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Fly Fishing

Chasing Golden Trevalley on the Magnetic Island flats.

Relaxing!

Enjoying one of the many beautiful beaches of Magnetic Island.

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Lucinda Fishing Competition

The May-day long weekend saw the annual Baptist Church fishing competition in Lucinda. This year had an exceptional turn out from its members, no doubt due in part to the great prizes organised by the committee. Dion will shortly post a full report of results of the weekend, but in the mean time here is an account of my experience.

Friday 2/5/08
Finish work at 3.10. Get home, pack, hook up boat and try leave by 4! That didn't happen, but I was not too far off schedule. I arrived at Lucinda about 6.15pm and set up the tent (raised the targa on the boat as I decided sleeping in the cabin was WAY easier). The club put on a sausage sizzle for dinner that night. Dion gave a briefing and ran over the competition rules and Greg (Chaplin) blessed the fleet. As the competition didn't begin until midnight, I decided not to fish. But we did go for a walk along the Jetty.

Saturday 3/5/08
Waking to the predicted 15-20knot winds already blowing at 4.30 in the morning, we knew we wouldn't be going far. The plan was to at least get to the end of the Jetty for a couple of hours. Ward was in the boat with me, and his boys (Liam and Chris) and Julie took his boat. We bumped our way out the channel and to the end of the terminal. It was lumpy, and we didn't think we would last there more than a few minutes. I threw around a few metal slices at high speed, and Ward put in a fly. I hooked up reasonably quickly, landing a nice Queenfish in the 5kg range. So it was decided that putting up with the weather might just be worthwhile. We drifted there for a few hours, with a steady flow of quality fish. In the end I had landed 2 good Queenfish, 1 GT and a School Mackerel. In the other boat, Liam had a Queenfish, GT and Golden Trevalley. But he had also released about 7 other good GT's. Back to the ramp and out of the water by 10am meant we didn't have to deal with the low tide at the mouth of Dungeness.

After cleaning up Ward and I ventured down to the beach to try for a Flathead. I was hoping to get my 5th and final fish to weigh. No such luck. Weigh-in was at 4pm, and after dinner we headed to the Jetty to try for a Tarpon. Again, we didn't have any success. I managed to hook and drop one. But there were not even many rises from them in the water.

Sunday 4/5/08
4.30 rise again. Forecast much the same, but this time it was pretty good early. Jordan was with me today, and Ward in his boat. Dion joined up at the Jetty in his boat with 3 of the other guys. Oh, and Steve took his boat out there too. All of us worked the area pretty hard with little to no success. Dion headed out wide about 9am. I looked to follow, but the weather was starting to turn. Lots of white caps and it was only getting worse. So we stuck it out. Then on our last drift past the Jetty Jordan hooked up. A quality Queenfish, again in the 5kg class. A lucky capture, as the handle on the spin reel broke off mid fight!


Back to the ramp and then off to the beach again. I didn't stick it out down there too long. It was obvious I was not going to get that Flatty.

That night was a BBQ dinner put on by the club (and a good one too). I donated a Queenfish to BBQ whole. And everyone seen to enjoy with nothing but a skeleton left. Then it was time for presentations. I managed to win Saturdays weigh-in, the lure division and overall Senior Male. So I was quite chuffed!!

We tried for another Tarpon before bed, but given the comp was over we didn't try too hard.

Monday 5/5/08
Given there were many families that don't have boats and couldn't get out on the water, Dion organised for a few boats to do a trip up the channel and around Haycock Island. I volunteered to take some people in my boat. In total 3 boats went for run. It was beautiful up the channel, classed out most of the way. I think everyone appreciated this offer and had a great time. Especially the kids.



Then it was time to head home......