All sorts, and surf, 03May11

Contributions, in sequence: sunshiner, bill, eyetag, pedro

Subject: fishing today -- 3may11
From: sunshiner
Date: 3/05/2011 1:23 PM

Weather
Cloud cover: cloudly early, becoming clear
Wind direction & speed: light and variable, glassing out completely by 0800
Sea state: pretty big swell from just south of east

Participants: Mike Wykes (first trip); jaro, eyetag, pedro, sunshiner and Bill Barnett

Eyetag and Pedro's trolley tracks on the beach had been made maybe an hour earlier. They led to the usual left side where there was today no channel and a build up of the sandbank. Mike, Jaro and I had checked it out and deemed it doable with care and timing. Every now and again a set of three dumpers was arriving at the end of the groyne but we reckoned we could do it OK.

0605hrs. See how shallow it is and the lack of a channel. Boardriders waiting for the biggies. Jaro's trying to time it so that he misses them.

And so we did, all three of us got out OK, with jaro having a dream run -- didn't even get water over the bow. I got a little damp from a wave that broke just before I got to it.

Having found out from eyetag and pedro by radio that there was not much happening out at Little Hall's Reef, we decided to head for Jew Shoal and so set out, once or twice passing signs of fish action, but nothing worth putting in the Trip Report.

On arrival at JS we found we had a gentle SW breeze and a big swell. We all opted to drift for snapper, with Jaro selecting baits and Mike and I deciding to go for soft plastics.

Things were seriously quiet even though the water was clean. But, our Kiwi member Mike came up with a nice snapper on this his first trip out to Jew Shoal.

Mike with snapper for dinner

Jaro and I remained fishless and at some stage eyetag called up to report the catch of yet another longtail. Mike had to start work at 1130 so he headed off to MG while Jaro and I, partly out of boredom, decided to paddle the 3.4km across to LH Reef. It was a great trip, on glassy seas with the swell up our tails and the breakers showing starkly against the north shore. At LH Reef there were a few signs of fish activity, but again nothing significant so after about an hour there I decided to head home. Jaro decided to follow close behind me.

The only sign of decent fish I spotted on the way back was when a 10kg plus longtail cleared the water in an arcing leap about 20m away on my port bow.

The closer we got to MG the more menacing the swell looked. I pulled up to stow my gear and was appalled at the size of some of the waves hitting the end of the groyne. But it was clear that there were sufficient gaps of small waves between the sets. All Jaro and I had to do was time it right.

And so we did. I went first and got the end of a nice little wave that the Stealth rode with style all the way in to the beach. I looked back and could see that Jaro was still de-rigging so waded (yes, it's that shallow) out to near the end of the groyne and propped myself up against a rock with the camera, hoping to record a video of Jaro stacking it spectacularly, as the potential was certainly there if his timing was off.

Jaro waiting outside the break.

As he often does, however, Jaro timed it perfectly, cruising through without even getting his knees wet. One of these days I'm going to record another "Jaro's Epic Ride", but not today.

Later, on the beach, he confirmed that he'd taken extra precautions to protect his gear as he wasn't totally confident that he could time it so well.

After we'd returned to our cars I found a note on my windscreen. It was Bill Barnett's Trip Report. So I've included it here. Hope Bill tells us about it his wipeout...


Thanks for coming along guys. Looks good for more days this week.

Kev
Red & white Stealth Supalite, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner
http://www.noosayakkers.blogspot.com/

Contribution from Ian
:::::::
Subject: fishing today -- 3may11
From: "Ian"
Date: 3/05/2011 6:20 PM

Hi all,

Not much to report. Peter(Pedro) and I had a good launch getting lucky in the dark.

Peter rigging up after launching

A PB for Bream on Halls Reef

Like Sunshiner said I got a Longtail about 1km from Halls. Peter and I fished HR for a good 3 hours for 1 small Bream, 1 Red Scorpion Cod and 12 Sharks. When we decided to head in we hugged the coastline.

Peter chased some bust ups and I kept paddling home then almost as soon as we separated my Jaro special went off again and I landed another Longtail. Peter kept this one and may supply a photo.

With great disgust I must report that the Shorey got me. Nothing lost or damaged just my pride.



Ian
call sign;eye tag

Contribution from pedro
:::::::
Hi All,

Sorry Ian

But in my rush to finally fillet the longtail before the storm hit last night I forgot to take photo.

Thanks for the company and the fish yesterday Ian.

A note to hookers that the only time my sounder showed plenty of large fish was along the coffee rock behind the breakers.

Ian, I wonder if picking up the ice breaker was a message from Huey?

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