Fraser trip September 2018

[Little_Flatty]

Went to Fraser Island in September 2018 with the family. I was completely unprepared and did not have much in the way of heavy gear or wire trace. Still, it was the most amazing fishing I had ever experienced. We stayed at Kingfisher bay and I did most of my fishing off the wharf there.

First session, I arrived to see a turtle paddling around:

First few casts, I got bitten off (the little Spaniards were around that morning). I would give the plastic a flick here and there, and then the next flick, there'd be nothing on the line! Then I came up tight on a nice bream, which took a pretty big plastic.

I struggled to land much else off the wharf because I was so high up over the water and I would break the leader or pull the trace trying to get fish up. Lost a few good flatties that way. I did run out of big Zman grubs on that trip...that was enough action to leave me grinning like an idiot . That said, I am now the proud owner of a 5m carbon ISO landing net which I will bring with me if I ever head up north again (incidentally the shop owner said he gets a lot of orders from north QLD).

On the second morning, I noticed a few whiting nosing about in the shallows of the wharf on the rising tide. I just had to have a go  Released of course, but not long after that I learned that the QLD legal size for whiting was 23cm, not 27cm as they are in NSW. Interesting...not that I would have kept it anyway - no cooking facilities. Had to leave shortly after as a couple of dingoes had started roaming the flats and we didn't want to take any chances with a 3 year old around. But it was cool that we got to see a few on the trip as well.

Then of course, it took till my final day on Fraser to tick off my lifetime bucket list item: getting a Tailor of the east beach. Wish I could have done more, but the east beach was a fair drive from Kingfisher and I was reluctant to do it alone; I had no 4WD experience. I was surprised by how easy it was to catch one; found a creek for my daughter and wife to play in, walked over to the gutter and then landed a fish! This one got promptly dispatched and then was taken back to the mainland for lunch the next day.

As a bonus we all got to watch a massive stingray swimming about in the waves. We were all quite enchanted by its majesty, so much so that I didn't take any photos.

I'm still dreaming about going back one day - my wife hasn't said no yet and I have trained my daughter to go on about it at childcare  . It was just magical. Maybe when the kids are a bit bigger.

 

[masterfisho7]

Looks like you have a great time Flatty