Product Reviews

View the latest product reviews.

Local Boat Ramps

Information on the quality and location of local Boat Ramp facilities. Includes photographs, maps and some video content.

Family orientated

Promoting family fishing.

Fish for the future

FishingTownsville.net promotes catch and release fishing.

Great Fishing Locations

Popular fishing spots including GPS locations, sounder shots and maps.

Regular fishing reports

Regular fishing reports from our fishing trips.

Product Reviews

View the latest Product Reviews.

Fly Fishing

Chasing Golden Trevalley on the Magnetic Island flats.

Relaxing!

Enjoying one of the many beautiful beaches of Magnetic Island.

Sunday 16 August 2009

It's hard to keep a secret around here!

What a wonderful weekend of weather! I had been watching Seabreeze all week and was very excited when Friday finally arrived. We picked the kids up after work, packed the boat in quick time, and were at the ramp about 5pm. Dad had headed out in his boat a little earlier, and was going to collect some live bait and meet us at the North Cardinal. We sped across the bay at almost 30knots and made it to the NC in no time. Dad had found the bait collecting process a little tough, so we decided it give it a miss and head straight to our shoal mark.

On arrival there was one other boat anchored there. But that didn't seem to matter, there was plenty of room for us all to anchor. Although I do apologize to the folk if I ended up a little too close. The current was racing through, and by the time my anchor grabbed I was closer than I wanted to be. It was now well after 6pm and the kids were hungry. So we got them dinner and sorted before any fishing. Not that it mattered, there really wasn't much biting! I only fished for a couple of hours, landing nothing more than 2 massive Batfish and a Slatey. Another boat joined us, but not long after both left. So only Dad and I remained here for the rest of the night.

I got up again about 5am. I put a bait down and managed a couple of bigger Trevalley and something big that rubbed me off on the bottom. Not sure what it was, but I suspect something big and red! As the sun rose I prepared the rods for floating pilchards and set them out the back. Ward then arrived and set up not too far to one side. The kids and Tania rose about 6am. It was pretty quite then until there was a bit of light from the sun. Tania started a bit of bottom fishing while I kept and eye on the floaters. Her floating pillie was the first to go off. And boy did it go off! I grabbed the bottom rod from her as she grabbed the other rod from the holder. The ratchet was screaming and she was finally hooked up to her first Spanish Mackerel for this year. She was having a ball and soon had a nice fish on the other end of the gaff.

With the guys in Wards boat looking like there were doing quite well I though I would drop some metal and give that a go too. Then things got a little crazy! I hooked up and landed another nice Spanish on the slice. That fish was laying on the floor of the boat with hooks still in its mouth when one of the floaters went off. I grabbed that rod and then the other rod got hit too! Unfortunately it that one didn't hold for Tania. So with another fish landed and kicking on the floor of the boat it was a mad rush to get lines back out again. Lucky are kids are pretty savvy about all this and had the good sense to stay in the cabin! We manage on more Mack for the morning giving us a total of 4. Noting massive, all around the 6-8kg mark.

Tania continued to try the bottom for a red fish. But all she could manage was Trevalley and Ramora! Then when something red did finally come up, it turned out to be a Chinamon! She also managed to get dusted at least twice on the bottom. She is now thinking 50lb may not be enough, but I sad she would be pulled out of the boat with anything more!

By now about 10 other boats had come over to join us! So I guess the secret is out! LOL. I don't claim ownership over any particular spot, so good luck to those that were there. As Ward said, everyone there seemed to play the game fair. Those anchored did so at a good distance, and those trolling also kept their distance. I just hope everyone looks after these spots so we can all continue to go and enjoy the good fishing they have to offer.

It was about now that I realised that of all the things to forget to pack, I had forgotten to put in the EPIRB! As my boat is not locked up at home, I keep noting of value in it. So everything has to be put in before heading off. We decided to do the right thing and head back in around the island. Besides, we had a good feed of fish and the kids were itching to do some fishing themselves. So we headed back to a spot inside the island and have them a good couple of hours catching all manner of small fish.


Back to the ramp about lunch time we had had a wonderful trip with the family.