Smithy
02-12-2003, 01:22 PM
Gold Coast All Ports Marlin Teams Tournament
Fished out of the Gold Coast on the weekend aboard Roger Trundle’s 39’ Riv “Platinum1”. Dazza was driving and Roger, Russell and I were anglers. We had 5 24kg outfits onboard and a full set of Dazzles Pakulas. We left Runaway Bay at 5:15 and headed out ENE for about 25 Nm into a rolly SE swell with a bit of left over slop from the day before. At no time over the weekend did it get above 15 knots. We put the lures in on the shelf at the start fishing time of 7:00 and did a few laps of Dazzas GPS points but we kept working gradually south.
About 9:30 we took a hit on the Evil Shaker at long corner and I took the strike tagging a 12kg odd Mahi Mahi while Roger was inconvenienced. We set the lures and then took a hit on the Pink Slash Sprocket at short rigger right on the solunar time of 10:30 at the spot Dazzle fought a fish for 7 hours the year before. This fish came out head and shoulders shaking its head from side to side which isn’t good but we survived that and it came with us for about 20m then did the same thing throwing the hooks. Roger was on strike for that one so now strike went to Russ. We reset the lures and worked on heading south so that we were at the Tweed Canyons by the change of tide around 12:30. There was a bit of action down south with “Scrumpy Vixen” tagging one, “Sur-reel” tagging two from four, “Shortbill” raising three Stripies and “Bus Stop” losing two.
First pass over the marks and the same short rigger lure goes off. Russ is hooked up solid, the fish is jumping and we call it for a Blue. The rods were cleared and Russ was harnessed up when the fish starts jumping again way out wide. Even though it was jumping away Russ wasn’t getting any weight on and it didn’t look good. With the fish still jumping we wound in the limp line which was cut at a clean 45 degrees – not good. A look at the tip and it is cracked. Scratch one lure and one outfit is now out of action so it is back to a 4 lure spread.
We reset the lures and right on the change of tide time of 12:30 the Lumo at long rigger goes off and I am on strike. I bolt from the bridge with Darren calling it for a Mahi Mahi. I get harnessed up and am thinking this Dolphinfish is taking a shit load of line. It then jumps and we now know we are on a bill. The fight goes well and the tag goes it perfectly. A quick release and it is hand shakes allround with an 80 odd kg Striped Marlin on our Sked Sheet – my first heavy tackle fish and on standup gear.
The hot bite is on down the Canyons and we are keen for more but we only take one mystery strike for the rest of the day.
Seeing as we are south we have a nice run home with the swell and it is on to the BBQ.
Sunday dawns and we are keen to get back into them at the Canyons. It seemed the most consistent spot with around 12 fish raised down there even though the entire fleet of 39 boats has only tagged 14 for the day. “Andiamo” and “Outrageous” were in the lead on 3 Bills. They were both north of the Gold Coast.
We are at the Canyons by 7:00 and take our first strike at 7:05. This is on a Marlin Industries Spazz at short rigger but is only a small Mahi Mahi which we tag for Roger. We then have Russ on strike for a marathon 5 hours – it isn’t our day, along with “Sur-reel” and we take only one more mystery strike. While doing all this we have boats hooking up all around. “Scrumpy Vixen” tags a Black, then we have “Bus Stop” hook up about 200m away on their second Black for the day then “Shortbill” a 6.5m Centre Cab hooks a Blue. This is all just after “Work Bench” is smoked by big Blue and “Black Bart” tagged one a bit further north.
We pull the pin early and cruise home into a little NE seabreeze with the fleet only tagging 11 for the day.
Once again a top event put on by the Gold Coast Yacht and Gamefish Club at a top venue and with top weather. Official results are to be posted this week but it appears “Andiamo” will be champion boat with 3 bills and some field goals (other species) and “Shortbill” champion under 8m with one and a Mahi Mahi.
Fished out of the Gold Coast on the weekend aboard Roger Trundle’s 39’ Riv “Platinum1”. Dazza was driving and Roger, Russell and I were anglers. We had 5 24kg outfits onboard and a full set of Dazzles Pakulas. We left Runaway Bay at 5:15 and headed out ENE for about 25 Nm into a rolly SE swell with a bit of left over slop from the day before. At no time over the weekend did it get above 15 knots. We put the lures in on the shelf at the start fishing time of 7:00 and did a few laps of Dazzas GPS points but we kept working gradually south.
About 9:30 we took a hit on the Evil Shaker at long corner and I took the strike tagging a 12kg odd Mahi Mahi while Roger was inconvenienced. We set the lures and then took a hit on the Pink Slash Sprocket at short rigger right on the solunar time of 10:30 at the spot Dazzle fought a fish for 7 hours the year before. This fish came out head and shoulders shaking its head from side to side which isn’t good but we survived that and it came with us for about 20m then did the same thing throwing the hooks. Roger was on strike for that one so now strike went to Russ. We reset the lures and worked on heading south so that we were at the Tweed Canyons by the change of tide around 12:30. There was a bit of action down south with “Scrumpy Vixen” tagging one, “Sur-reel” tagging two from four, “Shortbill” raising three Stripies and “Bus Stop” losing two.
First pass over the marks and the same short rigger lure goes off. Russ is hooked up solid, the fish is jumping and we call it for a Blue. The rods were cleared and Russ was harnessed up when the fish starts jumping again way out wide. Even though it was jumping away Russ wasn’t getting any weight on and it didn’t look good. With the fish still jumping we wound in the limp line which was cut at a clean 45 degrees – not good. A look at the tip and it is cracked. Scratch one lure and one outfit is now out of action so it is back to a 4 lure spread.
We reset the lures and right on the change of tide time of 12:30 the Lumo at long rigger goes off and I am on strike. I bolt from the bridge with Darren calling it for a Mahi Mahi. I get harnessed up and am thinking this Dolphinfish is taking a shit load of line. It then jumps and we now know we are on a bill. The fight goes well and the tag goes it perfectly. A quick release and it is hand shakes allround with an 80 odd kg Striped Marlin on our Sked Sheet – my first heavy tackle fish and on standup gear.
The hot bite is on down the Canyons and we are keen for more but we only take one mystery strike for the rest of the day.
Seeing as we are south we have a nice run home with the swell and it is on to the BBQ.
Sunday dawns and we are keen to get back into them at the Canyons. It seemed the most consistent spot with around 12 fish raised down there even though the entire fleet of 39 boats has only tagged 14 for the day. “Andiamo” and “Outrageous” were in the lead on 3 Bills. They were both north of the Gold Coast.
We are at the Canyons by 7:00 and take our first strike at 7:05. This is on a Marlin Industries Spazz at short rigger but is only a small Mahi Mahi which we tag for Roger. We then have Russ on strike for a marathon 5 hours – it isn’t our day, along with “Sur-reel” and we take only one more mystery strike. While doing all this we have boats hooking up all around. “Scrumpy Vixen” tags a Black, then we have “Bus Stop” hook up about 200m away on their second Black for the day then “Shortbill” a 6.5m Centre Cab hooks a Blue. This is all just after “Work Bench” is smoked by big Blue and “Black Bart” tagged one a bit further north.
We pull the pin early and cruise home into a little NE seabreeze with the fleet only tagging 11 for the day.
Once again a top event put on by the Gold Coast Yacht and Gamefish Club at a top venue and with top weather. Official results are to be posted this week but it appears “Andiamo” will be champion boat with 3 bills and some field goals (other species) and “Shortbill” champion under 8m with one and a Mahi Mahi.