[beefs]

Well it has been a slow few trips for the ole yak - 6 in fact for a grand total of just two fish. Was hoping my luck would turn around today when taking a mate up to fishing creek in his dads kayak for his first yak fishing trip. I asked him on saturday what time to meet - high tide being at 0741 - and his response was "early". Here's me thinking well it's the weekend, 7ish is pretty early. Not a chance, 5:00-5:30 was the designated departure time.

After making the acquaintance of a rather large tree on my mountain bike on Saturday afternoon I dragged my sorry hurting body out of bed at 5:00 this morning and got ready, just about to depart for meeting spot and I thought i'd better check the work phone...lucky because a found a text that went something like this "might not be good for fishing in the morning - drank to mch. SENT: 2:17am" Rightio, thats the fishing trip off - never mind I wanted to sleep in anyway.

Wasn't to be because by then I wasn't feeling tired anyway. The wind was less than expected and I hadn't taken the new pup out for a trip on the yak yet so I figured a quick paddle out the front wouldn't hurt - might as well tow a lure behind as well. Lucky for me.

It was probably half hour before high tide and i'd tied a 10lb flourocarbon leader onto my 14lb fireline and to this attached a Berkely Frenzy minnow in black/gold colour (upgraded rear treble to Owner)...the treble cost me nearly half as much as the lure itself - a whole $3.97 from Big W. Travelling light because it was only a quick trip I was on the water in short time and then five minutes later i'm on! I was trolling in close to the rocks and had it called for a estuary cod...a short fight later, some lost line and a bit of fun up came a very unexpected Fingermark - tipping the ruler at around 39cms. I wasn't going to keep it but figured the rellies might like it on the bbq for dinner.

The lure goes out the back and I turn around and paddle back to the same spot because in some dank dusty corner of my brain I remembered that fingermark were (or may be) a schooling fish. Over the same spot and bang - on again. A lot more weight to this one and it gave me a bit of grief - having me snagged at one point. Managed to extract it and found a sizeable estuary cod had taken a liking to the ole lure. I caught one a while back that went 55cm - this was bigger than that one. I'd suggest a touch over 60cms. Released to fight another day as the prime position at dinner had already been reserved. Once again the lure gets tossed out and I paddle out a bit further to turn around for another pass over the hot spot. On the turn the line went slack (as it does) but I felt a tap, tap. No indication of pressure on the line but I figured it was worth a strike. Presto a 45cm school/spotty mackeral, once again released.

This all happened in about 15 minutes - a few more passes for a couple more strikes but no hook-ups and I was back to the beach and up having brekky inside an hour and a half. Woohoo for finally having some luck! Woohoo again for the decision to upgrade the rear treble before I went out....look at the front one. $20 lures (of which I have my share) eat your heart out - a sub $4 jobbie got the work done today

EDIT: just saw in my signature that the last cod was actually 49cm - which would put the one today at the 55cm mark - was pretty solid still...must be a fisherman at heart - fish getting bigger the longer ago they were caught

 

[yakfly]

good one scotty
man that fingermark is going to taste good off the barbie.good to see someone got something today.woke up at 4.30 to hear the SE was up round the 20 kts and gusting to 25 already so went in close to home for zip.wind was that strong i was drifting at 2.5knots.

 

[JD]

A great result for a short time on the water

 

[YakAtak]

Nice, very nice, Trav, I would have been tempted to keep that cod or the mac, both fish that I enjoy eating very much, mac on the smoker and cod whole in the oven. I might have to have a look for some of those frenzy minnows, bloody good value by the sounds.

 

[Peril]

Well done Travis. Its all those preceding trips that make one like today so good

 

[troppo]

Good on ya Scotty Beefs. Nuthing like going out without ya old mate to ensure ya get onto some fish . You certainly got onto some beauties.

I wus going to a bbq Saturday arvo and saw you in Dean St. I would have invited you if I had of known you were in town. I had a big supply of special Barcoo rump steaks and cooked em up on a charcoal barby. Don't you worry, I made sure your share did not go to waste.

Where abouts did ya get the fish? Up toward the shoals or south around Tanby Pt?

 

[hairymick]

Good on ya travis. Well done mate.

Geez, its good to see some tropical fish getting posted here.

Thanks for the info re the Frenzie lures too mate. Was checking them out in BCF the other day but too miserable to part with the hard earned. Great to see they work.

 

[Squidder]

Great stuff Scotty, those Frenzy lures keep on doing the job, Poddy Hoit and Rod were braining the pinkies on them in Melbourne a month or so ago. Nice looking feed there

 

[Dodge]

Good to hear you got into some action Travis

 

[PoddyMullet]

Nice fish gents...what a stomper of a session :shock:

 

[beefs]

Good on ya travis. Well done mate.

Geez, its good to see some tropical fish getting posted here.

Thanks for the info re the Frenzie lures too mate. Was checking them out in BCF the other day but too miserable to part with the hard earned. Great to see they work.

Thanks Mick, hopefully with the upcoming trip to Pumpkin Island I can get a few more tropical species in the bag. Using the same inshore methods (trolling along rocky/reefy edges) out at the islands i'd like to think i could pick up a nice coral trout - fingers crossed!

Good on ya Scotty Beefs. Nuthing like going out without ya old mate to ensure ya get onto some fish . You certainly got onto some beauties.

Sorry Troppo!! The fishing creek trip was organised at short notice and the Tanby Point on sunday at even shorter notice - you had all of 15 minutes between when I decided to go and when I was on the water. I made the judgment call that the phone ringing unexpectedly at 6:30am Sunday may not be recieved so well! However please note that if I keep catching fish like this when you're not on the trip that all future trips may be organised at "short notice" :wink: :lol: :wink: :lol:

Good to hear you got into some action Travis

Actually i'm still in quite a dry spell on the action front, see I work a lot and don't get out very.....ohhhh, the fish - yeah, um, thanks Dodge :wink: