Weedbeds still quiet

Yesterday morning I took Tania and the boys for a quick trip across to the weedbeds before having to go into the Townsville Boat Show at Townsville Marine. The plan was to head out the front of Alligator Creek in 3-4m of water and toll some lures for a couple of hours. It was never going to be flat conditions  but a quick trip first thing we though was the go.

We put the boat in at the newer Barnacle St boat ramp right on first light and proceeded through the 6knot zone. Once clear of the river we had good run to our spot with light 5-8knot wind chop. We trolled the area until about 8.30am and only managed a handful of Grinner! While the water quality was quite good, water temp is still about 24.4 degrees. Coupled with weak tides I don't think the Mackerel are in there just yet. There were a couple of other boats doing the floating pilly and burley trail thing, but I don't think they saw any action either. I would like the see that water temp get down closer to 19 or 20 to get them into the shallows.

It did, however, give me a chance to check out the new sounder combination add to the 485sf. I'm now running a Humminbird 998HD on the console and a 798HD on front casting deck. Networked with a single ethernet cable, the units share waypoint and transducer data. It will make it much easier to work lures from the bow of the boat while being able to watch the sounder.

The Townsville Boat Show was fantastic yesterday, with big crowds there at lunchtime when I visited. Nick and boys from The Sign Guys put a wrap on Emmanuels 485sf with everyone watching, and Gary from the NQ Fishing Show had his boat on display and spot at length about the up and coming billfish season. Its all on again from 8.30am today. So head on down and check out the massive under cover display area, free entry, free face-painting & free jumping castle. Plus on water boat tests, including the massive 8m Hooker with 350hp V8 Yamaha! Free bus shuttle service to the marina for the water tests!

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Importing old waypoints on Humminbird sounders

Recently I replaced my Humminbird 998 with the newer 998HD. Before removing the old sounder I ran through the standard 'export all nav data' option to save all my waypoints to an SD card. I then removed the SD card and deleted the waypoints form the unit. When I go the new 998HD I installed the SD card and turned the unit on. Expecting the waypoints to automatically load I was surprised (and a little concerned) when they didn't appear on the chart. I checked the SD card on the computer and correct hwr file was located in MATRIX folder as it was supposed to be. And the timestamp on the file indicated it was created when I exported the data. I also knew the new unit was reading the card correctly as the snapshots were all present. In an effort to ensure I hadn't lost all my marks I installed the Humminbird PC software on the computer to open the file. This was a bit of a mission as I am a Mac user and so far Humminbird have not ported their software application across to OSX. The file loaded correctly and all my waypoints were definitely on the card. After reading around some forums I soon found the answer. 

To import waypoints from an SD card the unit MUST be powered up BEFORE the SD card with the waypoints is inserted. This is only a recent changed that occurred in a firmware update. Prior to this the card was examined for new waypoints every time the unit was turned on. Once the unit is powered up, and the SD card is inserted, a dialogue box asks if you would like to import the new nav date. Once this is confirmed the waypoints are imported and everything is ready to go! Happily I can report that the link between the waypoints and the thumbnail images are maintained.

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2013 Townsville Boat Show

In just over a week Townsville Marine will be hosting the 2013 Townsville Boat Show. Townsville Marine boasts the largest undercover display of boats in Australia, all powered by Yamaha.

One big weekend, one massive show!

Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th May.

Specials on every boat in stock.

Yamaha Repower specials all weekend! Free rig kits on selected models!

Special guest speakers on catching fish - pelagics (mackeral and marlin), reef fishing and estuary fishing!

125+ boats in stock - including plate, fibreglass, pressed boats and tinnies!

• Free Entry
• Free Parking
• On water tests all weekend (free shuttle bus to the water, leaves hourly)
• $5000 voucher to be won
• Major brands
• Stress Free Winches on Display
• Bar Crusher Plate Boats
• Sea Jay Boats
• Hooker Boats
• TABS Plate Boats
• Clark Aluminium Boats
• Signature Boats
• Yamaha Outboards
• Specials on accessories and fishing gear!
• Humminbird specials
• Talk to the manufacturers!
• Great deals on every boat in stock!
• Yamaha Finance available on site!

For more information - visit townsvilleboatshow.com.au
Or if you are on Facebook you can show your intent to attend here.

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Rollingstone Beach Caravan Park

For the ANZAC 'long weekend' a group of us teachers decided to go on a camping trip to Rollinstone Beach Caravan Park with our families. As it wasn't traditionally a long weekend, we all had to return for work Friday. So being not much more than 30mins out of town, Rollingstone Beach Caravan Park was an ideal location for a quick trip away. 

We left directly from work Wednesday afternoon with boat in tow. By 6.30pm we had the camp set up and dinner ready. I have never been into this camp ground before, and we were pleasantly surprised when we drove in. The grounds are pristine, and out camp site was right on the beach. We opted for an on-suite site which we wouldn't normally do. But it was an excellent choice, giving us a personal toilet and shower as well as a room for lockable dry storage! There is also a beautiful pool and well maintained camp kitchen facilities. 

Thursday, ANZAC day, was my birthday, so there was no option for the family other than fishing! I spoke to Graham Knight from G & T Fishing School and Charters on Wednesday night and he talked of monster Queenfish off the Jetty! 'Sounds good' I though! 

We left early and headed for Lucinda. A quick breakfast stop and McDonalds in Ingham and we were at the ramp right on sunrise. A comfortable run to the end of the Jetty and Humminbird 998 soon light up with fish marking high in the water column. Down goes the Minn Kota and the magic 'spotlock' button held us over the best of the school. We put down a selection of GIMP lures and Bumpa-Bars, but it was the GIMPS the fish wanted! 

I was the first to hookup. A big queenfish smashed the GIMP mid water and was soon peeling 20lb PowerPro for the Sustain 4000. But too much pressure from myself as the fish headed to the structure resulted in the leader parting from the braid. But it was that or the jetty, as I found out from the next fish! I gave him the chance to run, and he found the structure! Lachlan was next, working a GIMP at mid water while I re-rigged the other line. Again the fish raced off and around the corner of the nearest pilon. I tried to manoeuvre the boat between the fish and structure, but it was unsuccessful. 

Finally, after a quick succession of lost fish and lost lures, I finally managed to boat one! This fish ran to open water and jumped well clear of the Jetty. A few good jumps and the fish was stuffed. It was easily lead the boat and the waiting net. Hold on, 'I think the net is still in the back of the car'!!!! Luckily it was an easy tail grab and fish was lifted aboard. This one went in the eski too cook on the BBQ that night for the hungry hords! 

As the tide slowed and topped out the fish went off the bite. I have no doubt they would have returned once tide started running out, but I had a date with a Barra up the channel! But unfortunately I was stood up! Due to other commitments for the day we had to pull out about lunchtime. A very thorough chat with fisheries at the Dungeness ramp and we headed back to camp. 

The wind camp up Friday afternoon and put a stop to any further fishing. And I think it has pretty much blown ever since!

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Maggie Shoals

Following Mondays beautiful day on the water, Tuesday was predicted to be even better! And with most of Townsville back at work we figured the town ramps would be clear of traffic. I decided to take the family out to Maggie Shoals to check out my old Nannygai marks. Its been a while since I fished out this way, and I was looking forward to hitting marks I knew would hold fish.

We pulled up at the Coast Guard ramp just in time to see Ward and Richard move off in Wards Stacer. We headed off toward the shoals but soon hit a choppy breeze. Backed down to about 18knots we slowly made our way to the North Cardinal. As it turned out Ward was heading in the same direction as us, and had stopped off here too because of the slightly sloppy conditions. We said G'day as I 'spot-locked' the MinnKota just down current of the marker. I put down a Threadybuster on the 8lb Stella 1000 and was almost instantly snaffled up! A solid thumping bottom fish of some kind, maybe a Finger? But on the light line he soon found some structure.

We continued at the Cardinal for a bit, but soon decided it was calm enough to head wider to our origional target. It turned out to be a reasonable run at just over 20knots most of the way. The 485sf definitely rides well in small chop, and we easily maintained a faster and more comfortable ride than Wards Stacer.

We pulled up on the mark I knew to hold good Nannygai and Spanish Mackerel. And instantly the sounder lit up with fish almost through the whole water column. A couple of metal slices were first to be sent to the bottom, and both hooked up first drop. But it turned out to be mainly Trevalley. But it was good to get the family pulling up some decent fish.

Ward soon joined us and he and Richard were quickly into them on fly. Wards fist fish was a decent looking Queenfish, and Richard placed a lovely Golden into the Eski.

It didn't take long and sharks moved in. We then proceeded to loose every decent fish to either a shark or pulled hooks. Going hard on fish to avoid the sharks sure is tough on gear and angler!

After a while things went quiet, and it was time for a move. We headed wider to Shark Shoal, by now it was a millpond out there! But there was almost nothing showing on the mark, very unusual for this location. A bit of a hunt around found a couple of hits on the lures, but nothing substantial.

We then made our way back closer to the Shoals to look through a bunch of older Nannygai marks. Only one was showing a good school of fish holding close to the bottom. Spot-lock was again hit and a G.I.M.P lure was sent to the bottom. It was smashed big time as soon as it hit the bottom. A good solid fish that pulled hard as it desperately tried to hold onto the bottom. But it was no match for the 30lb Stella 8000! Soon a shadow of red came into view and the call of Nannygai was made. Tania grabbed then net and it lifted aboard. Dinner!

Next drop was Lachy with a G.I.M.P on the 30lb TwinPower 6000. The fish hit as the line was just getting in range of the bottom. I don't think the poor kid even knew the fish had taken his lure. Line was suddenly flying off the open reel and as I leaned over and flicked the Bail-arm into place the weight took up on the rod and almost pulled him over the side! But unfortunately he just couldn't hold it, and the fish soon buried into the structure. This seemed to put the fish off and the bite went quiet.

By mid afternoon it was still dead calm, and we were getting hot and tired. As this was our second day in a row on the water we were happy to call it quits and head home. A beautiful run home at 24knots with the Suzuki 80 sipping away at just 0.3lts per km.

I continue to be very impressed with the usability of 'Spot-lock' on the MinnKota iPilots for offshore fishing. I have not used the anchor since owning this boat! It is just so easy to pull up on a mark, sound around under electric power, and then hold on the mark with the press of a button. This is especially useful on the very small marks that the Nannygai hold on. No more re-anchoring multiple times to get right on position. You can happily fish away with confidence that you are not going to move. And if the fish do move away, just pick up the remote and sound around until you find them again! So simple and effective. Purchase your MinnKota electric motor today at Townsville Marine. 

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Brown's Scrub out!

Easter Monday presented Townsville boaties with some of the best weather we have seen in a while. So with predicted kaos at the town ramps we decided to avoid the area and do something completely different. We set off south of town and launched at Morriseys ramp. From there we shot out the mouth and south to Cape Bowling Green. But rather than fish around the Cape itself we headed offshore in search of some shoal marks. 

The first patch of fish we found on the Humminbird 998 came about 5km offshore. With spotlock engaged on the iPilot we sent down some Threadybuster lures. Almost instantly mine was hit and racing off. But it turned out to be a small shark that took the lure on the drop. A few more drops and a few more sharks! The sharks were actually consistently taking the lures on the drop down. 

We then put a couple of Mackerel lures out the back and trolled the area where bait was obviously hanging. Within 5mins one of the lines was zinging off. Tania took the rod as 30lb braid slowly vanished. Then it popped right at the wire. We think a big Mack that managed to get some teeth just above the wire trace. I only fish 4-6in of wire when trolling lures, and this is the first that has ever managed to bite off. We trolled around for the half hour or so with no more hits. 

Further offshore the water was beautiful and blue, but we struggled to find any decent marking of fish or structure on the bottom. Hunting new shoal marks is a challenge. But it can be rewarding when the 'needle in the haystack' is finally found. 

We headed back to the beach at the cape to cook up one of the small sharks on a fire for lunch. And then back home before the afternoon breeze came up. 

Despite a lack of fish caught, the family had one of the best morning on the water for quite a while. It was interesting looking around somewhere completely different. And the kids felt like real 'hunter-gatherers' cooking up lunch on the beach. 

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