From: sunshiner
Date: 31/08/2010 3:35 PM
Weather
Cloud cover: varied throughout the morning
Wind direction & speed: SE up to 10 knots
Sea state: low swell, choppy
Moonrise/set: 2320/0920hrs
Participants: Kev only
As many of you know, I'm setting up my "new" yak which I acquired just over a week ago. There's been a lot to do, including fitting a fish finder and finding places for the gaffs, pliers, etc which must be at hand when they're needed but also never in the way. This yak has heaps of space, which was one of the reasons I bought it. At last I can stow my rods and reels, made up, internally, along with all the electronic stuff which needs protection from the surf zone.
So here it is, this morning, ready to launch at 0755am -- a late start, I know, but that bed was cosy.
Today's trip was sort of a shakedown cruise. You know, go out fishing and see what great ideas in the shed don't work in practice. The boat is designed to handle surf really well but those characteristics weren't needed today. The swell hardly registered at Middle Groyne, where I launched, into crystal clear water.
Here's how the rig looked from the bellybutton perspective, as soon as I was set up. That handle and drain plug in the distance are on the pointy end of the boat.
This was my third launch in this boat (and only the second with fishing gear aboard) and I was keen to blood it as I'd not caught anything at all on my brief previous trip last Friday, launching from Sunshine Beach to join LeRoux and Steve. Very soon I was paddling for Jew Shoal, assisted by a tail wind and trolling the trusty Halco Laser Pro.
The southerly breeze was causing a few white caps out at JS, but nothing to be concerned about so I set myself up to take advantage of the southerly, drifting from the SE edge of the shoal. The first thing I noticed was that there were lots of fish showing up on the sonar, including the display of classic arches which indicate larger fish, suspended above the bottom. I chose to fish with only one rod and that armed with my usual soft plastic.
0916. The first fish caught by me to come into this boat. Maori cod, way undersize (legal limit 45cm).
Well at least they were on the bite. The water was deep blue and looked perfect for fishing. I decided to drift right across the shallow section of the reef and so paddled the several hundred metres across to A3 04 (some of you will be able to pin-point this location), on the SE corner of the reef to restart my drift. Soon this tactic was rewarded with my first keeper for the boat.
0952hrs. The first of (hopefully) many future snapper and other great fish.
Earlier, off to the west, I'd seen another kayaker whom I didn't recognize. Before long, I looked up and saw that he'd come across to say hello. It turned out to be Ashley (AKFF: polylureosis) with whom I'd had previous email contact but had never actually met. He was in Noosa for a friend's wedding and of course brought his yak. A little later, as I approached him when repositioning my drift, he hooked up and I managed to persuade him to pose with his fish.
1021hrs. Ashley with a plump grass sweetlip -- dinner tonight!
If you look carefully at the above pic, you'll see a mast at bottom left. This craft, a Hobie Adventure Island, turned out to be the new possession of Paul, a hinterland resident with a South African accent who fishes at Noosa a lot. It's amazing how many Noosa-region South Africans are into kayak fishing!
Satisfied with my one snapper, especially as the action was quite slow, I headed home as some of my set-ups needed refinement. Hopefully we'll be able to get out again tomorrow.
Kev
Red & white Stealth Supalite, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://www.noosayakkers.blogspot.com/
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