28/6/2010

15/5/2010

15/8/2009

We are out for a 3 day trip starting today. Leaving Cairns at lunchtime we spent the afternoon light tackle fishing but unfortunately we didn't raise a fish, we put the pick down at Thetford reef for the night.

16/8/2009

Fished jenny-louise shoal in the morning for scad to fill the freezers for the season. We then spent the afternoon heavy tackle fishing from jenny up to the light raising a fish of about 300 pound but unfortunatley couldnt get a bite out of it. Just before putting the anchor down at Flynn reef we did a few passes and picked up some nice spaniards for dinner.

17/8/2009

Today Geoff and the boys tagged and released the first marlin for the new boat, a whopping 40 pound. We released the marlin just on the edge of Thetford reef on a laser pro while mackeral fishing, not a bad by-catch. We then marlin fished the rest of the day but only managed a few spaniards and a couple of spotty mackeral. We are back into cairns tonight.

15/9/2009

 Today we are leaving Cairns to head south and fish the Port Hinchenbrook Billfish Classic. With 5 guys on board we left Cairns at 3pm and fished our way out to Coates reef where we spent the night, along the way filling up on mackeral and catching a few GT's.

16/9/2009

We left coates reef at 7 and continued our way south catching some scaleys for the coming heavy tackle season. We arrived at Port Hinchenbrook at 4pm

18/9/2009

Day 1 of the Comp, unfortunately we didnt see a fish for the day and out of 26 boats there was only 6 fish caught, with 6 seperate boats catching them all. The wind got up to about 25kt s/e.

19/9/2009

Day 2. Again no fish for us with only 1 caught fo the day. Now 7 boats on 1 each. Plenty of mackeral to keep the boys busy throught the day, wind 15/25 kt s/e

20/9/2009

Day 3. No fish AGAIN. Only 3 caught for the day. Heaps of mackeral still around. Now 10 on 1 each, 5/10kt s/e

21/9/2009

Final day. Finally we got 1, a healthy 40 pound sailfish. It was angler, Bens first billfish so congratulations, we caught it on a lure about an hour before stop fishing. There was only 2 fish caught for the day and the end result was 12 boats finishing on 1 billfish each.

22/9/2009

Today we are leaving Hinchenbrook to make our way north back to Cairns, we started the morning with a few nice spanish mackeral then put the heavy tackle gear in wide of Dunk Island, just after 2pm we released a 400lb black for angler Jason, this also being his first billfish release. After that we pulled the gear in and stemaed into Cairns.

9/10/2009

Today we are leaving Cairns for our first Heavy tackle trip for the season, we are out for 3 days with 4 guys on board. After leaving cairns we put the laser pro's out at Tounge reef and after 2 hours we had plenty of mackeral for the boys to take back to Victoria. We fished the bank the whole afternoon raising 1 fish on the scad but couldn't get a bite. Stayed at South Opal for the night and Rafted up to MOANA III. Also at south Opal is, Iceman, Shaka and Sparticus. Blew a constant 10-20kt s/e all night

10/10/2009

Bait fished the morning but we were unable to catch a scaley because the spaniards were harrasing us. We fished the bank again all day raising another fish about 200lb but would't eat. The boys managed plenty of yellowfin between 8 and 13kg and the also got a go on the heavy tackle after a 100lb whaler ate our scad then shortly after we had a huge bite on the scad only for it to turn out as a 300lb hammerhead hooked through the dorsal. We stayed at South Opal again with Iceman, Shaka, Moana, Calypso and Kekoa sharing the anchorage with us, 15-20kt s/e.

11/10/2009

Final day today, we put the laser pro's out and 8am and trolled thorught the opening between south opal and north opal, the boys had plenty of fun catching mac tuna one after the other before the sharks moved in. Put the gear in at 9am and after an hour of trolling we had a 150lb on the scad which followed us for 10 minutes then faded off down sea, 20 minutes later we had the same thing but a 250lb and 10 minutes after that a 150lb was in behind the scad but then lit up and swam off to join an 800lb just under the port rigger then both went deep together. At 2pm we managed to release a 150lber for angler brad  and a 350lber for Col 40minutes later. We then pulled in the gear and steamed into Cairns.

19/10/2009

Out for a day trip today with a couple of Guys from Texas, headed out to the bank where it was blowing a constant 25knots. Didn't raise a fish all day so we pulled the gear in early and steamed into Batt Reef where we managed 4 nice spaniards in 10 minutes.

21/10/2009

Out again for a light tackle day trip with 2 boys from Canberra. Fishing was a litle slow only managing 3 spaniards a a couple of scaleys.

23/10/2009

Today we are leaving for Lizard Island. Left Cairns marlin marina at 6pm and chugged all night. We have 3 anglers on board and our new crewman Travis from Down Melbourne.

24/10/2009

After chugging all night we were just north of Cooktown by morning to start our bait fishing. We ended with both bait freezers full of nice scaleys and some mac tuna. Into Lizard at around lunchtime.

25/10/2009

DAY 1

Had the sailpast at 9am, from the shotgun start we steamed down to the top of number 9 and put in the gear. Unfortunately we didnt see a fish for the day. Anchoring at bottom of no. 9 for the night.

26/10/2009

DAY 2

Once again today we did not manage to see a fish for the day. We did everything right, scad fished the morning gettin fresh bait, caught fresh big baits but just couldn't manage to find a hungry marlin. We fished from no.8 right down to the bottom of no.5 where we stayed for the night.

27/10/2009

DAY 3

Well today we managed to get a bite just 5 minutes before stop fishing, but unfortunately pulled the hooks after a 5 minute fight. Today we fished no.5, 4, 3 and 2 then put the anchor down at the bottom of no.3

28/10/2009

DAY 4

Finally managed the find our first fish of the tournament, a very lively 150lb. But on the other end of the scale we did jump off 2 other small fish before we came tight on them. We stayed at the bottom of 3 again and over dinner we decided we were going to get up at 2am and head towards Jewell reef where the fishing had been red hot for the tournament.

29/10/2009

DAY 5

After a long night of chugging we arrived at hicks reefs at 9am just in time for a scad fish, but the scad did not want to play. After a verl long day marlin fishing we got up to jewell reef and had not seen a fish. questions were being asked weather it was the right move to come up this far then at 2 minutes before stop fishing we had a crash tackle bight on the mac tuna. It was called a big fish off the bite. with a short 20minute battle we had a tag in her and released in excellent condition. The call was made at 1050lb and she certainly looked every bit of it.

30/10/2009

DAY 6

After the big fish from the day before we didnt see a fish today but had plenty caught around us. Was a little bit rougher today averaging 20 knots, tonight we are staying at jewell reef

31/10/2009

DAY 7

After having the gear in the watre for 10 minutes one of the anglers say he saw a black shadow under the drop back, when we turned around it rose and out came a bill and a sail, he thought the bubble trail from the drop back looked pretty tasty, after some quick thinking from the boys on the deck the quickly had him switched over to the scad where we made short work with him on 130. By gfar the largest sailfish i have seen and we called him around 130lb. We had a pretty quiet afternoon and with less than an hour to go before stop fishing we caught a fiesty 350lber for angler Reg. Today is the final day so at stop fishing we steamed into watson bay behind lizard island and all had a fantastic dinner on the island for the presentation.

11/11/2009

Left Cairns today and headed straight to batt reef for a mackeral fish. Straight up we caught 6 mackeral then headed for Linden Bank. arriving there at 1pm we caught a 400lber after 10 minutes of fishing for 19 year old Mark Grenda from Melbourne. 40 minutes later we got a 300lber for his older brother thomas. Unfortunately we didnt see another one for the day.

12/11/2009

Today was pretty quiet only cathing a 30lb yellowfin and a 25lb dolphin fish. Pretty slow at the bank today only hearing of a couple of fish being caught. Tonight i counted 19 boats behind South Opal.