PDA

View Full Version : Good trip off Townsville



Fisher4life
18-05-2008, 07:58 PM
After keeping a very close eye on the weather for the past week, Friday night Graham (Thump-a) made the decision, and we off on saturday morning to the reef planning for an overnighter, and sneak back in before the change comes on sunday morning.

Hit the ramp around 8 saturday morning, and found out all of townsville also decided to go boating this weekend.

Half way out the GPS tell us it can't find satellites, so we continued our path out (watching the compass) keeping an eye on the sounder for any significant change in depth... We saw a little movement on the surface so we pulled up, and after a quick circle of the area, we decided to fish it.

within no time Graham is onto a good trout. The trout continued steadily coming over the side throughout the day. There were alot of big trout that our locked up drag's couldn't pull from their lairs, and also several that were sharked...

After watching a massive school of small tuna (bonito?) leaping from the water, obviously being chased by something i decided to put a floater out for a spanish. 15min later my TSS4 starts screaming it's sweet sound in dispute of the solid fish that had taken my floating pilly. after about 5 mins of a very long screaming run, the spool was looking bare so i upped the drag a little and the fish began to tire. 5min later a very solid spanish is boatside and soon brought on-board. he went 117cm and 21lb.;D The floater wasn't returned to the water.

As the afternoon went on, the bite slowed, so we made our first move from our new mark, out to the shoals where the nannies usually school up after dark.

We managed to get around 10 small mouth Graham managed the only large mouth. By 9, we had a very good feed in the esky so we decided to leave early, and Graham was able to navigate us back home with out the GPS

In total we ended up with around 13 trout between us, best measuring at 61cm, the nannies, 1 good spaniard, a red throat, a couple cod, plus a stack of throw backs which included tea leaf trevally to around 4kg, hussar, a big shark mackeral, chinamen and the unidentifiable fish, can anyone help??

Pics: scared school small tuna, spanish mack, esky shot at 7pm, biggest trout of the trip, the un-identified fish, my share of the catch

More pics still coming

Cheers
Josh

leezor
18-05-2008, 08:30 PM
Good report Josh, what a great day on the water!!

Fisher4life
18-05-2008, 09:40 PM
Yeah thanks Lee... It was a great day out, and fish came out to play also. i pity those who had to battle it back in this morning after the winds came up.

Picture of the tuna again, zoomed in a little more this time, hope it's clearer

Scott nthQld
19-05-2008, 11:53 AM
Sounds like a great trip out Josh. Well done to both you and Graham. Pity the good weather wasn't next weekend, and i would've joined you for sure, but as always, the good weather comes at the worst time possible, the last bout of no wind I was in Port Douglas with no boat, and this one is the week before pay day so cash was a bit tight.

Malcolm1976
19-05-2008, 03:21 PM
Good fishing! I take it without a GPS you were unable to mark your new spot?

Fisher4life
19-05-2008, 10:17 PM
Good fishing! I take it without a GPS you were unable to mark your new spot?


GPS would pick up signal when at stand still or at a very slow idle... so we were able to mark the trout spot we found...

Did you manage to get over the weekend ??

Malcolm1976
20-05-2008, 08:00 AM
GPS would pick up signal when at stand still or at a very slow idle... so we were able to mark the trout spot we found...

Did you manage to get over the weekend ??

Sure did. We went out Friday after work and made a full day of it Saturday. Not too good on the fish. But enough for a feed. A full report on by website www.fishingtownsville.net (http://www.fishingtownsville.net)

Mal

Fishin_Dan
22-05-2008, 07:36 AM
Nice one Josh! Some great fillets coming there

Saw you guys leaving sat morning from the ramp. Was motoring Scott's boat around waiting for him to hike back from his car park...

Decent size boat you were in too. Plenty of fishing room.

Fisher4life
22-05-2008, 12:55 PM
We had a spare spot that trip too.... if your interested in heading out with us sometime... pm either Graham or myself your details...

Scott nthQld
22-05-2008, 01:55 PM
I sent Graham a PM the other day, I would've loved to have joined you (been a while since I had a good feed of reefies, about 3wks now after the 2 fluke nannies I caught near middle reef) but like L said, funds were low, and I wouldn't have been able to pay my way, so i had to settle for a few nice grunter and seeing the dirtiest, biggest catty I've ever seen.

disorderly
22-05-2008, 03:43 PM
Some quality fish there,Josh.....yummmm....how tasty are those trout..http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/../yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/smiley.gif
Isn't it great when a plan comes together.

Scott

Angla
22-05-2008, 08:55 PM
You bewdy. Great pic's of those red ones. made me envious that you are up there and I'm in Brissy

Chris

Fisher4life
22-05-2008, 11:11 PM
Thanks for all the positive replies guys

couple more pics...

This being our total catch... Note... Graham's half trout to the top of the photo, that half trout still had a fair amount of weight to it....

Graham's over sized tomato cod that we only just managed to get onboard after it started floating away when the hook fell out boat side. managed to get a gaff to it by letting out lots and lots of anchor rope.... gave us a good laugh.

Willow1
23-05-2008, 03:31 PM
Very Nice catch there Josh, the conditions were excellent that day. Funny you should mention the satelight problem Saturday morning as my plotter and a boat close to me in Bowling Green Bay had the same problem. May sound strange but when my plotter stopped receiving the signal I couldn't even turn it off or use any buttons. Ended up turning the boats main isolator off to get it shutdown. Signal came back around an hour later. Dropped a good size spaniard at the boat, my sloppy gaff work, Boated a trevalle and mainly pulled up and threw back undersize grasseys and nanagi. Top day on the water though. Cheers Shane

sp nut
23-05-2008, 05:44 PM
G'day Josh,

It's good to see all the Townsville boys doing well on the fish and weather front, keep the reports coming. I have a mate up at JCU and he would be extremely jealous of the Trout, there the only fish he eats (snob) ;D

I've been up to Townsville twice, and caught my first Barra (Rock Pool) and Jack (The Lakes ) there, so the place has pretty special memories for me, especially since both fish were caught from land (mate doesn't own a boat; being a uni student= no money;D ).

Hopefully I'll make it back up there sometime this year, and maybe catch up with a few of you guys for a fish and a frosty!

Cheers,

James

pilchardjones
26-05-2008, 01:49 PM
Hi Josh,
I think i have seen thumpa around the ramp before. i bloke in mackay i know used to own it (in mackay). this old photo may be of interest to the new owner.
top fishing trip you had.
steve

pilchardjones
26-05-2008, 01:51 PM
this was obviously before it went all rabbitohs.
steve

Benno1
23-07-2008, 10:41 AM
your identified fish i would say is a Crimson Soldierfish...Myripristis Murdjan...grows to about 27cm in length...inhabits caves and crevices in coral reefs...just a guess tho :D
(Mrs Benno1)

hookinin
23-07-2008, 08:18 PM
Great to see that amount of read in any Photo well done guys.
Cheers Gaven

Fisher4life
23-07-2008, 08:31 PM
Hey benno, you know if they are edible??

Alchemy
23-07-2008, 08:37 PM
Hi Josh,

I just saw your post. Great fish, and I particularly like the look of those trout!

Regards,
Dave.

3bagsfull
24-07-2008, 03:50 PM
Beautiful fish man...

Benno1
24-07-2008, 04:47 PM
as far as i can find out Fisher4life yes they are...having never caught or eaten one myself...they are apparently a commercial food species in Taiwan...
(Mrs Benno1)