Junky

Brian's better off hanging with Hamish on the pontoons... 🤣

Many years ago fishing out of Waddy Pt I caught my biggest, whole green jobfish on braid tied straight to hook. 
Just over 9kg, and I say whole because I've retrieved parts of the same species that would have been a larger, complete fish. 
 
If memory serves me it was 60lb platyl braid (dark green) or similar, not platypus. 
 I had made the double using a figure 8 knot, then just looped the hook on and a running 8 ball.
Yep, full not giving a toss. 
 
Well, I found out that jobbies that size fight extremely hard.  I was sitting up the bow, with rod butt under my thigh. I was sick of fighting what I thought was a shark. This thing just would not give up. I raised it three times, then I saw it and could not believe that
A, it's not a shark, and
B, the braid held with all my carelessness. 
No leader, full dodge houso style fishing and its still my PB jobbie. 
From the on. I use braid. 
 
Leader, can sometimes be the weak point. 
Every time I loose a big fish, it's leader breaking or hook straightening. Never the braid breaking. 

Many years ago fishing out of Waddy Pt I caught my biggest, whole green jobfish on braid tied straight to hook. 
Just over 9kg, and I say whole because I've retrieved parts of the same species that would have been a larger, complete fish. 
 
If memory serves me it was 60lb platyl braid (dark green) or similar, not platypus. 
 I had made the double using a figure 8 knot, then just looped the hook on and a running 8 ball.
Yep, full not giving a toss. 
 
Well, I found out that jobbies that size fight extremely hard.  I was sitting up the bow, with rod butt under my thigh. I was sick of fighting what I thought was a shark. This thing just would not give up. I raised it three times, then I saw it and could not believe that
A, it's not a shark, and
B, the braid held with all my carelessness. 
No leader, full dodge houso style fishing and its still my PB jobbie. 
From the on. I use braid. 
 
Leader, can sometimes be the weak point. 
Every time I loose a big fish, it's leader breaking or hook straightening. Never the braid breaking. 

Allbright or double uni in the situation you describe.
 
However, my fg has held on and I have not been required to tie leader in said situation. 

Many years ago fishing out of Waddy Pt I caught my biggest, whole green jobfish on braid tied straight to hook. 
Just over 9kg, and I say whole because I've retrieved parts of the same species that would have been a larger, complete fish. 
 
If memory serves me it was 60lb platyl braid (dark green) or similar, not platypus. 
 I had made the double using a figure 8 knot, then just looped the hook on and a running 8 ball.
Yep, full not giving a toss. 
 
Well, I found out that jobbies that size fight extremely hard.  I was sitting up the bow, with rod butt under my thigh. I was sick of fighting what I thought was a shark. This thing just would not give up. I raised it three times, then I saw it and could not believe that
A, it's not a shark, and
B, the braid held with all my carelessness. 
No leader, full dodge houso style fishing and its still my PB jobbie. 
From the on. I use braid. 
 
Leader, can sometimes be the weak point. 
Every time I loose a big fish, it's leader breaking or hook straightening. Never the braid breaking. 

Many years ago fishing out of Waddy Pt I caught my biggest, whole green jobfish on braid tied straight to hook. 
Just over 9kg, and I say whole because I've retrieved parts of the same species that would have been a larger, complete fish. 
 
If memory serves me it was 60lb platyl braid (dark green) or similar, not platypus. 
 I had made the double using a figure 8 knot, then just looped the hook on and a running 8 ball.
Yep, full not giving a toss. 
 
Well, I found out that jobbies that size fight extremely hard.  I was sitting up the bow, with rod butt under my thigh. I was sick of fighting what I thought was a shark. This thing just would not give up. I raised it three times, then I saw it and could not believe that
A, it's not a shark, and
B, the braid held with all my carelessness. 
No leader, full dodge houso style fishing and its still my PB jobbie. 
From the on. I use braid. 
 
Leader, can sometimes be the weak point. 
Every time I loose a big fish, it's leader breaking or hook straightening. Never the braid breaking. 

Many years ago fishing out of Waddy Pt I caught my biggest, whole green jobfish on braid tied straight to hook. 
Just over 9kg, and I say whole because I've retrieved parts of the same species that would have been a larger, complete fish. 
 
If memory serves me it was 60lb platyl braid (dark green) or similar, not platypus. 
 I had made the double using a figure 8 knot, then just looped the hook on and a running 8 ball.
Yep, full not giving a toss. 
 
Well, I found out that jobbies that size fight extremely hard.  I was sitting up the bow, with rod butt under my thigh. I was sick of fighting what I thought was a shark. This thing just would not give up. I raised it three times, then I saw it and could not believe that
A, it's not a shark, and
B, the braid held with all my carelessness. 
No leader, full dodge houso style fishing and its still my PB jobbie. 
From the on. I use braid. 
 
Leader, can sometimes be the weak point. 
Every time I loose a big fish, it's leader breaking or hook straightening. Never the braid breaking. 

Great read mate. 
What a shame the fish, and the weather were off. 
Least you caught some before you got there. 
Be interesting to see the leaderboard. 

Allbright or double uni in the situation you describe.
 
However, my fg has held on and I have not been required to tie leader in said situation. 

Great read mate. 
What a shame the fish, and the weather were off. 
Least you caught some before you got there. 
Be interesting to see the leaderboard. 

Allbright or double uni in the situation you describe.
 
However, my fg has held on and I have not been required to tie leader in said situation. 

Great read mate. 
What a shame the fish, and the weather were off. 
Least you caught some before you got there. 
Be interesting to see the leaderboard. 

Great read mate. 
What a shame the fish, and the weather were off. 
Least you caught some before you got there. 
Be interesting to see the leaderboard. 

Allbright or double uni in the situation you describe.
 
However, my fg has held on and I have not been required to tie leader in said situation. 

Allbright or double uni in the situation you describe.
 
However, my fg has held on and I have not been required to tie leader in said situation. 

Great read mate. 
What a shame the fish, and the weather were off. 
Least you caught some before you got there. 
Be interesting to see the leaderboard. 

Well writing this report on the last day of the comp says it all.
It all started last year when good mate said we should do the Cooktown Barra comp as he has an airbnb there so we have a free roof over our head.
I left Brisbane and drove up to Clairview (recommend BarraCrab van park).  Someone had caught a nice barra at the creek mouth on a livey but I had just done 9hrs driving and was more interested in a beer and chill out.
Next day was Townsville for a catch up with some good friends.  Although the weather was good we chose the next day as reported best day to head out to the reef.  Suited me to chill out after 2 days sitting on my arse in the 4WD.
Tuesday we hit the water early with a gentle breeze in our face.  Some entertainment as we witnessed the pleasures of our failed youth justice policies with 2 young aboriginal kids barely able to see over the dash of a dual cab 4WD doing circle work in the Coast Guard car park.   
Heading out inside Magnetic Island I plotted for a pinnacle towards Palm Is that I had picked off Navionics maps.  Sounded over it and it was marking fish just off the 10m top as it dropped quite quickly down to 20m.
First drop a nice trout that just went size.  Then a just under small mouth nannygai.  Then another trout and then just couldnt get past the spanish flag and hussar.   We werent out for a feed so everything was going back anyway.
Tried some slow fall jigging and 3rd drop a small trevor was on.  Next drop, massive hit and someone with big teeth swam off with my Palms Slow Blatt…..bugga.
Mate was getting a few back on bait so went back to the other rod.  Strong hit converted to a nice cod which was released.
Saw the most spectacular action when something was chasing a tuna of around 5 kg which did about 7 leaps past us over about 50 or so metres.  Amazing how fast they are and how they fly so well through the air.   Unknown whether it escaped but whatever was chasing it was clearly bigger enough to eat a 5kg tuna.
The bite went off just as the tide changed and with the wind picking up we headed back in.  
WEDNESDAY - drive day to Cooktown.
THURSDAY (Cooktown) - probably best chance for the reef at Cooktown but the wind was definitely not playing well.  We headed out but it was already at 15 and strengthening.  Only made it to one of the close in reefs as the tide was dropping.  Hooked a few undersized trout and the usual mix of hussar and other little reef critters.
Used low tide to map a track down the river although with barra on spawning the only chance of fish would be around the mouth of the river.
Sovereign hotel for dinner, mates wife won a voucher for free pizzas in the raffle….at least one win for the day.
FRIDAY (Cooktown) weather reports not pretty but we got out and trolled the headlands down past the Annand River mouth.  Found a nice spot with some mangroves and thanks to Ray dropped the Minn Kota and started flicking a 4.5” Scotsborough paddle tale plastic on a 7/0 TT 3/8th oz jig head.
Great strike from under a mangrove and a nice silver barra got up on its tale and threw the lure.  
Then mate tossed his lure into the trees and we were in pulling it out.  Anyone living there was no longer around.
Worked a few more similar spots but with the mangroves and rocks and a falling tide it was back towards deeper water as I had already given the prop a smack.
We worked our way back along the headlands casting hard body and plastics into every likely spot without success.
Wind was already heading towards 20kph as we got back to the mouth of the Endeavour.
The warning signs were there - nothing marking on the sounder at any point.
A spot of lunch and we headed upstream to try and get something on the board.  Again nothing showing on the sounder - could not even find any bait holding anywhere.
Did a troll through the mouth where I landed a legal school mackeral which was released.
Day 1 of comp - one barra not landed.
By the look of the sad faces at the boat ramp no one was having any luck.
Free pizza for dinner then beers at the RSL and picked up a $50 bistro voucher in the raffle.  Another free dinner sorted.  And at least a win of some sort.
SATURDAY - hit the water early and the wind was already at 25kph did a run out the mouth and along north shore but nothing showing.  Got in along the rocks but again nothing.
Unfortunately my boat is not probably the best for tight estuary and we had a look at the Annan Boat ramp but my mate wasnt so keen on swimming out to climb up the stern (just joking) as its just too high to push out and get over the bow.    Lesson learnt I will have to get the optional bow ladder from Formosa for ramps with no pontoon.
Hit the Endeavour and flogged every likely looking spot we could. The river is like a funnel and it was tough work with the wind making it hard just to get a lure in close to where you wanted.  With shoulders aching and wind burn it was in for a late lunch. 
Pretty sad when you couldnt even get a bream to follow a lure out of a snag. 
Again absolutely nothing showing on the sounder.  
After lunch we opted to stay in with wind well into the 20knot range making the river and unpleasant place and our spirits sagging.
 
Sunday. - well here I am typing.  Easily over 30 knots and the river a mess of white caps - all you see is boats packed up.  I think everyone is in the same boat.  I imagine the winner will be out of people who have gone up to Lakefield to fish the Normanby.
Although its 8.30am we will head down to Archer Point and see if we can get something off a sheltered spot off the rocks, but the boat is cleaned and not going anywhere.
Although the fishing has been tough and less than rewarding it was great to be back up north flicking lures.
 

While you're trawling lures, watch that sounder and mark the lumps, bumps and drop offs etc. 
Also, drift occasionally. You'll be surprised how much good ground you'll drift over, but you won't know it if your eyes not on that sounder. 
 

While you're trawling lures, watch that sounder and mark the lumps, bumps and drop offs etc. 
Also, drift occasionally. You'll be surprised how much good ground you'll drift over, but you won't know it if your eyes not on that sounder. 
 

While you're trawling lures, watch that sounder and mark the lumps, bumps and drop offs etc. 
Also, drift occasionally. You'll be surprised how much good ground you'll drift over, but you won't know it if your eyes not on that sounder. 
 

HI Guys,
Was hoping the photo issue was solved before posting this trip but better late than never.
Left home early on the 4th October and met mate a Nudgee and did the drive to the old stomping grounds of Hampo (also known as Rockhampton).
Met a mate with his 4.53 Territory Sea Jay, stocked up with ice and fuel and headed north to Stanage bay.
Road in was really good after hearing all the horror stories. 70km of bitumen and only 30km of dirt which had mostly been recently graded but pretty dry and dusty in some parts.
Set up camp late arvo and rigged up ready for the first time chasing barra. Excited was an understatement.
Now unfortunately due to the first night piss up we were up a little bit late the next morning and definitely a bit shady. Anyway we were off. Headed out the front for a jig on some rubble ground for no luck and a sea sick mate who had never been offshore, nothing to do with still being hungover.
Headed up the passage to the first creek and saw fish on the side scan straight away, second snag we fished and about half an hour in I hooked the first barra on a vibe in deep on the snag. Great hit and fight and landed my first barra at 75cm.
A few casts later on the same vibe I hooked a lot bigger one and lost it not long after. A mighty swirl is all I saw. Doh!
Change of spots and with lots of fish on the sounder tried the same vibe and hooked a 63cm grunter which gave me a bit of curry. PB and back she went.
Back to the first snag a little bit later later and a change of lure to a fat shad and I had annother 76cm Barra. A lot better fight and eventually in the net.
And then I lost the magic vibe on the snag, and as much as we tried we couldn’t get it back. I shed a tear or two I have to say. Didn’t get a bite on any other colour all trip.
Day two was very slow and bloody hot. The dog was not happy and we had to constantly wet him down.
Straight to the creeks and hit probably 20 creeks for a few fingermark biggest by my mate at 42cm. Missed a few bites on Texas rigged paddle tails and learnt a bit of respect after being dusted a few times.
Skipper got a 65cm barra at one of the last snags for the day. Back for more beers and snooze for me. The other two went out for a late arvo session with no luck on the ledge out the front.
Saturday was windy with 15 – 20kt SE blowing early but we’ll just go ‘around the corner’ my mate said. 60kms late we get back to the ramp broken, battered but with my mate getting a 76cm barra. Bugger only started fishing 6 months ago. I won’t forget that trip back in a hurry and either will my back.
Good feed at the pub that night and packed up camp in the morning for the drive back home.
Great trip with a couple of good mates and already planning the next one.
 https://imgur.com/gallery/clIm6RJ

Just some mullet filet mate, one of my first few times using it as well. So good result I reckon.

Very well written. 
 
42 is a good fish. 
What was the bait of choice? 
 

Brian's better off hanging with Hamish on the pontoons... 🤣

Good on you Hamish. 
Awesome fish mate.