Swains Reef

[Fishing_Freddy]

I just came back from an excelent week aboard the Norval with Scotty. The weather was great with one morning of very light showers the rest was sunshine and very little to no wind. We started the trip in some deep water with a few nice red emporer coming aboard, then plenty of good sized spengled emperor. With the big esky on deck three quarters full Scotty said it was time to move so we had lunch whilst under way(which as usual was fatastic and more than I'm use to eating). We hit the shallower water and the trout started to come in fairly thick and fast and the esky was topped up in no time. We left them bitting to head for the anchorage for the night. We trolled most of the time when we had a fair distance to travel, this saw some spanish mackeral come in and a couple of mack tuna. When we had anchored and the all clear was given to start fishing again we found ourselves bringing up more spengled emporer and I got my first legal red emperor of 11.8Kg :o and I was stoked to say the least. After this sesion we had dinner and a few well earned beers. It was a great start to the week. The next morning the dories were dropped in and we fished the weather faces whilst a couple of guy done some spear fishing. The spearo's cleaned up on trout while we got a mixed bag of trout, red troat and couple of gold spot trevally. The next couple of days was the same, then we moved onto another location and started to clean up on red throat and trout coming in a close second. I was even able to show someone that had not seen the plastics in use that they worked, which was great for me as I'm still learning myself. The redthroat loved the 6"nuclear chicken and the pearl white. I actually run out of these two as they got smashed up fairly well by the smaller redthroat amoungst the larger ones. I also got a pb trout which went4.2Kg so I would have to say it has been the best week on the Swains to date. I will try to post some photos as I get them.
Cheers
Ken :beer:

[Fishing_Freddy]

I am not sure if the photos worked, I hope so
Ken

[skipalong]

looks like a fabulous week with top conditions to enjoy some fishing one to remember

justin

[jtpython]

There are some great fish there and and great red. Awesome trip by the sounds mate congrates
JT

[jarhead]

Awesome trip Ken, congrats on the red.

Cheers Wal

[Benno1]

Congrats on your PB Ken!!!...great looking fish...all of them!!!....how did you find the charter???...well priced???...good skipper/deckys???
cheers for the piccies and report :D

Mrs Benno1
Sunny

[Fishing_Freddy]

Congrats on your PB Ken!!!...great looking fish...all of them!!!....how did you find the charter???...well priced???...good skipper/deckys???
cheers for the piccies and report :D

Mrs Benno1
Sunny

Hi Mrs Benno1

The Norval is a smaller vessel which only takes 10 fisherman. There is only the skipper and one deckie. It is well priced I thought. Scotty the skipper/cook is very helpful and always tries to keep you on the fish and the meals are better than some of the restaurants I been to. He has a young deckie who is very capable and very helpful aswell. I would recommend the Norval to anyone who is looking to out on the Swains Reef. They do seven or ten day trips but you have to book well in advance as they book out quickly. I know they are booked out for the rest of this year.
Hope this helps you,
Ken :beer:

[backlash08]

thanks for the report - looking forward to getting back to the swains in a month or so
regards - Craig

[Horse]

Thats a nice red. Great weather and lots of good fish

[revs57]

G'day Ken,

I was fortunate to do a trip with Scotty and Marty May last year, all I can add is to echo your words, excellent value for money, Scotty works hard to keep you on fish, like you guys, we filled the fish box every day with nine of us.

Glad to see the same quality service is being offered. Did you get Scotty going on the plastics?

Mate an 11.8kg red is not to be sneezed at for a first red, well done!

and some excellent photo's - conditions looked great. I'd reckon your spearo mates must've had a close eye out for the men in grey suits - there are plenty out there

Cheers

Rhys

[Slads]

Thanks for the report Ken,

We are heading out on our third trip with Scotty this Saturday. Good to hear the fish are about, we were a bit worried after all the media about the cyclone devestating the reef.

I'll second (or third) your sentements re the Norval. Top boat, skipper and the food is sensational. I heard Marty has left and is getting his licences to skipper, but Steve is supposed to be good.

Slads

[Fishing_Freddy]

G'day Ken,

I was fortunate to do a trip with Scotty and Marty May last year, all I can add is to echo your words, excellent value for money, Scotty works hard to keep you on fish, like you guys, we filled the fish box every day with nine of us.

Glad to see the same quality service is being offered. Did you get Scotty going on the plastics?

Mate an 11.8kg red is not to be sneezed at for a first red, well done!

and some excellent photo's - conditions looked great. I'd reckon your spearo mates must've had a close eye out for the men in grey suits - there are plenty out there

Cheers

Rhys


Hi Rhys
The spearo's said they had a couple of white tip reef sharks come for a look but they just charge them and they backed off. When we started with the plastics Scott asked if they were nuclear chooks and mentioned the first time someone had used them on the boat and he still is suprised at how well they work.
Cheers
Ken :beer:

[Fishing_Freddy]

Thanks for the report Ken,

We are heading out on our third trip with Scotty this Saturday. Good to hear the fish are about, we were a bit worried after all the media about the cyclone devestating the reef.

I'll second (or third) your sentements re the Norval. Top boat, skipper and the food is sensational. I heard Marty has left and is getting his licences to skipper, but Steve is supposed to be good.

Slads


Hi Slads
The reef has coped a hiding further north Scott said, so he tends to go to other areas he knows is still producing good quality fish. Some of the othre charters are still heading further north but aren't getting the catch we got. Young Steve is very good for only being 18 years old, he off for the next six weeks at TAFE so Scotty has a fill in deckie to cover for him. So I'm sure Scotty will have it all under control.
Cheers
Ken :beer:

[scrubba01]

Hi Ken
Good to hear you had a good trip, we have just got back from 1770 pulled a quick trip last week. I will put up a report when I get time and pics sorted out. Had a great time and caught some quality trout weather was fantastic until the last day when we pounded home for 5.5 hrs I am now 4 inches shorter. Will catch up with you soon for a beer.

[dogsbody]

Nice one Ken some great fish mate.

I'll fourth the sentiments about the Norval, great skipper, great food, and well priced.

The pic of the boat on their business cards was even taken by an Ausfisher. ;)


Dave

[Fishing_Freddy]

Just a few more pics I just received.
A couple of reds.
The boys cleaned up on Cobia on the last day.
A double hook up of spengled emperor I got.
Dolphin at the bow on the way home and then a great sunset to finish of the trip.
Ken :beer:

[Benno1]

more great piccies Ken...excellent!!!...in the 2nd pic...are those hussar wings on the hook???...what bait got the cobia's???...im glad you boys had a great time out...soooooooo whens the next trip :D

Mrs Benno1
Sunny

[Fishing_Freddy]

more great piccies Ken...excellent!!!...in the 2nd pic...are those hussar wings on the hook???...what bait got the cobia's???...im glad you boys had a great time out...soooooooo whens the next trip :D

Mrs Benno1
Sunny

Hi Mrs Benno1
Yes they are hussar wings on the hook. The cobia took the flesh baits on the bottom bashing rigs. We are looking at either the last or secound last week in April next year.
Ken :beer:

[sailfisher580]

Ken,
Good to see the boat is still going strong.
I crewed for the Gleason's in the late 90's. They owned the vessel then and I did plenty of trips on it but must stay from the crews point of view it was a lot more comfortable on there other boat the "Curtice Ambassador".
Lots of good memories from the 2 years I worked out on the Swains with the Gleason's.
I remember 1 trip in particular - it was half way through the trip and the punters had only put on about 50 bags of fillets (about a kg per bag).
--The old saying that 10% of fisherman catch 90% of the fish is so true.--
I used to love catching Spanish Mac's and skipper Ray Gleason came out and said "you recon you come put some fillets in the freezer for these guys".
Now I spent the previous day catching and releasing thumper RTE the day before much to Ray's discussed.
(All the punters were fishing in the dories each day)
So i put out a rod for a Spanish or 2. At the end of the trip I'd put on 150 bags of Spanish Mac verses the punters 100 bags of mixed reefies. Geez it was fun catching all those Spanish.
I miss those days sometimes...

Sailfisher580

[griz066]

Great post Ken, you have me champing at the bit we r booked to go out in August, it seems like a lifetime away atm.