Mondy Dash

[NAGG]

Hi Ausfishers

I couldn’t help my self ….. The itch was unbearable, so I did a quick dash to Mondy. It was more tackle testing than anything & what better way to check some ideas than to try them on your target species.
I arrived pretty late / early & so I tried to get a couple hours , sleep in the car before getting on the water “yeh right!” …… after a bit of a feed I slowly motored up the lake in foggy conditions & eventually arrived at Pepper point at pre dawn.Attachment 52102 With a considerable amount of bait , catfish in the shallows , I was feeling pretty good about things ……. Good feeling when I landed a feisty 70cm barra after less than 10 casts.
My plan was to rotate through 4 different modified plastics every 15 mins in all locations + a 5th outfit would see a different lure added …… Yep I did this for the rest of the day without another touch. I bumped into Scotty & his AFC partner prefishing for next weeks filming …… had a bit of a chat before we both headed back to South B - where I planned to fish into the evening & sleep out that night .
Right on cue (Barra O clock) I had a solid hookup & trying to keep the fish jumping due to the seen & underwater obstacles …. Then gone “straightened jig head” …… tied on another modified slick rig , cast & on again ………. Once again , I stuck to the tactic of keeping the fish jumping while I threw the buoy to try to lead the fish into more open water……… at this point of time , the fish charged 30M towards some spindly tree tops & made it……….. Now I kid you not , but this girl was at best maybe 105cm - but it tore drag off like it was a 120 …….. Sadly the fish got to the spindly trees & I tried to unwrap it ….& with only 5 feet of water , I’d plunge the rod into the water to try to work out line direction - every now & then I touch the fish & there would be a boil……… As it turned out I wasted the best fishing time when I returned a chewed leader ……… after that not a touch for the next 2 hours.
I ended up , sleeping on the bank …… till it rained at 2am , then I rigged a makeshift shelter in the boat using a tarp …… & got another couple hours of sleep.

Up again around 4am ….. breaky & back to fishing the nearby flats for 1 half heated tap ……. Before the urge to fish “North B” became overwhelming ……. So made the run back in quite gloomy , drizzling conditions - gotta love this place when on my 2nd cast I hook up with a fish that is on turbo charge…….. eventually I manage to land a fish that hits the mat at 96cm .Attachment 52103 4 casts later , I’m on again to another feisty fish that does its best to bury me in the weed ….. but after a few tense moments under & around the boat …… I net a 94cm fish. -- Now I’m happy … 6.30am & 2 landed.
Landing a fish is clearly a boat magnet - & I soon had 2 passing boats that witnessed the capture fishing my chosen drift ……. Bugger!!!!!. Anyhow I needed to offload my damp sleeping gear & decided to go back to the ramp ……. Got rid of all the extra gear …… then off to bird bay …. Missed a fish on my second cast , then blowflied again – Fortunately the 3 guys in a tinnie fished the other side of the little island & employed a bit of stealth ……… eventually we had a bit of a chat & as the guys were struggling with only 1 hit in 4 days ….. I tried to steer them in the right direction for their one remaining day - nice country folks ( I hope they ended up with fish).
As I headed back to fish the island again , I’m on the phone & Shane yells out …… so after the call , I had a bit of a chat ……. Then we headed over to A ….. where they missed a fish earlier ---- I then went back to south B to collect my anchor & fish the afternoon but with a wind change I needed another location - back to “North B” where I hook up instantly on a mod slick rig ……. Another barra with plenty of go found its way into the spindly tree tops & was gone………. Afternoon tea & back towards the main basin. At this point of time , tennis/fishing elbow was really getting to me & making winding difficult – Agony when power had to be applied .
Caught up again with Shane & suggested that we fish the weed bed in the main basin …….due to a strong wind that would have been blowing onto it ---- Not long after arriving Shane hooks up & as I tell him to take his time while I put the telephoto lens on ….. he drops the fish.
Soon after I hook up & call it for a decent fish , no jumps , big boils & long runs. With me on the anchor – with no leccy deployed - Anyhow , I loose the anchor & drift along before I eventually land the $1 even fish. Attachment 52105 I leccy over to Shane & he takes the pics for me …….. funnily I never felt the pain in my elbow during the fight . We fished on before at around 6.45pm we all called it quits.
Shane & Tim …. Offered me the hospitality of a meal , drink & tent ……. I was exhausted.
Too much pain in the elbow to fish today ……. But satisfied enough to head home early .
For the record …… all fish landed & hooked ( exception of 1 fish) – were on black & gold 110mm slick rigs ( punched tail & belly #4 owner treble).Attachment 52106

Cheers

chris

PS ..... Thanks again Shane & Tim .... good company , feed & booze

[BR65]

happy days mate, and half ya luck, would kill for a sneaky trip but Im snookered for a bit longer yet.

Great to hear North B is still firing, but Im over blowflies, the next ones are going to get both barrells!

[NAGG]

happy days mate, and half ya luck, would kill for a sneaky trip but Im snookered for a bit longer yet.

Great to hear North B is still firing, but Im over blowflies, the next ones are going to get both barrells!

I actually was going to ask you .... but saw your post saying that you had things on ....... so did the dash on my own

lots of people around mate ....... & most were clueless ( motor into a spot , throw anchor .... .drive over a flat ------ you know what I mean
Chris

[BR65]

cheers, I would have been in, but Debs bday this week end smashed me, got a wedding next week end, mite try a sneaky after that.

[robersl]

Hi Chris
Great to catch up mate i will just add a little report here
Well Tim and I hit the dam at 8.30 friday night to troll vipers in the main basin(joking ) we cast at a few banks a bit further up the dam we seen camera flashes going off 117cm was caught and killed i found out later and seen it on the filleting table, went back to the cam at 11pm had to rums and a shower plan was to be up and on the water at 5am morning came teeming rain (what happened to 32 dry and fine) we headed up to A cast our hearts out Tim had 2 solid hits and missed them he then put on our version of a modified slick rig and did not get another hit for a whilr so he changed to a x rap in pearl white first cast at the stump and whack swirl swirl and no fish buger we left there went in had brekkie back on the water at lunch to hit the island in bird were we seen nagg in cognito wearing a blues hat not his normal moroon one had a chat for 30 min went back to A for fish casting a point moved off slightly to get a different angle and another boat rushed in pricks a few cast later he hooks up and loses the fish after 3 jumps said couldn't happen to a nicer bloke this is the spot where roo and kim had there famous get the net bitch session at the muster ,next minute the guys on again so i got the shits and left met up with nagg and we invaded the weed bed in the basin where tim got a good knock then i hooked up to a fair fish and had the slik rig pull after 60 seconds next minute nagg hooks up and lands the fish good to watch him in action i learnt a bit but not enough told nagg we hadd a spare tent he needed it for the night and 4 bottles of rum so we returned for a feed a drink and a good chat in bed early for good sleep we woke to a lot cooler conditions hit the back of bird bay and the boobies for naught went back to the point in a but a guy was on it so we worked the side for nothing went back to the knarly stump and anchored up casting at the stump to see if the barra from the day before had come back second cast with a lorrikeet 110 i was on and the spool was rapid ly emptying i then went to reset the hook and nothing fish was gone this was a big fish so we had 6 dropped fish for the trip and came home on a nut but had a great trip thanks for the company Chris

shane

[Whitto]

happy days mate, and half ya luck, would kill for a sneaky trip but Im snookered for a bit longer yet.

Great to hear North B is still firing, but Im over blowflies, the next ones are going to get both barrells!

You Lucky Lucky Person......Hear Iam waiting for Shanes report and you snuck this in from left field.....A bit of this and a bit of that and Barra what more do you need...Good stuff.

[Whitto]

Hi Chris
Great to catch up mate i will just add a little report here
Well Tim and I hit the dam at 8.30 friday night to troll vipers in the main basin(joking ) we cast at a few banks a bit further up the dam we seen camera flashes going off 117cm was caught and killed i found out later and seen it on the filleting table, went back to the cam at 11pm had to rums and a shower plan was to be up and on the water at 5am morning came teeming rain (what happened to 32 dry and fine) we headed up to A cast our hearts out Tim had 2 solid hits and missed them he then put on our version of a modified slick rig and did not get another hit for a whilr so he changed to a x rap in pearl white first cast at the stump and whack swirl swirl and no fish buger we left there went in had brekkie back on the water at lunch to hit the island in bird were we seen nagg in cognito wearing a blues hat not his normal moroon one had a chat for 30 min went back to A for fish casting a point moved off slightly to get a different angle and another boat rushed in pricks a few cast later he hooks up and loses the fish after 3 jumps said couldn't happen to a nicer bloke this is the spot where roo and kim had there famous get the net bitch session at the muster ,next minute the guys on again so i got the shits and left met up with nagg and we invaded the weed bed in the basin where tim got a good knock then i hooked up to a fair fish and had the slik rig pull after 60 seconds next minute nagg hooks up and lands the fish good to watch him in action i learnt a bit but not enough told nagg we hadd a spare tent he needed it for the night and 4 bottles of rum so we returned for a feed a drink and a good chat in bed early for good sleep we woke to a lot cooler conditions hit the back of bird bay and the boobies for naught went back to the point in a but a guy was on it so we worked the side for nothing went back to the knarly stump and anchored up casting at the stump to see if the barra from the day before had come back second cast with a lorrikeet 110 i was on and the spool was rapid ly emptying i then went to reset the hook and nothing fish was gone this was a big fish so we had 6 dropped fish for the trip and came home on a nut but had a great trip thanks for the company Chris

shane

Thanks for the report Shane....nothing boated but far from boring for you.....I just have to get my arse in gear and get up there....Cheers Mate

[robersl]

Thanks witto the fish are there we have decided from now on when 1 of us gets a fish on the other is going to shout setthehook as you just get caught up and forget to give it a good whack

shane

[leelee]

Well done mate.

Your record is still well intact

I wish I could have made the trip but I couldn't

But I will be doing a few more quick trips very soon I think.

Cheers

Lee

[NAGG]

Thanks witto the fish are there we have decided from now on when 1 of us gets a fish on the other is going to shout setthehook as you just get caught up and forget to give it a good whack

shane

Ya cant set the hook enough As you saw !

Its so easy to get excited & not think about it ........ good advice

Chris

[leelee]

Double post.

Cheers

Lee

[NAGG]

You Lucky Lucky Person......Hear Iam waiting for Shanes report and you snuck this in from left field.....A bit of this and a bit of that and Barra what more do you need...Good stuff.

Not quite a Teflon trip ...... but I tried No one wanted to fish with me

Chris

[NAGG]

Hi Chris
Great to catch up mate i will just add a little report here
Well Tim and I hit the dam at 8.30 friday night to troll vipers in the main basin(joking ) we cast at a few banks a bit further up the dam we seen camera flashes going off 117cm was caught and killed i found out later and seen it on the filleting table, went back to the cam at 11pm had to rums and a shower plan was to be up and on the water at 5am morning came teeming rain (what happened to 32 dry and fine) we headed up to A cast our hearts out Tim had 2 solid hits and missed them he then put on our version of a modified slick rig and did not get another hit for a whilr so he changed to a x rap in pearl white first cast at the stump and whack swirl swirl and no fish buger we left there went in had brekkie back on the water at lunch to hit the island in bird were we seen nagg in cognito wearing a blues hat not his normal moroon one had a chat for 30 min went back to A for fish casting a point moved off slightly to get a different angle and another boat rushed in pricks a few cast later he hooks up and loses the fish after 3 jumps said couldn't happen to a nicer bloke this is the spot where roo and kim had there famous get the net bitch session at the muster ,next minute the guys on again so i got the shits and left met up with nagg and we invaded the weed bed in the basin where tim got a good knock then i hooked up to a fair fish and had the slik rig pull after 60 seconds next minute nagg hooks up and lands the fish good to watch him in action i learnt a bit but not enough told nagg we hadd a spare tent he needed it for the night and 4 bottles of rum so we returned for a feed a drink and a good chat in bed early for good sleep we woke to a lot cooler conditions hit the back of bird bay and the boobies for naught went back to the point in a but a guy was on it so we worked the side for nothing went back to the knarly stump and anchored up casting at the stump to see if the barra from the day before had come back second cast with a lorrikeet 110 i was on and the spool was rapid ly emptying i then went to reset the hook and nothing fish was gone this was a big fish so we had 6 dropped fish for the trip and came home on a nut but had a great trip thanks for the company Chris

shane

Thanks Shane

I was hoping that you landed that fish yesterday arvo ........ maybe I shouldn't have mentioned camera

You guys seemed to be attracting attention but not staying connected ........ next time -

& once again - thanks for your hospitality ........ I really appreciated / needed it

Chris

[NAGG]

Well done mate.

Your record is still well intact

I wish I could have made the trip but I couldn't

But I will be doing a few more quick trips very soon I think.

Cheers

Lee

Ya should have been there mate ...... I reckon nows the time to head up there ........ good water temps.
The word is clearly out .... with lots of meatoes gathering in the main basin

Chris

[francey]

Great few sessions mate.
I was also there in my mates Hellcat for sat arvo and sun morning we got 1 each session on plastics 115cm caught sth B and a 98 caught in A.Plus a few hits and a couple catties