Bbanks stomach excercises

[Nobites]

Hi all first post on Ausfish. Read all posts religiously for the past 12 months finally decided to try and give something back. Have fished with my dad for past 20 or so years in Moreton Bay and finally decided to broaden our horizons.

First trip towing boat was to the banks on the weekend with a mate, seen sooo many reports and photos on the fish caught their that I have decided to dedicate my life to catching some #;D.

Anyways left Brissy about 2:30am launched from Mollooabah ramp about 3:30am and headed straight for Northern Banks. Noticed after sounding around the northern part that there wasnt much ground until we got to mid part of banks.

Drifted over some serious ledges with floaters and bottom bashers for 2-3 hours with nothing coming aboard except empty stripped hooks (pirahnas). Had one good run on one floater but dropped it. Got rough, so decided to share my breakfast with the ocean, but still kept fishing (Kwells next time). Anyway ended up with one decent coral cod and sore stomach muscles. Next time will probably anchor and burley, not giving up that easily.

No photos this time sorry guys, not much too look at anyways when you are this inexperienced at BBanks fishing :'(

[Scarecrow]

It can only get better from there you hope.
you might bag out next time.
cheers ted. :) :)

[Big_Ren]

Welcome to the site Nobites. Hopefully next time you get Lotsabites.

Cheers
Paul ;)

[onerabbit]

Welcome nobites,

& dont feel bad just 'cos ya had a chuck.

After much drama, we finally got out after 2mnths of dry-dock last week, yep you guessed it, the skipper (me) was shouting at the fish (not a good look).

Lots of guys take the tablets, but I just wanted to suggest a few more go's at it before you decide to go that way. It is something that you get used to.

Muzz

[Nobites]

Thanks onerabbit. Yeah will try again without but i generally only get out once a fortnight (weather permitting) so hopefully thats enough to keep breakfast down. I wasnt expecting it to be that rough in only 10-15 knots I guess there is a lot more protection east of moreton. Ack worth it though to get some nice snaps one day #:P. Practice makes perfect.

[mirage]

Keep at it Nobites, I had 12 months of the same till I got it sorted:- No Fish and depositing the toast and vegemite overboard!!

[Nobites]

Hi Mirage
How often were you going fishing ie fortnightly monthly? To enable you to get used to it?

[seapup]

Hi Nobites,
Try anchoring on the on current side of the big ledges on the banks(make sure there is a school of fish on the ledge before you anchor) and burley up. I find this the best way to get onto the fish out there. I use a paternoster rig to fish the bottom and then floatline for snapper with really light ball sinkers(as the snapper will swim up the burley trail off the bottom during the day - as soon as they see a pilly or yakka floating down the burley trail they smash them!!). Good luck mate!
Ben. ;)

[mirage]

Hi Nobites,
Roughly fortnightly, still pop a seasick pill. Though last trip I forgot to and was still OK so maybe I'm nearly cured! ::)

[corty]

g'day nobites, dont stress mate i think at one time we've all been hanging ova the side wondering if our stomach is comin out our mouth's not a good feeling hey,KWELLS r the go i take one no matter what,nothing worse than doin the long trip out to the banks only to get sick fishing is the last thing on your mind.Doin a trip this weekend weather permitting. 8-)

[Nobites]

Thanks Mirage. Seapup, how far before dropp off should I anchor the boat? Because you have to allow enough so the baits drift down ledge dont you? I was thinking maybe 10m or do you anchor right on top almost (of ledge)? Also how do you find fishing pinnacles are they as productive as ledges or no difference?

[wayne_cook]

hi nobites I think ur missing the point fish into the lift not over it.
anchor up on the soft stuff(sand anchor if necessary)burley in currant towards reef or lift ,don't be impatient it might take a while.
look through old posts accumuliate info its all there.
Ahh! sea sick if u persist it does get better try to look at land.

cheers bear

[Nobites]

Gotcha brrbear.
Had it wrong thanks alot.

[wayne_cook]

put up a post when it all works.u sound keen I hope it falls into place for you
cheers bear

[seapup]

HI NOBITES. ANCHORING DEPENDS ON WIND AND CURRENTS ON THE DAY YOU ARE FISHING. DO A COUPLE OF DRIFTS OVER THE LEDGE/OR PINNACLE THATS HOLDING FISH FIRST TO CHECK THE CURRENT AND DRIFT. WATCH YOUR GPS DRIFT PATTERN AS WELL. ONCE YOU HAVE DETERMINED THE CURRENT DIRECTION ETC THROW YOUR ANCHOR OUT. SOMETIMES ON THE HARDS IF THE CURRENT IS RUNNING QUICK I WILL MOVE AT LEAST 80 TO 100 METRES OR MORE UP CURRENT OF A LEDGE HOLDING FISH - AS YOU DONT WANT TO THROW YOUR ANCHOR OUT WHEN YOU ARE DIRECTLY OVER THE SCHOOL OF FISH WHEN THERE IS CURRENT AS YOUR BAITS WILL BE DROPPING BEHIND THE SCHOOL AND YOU WONT CATCH ANY FISH. PINNACLES AND LEDGES BOTH FISH WELL FOR ME - SOME DAYS A CERTAIN LEDGE MIGHT FISH BETTER THAN A PINNACLE - AND VICE VERSA.
CHEERS AND GOOD LUCK,
BEN. ;)

Seapup, how far before dropp off should I anchor the boat? Because you have to allow enough so the baits drift down ledge dont you? I was thinking maybe 10m or do you anchor right on top almost (of ledge)? Also how do you find fishing pinnacles are they as productive as ledges or no difference?

[FOOCKCHUCKER]

do not worry bro we fish the b.b"s with good results but the last 2 trips have produced bugger all and thats with good marks and rigs and baits that have slayed em before. so like sea up says everyday is a little different at any location just persivere and read the posts and try different forms of attack cause as we have found out no use just charging it up in the forwards sometimes a sneakey little back can get over the line.

[F1SH_BOY]

HOPE THE FISH ARE BETTER WITH YOUR NEXT TIME ;)

[mirage]

Thanks Mirage. Seapup, how far before dropp off should I anchor the boat? Because you have to allow enough so the baits drift down ledge dont you? I was thinking maybe 10m or do you anchor right on top almost (of ledge)? Also how do you find fishing pinnacles are they as productive as ledges or no difference?


Nobites, one thing that I didn't realise, and was pointed out to me by friends a few weeks ago is that I needed to adjust the gain on the sounder a lot more. Depending on the type of bottom. Was on some wire weed the other day and if you increased the gain significantly at very slow speed you could start to break out some fish amongst it. Had to be quite slow speed though. Obviously experience is the key, the more you get out there the more you will learn and listen to anyone who will drop some hints.

Pinnacles will generally hold some fish on the Banks from what I've seen but getting the anchoring right is just practice. I don't think I've ever got it spot on yet, trying to judge the damn wind and current!

[Nobites]

Would you guys recommend standard five pronged reef anchor? Is a 21 foot Quintrex or we also have a plow. Either way we got about 40 feet of chain. I know a friend who uses a rocket anchor (long rod with many small prongs) is that even better?

[mirage]

Just use a smallish 4 pronged reef anchor on the Banks. If you use one too big the prongs won't bend and you'll never get the damn thing off the bottom. I assume you are using one of those anchor pull up buoys?

[Nobites]

Thanks Mirage. Nah boats got an anchor winch, does the job ok, bit slow though.

[onerabbit]

Hey nobites,
I dont anchor up much, but I have been through the drama of having an anchor stuck.
Now, I attach the shackle to the prong end, run the chain to the other end & tie off with 150lb jinkai. If the anchor gets stuck, the jinkai will break, pulling from the front should release the anchor.
Just a thought,

Muzz

[Nobites]

Thanks onerabbit
If i dont have luck with my normal reef anchor ill try a rocket and tying it off with jinkai.