hookerbruce

Good report and looking forward to some photos. Congratulations on a good trip to Weipa. Sounds like you got among some good fish and I notice some extra PBs on your'e list. The fishing outside the rivers can be explosive and it's somthing you have to experience along with the scenary and remoteness. When trolling large lures up there for mackeral we always use a short single strand wire trace. Short so when a shark takes four fish your'e not left attatched to a large shark. Thanks for the report I'll be up there with my sons in 9 days. Bruce

Looks like a wirrah Cod. They have a very firm flesh some would say tough. Bruce

Hi Steve Sorry to here of your loss insurance usually covers a lot of it. Not the inconvenience and the anger towards these thieves. We use that ramp a lot. We actually used it on fri 3rd took our boat out of the water at 4 pm. Didn't notice anything that seemed strange. But you wouldn't know. I did come back to the ramp one day and found two wheel nuts on the ground and all the others on the trailor slakened off. My trailor has a fair bit of rust showing so I hope there isn't a market for rusty trailors. Bruce

I fished the southern end of Tom Uglies Bridge about 8 weeks ago managed 4 reasonable fish on western side of bridge fishing run in tide towards the marina. Fished shallow. 3 weeks ago I fished the northern end of Tom Uglies for zero. Just back from fishing the pylons under Capt Cook Bridge 2 fishing for 3 hours 6 downs for 1 35cm and 1 throwback. I think it is one of quietest trips I've had. Only managed 3 fish under Como bridge last week. Have found this year plenty of blackfish in the georges May to june but quiet since. Just 2 or 3 fish per trip. two weeks till Weipa so I might have to stop fishing and pack my gear. Bruce

The barra closed season starts in the Gulf on the 7th Oct this indicates the barra should be starting to move in sept. We have fished most months between april and sept and found may and the end of sept to be the best. Although our largest barra 96cm was caught in july. When do you leave Weipa ? I'll be arriving in weipa on Friday the 17th of sept staying that night in the campground anyone else going to be in Weipa then ? Bruce

I've had 3 quick trips in the Como / Tom Uglies Bridge area for a couple of just fish and a few throwbacks. Maybe they are further upstream. This time last couple of years there have been dozens of fish. I'll try up the Wonie next if the water doesn't get dirty from this rain. Bruce

I'll be up there for two weeks from the 17th of sept. Sept is usually good the water is starting to warm up. The barra start moving and the bait schools move in close to shore. It's always good in Weipa just some weeks are better then others. Are you landbased, fishing with a guide or hiring a boat? Bruce

Hi Mick A mate and I have tillitoo booked for two weeks next April must be why its not available. If we need extra crew I'll let you know, although starters are usually easy to find even if they have only been in sept. Bruce

Great report and congratulations on a great trip. The only place I've lost seven lures in seven drops in 10 mins. 2kg of lures in 4 days heaviest 70gms. When the wind blows up there it can shut down the bite but the river has fired for you. I have 10 weeks wait then I'm on the Tillymay house boat for two weeks I'm getting excited already. Sorry guys the boat is already full. Although a guide who knows where MONSTER REEF is could be a different story. But I did here another raider on the Tillytoo may have a couple of spare spots around the 20th sept while I'm on the other houseboat. ( Nicnat ) Hookerbruce

HI Didn't quite get the bad weather I usually get. Just some large swells and a fresh sw-w-nw winds. Fri morning started the morning dragging lures across the front of Jibbon bomie for nil result. Then headed down to Marley, the swell was too big to fish in close near the rocks so we had a bottom bounce. Started in 20 m of water jackets straight away keep moving out to deeper and deeper water trying different depths. Did manage 3 baby flathead. All the way out to 50 metres we had jackets then between 50 & 60 met the green toads were thicker than jackets. Once we got past 75 m we couldn't hold bottom and the south westerly blowing on top of the swell made things uncomfortable. Headed back at 10:30, we thought we had our bag limit of jackets but when we counted them at home we only had 37 so we could have kept a 3 more. Fri afternoon Changed our minds and instead of fishing near como chased blackies under Tom Uglies bridge. This was a new location for us, after about 1 hour we started getting a few bites and eventually kept 3 fish from about 15 we caught. Wasn't a big result but it was nice to find a new spot which should produce more fish once we get the hang of best tides to fish this area. Going to collect some more green weed tomorrow and give the blackfish another try. Hookerbruce

Hi all I'm just back from six weeks touring holiday with no fishing . I'm going to go fishing friday morning and evening so expect a cyclone. Intending to fish offshore the national park fri morning then como area of georges late fri afternoon. Then port hacking on sun. If I still need to catch fish I'll head out on Botany Bay on monday. Saw some fantastic green weed while I was travelling, and a few people fishing but didn't have a chance to wet a line. Mates are leaving for Weipa for a week tommorrow but I won't get there till sept for a couple of weeks. The recent reports on line have inspired me, but then I don't need much encouragment. Who else is going to be out and about on the weekend ? Hookerbruce

Hi Went down to Calala Beach on the weekend. The weed is out of control I don't recognise the weed but it is washed up for the whole length of the beach. 15 meters out into the water at low tide all the way up to the access tracks in the dunes. There was a bit on the beach at Calala Bay and a bit washing around in Currumbene Creek. There's no swimming or fishing possible on Calala Beach, but we did manage a few fish from the little breakwall near Myola. Will post a picture of the beach later. Bruce a picture of the beach. Bruce a picture along the beach.

Hi Rob Wondered how you got on with the cyclones,I was going to give you a ring this week to find out. Might still. Good report particularly for anyone who has been up there and suffered the lure losses and knows how frantic fishing around the bait schools is. I can very easily visulize the scene. I know how hard it is to write a concise report on a week in Weipa so much happens even on a quiet day. Just starting to organise for my next trip up there, two weeks at the end of Sept on the boat, then a week in April next year with an option for the following week with a mate on his charter. Did you get any spanairds or cobia ? Bruce

Hi Tuesday morning got ready for work went out the front door and the weather was just too good. Went back inside and had a looked at the weather on Seabreeze site and decided to take the tinnie for a run. Changed into the fishing clothes and packed the boat. Rang a mate gave him 30 min to get to the ramp. Then rang my wife who had already gone to work she was not as excited about fishing as me. Filled up with fuel and got to the ramp and had the boat in the water at 8am lot later than normal. Went to the live bait ground and it was thick with yackas but they were a little flighty, must have been the rat kings circling them. 15min and we had a good supply of live bait. Set the GPS for the fad and headed off. Around the 100m mark there was a good current edge and temp jumpped from 23 to 24. Had a troll for nil result then headed east. After reading reports of the dollies being around fish traps better than the FADS we were scanning the horizon for anything at all in/on the water. Then there was a bang and a clunk and the boat almost stopped. At first it didn't seem good as I had major motor repairs a month ago. But it was not the motor. the boat had hit a piece of floating wood and broken. The wood had broken not the boat. It was a piece of 4x3 about 5 metres long now in two pieces. Straight away we started the berley and threw in a couple of livvies, dollies appeared at the back of the boat and we were on not big fish but there were masses and they were great fun. We had three drifts past the wood and managed 3 (65 to 75 cms)keepers out of about 25 fish. Then nature had its way a pod of dolphins came along and all hell broke loose with dollies and dolphins jumping in all directions. After this the fish were well and truly gone, managed a few small fish then decided to move on. We checked the gps and were still 10 klm from the fad (after drifting a couple of ks with the wood)and as it was 11:30 decided to head in. So we didn't get to the FAD but we had a good morning. While we were catching fish a boat running back in from out wide went past about 300 metres away and didn't even cruise past to see what why we were fishing in the middle of nowhere. I always have a look just in case theres some action. Bruce

Yes I went. The kingfish wouldn't play lost one good fish then the nor-easter was making it unpleasent so went into the river and fished the sandflats with nippers for bait. tried half a dozen spots finally found some bream. Kept 8 bream to 38cm 1 whitng 1 flathead 1 blue swimmer and a mack tuna and a bonito from out near the bommie. Threw back about the same number of legal sized bream and a lot of undersize. 90% of the fish caught on the 1kg outfit and only couple on the 2 kg outfit it just wasn't getting the bites. So fish light in about 50cm of water for results. Bruce

Hi Very short notice I'm taking the tinny out in Port tomorrow if any one wants to come for a ride. Quick try for kings then chase bream whiting crabs etc in the river. 6 am start from Water St ramp. PM me or leave message here I'll check later and again in the morning. All you have to do is net the fish for me, I've got everything else covered. Can drop you back at the ramp any time. Bruce

Hi Went out in the tinny yesterday in port to try out the down rigger just fitted. Hit the ramp at 6 am. Lots of small mullet at the ramp so spent 15 min and put a dozen 8 cms in the live tank for later in the day. Went over to bundeena looking for squid none so loaded up with 10 yakkas. Headed out to the bommie off Jibbon it was working quite well but dropped off during the day. Set a live yakka at 8 m deep on the DR and worked the northern edge of the drop off for no result. Heaps of fish showing on the sounder but all small sweep. Then moved to the south edge couple of good shows of fish which did produce 3 rat kings to 60 cm. Saw another boat down rigging with live squid but didn't see them catch anything. Likewise three boats trolling and others fishing didn't seem to be grtting anything. Spent about 2 hrs around the bommie, things were quite so went back inside the Port. Pumped some nippers at Mainbar then fished various spots didn't find anywhere that was firing like it should this time of the year. Came up with a mixed bag and a good feed. 4 whiting best 39 cm 2 tailor best 49 cm 2 bream best 32 cm plus the tasty ones 4 blueswimmers which are definitely quite in the port so far this year for us. Sorry there are no pictures just an info report Bruce

After the weather appeared to clear a bit on sunday arvo my sons & I decided to have a fish yesterday. The morning was picked and we started packing the boat at 5:30 in the rain left home at 600, at the boat ramp with the boat in the water at 630. As we left the ramp and motored under Capt Cook bridge the rain got heavier by Towra Point the decision was made to drop anchor and wait out the heavy shower. An hour later the rain had started to ease so up anchor and moved on half wet with a trev and a blue swimmer in the boat. Had a look at the hot water outlet didn't look exciting so moved out along the oil wharf and anchored 100m west of the wharf in 6 metres of water with the runout tide. Over the next 3 hrs we had a steady stream of fish coming over the side and ended up very wet cause you have to go out in the rain from under the canopy when the fish hook up. Back at the ramp by 1200. Catch for the day was 11 trevs 6 black bream 1 large jacket 1 dusky flathead and 1 blue swimmer also released another 10-12 trevs. Even though the rain made it a little uncomfortable it was still a lot better to be out there than sitting at home. The other thing of interest is the Bay is fishing much better than port Hacking where we only seem to score 3 or 4 fish per trip. The best bait was peeled prawns followed by striped tuna cubes. Didn't see any kings or surface activity don't think the fish wanted to get wet. Hookerbruce

We used to prawn a lot a few years back but haven't been for about ... can't remember how many years. A good spot was on the sand flats at Sans Souci near the sailing club. Last couple of hours of the runout tide when its dark. Don't waste your time if a southerly is blowing, best is a hot nor-wester or nor-easter. You shouldn't need to go out past your waist. wear shoes as crabs and broken glass are a problem. Be careful when sorting your catch as blue ringed octopus and fortys-ques were not uncommon. Suss it out with a scoop net and torch first and if you see prawns then use your haul net. I'm sure you'll give us a post so I can pick up my share of the catch. Bruce

You were fishing off the baths and casting out a long way about 6pm, we could see your lure landing way out. There's always someone watching. It looked real good when they busted up on the surface, we were anchored on the edge of the sand flat and in the end couldn't resist the fish. But they disappeared by the time we got moving. We managed a few tailor to go with the other bits and pieces. It was a beautiful evening to have tea on the boat. Bruce

Hi Great report. if nothing else you learnt how to use words at uni. Now your back in sydney the fishing will seem dull for a while Every year we fly up to weipa someone has a hassle with the security at sydney airport on something that shouldn't be a problem like gulps or fishing line or a reel handle thats removable, but only one person will get pulled up. Carins airport is never a problem because theyre use to fishermen and there gear. You did well because you were flexible if something didn't work you changed. There's always an option in weipa. Using a guide the first time you go to weipa is the best way to get local knowledge. Your costing of about $2000 is about as good as you can do it ..... without living in a tent. We do 9 days in weipa for that. You mentioned catching bream up in weipa we had some really good sessions up there with them on soft plastics and 2 kg outfits. Losing 6 lures in 6 casts is quite common offshore up there and the sharks have to be seen to be believed. Bruce

Hi Best way to eat it, take the fillet of each side then skin it and debone it. Cut up into bite size fish pieces and cook quickly in oil in bread crumbs or batter. Yes they are edible, a firm flesh and not posionous. Bruce

Hi We did get out yesterday ended up with a feed but didn't find the sambos. We left the ramp 6am and headed across the bay keeping eyes peeled for surface action. All was quite saw a couple of places that looked promising but could find no bait or action so we cast lures around all the usual spots and did manage a tailor about 40cm. By 7;30 things didn't seem very promising so we went out the heads and to the north found a school of bait but nothing was happening to it and couldn't raise a strike around it. Decided something might happen in time so had a bottom bounce while we waited and waited for action. managed a morwong and 6 spine jacket. After an hour still no surface action so we headed north to Maroubra way had a troll and lure cast around likely spots. Gave up on the surface fish and had another bottom bounce for another mowie and 2 more large six spines. Headed back to botany heads finally found surface action just north of the heads in the form of a school of striped tuna, they were chasing bait and moving fast. My son finally hooked up and it took about 100m of line on the first run so a chase was requested and agreed to. After about 10 mins a fat stripie of 3.4kg was netted which was quite a good result on 3kg mono line. We couldn't find the school again so went in to investigate the bay. Couldn't see anything happening so ended up at the 3rd runway and managed one reasonable trev in about 1/2 hr then back to the ramp home then off to work. After reading AQUA NAUT report I wonder what might have been if we had gone just south of the heads instead of north.

Hi Next week is the ANSA comp run by Canberra fishing club anyone else going. HOOKERBRUCE

Hi all The boat goes in tommorrow to chase the sambos so expect them to disappear for the day. We'll take the 1 kg mono outfits with us and if we find them work our way down line class from 4kg to the 1kg. We usually keep a couple that swallow the lure or look like they won't survive. I take the fillet off each side then skin the fillet and bone it, refridgerate to make sure the flesh is set. Then with a sharp knife slice thru the fillet diagonally (45 degrees) so have thin fillets bit less than 1 cm thick,add a splash of soy sauce or similar. Heat a heavy frypan or b-b-q plate then sear each side about 20 sec in butter then eat. I'm sure there will be someone else out there Bruce