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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.

Saturday 30 January 2010

Tarpon in the wet

The North Queensland Fly fishers had there first trip this weekend. As the weather was perfect (windy, wet and very wet!) we decided to chase some tarpon. At the Thursday night meeting we decided to stay local so we found a close to Town wetlands and went searching. Ward, Richard S., David, Jeff and Kieran. We searched the many tongues of water and searched. in the end all members landed tarpon for Richard and Kieran there first! We discussed how to catch the fish, where to catch the fish and stripping techniques. Well done to a hardy group. Who said you cannot cast a 5wt in 30-40 kts! The flies were generally pink, floating lines and rod weight from a 5wt to a 9wt. For the record 13 tarpon and 1 tilarpia. I will let the photos do the talking.



Friday 29 January 2010

Hungry Croc

Just in case you missed it on the news tonight.



Baptist Church Fishing Club 2010 Sign on Day

Tomorrow (Saturday 30th January) is the sign on day for the Baptist Church Fishing Club. This is currently the only club I am a member of, and I have to say it is an incredible friendly and family orientated club. If you are looking for a club to join, come along, say hello, and check it out. No obligation to join, and you don't have to be a religious person! I'm not!

Details are 10.00am to 12 noon at the BCFC Club Room. 38 Canterbury Rd, Kirwan. Opposite Ryan Catholic College.

There will be snacks, lucky door prizes and welcome packs. Lots of people will be there to discuss the club and how it will run for 2010.

For more details contact club president Don Forman on dtforman@gotalk.net.au or just show up tomorrow morning!


Wednesday 27 January 2010

Proud Dad!

PhotobucketIt was our eldest first day at school today. No surprises which school he is attending! Check the Townsville Bulletin tomorrow as he should be in a photograph with his new Principal. I couldn't resist sharing online..




Sunday 24 January 2010

Severe Weather Warning

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING - Updated 4.20pm
for Flash Flooding
For people in the Herbert and Lower Burdekin district
Issued at 4:20 pm on Wednesday 27 January 2010

Synoptic Situation:
The monsoon trough extends across northern Queensland

Heavy rainfall is currently falling about the coast and ranges between Cardwell
and Townsville and may cause localised flash flooding. This rainfall is expected
to continue overnight.

Flood warnings are also current for coastal and river streams between Cooktown
and Mackay. Refer to these products for further information.
The State Emergency Service advises that people in the affected area should:

· avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters

Contact the SES on 132 500 for emergency assistance if required.


The next warning is due to be issued by 11pm Wednesday




Wednesday 20 January 2010

Recreations fishing at risk

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Monday 18 January 2010

Townsville Boat Ramp News




Mixed bag from West Point

PhotobucketYesterday afternoon Dad and I headed off to West Point to chase some Fingermark. We had planned this trip all week, but the weather was not as good as expected. We left home about 2pm and first chased some live bait with the cast net along the way. We managed a good haul of big mud herring in very short time. So then it was a challenge to keep them kicking until the boat was in the water and the live bait tank running. But somehow we managed to do it without loosing a single fish.

It was a slow trip across the the point, but managed ok. We anchored on my mark and decided to fish pillies until the sun started to set. We didn't want to go through all the live bait before prime time. And it was a good decision. There were plenty of Nannygai on the mark that kept us quite busy. But not one keeper among them. I gave a lucanus jig a bit of a go, and managed my first Nannygai on one. These are a top looking jig, but the rubber does damage easily.

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As the sun slowly fell in the sky I hooked up to something considerably bigger. This came on a pillie fished well out the back of the boat. Turned out to be a nice 3kg plus Grunter. A couple more baits out the back and Dad had one on board to. Soon after, another for me. So three nice Grunter were now sitting in the eski.

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Another good run for Dad turned out to be a Golden. With better fish already in the eski he was promptly let go.

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As the sun dipped further in the sky we put down the live baits. But the first one that was taken turned out to be a nice little island trout. Not a Fingermark, but I'll take it!

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We didn't see too much for a while. And the live bait slowly died. Apparently 6hrs is a little too long to keep Herring alive for. But after dark the squid light was deployed. And it didn't take long for the sounder to light up with activity. We soon had some good size quid to put down. The action, however, was not what you would call fast. It took as while, but Dad did manage to land 2 nice fingermark in the 3 to 4kg range. Me other the other hand kept loosing squid to the plague of Nannygai poised under the boat!

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We left about 10.30 after the tide change. And I think it was about 1am when I made it to bed.  


Fingermark and cobia cool fish on fly

Well, what a welcome back to Townsville after a brief break in Melbourne. Richard and I decided to go for a quiet fish out the back of Rattlesnake. We were hoping to catch a fish or two pewhaps a mackerel and a tuna. We left relatively early, not! and arrived at our spot about 7.30am. We did a drift after seeing some nice colour on the sounder and a legal mackerel joined the boat, nice start. Then Richard found a nannagai and we thought we might have a good day. Richard decided to work a little harder and landed a very nice fingermark, he was pleased! But wait there is more Richard got hit hard on his squid pattern and landed a 65cm fingermark,this time he was very happy! After trying a number of different flies I went back to a white pattern and also managed a smaller but still nice fingermark. Then to cap the day off a nice 95cm cobia joined us. A great day and nice reintroduction to fishing in North Queensland.




One Big Barramundi

Dad recorded this from the TV the other night.
 


Saturday 16 January 2010

Afternoon at the Haughton

PhotobucketYesterday afternoon Dad and I shot off to the Haughton to chase some Bream and Jacks. We launched about 3pm at the Cungulla Ramp and had an easy 5min run into the Haughton proper. We shot up a creek just upstream, and then up another creek! I am very impressed with the look of the Haughton, snags absolutely everywhere. We fished a few likely looking areas with the half poillie and landed a few good 30cm+ Bream, 1 small Jack and some rubbish. But we also got buried a few times by what was obviously good fish, maybe bigger Jacks. We only managed 3 crabs, but not knowing too much about the area I wasn't surprised. I will be back in here for a better look over the coming weeks.

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Sunday 10 January 2010

Hinchinbrook Boat Ramp - Fishers Creek

Cardwell Boat RampsI have driven past the turn off to this ramp many times in the past, but have never had the time to go take a look. So while I was in Cardwell for the holidays I thought I would go for a drive and investigate. This ramp is located about half way between Lucinda (Ingham) and Cardwell, just over the range when heading north. The turn off is well signposted "Fishers Creek Boat Ramp".

I was surprised to find the ramp itself only just off the highway. I thought there would have been a bit of a drive through the scrub first. So no 4wd needed. The ramp is a good quality cement ramp typical of most creeks. The photos shown here are taken on a very low tide, probably 0.5m or so. Obviously the ramp is no good at this time, but it wouldn't take much more water to be fine for small boats.

Parking is simply in the gravel/dirt area around the ramp, but I doubt it gets very busy. There appears to be a toilet block, but I didn't investigate this at all.

Cardwell Boat Ramps Cardwell Boat Ramps

I have not yet had the opportunity to investigate this ramp but, as far as I know, it provides very good access to the middle part of Hinchinbrook Chanel for smaller tinnies.

Cardwell Boat Ramps Cardwell Boat Ramps

If anyone had some personal experience with this ramp and would like to contribute something, please use the comments section.

Cardwell Boat Ramps Cardwell Boat Ramps

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Wednesday 6 January 2010

Bohle Bream

PhotobucketDad, Uncle Brian, Lachy and myself all went for a quick trip to the Bohle today. We all went in Dads boat, with the main idea being to give Lachlan a bit of a fish. Overall we were quite unimpressed with the Bohle. We got a few small fish around the rockbars at the front, and I managed one Bream in the 30's. Then we went up stream a little, and again could only find small fish. Maybe its the fresh running through the system at the moment, but it didn't fish anywhere near as good as some of the other creeks we have been in lately. We did see a small Croc too, Lachlans fist in the wild.


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Monday 4 January 2010

Fingermark with an old mate

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Last Saturday afternoon/night I went out to chase some Fingermark off West Point. An old mate of mine from Cairns was in town for a few days and he was keen to go for a run in my boat. So with flat conditions forecast it was looking great.

We left home about 2pm and went in search of some live bait on the way to the ramp. We only managed a handful of very small herring and a mullet or two. But it was enough to start us off. We first headed to middle reef to try jig up some better bait, but nothing was showing. Off to West Point. Again we looked around some marks in search of the bait, and again there was noting showing. As we drifted over the marks Christian tried for bait and I dropped a Lucanus jig to try it out on the FM. I managed a couple of hits and one solid hookup that pulled free. I think these jigs will work on these fish under the right circumstances.

Eventually we decided to anchor up and put down the small herring. It didn't take too long and I was bricked. Another bait and another bricking. This time I could still feel the fish, so I gave it some slack and put the rod in the holder while I rigged up another rod. When I came back to it the fish came free and I was hooked cleanly. But another bit run that I couldn't stop on the 50lb braid had the fish back in the structure, for good this time!

We soon ran out of live bait and were reduced to pillies. Christian managed one of the best Nannygai I have seen this close in, at 48cm it was a beauty. He also got done twice on pillie, maybe Nannygai even bigger, who knows!

Dad was also out on his own in his boat that night. He had similar trouble with live bait, but did manage a couple of squid after dark. He got one 5-6kg FM right up to the boat, but with the net just out of reach the fish took off and busted him up.

With just the one fish in the eski we came home about 10pm.


Saturday 2 January 2010

Castnet use in Freshwater is prohibited

While fishing in the freshwater yesterday I observed a group of people in a small tinnie throwing a castnet to catch live bait. I have seen this many times around the weirs in town too. I'm not sure if they were blatantly ignoring the regulation, or were simply unaware. So I thought I would put up a quick note to those that do not know, but according the DPI&F Recreational Fishing Guide the use of castnets in freshwater is prohibited. Please always observe your local fishing regulations.