Noosa Sails (now With Dolphinfish, Sail And Tuna )

[phild]

G day folks been a while but Ive been a busy boy with a recent jaunt up to Noosa. I left Sydney on the 4th of Jan and after begging the managed to hook up the southwind for the long haul. After a quick stop over at Lennox head to catch up with some old friends, have a few and watch some sintalating Marlin action at Lizard island he had just filmed it was time to make the final dash to Noosa. Arriving to the lush tropical paridise we quickly settled down to a few more and got ready for the nexts day.

The first day in Noosa wasa frustrating one the bar was running too big and the river proved to be the only option so it was decided to take the kids out and chase some flatties, Jacks and trevally as well as putting n some pots for muddies.

day too was pretty much a repeat of day one with more mud crab comming in for the table oh well I guess its not all bad!

Finally on day three we had the chance to cross the bar in safety and after a couple of quite days outside the fish were champing at the bit. The bay was alive with large schools of tuna and Macks and for the next couple of hours we had a b all catching mack tuna and spotty macks, great fun.

The next day we again hit the tuna maruding the bay but after half an hour we stopped to follow our plan of rigging the tuna for Marlin, Wahoo, Big Spanirids and possibly a sailfish. We headed for a reef called Northies about 10NM north east of noosa main beach and about 8mile out were great with water that shined eletric blue. THIS WATER HAD TO HAVE A FISH IN IT, and after deploying the skipping mack tuna and some pushers we awaited the strike, it didnt take long within ten minutes the long rigger screams off. Half an hour laterer a spectacular monster Mahi Mahi circles wide of the boat with two more in tow. Leaving the fish in the water we tried to entice the other fish but didnt succsed. Finally tiring out the hen, we get it to within gaff range only to relise the gaff is back at the ramp, shit. We then decided to try and net the fish and watched as the net exploded under the weight of the fish. Finally Franko managed to tail the fish and I had the biggest dollie on board of my life pulling down the scales to 15.7kg ( I will post photos of the tuna and dolphin fish when Franko finshes his holidays). While playing out the fish a thunderstorm crackled over head drenching us so happy and tired we called it a day and headed back to the ramp stopping for a quick bash on an inshore reef but were hammered by sharks before anything decent came along.

The next day a massive storm came through noosa and although it had calmed down by morning the river ran a coffee brown and the bar was challanging. Chancing our arms we took on the bar and with tight sphincters crossed succsefull to be greeted by a huge rolling swell which although large was very calm. This time we had frankos uncle Paul on board. Trolling a Rapala 22 as well as the pushers it didnt take long for a soild Wahoo to hit it but unfortuntly just when it looked done and dusted the fish and lure parted our company. Paul then managed a small spanyid on a skipping longtom caught earlier but again the fish did us over. . With the troops getting restless I was pulling out every trick to keep us out there, knowing there had to be some more fish out there somewhere. The call went out to headed back to the ramp and I reluctuntly head south west but still purshued current lines and flotsome etc. then we had another run on a rapala but dropped the fish just as quickly. Bouyed, we reset the lures and managed to come across the temp change we had been seeking, no sooner had I said "we have a good tempreture change" than the longrigger again screams, this was no dolphin fish or mackreal.

I screamed at the boys to get the lines in and turn and chase the fish. With just meters left on the reel we got the boat going in the right direction when off in the distance jumped a beutifully lit up sailfish :1yikes . The fantastic beast proceeded to do 6 or 7 spectacular leaps as line poored of the reel once more. For the next hour and a half we played a game of tug and war as line would come in only to be taken away just as quickly. As is always the way the fish took the crapest outfit and every run was greeted with concern waiting for the fish to show up the substandard 15kg rig.

Finally the fish was within view and after some tricky boat work on francos behalf we had the fish leaping boat side. Tired we finally managed to grab the fish and I had managed to land my first sail fish absolutly knackerd I lay and admired the fish this was a very big sail and although no weight were taken the fish would have given 60kg a very good nudge. After some great photos a lot of WAHOOOS and high fives the fish was put back in the water and swum boat side for about 20minutes before slowly swimming off. :yahoo

All exilarated and tired we headed back with huge smiles on the dials and some great photographic memorys

SAILFISH, what a sportsfish absolutly amazing what more can I say but im stoked, taking my little trailer boat a 1000km crossing a narly bar to land the fish of a lifetime.

Edited January 23, 2006 by phild

[Sharky]

Awsome mate a sail fish must be a great mile stone well done Edited January 17, 2006 by Sharky

[phild]

Awsome mate a sail fish must be a great mile stone well done

Thanks guys IMO its one of the pinicales of trailer boat fishing, no fancy charters, super expensive rods, sonar etc etc.... Just me and my knowledge and my good ol faithful southwind. i always thought Id cross either the short billed spearfish or sailfish of last on my must catch billfish but its great to knock it over and cross it off the must catch list and to get such a great fish is a special; bonus

[MarlinMadness]

Thanks guys IMO its one of the pinicales of trailer boat fishing, no fancy charters, super expensive rods, sonar etc etc.... Just me and my knowledge and my good ol faithful southwind. i always thought Id cross either the short billed spearfish or sailfish of last on my must catch billfish but its great to knock it over and cross it off the must catch list and to get such a great fish is a special; bonus

Well done PhilD, and you are right there mate, isnt it great catching quality fish without the excessive charter costs involved at times.

That sail is a mighty fish mate, decent size.

Again, CONGRATS and TOP EFFORT.

[Narralakes]

That's fantastic Phil, well done and congrats on the sail!

[phild]

That's fantastic Phil, well done and congrats on the sail!

Thanks ken and MM Im still just daydreaming and reliving the fight in my mind after comming back to work, Ken you sure would know about it hooking up on fly. MM belive me mate Ive blown a lot of doe chasing billfish to the point where I dont bother with charters anymore i feel that some just have little/ no idea and I hate sharing a boat with a bunch of people who cant bait a hook, I know that sounds up myself but I can find much better things to do with my cash than pay hundreds of dollars for a baby snapper or flathead. Id love to get the dolly up too because it was also a quality fish, soon I'm sure.

Edited January 17, 2006 by phild

[Guest madsmc]

Awesome read there Phil! I bet that trip is going to keep a smile on your dial for many months to come.

Congrats on the big Sailie, and I'm sure everyone is looking forward to seeing the Dollie pics, sounds like a real corker mate.

Shane

[phild]

Thanks Shane, comming back to works a bummer after a trip like that but Ill be out to replicate this friday with any luck. As soon as franko gets back and sends me the rest of the photos ill post em up the ones of the dolly are quite spectacular.

[Guest MarkD]

Excellent report and a fantastic fish. Id argue that its one of the best if not the best fish posted on this forum. Surprised at the low number of replies

[Guest]

Might not of been many replies but WWWWWWWOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW thats a great effort by Phil to score one of the most magnificent fish in the ocean (you lucky bastard I am as jealous as anything )

Cheers Swordfisherman

[phild]

AHHH good on ya shamrock I knew you would appreciate it. And thanks stew it was an awsome experince. Marky straight back to you on your PB kingy on the friday, that was great angiling to pull a fish out of those washes. Pity about dropping the monsters but we will nab ourselves one before the season closes mate I promise. Cooked up some of the king last night and absolutly stuffed myself mmmmmmmmmmm kingfish.

Edited January 23, 2006 by phild

[Captain Pugwash]

Phil,

I've just found your post. Been away for a few weeks.

I guess would be the only reaction. That fish, without "experts" in foreign territory is an awesome result. I can only imagine how you would have felt after getting that baby on board!

Shit, I'd have been happy with the bloody Dollie let alone that magnificent Sailfish.

Well done mate, that's worth a beer or three.

Cheers

Pete

[Hookem_Herby]

Awesome fish mate .... there haven't been many billies caught thus far this season on the sunny coast so considering how slow things have been, your capture is even more remarkable.

Well done on the dollie too, fantastic looking fish aren't they?

Well done,

Herby

[phild]

Thankyou both Pete and herb, I was beggining to think the landing of a 60kg sail from your trailer boat in a foregin location wasnt that impresive to people . Pete how was RSA? And have you been hitting the kings, me and the irishman did real well on them on Friday we dropped some monsters in the washes. Herb the guys at Davos said that the local boys were working very hard for little result so you can imaging how this fish felt comming in. I will never tire of seeing a big dolly circle the boat in that beutiful endless blue water.

[Guest]

Gdayyyyyyyy Phil ,did you ever think of taking that beautifull fish and having it mounted .When i got my first Black Marlin i got it mounted by Fred Montabello on the south coast and it looks great on the wall for all time and we ate the lot as well so it wasnt wasted

Cheers Stewy

[MarlinMadness]

Gdayyyyyyyy Phil ,did you ever think of taking that beautifull fish and having it mounted .When i got my first Black Marlin i got it mounted by Fred Montabello on the south coast and it looks great on the wall for all time and we ate the lot as well so it wasnt wasted

Cheers Stewy

Hi Stewy,

That looks like one perfect mount of your marlin mate. Beautiful job!

[phild]

For a split second it crossed my mind stew but it was too special a fish to kill, sails dont come across that often so it felt fantastic to be given this gift and then thank her for the fight as she swam away. I think there was a bit of PC going on to. I didnt want a negitive reaction to such a fantastic experince and I think killing the fish might of created that back at the ramp. Personally I dont see a problem with taking the odd fish but its also great to see them swim off and have that memory in your head for ever more. the mount looks great BTW montabello has a great rep. If I had more room Id get one done myself (great for the bar)but my 2bed rm unit with wife dosent have room for a 10ft sailfish.

Edited January 24, 2006 by phild

[Guest]

For a split second it crossed my mind stew but it was too special a fish to kill, sails dont come across that often so it felt fantastic to be given this gift and then thank her for the fight as she swam away. I think there was a bit of PC going on to. I didnt want a negitive reaction to such a fantastic experince and I think killing the fish might of created that back at the ramp. Personally I dont see a problem with taking the odd fish but its also great to see them swim off and have that memory in your head for ever more. the mount looks great BTW montabello has a great rep. If I had more room Id get one done myself (great for the bar)but my 2bed rm unit with wife dosent have room for a 10ft sailfish.

Hey Phil,I only asked the question because I seen one on Freds wall and wow what a sight with its sail fully extended and thats about as close as I will get to seeing one unless our trip to Thailand sees us take a charter out for sails

Cheers Swordfisherman

[Captain Pugwash]

Thankyou both Pete and herb, I was beggining to think the landing of a 60kg sail from your trailer boat in a foregin location wasnt that impresive to people . Pete how was RSA? And have you been hitting the kings, me and the irishman did real well on them on Friday we dropped some monsters in the washes. Herb the guys at Davos said that the local boys were working very hard for little result so you can imaging how this fish felt comming in. I will never tire of seeing a big dolly circle the boat in that beutiful endless blue water.

Cheers Phil,

It's certainly bloody impressive to me!

RSA was good in general. The fishing was good without being spectacular. I'm waiting on Dollface to edit the thousands of photos she took so I can post a report. Only downside was I got bitten by a spider the day before I came home and spent most of last week in Royal North Shore. Thought I was stuffed, have never felt as crook before.

Is there a report from you and Mark's Kingy bash on Friday? Where were you chasing them?

Don't talk about me chasing Kings. I flooded an engine 2 weeks before we went to Africa and it's still not fixed 8 weeks later. I want to murder some bastard!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably still won't be fixed for this weekend when I was planning to be out there 4 days running.

Cheers

Pete

[phild]

Bloody hell mate thats a bad situation to be in, what a bummer of a way to end your trip I hope everythings ok now. Mate your welcome on board the amanda jean until the pig gets repaired. The shamrock has all the photos etc of the kings over the weekend so Ill if he dosent get them up in the nxt day or two Ill post a report.

cheers phil