Pancake Nostalgia

[Smithy]

Mackmauler's post gave me a big burst of nostalgia. It was the place I always used to fish offshore as I only had the 12'er and it is a small boat paradise, only about 3 Nm to Outer Rock from the mouth of Pancake. All that changed once I got the 15'er and anywhere on the SEQ coast then became fishable. So for you guys with small boats, grab an EPIRB and get up there. It is where I learnt to spin for Tuna and troll for Spaniards plus the scenery is fantastic.

[Smithy]

From my very first trip there. Only had a 15 on and we came from Middle Ck with all our camping gear.

[Smithy]

For people that know my boat you will notice it was very early days and not many stickers.

Also note the gear. #Just a few baitcasters and dodgey spin reels.

And the eskys. Just a few dodgey plastic ones back then.

[Smithy]

Later trips we had the 25 on the back and we even got on the plane every now and again. We did plane home once with the 15.

Usual trip was 100 litres of fuel and 60 litres of water onboard.

[bakes]

that must have been a few yrs ago smithy ya tinny is heaps different these days looks a bit plain back then ;)
bakes 8)

[Smithy]

And Paul's 445 Quinnie Hunter with a 40 Evinrude. I thought that boat was luxury back then. Funny how things change. Our first trip to South Bustard and the Inner Wides was a massive adventure and we used one and a half 25 litre tanks of fuel. Now we think nothing of punching out 35 Nm and using hundreds of litres at a time.

[Smithy]

Then there was the fishing. 3 Macks before the Pros even got there in the morning. Big Minnows did the job then as well as dodgely rigged Gar that used to spin but they still caught fish.

[Smithy]

.

[Smithy]

From the 12'er.

[Smithy]

First trip there once I got my GPS. Line ups worked a treat and there is plenty of stuff on land to use to get your line ups.

[Smithy]

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[Smithy]

Camping at the shack in the bush made things easier. Didn't need to take bedding, cutlery, cooking gear etc. just fuel, food, fishing gear, water and personal gear. I believe all the shacks and A-frames have been pulled down due to governmental wisdom.

[Smithy]

A few scenery shots. Plenty to do up there on windy days, the middle of the day or when the tides aren't right. We always used to crab in Jenny Lind by walking over the sand dune and placing the pots in the back of the mangroves where boats couldn't reach. A walk to the lighthouse was always on the agenda.

[Smithy]

Previous shot was the Jenny Lind Bar back to 1770. This is the mouth of Pancake and up to Rodds Harbour.

[Smithy]

Jenny Lind Ck. Took the boat in there once from Chinaman Ck when the tides were right. Fishing was dissappointing for how hard it is to get into.

[Smithy]

The awesom oyster covered rocks at the start of Jenny Lind.

[Smithy]

The lighthouse.

[Smithy]

Bustard head from sea with Middle Rocks just in the picture.

[Smithy]

The caretakers cottage.

[Smithy]

A Spanish Mackerel Fishermen's Mecca - Outer Rock! Straight out of 32m. One rock that is more awesome is Nares Rock off Bowen.

[Smithy]

The pink Duck running around Jenny Lind on low tide.

[agnes_jack]

Awsome
Some good shots there Smithy!
How long ago did you first visit Pancake?

Tony

[mackmauler]

nice pics, heard back in the 60s there was a permanent resident of pancake.

The school macs were trying to eat us out of the boat this trip, rolling lures out of chip packets worked well. there is a reasonable population of steel back salmon up the creek, good fun between flatties if the winds up, never get sick of that place ;D

[Smithy]

Tony,

first trip would have been '94 then probably every school holidays from around '95/'96/'97 or so. The bloke I used to go up there with was a school teacher from Bundy. He had been going there for 20 years before that and would have over 30 years experience up there now. He mostly fishes Turkey these days with them getting rid of the shacks. In the early days they used to 4WD onto Rodds and camp on the north side of Pancake. The creek has changed a lot since then. All the sand bars on the north side cover heaps of rock like what it is on the south side. The coral in the creek is not how it used to be. They used to catch Red Throats and Trout well up the creek. Most common catch inside the creek would have been Slateys (Painted Sweetlip/Blackall). They used to go for the big summer Whiting but they have been netted to oblivion. Out of their old boats they only ever went as far as Jensens Rock and a bit further out as they caught all they needed. It was only around the time I started going up we ventured out to Middle and Outer. We had some good drifts worked out for the rocks using line-ups. Then GPS came on the scene and was more affordable and our horizons broadened.