Subject: fishing today -- 20dec09 -- shark, spotties and Spaniard
Date: Sunday, 20 December 2009 2:07 PM
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Jaro, my sole yakking companion today, was already present when I arrived at the MG carpark at 0417hrs -- on perhaps the longest southern hemisphere daylight day of 2009. I took a quick stroll down to the beach to find a small wave breaking at the exit but nothing that would challenge the average Noosa Yakker. The air was still and heavy with the promise of rain, the sky overcast and out in the murk to the north, the starboard nav lights of power boats heading NE from the river mouth indicated a fair squadron of fishing boats would be out there today. Understandable, really, for a calm Sunday in the mackerel season.
0437hrs. Afloat and waiting in the holding area at the end of the groyne for this wave to pass. (pic from chest cam movie)
Exit was easy, as Jaro had already demonstrated in the half light. Jaro kindly waited for me to get organised and we paddled off together, trolling, inside the shark net -- our mission today was to find and fix the elusive mackerel.
Barely had our lures started swimming when bang! --- Jaro was hooked up. Thinking there was a possible photo opportunity here I reeled in my hardly wet lure and paddled over to find Jaro battling a small whaler shark of less than a metre which had nailed his prime mackerel lure.
0459hrs. Jaro boats the shark prior to releasing it -- after all this is a mackerel day! (pic from chest cam movie)
Off we went again, following the shore and at least 300 metres out. We travelled inside the second shark net also where I noticed some interesting surface swirls which were caused by fairly large fish, species unknown. Our lures swam on, undisturbed. Just past the Boiling Pot Jaro suggested we head for Jew Shoal, some 1.9km straight out to sea. So far we had seen no bird activity and very little bait action, so what did we have to lose, and the weather was perfect. So, turn for Jew Shoal we did.
The trio of floated and anchored shark hooks north of Boiling Pot were negotiated without action and though we had a clear view of the horizon ahead, very few birds were evident. Jew Shoal was quiet too, except that a power boat fast trolling with a hard body lure took a strike when passing quite close to me. As I trolled on I was close enough to ask the lone long haired, male crewman whether he had hooked a Spaniard. While still fighting it, he confirmed that it was and estimated its weight at 8kg. He didn't get a chance to test his estimate as shortly afterward the fish self-released.
A couple of large splashes caught my attention so I paddled over to the spot where these had occurred, found nothing, so paddled to the westward edge of Jew Shoal trolling all the way. I'd already concluded that a paddle over to Little Halls Reef (some 3km away, to the WSW) might be worthwhile, particularly as Jaro hadn't gone there yesterday. So very soon I suggested this by radio to Jaro, who agreed.
This short journey was taken in superb conditions, the rising sun and the swell behind us and a tiny westerly breeze to freshen us, especially when the swells lifted us to their maximum height and out of the shelter of the troughs. Jaro, who had been some 500m behind me when we left Jew Shoal caught up to me when we were about 1km short of LH Reef on which we could see a couple of power boats hanging around. We paddled the remaining distance together, chatting about the beauty and the majesty of our situation. Still no fish were apparent, although here there was at least some bird action, with several terns hoping to find their breakfast hereabouts. We trolled past a couple of huge rays, the tips of their "wings" protruding above the surface as they cruised along, unperturbed by our proximity.
Then suddenly, as if from nowhere, a flock of terns could be seen wheeling and diving, right ahead of us about 200 metres away. The best indicator, for me, however was that there were isolated but frequent splashes and swirls right where the terns were active. This could only mean decent sized predators, not the tiny bonito and mac tuna which had been so prominent in the last week. I continued to troll but had my second rig already set up with a "slug", a shiny metal lure, which had already survived the mayhem of last season's pelagic action, wore the badge of honour of a bit of rust, and now was on its third and, as it turned out, last, set of hooks.
0640hrs. The lure is on its way. Note the terns fluttering above the action. (pic from chest cam movie)
As soon as I was within range I fired off a long cast toward the splashing. The lure hit the water and immediately I started the retrieve, cranking furiously to give the lure the best chance to emulate a fleeing bait fish. It took only a few turns of the reel handle and the lure was engulfed in a large swirl and splash. Now came the first run and I knew immediately that this was probably one of the local mackerel species. The line was protected from the mackerel's scissor-like teeth by a wire trace about 20cm long, terminating at a tiny swivel but even so after only about 5 seconds of contact I felt another bump and the line went slack. Almost certainly the line had been cut by another mackerel. This was another strong indicator that these fish were mackerel and not tuna.
Swearing gently but keeping my cool I yelled out to Jaro close by that these were mackerel as I reached into my tackle reserves and pulled out a spare "slug" already wired up. By now Jaro was positioning himself for a cast. I was tying the knot when Jaro yelled out that he was hooked up. More swearing from me. But now I was ready and the mackerel were still belting the baitfish nearby and I was still in a good casting position. Jaro drifted nearby, his rod bent sweetly. Out went my second cast. Immediate hookup!
I savoured this action. This is one of my favourite ways of fishing -- casting to fish which are visible on the surface and goading them into taking the offering. This fish really made the reel howl but before long I had the upper hand. Shortly I could see that a spotted mackerel, "spotty" to us had taken my lure. Before long my first spotty of the season was in the yak.
Approx 0640hrs. Jaro and I each boat a spotty from the same feeding frenzy.
By the time I'd taken pics, secured and stowed the fish and tidied up it was about 0715 and I was ready for another bout, should the opportunity be offered. It was, and soon.
Jaro and I just hung around waiting for it all to happen again. It seems that the predators decimate and scatter the baitfish after which they have to find another school, bottle it up so to speak and launch an attack. It didn't take long and the blow up happened nearby. We paddled gently and not frantically toward the action, separated from each other by about 50 metres and approaching our quarry like Zulus in their famed "bull's horns" tactic. We cast simultaneously and hooked up simultaneously. My movie camera was running in chest cam mode and recorded well what happened from my viewpoint. We'll find out what happened to Jaro shortly, but he was yelling something in the background. It could have been "It's a biggie!"
My offer having been accepted by the first customer to come along, I played the fish out and could see it quite clearly under the yak about 3 metres down -- a nice spotty. The hook then dislodged. Bugger! I retrieved the line and immediately cast again. Hookup! This time the fish spat the hook within 5 seconds (how they do that is beyond me). Retrieving my line I cast again. Hookup! This time the hook held and after a very spirited fight my second spotty for the season was yakked.
0723hrs. My spotty number 2.
VIDEO
3 minutes, 3 casts, 3 spotty macs (today) -- one of the most popular Noosa Yakkers movies on Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bheKpkZ48pE
While I was thus engaged in photographing this fish, Jaro paddled over, a look of exultation betraying that he had something important to tell me. "Look what I've got", he said as he held up a beautiful, still quivering Spanish mackerel. OK, that trumped my spotty so I immediately changed priorities and shifted the spotty's photography appointment to number two on the list, behind Jaro's Spaniard.
0730hrs. That's a nice fish to pull out of a freeding frenzy using a cast lure on relatively light line. Jaro's third and best Spaniard of the season.
0735hrs. Jaro suggested that he take a photo, with my camera, of me with my spotty. I agreed. That's his toe in the bottom of the pic, his leg being used to hold the two yaks together for the photo.
As revealed by GPS we were drifting on a slow current toward the NW so were gradually getting further away from home. No problem on such a beautiful paddling day but I suggested after another half hour or so during which the spotties failed to put in another appearance, that we start moseying off toward Middle Groyne, some 3.7km away.
The paddle to our launch/landing point was uneventful and easy and before long we were there, tidying up ready to make sure that, if we were rolled on the way in, no damage could be done.
I hit the beach first, right way up this time and immediately spotted a possible beach chick who would almost certainly agree to pose with one or more of our fish. Jaro powered in and I grabbed his Spaniard and showed it to the prospect and Madame (she was French, and spoke little English) immediately agreed (Oui!). Yes, I have a certain way with French ladies, as I've found over the years.
0903hrs. Madame, on her first (unforgettable) visit to Australia, with Jaro's Spaniard.
Then we put the fish on the mat.
Jaro's fish. Spaniard went 93cm and 4.5kg.
Jaro with his best Spaniard ever. So far.
My two spotties. Very happy with these, I was.
Thanks for organising and coming along, Jaro. Looks like we're into them again tomorrow, eh? Maybe we'll now get a few more starters, hungry for mackerel fillets and Noosa Yakkers glory.
Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://noosayakers.blogspot.com
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