday Benno, tbh I was never really sure what to call these ones . Catch them all the time but they are always sub 20cm. This one was pushing 40 . Fisheries reckons they are  called chinaman rock cod. No size limit but 4.5 stars eating.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Got out on Friday and then a again on Sunday mixed bag of reefies from boat rock on both days. Plus a few squid in the bay on the way home.Sunday was hard going due to the amount of boats deciding to drift close enough to shake hands to where we were anchored every time. Pulled hooks on a good mackerel near the boat due to no gaff but was good to get out again it’s been ages.

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Might head out tomorrow before all the weekend crowds get in on the action😆
🤞  a report to come

Now that the various Covid regulations are over, I have been out and about doing community talks again. For those around Redcliffe and northern Brisbane, I have one coming up next month. 

Yesterday I had to spend the day on the GC as one of the kids had a Birthday Party to attend.  The plan was to fill in time in the morning going Beach Worming - try salting some for later use.  But I couldn't stand the thought of not going for a fish so packed the rods etc in the car.  We knew we might be a bit late for the tide for worms and only managed two before giving up and, to my disgust paying for live bait at the local tackle Shop.
Brett dropped me at Shearwater park while he took the kids to the Birthday party.
I managed to catch a small winter Whiting and decided it might make a good live bait so emptied the little belt bucket and popped it in some water.  I spent a little time trying in vain to catch some more whiting/Bream etc with the worms but no joy.  Brett arrived back with the eldest who wanted to go somewhere with a playground so we headed to Coombabah Creek where I caught another small winter Whiting.  I changed hooks and put one on as live bait, sat back had a smoke and drink and was about to move the bait saying I was bored and there was no action - Brett said you should move the bait 😘.  I started winding in slowly so I could cast it back out toward the sand/mud bank again and then the drag started going.  At first I thought it was a snag, then a stingray, then after a minute or two fight was pleased to bring up the Flattie.  Was careful to keep the rod tip down because I had a feeling it want hooked well.  Drag was very light.  As I dragged it the couple of metres through the mud it spat the hook.  My foot secured it for tea.
I immediately cast the remaining live to the same spot and waited a few minutes the bait was swimming hard and then, although the drag didn't move I had a feeling the bait might have something larger wrapped around it - so I started a careful retrieve and felt some weight and then the drag started again.  I landed the second Flattie and job done.  Fresh Flattie for tea.
Filleted in the dark in a hurry cause was dark and late for kids tea.  Worst filleting job ever - so we got a small portion of some unknown fish out of the freezer to supplement.
All in all a great day - got exercise, sea air, muddy feet and fresh fish.

Awesome mate!

Awesome mate!

Hi all,
Headed up to Cotton Tree Holiday Park on the weekend with the family for a short camping trip.
Managed to sneak out on the yak on Saturday arvo when bubs went for a snooze.  I am not familiar with the area so thought i would go for a bit of a troll around and see what i could find.  Wasn't long before I got a hit in the shallows just off the edge of a sandbank and was a little surprised to see a 30cm bream on the end of the line, i was certainly expecting a flatty in that area.  I continued on and found a small flatty that liked my lure and while unhooking this one disturbed another in the super shallow water, massive puff of sand and a large flathead took off, estimated at about 80cm, super cool to see.
 
I continued on and found another flathead that was just legal but released.  i found a very likely looking area and soon caught a small flatty, had barely reset the lure when it got whacked hard, this one was even peeling line.  a fairly short but spirited fight ( @ellicat - the little wascal had spiwit) and a 38cm bream made it into the net, a quick measure and he was sent on his way.  another few smaller bream and a flathead soon followed from the same area.  I was then winding in one of the lures quickly to enable a quick easy turn around and the lure got whacked on the retrieve.  a few jumps and runs later i had a lovely probably 50cm tailor beside the yak but unfortunately the teeth found the leader and it was bye bye breakfast and $20 lure... 
 
the next day after packing up camp, i headed out with the wee one on board.  first port of call was to cruise across the shallows and look for stingrays which were thankfully plentiful that morning.  after that we had to stop and chase the soldier crabs around of course.  and then chase the seagulls.  after that, a quick museli bar and back on the yak to see if we can catch a fish.  not long after starting trolling along, a small flathead grabbed the lure, wee one was super keen to wind the handle and even pointed at the fish without me saying and said "flathead dadda".  I don't think i've ever been as proud a parent as then.  We watched the little flathead swim away and then not long after hooked up again and after some more handle winding and "it's a bream dadda".  again... so proud.  only her 2nd fishing trip too!  we let the bream go and then spent a while watching some pelicans feeding and then hooked something a lot heavier.  more handle turning and a "really really big flathead" appeared.  it was just over 50cm on the ruler which i guess isn't really really big but when you're only 1m tall it would appear pretty big.  we let this one go too as it was not quite big enough to feed the 3 of us on it's own - definitely its lucky day.
 
after that it was clear that kayak time was nearly over so a hasty retreat was sought, managed to make it back home before the bruce highway become a cluster ef which was good.
 
i don't have any fish photos to share this time but thought i would put the story up regardless.
 
cheers,
ben
 

It’s been a while since I’ve done a report, mostly due to lack of fishing on my part, and lining everything up has been a challenge lately, anyway, back towards the end of April I snuck out to West Peel for a fish, I sent out a plastic and put  it in the holder whilst organising another setup, the plastic got mauled during the drift, It was a 10lb setup with a firm drag and not once did I get that thing under control, having survived the first run I thought I was safe and got a couple of winds on it, then off it went again, shaking it’s head vigorously and ditching the hook in the process, spewing!, I now know how Brian felt when I took him there last year.
The action slowed down a bit after that, I think I landed a couple of 30cm models, one grinner,  and a big sea toad before I hooked a half decent one, he gave me a good run on light gear, coming in at 57cm

A quick pic and he was on his way, after that I headed home and made an appointment with a therapist to help deal with losing a stonker, 
The next outing was at the beginning of May, same spot, but this time more fish, I caught 5 legal squire ranging between 36-40, & 1x46, I didn’t bother with too many pics that time, I did however keep the 46 for a snack, and here’s a pic of him after sitting in the esky for a while 

I should mention too, the grinners were out of control!, I probably caught 12 all up, the day before I went out, my neighbour hit me up for some frames to put in her veggie patch to fertilise the soil,I don’t know if grinners are good for that, but I saw them as the perfect candidates, I took the fillets off them and froze them up for a mate to use when he goes fishing, and gave her the squire and grinner frames for her garden, sorted.
That brings me to today, having checked the tides, and with it being a full moon last night I wasn’t expecting great things so thought I would try something different this time, I went to the foreshore yesterday afternoon & collected some crabs to use for bait on Tuskies around the shallows of Peel, I gathered 9 good looking specimens in no time thinking that would be plenty.
Given the tide I decided to launch at 6am, it felt a bit naughty getting to the ramp that late but Snapper weren’t the target today.
On my way over to Peel I thought I better have one little drift as I’m heading straight over it, I sent out a plastic, put If in the holder, and went about selecting another rig, I’ve looked back at the one in the holder only to see it now has a bend in it, oh dear, I best take care of that, a little battle and up pops this guy, a nice 47cm model

A quick pic and he was on his way, not much further along that drift and the rod bent again. A little 35

At risk of getting distracted, I decided to continue with the original plan and head to Peel, upon arrival I thought I better just throw a plastic quickly to see what’s getting about, well, that was me for the next 2 hours, catching little squire ranging in size from 25 to 37 one after the other, using a 1-4kg rod ( that Brian calls the “noodle”) with 6lb braid, it was good fun, a Z Man streaks in opening night colour rigged on a 1/6th jighead was doing all the damage, the plastic rarely hit the bottom, after that many fish the little plastic looked very tired, by the end of that session he had 2 tales but the fish still loved him.

After getting well and truly sidetracked there, I made my way to the spot I wanted to try with the little crabs. It looked promising, a nice edge, a bit of current, I’m set, well, I wasn’t quite ready for just how quick my little crabs were getting demolished, I went through all 9 of them in less then half an hour without hooking up, it’s clear I may have to rethink my approach.
With my crab supply depleted, I began casting a plastic, and on one of the retrieves as it got close to the boat, I thought I had spotted my target, a green fish followed it up and turned around a metre or so from the top, now my eyes aren’t the best and I can’t  be 100% sure it was the target, but I’ll definitely be going back there and trying again.
It was late morning by now so I decided to try one more spot at Peel before heading back in, not much happened there except a grinner. I began making my way back to the ramp via a quick drift at West Peel, same 1-4kg rig, with a new plastic, fair bit of current now, took a long time to get it down, but when it did, it got eaten by this guy

He suffered a blood nose during the fight but he released well, the “noodle” got a right proper work out on these guys today, and considering they weren’t all that big, I probably had just as much fun, if not more, catching them, as I do targeting  the bigger ones. 👍

So I was having a sleep in today. Luckily not a long one as when I awoke there were two messages and a missed call from 'Darren Allnighter AFO' on my phone. I rang back and Darren asked if I could be at the ramp in 45 minutes. Yep.
Got there eventually after catching every red light and the Stop sign at the roadworks. Darren had already launched, so picked me up from the pontoon. We motored out and tried to catch some livies with not much luck at first. Eventually we were onto a patch of pike. I managed to hook 4 but lost three - one slipped out of my hands and the other two dropped off the hook before I swung them aboard. Perhaps my hands were a little shaky with the anticipation.
We had gathered enough bait to start the session. Darren had declared that he was the decky for the day and his rods were mine to grab. So I deployed one and sat it in the holder and Darren deployed the other one. My bait wasn't in the water for a minute when that blistering run I've been waiting for happened. The reel screamed off and I held the rod waiting for it to slow. The line was getting low when finally the run paused and I began getting some line back. Eventually the net was slipped under my first bay brute ! 77cm on the brag mat. Much joyous expression followed with handshakes and I think even a man hug. I think @Allnighter got some footage on his GoPro too. Many photos were snapped, but I didn't share any with mates as there was no service where we were.
Redployed the lines and managed two more in the mid 50's, one of which Darren kept for a feed and the other we let go as I kept my first one. I've had the boat for just on 2 years and have clocked 270 hours searching for this sucker without success. I've been out with @Another Wazza a few times and he has taught me the method with soft plastics and shared his ways too.- hooking and losing one snapper the first time and then hooking and losing a jew another time. @Junkyhas organised a session with me and has been generous with tips also, but we haven't made it out yet (come on next Monday). @Cobiaaddicthas also wisened me up with tips/methods also, but I just haven't been good enough. @Old Scaley and @benno573 have shared quite a few hours coaching me too, amongst those 270 hours. Finally, now with one hour on Darren's rig and it's a done deal. I am so stoked and thankful to all those that have egged me on. Cheers fellas.
I think I have learnt heaps and so a new quest begins - to catch one aboard Ellicatch to prove it wasn't a fluke !
Thanks again @Allnighter, you certainly gave me the happy ending I was hoping for !  Now I need the massage.
We had plenty of hits throughout the rest of the day, but no hookups until last cast. Darren said he'd like to get a 90+ as he hasn't got one yet. About a minute later his drag screamed off. It kept going, with him saying this is big and heavy. It slowed just short of spooling him and then it just sort of sat there. It started to come in but somewhere along the way it spat the hook and was declared the one that got away. We packed up and scooted home in excellent conditions, not that I would have noticed if we were pounding as I was floating on air.

 

 

 

 

I thought you were just chasing  the big bay Snapper, as Steve just mentioned, you do realise a 70cm+ bay Snapper would have to equate to a 90cm+ off shore model, sorry Brian, but rules are rules, and the goal posts just got moved, Hahahaha!

I'll take anything where the water is connected to the Bay. In any case, if I get one, it will be in the bay at some stage. 😛
 

Nice work mate we’ll done!!

He is kind of like a dog, he eats out of my hand, knows that when I pick up the net that I’m getting him food and gets all excited head out of water waiting, and best of all he stares at my sister and judges her.  Really a site to see.