Big Jacks Question.

[rando]

I know that big jacks move to offshore reefs to breed.
The biggest jack ive ever seen came from a shallow reef off straddie.
But you rarely see or hear reports of really big jacks being caught, especially around the south east. Yet they must be there otherwise we would see no juveniles in our estuaries.
Is it because they are the unstoppables we often hear about.
rando

[mackmauler]

rando, I know of quiet a few being caught, the difficulties are there not in any great numbers and they mainly feed at night, you could bet they escape a lot of punters to.

[rando]

Thanks
Rob seems they are as elusive offshore as they are inshore.
The one I saw caught at straddie was caught off the rocks and was the biggest one Ive seen anywhere, can only guess the length/ weight but it was up towards the metre area.
rando

[devocean]

I have seen jacks to 5kg in the nerang river and the biggest reef jack I have seen was about 8kg. I have personally seen one diving around the 4 to 5kg mark and he is always in the same spot.

I hear there are some massive ones over the 8kg mark that live an the Yongala Wreck of Townsville

[Franco]

Most of the ones that come from reefs down in SE corner are usually on the end of a 4 ft stainless spear. You get em in the suds on the bommies, but they're bloody hard to spear!

And aye they're big out there!

[devocean]

You do a bit of divin Franco? Nothing better than putting 7,mm of SS in a jack

[bazzaman]

this what you after??? 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) ::) ::)

[bazzaman]

jack no 2

[slacky]

I have caught big jacks in the nerang river and on the reefs off cairns.But in cairns my bigest river fish is only 55cm.I put it down to the deeper reefs in the south east.Anyone have any other theories?cheers slacky :-/

[bazzaman]

i get mine in 30 metres of water! Mainly on flesh baits...We have gotten 6 that size since being here in cairns for 4 mnths! In three night trips!


Shane

[Why-ting]

I saw a jack that went 10.8kg it was caught during the redland bay fishing comp a couple of years back. Massive fish! :o

[Franco]

Bazzaman; they are some SERIOUS HOTDIGGITY FISH DUDE!! Don't see many of them around.

Devocean; I used to do heaps of spearing while I was at uni, tho I was never really that good at it. I loved it though, so much more then diving with a tank. Was in the Tweed Heads spearing club for a few years. These days I hardly get the chance to go, but now have a boat more appropriate to do it in so may get back into it. Problem is I'm a lot less reckless when it comes to sharks etc, and I think you need a but of craziness and balls to be any good at it!

[rando]

Top jacks bazza

[Mick]

Another theory is when the Mangrove Jacks move from the creeks to offshore grounds they actualy travel north.

The QLD coast geographicaly runs north- west to south- east. The Mangrove jack leaves the coast in a north east direction.

So, one could come to the conclusion that Mangrove Jacks in the south east corner of the state probably move onto reefs well north of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

The sunday mail (last week 13th Nov.) had a map of a Jack that in ten years moved north from a creek near Ingham where it was first caught and tagged to an offshore reef 300kms north of the original creek. If you were to apply this theory to the Brisbane River for example, a young jack may well up living out his days on a reef off Double Island Pt or Harvey Bay.

[devocean]

So thats why all my mangrove jack fillets end up at your place MIck, by he way check the tides nect weekend duck creek 4.30 friday overnighter come home 6.30 good run from 12.30 in the morning to sun up, closures are on to so we should go.

[devocean]

Franco I recently purcahsed a shark shield and while I do belive they are nmot fool proof they are a great reilef to have on takes a lot of your mind. So if you are keen to get back inot spearing you should look into one of these.

[cuzzamundi]

i know a bloke who dived in the maroochy, and he reckons there are a few hanging around a certain pilon that push 80cm. said they'd be totally unstoppable, and i tend to agree, given the territory. very interesting. hava go if yoyu dare!

cheers,

cuzza

[kahla_creek]

I saw a photo of a jack caught about 15 klm off eurong beach on Fraser Island that weighed in at nearly 13 kg. Caught by a line pro fisherman who said he thought he had a huge spanish mack on it went that hard. Would not have believed they got that big if I had not seen photo. Record of catch at Urangan Fisheries were it was sold.
Regards
Rob

[Daintreeboy]

Hopefully when foxy reads this thread he'll post his big fella he caught not too long ago. Awesome pic that. Best I've done is 11 in one night at a spot out off Cairns. We were home by midnight so they bit well.
Cheers, Mark.

[HAMMER740]

If you ever travel to South West Rocks call in at Rock's Marine.There is a photo of a Jack around 15kg. I bet there were some relieved bait fish on that reef the day he left. [smiley=wreck.gif]