Wivenhoe Weekend outing 12-13th August

Well.. here is my contribution to the story..

Rocked up to Wivenhoe around 9.30am and met up with Gary (aka Hagar) at the campground. Had a bit of a chat before Tony (aka Yaker) showed up just as I was heading down to the boat ramp to launch (to avoid the long haul to the water).

Met up with another yaker at the ramp who was not an AKFF member.. but soon to be converted through the day (see later). Just as I was about to launch, Yaker showed up at the ramp also.

I headed out but was fiddling with the new sounder which was playing up (poor transducer mounting)... saw Yaker heading to the campground... Met up with Gary again on the water and decided to pair up as there was no sign of yak activity from the main group (due to stoking up of BBQ)...

Not long before I had a hit on an Ecogear crankbait and pulled in a Forkie which was released. We headed out to the 'walls' and chatted to the yaker I had met at the ramp. He had caught a nice bass and yellowbelly and a few forkies earlier. We trolled the area and I quickly pulled in two more forkies (also on Ecogear crankbait) -- see pics

Then a big hit on the trolled Poltergeist which got the pulse racing only to be another HUGE forkie.. getting sick of them by now. Met up with Gary who was on the bank having a chat with the other Yaker with another Forkie in the net as I missed out on photographing the first forkie for the day.. I didn't realise they were in such plague quantities.

By this time we were getting hungry and paddled back to the campgrounds only to be greeted by a procession of yaks launching.. bad timing.. I didn't have my camera but it was a grand sight to see all the yaks heading out the bay.

After a leisurely lunch.. it was back out for a quick slash before heading home and to say a quick G'day fo fellow AKFF... Caught up with Dodge, Dallas and one or two whom I haven't met before but the names elude me (sorry guys) before it was time to head home. Parted company with Hagar who was going to try the 'wall' again..

Apparently Tony in his earlier post also caught up with the yaker (whom I met at the ramp) on his way back in so he was well and truly versed with the website by then :lol:

All in all a very pleasant day even if there were no keepers.

yaker said:

Here's some of the guys at lunchtime, making sure Ross burnt the sausages properly...

Click to expand...

He burnt them successfully with his little helpers :lol:

I arrived Big W about 10am as Karl was leaving office and news ranger would collect at sites [got a discount as a group later]. Arrived at site 44 to see 3 roughheads with kayaks handy, Gary, John, and unexpected Tony [lured there by Crown Lager according to Ross later]

With the arrival of Gilbo, and Ross awhile later, beers and a chinwag were in full flow for Dallas's early arrival with the new Fuego; this boat created a lot of interest with all, major topics how to properly christen her, the winner was much ale consumed followed by a group piss on yak ceremony, which would now include Sel who had arrived. the christening plan never happened.

The next thing was the Fuego thin spot, for all to ponder, at this point Ross was most concerned that Tony get on his knees and stick his head in the hatch...my first thoughts were 'hello the kayak version of boy in the barrel', and looking at Tony was not sure I had enough port to make him look good; it pleases me to say I was wrong, I didn't need the port for that purpose

Burnt snags and bread and more drinks before a mass carrying of yaks down to the water which was glass, we had a go for a couple of hours flinging all and sundry lures and SPs with only Karl producing his tea..I remained a virgin, but was pleased to catch up with Danny who had launched earlier from the ramp and fished with Gary; a nice bloke I bumped into on a blue prowler had a yellow, and bass both caught on worms mentioned in other reports.

Ashore for Gilbo's roast prep and to say hooray to the day blokes.

The night degenerated like most blokes fishing outings, with drinks, laughs, and tall stories from a circle of chairs [the port had it's own chair for convenience of all].

By 7pm Karl and John had eaten yellowbelly and I had Gilbo's cob roast [will buy one now, after trying], the only one not having eaten was Dallas and Gilbo offered some of the excess roast but he declined to have a steak later; a few drinks and another hour and the staek became a big bag of Cheezels :lol:

Bed about 9pm in a relaxed mode, and cool not cold as expected, at 6.15am, looked out the van window at a 50m pea soup fog [see pic] and walked over to Karl making a brew who said John had departed at 5am, Gary also gave it a go, and found John on a bank somewhere[those hill billy yakkers are a tough breed :roll: ]

Gilbo and Dallas [had a healthy breakfast, also in a bag] and I waited until the fog lifted about 9am.

Again conditions like glass, but seemingly devoid of fish, some forkies being the main catch with our crew with 2 exceptions, I meandered after Gilbo using Tilson Bass HB, and jigging shortened Turtlebacks and about 12.30 said I'm going to spend an hour trolling back slowly and have a coldie; by now I had decided virginity is an honourable situation

Tied on a yellow/red poltergeist and 30mins later by landing a forkie lost my virginity twice [I think], first freshwater fish and first on HB [FW or SW] after crowing to headman about it he did the same shortly later [bugger].

Ashore all had Karl's garlic prawns and beer, with the exception of me not being a prawn eater, but did enjoy the beer [forgot to eat though], after matinee drinks Gary, John and John had departed and now only 3 akffers left.
Those remaining on the water for a final hour or so and I headed to my forkie site with the Poltergeist and landed one more, with two missed; was feeling crook and realized it was hunger so turned back and trolled another forkie to the boat..3 for w/e :wink:

I started to empty the yak of gear and saw the others returning, we got the boats up to the site and after Dallas departed after dark only Karl and I remained to consume 2 liters of Dodge curry, more grog and in the cot by 8pm happy but knackered :wink:

Awake this morning about 6.30am in perfect conditions jam on bread and cuppa then broke or camps for a 9.15 departure

The last hurrah

More pics

Thanks to all the guys who made it to Big W and made it the great weekend that it was......despite the lack of quality fish!

Top bunch of blokes we had there, and I'm looking forward to the Cressbrook trip so we can all get together again for a fish (and a few more beers) 8)

Well done boys!

Great weekend, had a very good time, thanks to those who came along. So many laughs and good yarns, not to mention beers.
Stoked to get my first Yellow Belly, and even better, it went down better than expected too.
Thanks to Ross for supplying the prize for biggest forky, those beers went down well mate.
That sunset was great, but the moon rise was just magic coming up through the trees in a blazing orange colour, pitty about my pics, ah well.
John, cut and paste your report in here mate, and I hope to see your photos too. Here's a few of mine in no particular order.

I've never seen so many feeding birds on fresh water, it seems the bony bream had packed into a huge baitball and the birds were there to take advantage, this shot was taken early this morning, amazing to watch.

I managed to get up there on Saturday for a fish.

Thanks to Dodge and Yakatak for organising a great weekend, as some one previously said they organised fabulous weather.

I have been up there b4 and caught heaps of catties and I was suprised to find little action from any fish, althought I did have one hook up and it fell off due to my lack of fishin yakin experience.

It was great to put a face to every name and to see the new Yak from Dallas, gee I'm already of thinking of upgrading to a prowler.

I've attached a photo of the first yella Yakatak caught as he has not put it up here yet.

Again thanks guys for a great day trip.

Cheers