The first week was too blowy to fish offshore, so I loaded up the camping equipment and sailed over the 'The Bedrooms' on South Stradbroke Island for a few days. Tides dictated it was to be the first time Id make the trip over from Jacobs Well in the dark but with a well lit channel, plenty of light on me and a good 10 knot breeze at my back, I sailed over at good speed in no time at all. I set up camp and crashed.
The next morning, a good breeze let me plough back and forth across the channel picking up a chopper tailor on the troll each run. I kept one for breakfast and as I despatched it I looked up to see a crazy man shouting and waving at me from the beach. Sure enough it was Trev, left over from the weekend's AKFF meet at Jumpinin. I pulled in for a chat and Trev stoked the fire and I threw the tailor on the hot coals for breakfast. Trev packed up and we sailed out to the bar for a look at the deep gutter on Kalinga bank on the Southern tip of Nth Straddie. A 15 knot wind enabled us to sail about all over the front of the bar and an incoming tide meant we could stop for a breather without getting washed out into the bar itself. Id hate to be at that place on an outgoing tide. I doubt you could pedal\paddle against it. We tooled around a bit longer and sailed back to Crusoe Is out of the wind. I bid Trev farewell as he made his way back to the mainland and had some awesome flatwater sailing back to the campsite (hit 17kph on one tack), trolling up a flathead for dinner on the way there.
It wasnt until Wednesday last week the winds eased up enough to get outside. Inspiired by longtail success from the Noosa Yakkers and Trev and Jimbo at Scarby, I knew they had to be at the usual haunts off Caloundra and tooled up accordingly. With very little white bait round at the moment I figured a larger offering would be the go and on the big 170mm squidgy Fish went. (Cant understand why they stopped making these). It didnt take long to load up.
Thirty minutes late Mark (Bogey) pulled alongside and took a few shots for me before despatching dinner to the bag.
The weather looked good for Thursday but I couldn't make it. With the wind up on Friday I took the full AI and sailed to the mark, picking up a nice Sweetie on the way. Second cast the rod loaded up and after a short tussle a squire of 36cm came aboard. With dinner in the bag I sent him back to grow bigger. Three casts later a better hit had the line peeling off the reel. A better snapper in the high forties came aboard and was despatched to the bag.
I picked up a further two over the next 30 mins or so.
Happy with the mornings efforts I set sail for home and cruised to the beach in one tack at about 8kph.
Sunday looked good again so we left the sails behind. As I left the bay the little rod squealed and a good size pike was on the end. I broke out the live bait kit and bridled him up on the 20lb outfit. It took an hour but the rod finally went off with a blistering run, followed by another and a couple of violent head shakes. The next run was faster than the first but the line went slack and only the hook returned. Close inspection of the bridle showed it to be cut clean through.
A few further trips were fishless (including yesterdays efforts to scare up a cobia) but whales danced most outings and the ever present dolphins and turtles make a donut day seem worth the effort.
I was just too shagged to drive to Noosa this morning as I had planned. Looks like my hunch was right as the NY'ers cleaned up. Instead I launched into the Pine River about 10am and caught a few bream and drifted up and down.
Back to work Tuesday.
... finally, you've put everything in place... thank you.
... and believe me, your audience were doting on your every word... lots of fishing folk still can't take in just what fish can be landed from our craft of choice... you had them eating out of your hand!