Trip Reports • QLD 12/06/12: Moffats – Leaping Longtails

[FatYak83]

It had been about two months since my last offshore fishing trip with Nubs (Matt); A combination of poor weather one week, big swell the next, and then miscellaneous other distractions had confined me to the rivers, flicking plastics for flathead, which - while fun and rewarding doesn’t get my blood pumping in the same way a screaming run in the salt does.

The fishing gods had blessed us this morning (Saturday) with .8 metre swell and 6-7knot westerlies making the beach launch a breeze with no real shore dump to contest with. The first thing I noticed making my launch was that the water was much warmer than I had expected, the second was that the birds were working multiple locations all over the water. I counted at least 4 bait-balls busting up on the surface – with terns diving and plummeting into the water. A primeval chant started in my head “TUNA, TUNA, TUNA” and I decided to see just how fast my little Espri could take me.

I reached the edge of a ball and feverously started casting slugs into the middle of it – 10 casts later the boil stopped and the birds moved on. I spent an hour or so chasing the birds around which was good exercise but not all that fruitful (or should it be fishful?). I managed a quick hook up with a soft plastic, the fish stripping off line like a Vegas show girl – but like many strippers she was just a tease, taking the jewellery that I gave her and disappearing. Feeling slightly disheartened I thought that I might go see how Nubs was doing. I started to paddle over to where he was working a school, when the biggest fish I have ever seen leapt out of the water in front of me – a more majestic sight I have never seen. I gave the obligatory few casts after him but he was miles away … but it did make me wonder what was chasing him.

I found Nubs soon after. He had dropped a fish of his own and had the look of a man about to write a bad country and western ballad – Tears adorning his bearded cheeks. We trolled around together for a while but only managed to catch each other (my fault I had far too much line out) which resulted in me losing about 100 yards of braid – ‘no worries’ I thought ‘I have not had a hook-up on the tolling lure anyway’ famous last words.
I gave upon the Tuna for a while and targeted some Snapper and Sweetlip. Not much luck on that front, one of each but neither over 35cm so they went back. I began to paddle back over to Nubs and had just got within speaking distance when my trolling rod went ‘thump’ and the Charter Special its paired with stared to scream like a banshee in heat. Line was pouring off the reel and my heart started crowding my Adams apple - Fish On!
I picked up the rod and felt the weight and power of the fish for the first time … it was awesome. She towed me around for a while – stripping line off at will – while Nubs was shouting out sage advice like “not too much pressure” and “remember pump and wind”. I was really worried that I would lose this beauty as I had only loaded the reel with 15lb braid. My saving grace was probably the 3m of 40lb leader that I had joined it to, which would have given a little more stretch and shock resistance. My arms started to get tired at about the same time as the fish and I was finally able to get some line back (a good thing since I was getting close to the backing). Finally I could see colour, a brilliant silver flash circling under the yak. And then the beast was Yak side. The adrenaline was unbelievable. My first Longtail.

Nubs, who was alongside in case I needed assistance, said ‘remember it’s not yours til it’s in the kayak’. I thought ‘yes it is I’ll bloody swim after it if I need to’. It was a good thing that Nubs was there, my Gaff decided to take a swim while trying to pick up the beast so he kindly gaffed it for me; and held it still while I subdued it with the priest. Finally it was on board and mine.

I paddled over to where PaulO was fishing and he was kind enough to turn on a shark shield while I bled it … A good thing since both Nubs and I had seen one of the buggers following us. I then returned to shore and measured and weighed it. It came in at 104cm and something close to 15kg.
All in all a top morning out.

[scater]

Very nice mate, you sure can turn a phrase!

[kayakone]

I'm getting tired of this. Another long tale, a tale of big speedsters.

Shortly I'll get one too.

Well done Ben, excitement that you won't forget in a hurry.

Trevor

[nubs]

...............Bastard...................

[Bogey]

Congratulations Ben!
What a good read - Very descriptive and a great fish.
There have been a lot of 'firsts' this past several days and all of them, without doubt, as exciting as your longtail.
Cheers
Mark

[FatYak83]

Thanks guys, it really was a blast.
@ Nubs

...............Bastard...................

lol your turn next mate .... hmmm then again maybe not they are all mine
Anyway glad you all enjoyed the read - whats a fish without a decent yarn to accompany it.

[andybear]

Great fish, and a well told story!

Congratulations Ben, but I hope you have left one or two of them for me to pick up later in the week

Cheers andybear

[FatYak83]

I hope you have left one or two of them for me to pick up later in the week

Andybear, If they are out in the same numbers when you are up this way then you should have a top morning out. They did seem to be a bit picky about what they were eating (I say this having caught a lifetime total of one), I was expecting them to go after the slugs I was casting but they never did. Only got a hook-up on the plastic (zman 4" paddlerz - pearl with 3/8oz jig head) and the trolled lure.

If any one else out there had luck on a slug and would not mind posting details of weight and size that would be great. I was throwing 11g which seemed a bit under gunned.

Anyway hope you get out there Andybear and good luck,
Ben

[paulo]

A great report Ben and a nice fish. You indeed picked the golden day of the longtail season. I have been here at Moffats for a month and when the weather allowed the fish have shown up for an hour or two in the morning and left. Yesterday the fish were there in numbers at first light and stayed all day. There hasnt been another day like that all season. We had to leave them to pedal in at 3pm as there were three fish to fillet.
Grant flew in from Melbourne Friday night for a crack at the fish and couldnt have picked a better weekend.
Within ten minutes of leaving the bay at first light we both hooked up. Mine towed me to the horizon and took a good 30 mins on 20lb to get to the boat. With the tuna bleeding on the tramp I pedalled the 1.5km or so back to the shark buoy with fish busting around me. 200m from the mark, I tossed a CD11 out and pedalled a dozen strokes before getting smashed again. Thankfully this one only took 15mins on 50lb. Having promised to bring back fish for people, I despatched the second longy and slid them both into the bag on the tray behind.
I was about to call Grant and tell him to C&R any more. when he announced he had got one to the boat after a couple of false starts. Here's a shot of his first one.

It was only 9am we had 44kg ([email protected], [email protected]) of longtail on board and the fish were still going off. I grabbed Grants fish, threw it on the tramp and pedalled the km or so to shore to get them on ice and get back out amongst the action.
As I struggled to drag the boat out of the shore dump, three young ladies asked if they could photograph the fish. As there were three fish, I suggested each should hold a fish whilst I took the photos. They thought that was a great idea.

With the fish iced down I headed back out to birds and boils everywhere. I dropped the next one and Grant had a further four hookups in one ten minute period of mayhem.

We hit the water this morning and had both C&R'd a longtail as the sun broke over the horizon. The fish were gone in an hour today and didnt return. What a magic weekend

[kayakone]

Love those models. NY are gunna be jealous....

Oh yeah, the fish are OK too. Just another long tale.

Trevor

[imnotoriginal]

Another great photo paulo! Nice work on the first fish Ben, I hope I can emulate your effort soon

[Bogey]

Yes!
What a few days we have had.
Great to see so many smiling faces out there.
This guy was yahooing so loud you could hear for miles - and no wonder!

Moffats tuna time.jpg (148.35 KiB) Viewed 4776 times

Maybe see you out there later in the week Paul

Cheers
Mark

[FatYak83]

@ PaulO,
Champion effort mate... I wish that I had been able to head back out but had no way of storing the fish that I took. Top effort with the photo they really are some beautiful examples of their species - fish are pretty good as well.
I think your reply needed a trip report of its own!

[carnster]

Classic tunathon guys, love the chicly babe shot, all gr8 specimens, i like the one in the middle, tuna that is.

[LittleSalami]

Six great catches, well done