Coodgee
18-08-2011, 03:16 PM
Had my first trip out with South Queensland Fishing Charter Service (Rob Smith) yesterday and it didn't disappoint. Myself and Charlie09 (fellow Ausfisher) booked this one and Rob paired us up with Jim and Geoff (or Jeff).
Leaving Maloolaba at 5:31 (I was a minute late and the boys let me know it), we headed straight out to jig some livies. within 30 minutes we had a tank of about 40-odd. So we headed straight out wide to one of Rob's AJ spots and we were in luck! The sounder showed a big patch of red holding a few metres off the bottom.
So first drift and we were all on! smiles all round as we had an immediate quad-hook up. I could see colour as my AJ ascended to the surface along with Charlie09's, but mine was busted off at the last moment, while Charlie09 landed a nice ~80cm AJ. Over to the left of me, Jim lost his AJ too but Geoff got his in the boat. So we went for another drift and we were all on again! This time I boated a nice 80-90cm AJ. Beauty! This went on for a while, with everyone hooking up on every drop. In no time at all we had our bag of AJs, all around the 80-90cm mark. Jim ended up with a real stodger to finish off that was a bit bigger than the rest.
I was also breaking in my new Monster Mesh Max rod and Saragosa 8000 reel and the combo did the job nicely. really perfect for this sort of fishing, not to heavy and not too light - capable of catching the fish but still requiring some effort from the fisherman not to lose the fish. In the shop, the PE 5-6 rod felt like a broom stick, but the AJs had it bending in a nice parobola.
So after a very successful first stop, we headed off to chase some pearlies. Unfortunately they didn't really play the game and we mostly got alot of under size ones, but 2 parrot and 2 pearlies came into the boat at this spot.
So then we headed to our final spot to chase a cobe, and I was lucky enough to land a ~90cm model on my first drop, falling victim to a yakka bait. It was my first ever cobe and it was amazing to see him shoot straight up to the surface. I thought for sure I was busted off because there was no weight on the line, but Rob was saying "just keep winding!". sure enough he came straight up to the top and zoomed around the surface for a while before falling into Rob's waiting net. The boys got onto half a dozen trag jew here before we had to call it quits.
All in all a great day. Rob put in alot of effor to find the fish for us and he knows these waters very well.
I think Rob took a photo of us all hooked up on AJs that he might put up.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5461/p1000651s.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/28/p1000651s.jpg/)
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/748/p1000647a.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/p1000647a.jpg/)
Leaving Maloolaba at 5:31 (I was a minute late and the boys let me know it), we headed straight out to jig some livies. within 30 minutes we had a tank of about 40-odd. So we headed straight out wide to one of Rob's AJ spots and we were in luck! The sounder showed a big patch of red holding a few metres off the bottom.
So first drift and we were all on! smiles all round as we had an immediate quad-hook up. I could see colour as my AJ ascended to the surface along with Charlie09's, but mine was busted off at the last moment, while Charlie09 landed a nice ~80cm AJ. Over to the left of me, Jim lost his AJ too but Geoff got his in the boat. So we went for another drift and we were all on again! This time I boated a nice 80-90cm AJ. Beauty! This went on for a while, with everyone hooking up on every drop. In no time at all we had our bag of AJs, all around the 80-90cm mark. Jim ended up with a real stodger to finish off that was a bit bigger than the rest.
I was also breaking in my new Monster Mesh Max rod and Saragosa 8000 reel and the combo did the job nicely. really perfect for this sort of fishing, not to heavy and not too light - capable of catching the fish but still requiring some effort from the fisherman not to lose the fish. In the shop, the PE 5-6 rod felt like a broom stick, but the AJs had it bending in a nice parobola.
So after a very successful first stop, we headed off to chase some pearlies. Unfortunately they didn't really play the game and we mostly got alot of under size ones, but 2 parrot and 2 pearlies came into the boat at this spot.
So then we headed to our final spot to chase a cobe, and I was lucky enough to land a ~90cm model on my first drop, falling victim to a yakka bait. It was my first ever cobe and it was amazing to see him shoot straight up to the surface. I thought for sure I was busted off because there was no weight on the line, but Rob was saying "just keep winding!". sure enough he came straight up to the top and zoomed around the surface for a while before falling into Rob's waiting net. The boys got onto half a dozen trag jew here before we had to call it quits.
All in all a great day. Rob put in alot of effor to find the fish for us and he knows these waters very well.
I think Rob took a photo of us all hooked up on AJs that he might put up.
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5461/p1000651s.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/28/p1000651s.jpg/)
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/748/p1000647a.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/546/p1000647a.jpg/)