Elizabeth River

Was talked out of Leaders Creek trip due to distance. Apparently the Barra had been going off in the Elizabeth. The Elizabeth has always failed me, but it is about 20 mins (as opposed to 1 hour 20) each way and has an awesome floating jetty.

Got:
Me: Large shovelnose shark. It kept banging its head from side to side which make me think it was a snapper.
Mate: Smaller wobble shark
Mate’s mate from Spain who had never fished before: 41cm Jack! On a small white plastic on a reel with 80lb mono as I didn’t have a spare light one… haha

Zero crabs too. Am starting to think these home made stainless steel ones might be dodge… might get a collapseable one or two as a quality control.

Story of the trip:
The wind! The Elizabeth is quite sheltered yet it was still difficult to even made it out to a side creek. It dropped off in the arvo but was something fierce in the morning. I hate getting wet!

Boat problems:
ZERO WATER!!!
Looks like I have solved that one…
and…
– handle fell off the winch
– lost the ability to go left or right on my leckie
– noticed when I filled up my petrol tank that it now constantly drips due at the connection. (Unsure if connection or jerry)

*sigh* not having the best of luck

Snap:

Bynoe Harbour again

A late start as I wasn’t repeating the fog issue. Found heaps of good marks, could not stop catching fish, they were all tiny!! Even the lures pulled in two line cods & one star gazer (ugliest fish ever?)

Got:
Mate: 53cm golden trevelly

Story of the trip:
After pulling in tiny sweet lip after tiny sweet lip I hooked a monster. After about 10 minutes and me letting him take a lot of line to tire himself out, expert angling, etc, I finally got him!!! A giant… BATFISH! I could have cried…

Boat problems:
Took the bung out and emptied 200 litres of water. Damn it!!!! I thought I fixed it, this didn’t happen a week ago. 🙁

Snap:

Leeder’s Creek fishing trip

Headed off to Leeders today, note that I should try to get there before sunrise, because the sun is exactly in your eyes, plus the dust of the road, was very difficult to drive.

Got:
Me: 45cm Queenfish, 2 bucks
mate: reasonable goldie, large cod 60+ cm

Story of the trip:
The largest crab was caught on fishing line! I thought I had a tree or something when I got a glimpse of the crab I slowly lowered him and got my mate to get the net… he plunged it in and I gave my best guess of placing him over it while we pulled it up… as soon as he saw daylight he dropped the bait but dropped right into the net! He was 19cm, but a bit empty.

Boat problems:
Boat was okay but some pinhead (me) forgot to put the clip down of the trailer… how I drove there and launched without it coming off is a mystery but it went bang taking the trailer in. Saftey chain to the rescue!!

Snap:

Daly River Barra

We went down here hearing how the river had flooded and you now launched from the road. It had gone off earlier in the week, we didn’t know it at the time, but now the reports were that the Daly wasn’t delivering anymore. We spent the day drifting up creeks and cutting the motor to float backwards. All of a sudden bang! my Zerek Prawn delivered me a 63cm barra. No other bites or any signs of life for the day, just the one fish… worth it!


 

 

Hydeaway Bay for a wedding

Spent the week in Hydeaway Bay for a wedding, was a great trip. A few boats hanging around, including a cat, plenty of fishing and crabbing.

No fish were caught but we got heaps of mudcrabs, and tons of oysters. There was a small island that had basically been untouched, and we could pop over there and get our bag limit, and bring them back for everyone.

Some highlights include getting stuck on the sandbanks and getting to push a boat, some captain (who was also getting married) allowing his crew to through out 10 crab pots completely collapsed, and a bonfire on the beach ‘let’s try to run as far as we can up a palm before we fall off’ contest.

Good times!

 


Fishing in Queensland, love it!

 


Swimming off the catamaran


Fishing at sunset