Daintree Sat 10/01/04

[Daintreeboy]

With the cricket cancelled at the last minute I was able to call my brother up and organise a quick fishing trip up the Daintree. After a few quick reel services we launched the boat at around 1pm off Wonga Beach and headed up the beach towards the mouth.
Bait has been difficult lately with clear water from the calm conditions penetrating up the system quite a long way. We eventually caught some sards and found an area with a bit of dirtier water to try our luck. The run had started to die off here by this time forcing us out into the main river more in search of more current. After again coming up with no hits I suggested we head upstream further to find some dirtier water.
This brought a few bites from the livies before I tried my luck with a prawn at the mouth of a small creek where we'd lost a few. soon after the line came up dead as if I'd been snagged until it took a bit back!! I sunk the hook in and the reel exploded. Immediately we knew we'd hooked something enormous as it flew up the bank staying quite close but travelling at tremendous speed. We pulled anchor and chased it only to have the fish find his way to a snag and then keep going. After several minutes of tooing and froing I got my brother to reach down with the gaff and try to lift the snag up enough for me to release the 30 lb braid. After some fancy footwork we were back in business with the fish taking off again, this time back towards the mouth of the creek where it was first hooked, the whole time hugging the bank. Suddenly the rod gave a few strange jerks and then came up limp. I'm guessing he found another snag and was able to snap me off. Another one that got away story but fun all the same. We guessed it as being a large Cod or Groper in the 50 to 100 lb range.
We decide to head around the corner and try some deeper water and see if our luck would change. A few small moses perch kept us interested until Erica went to check her livie she'd set out in the middle of the creek. Something was sitting on it and took off as soon as she sarted winding. A short fight ensued and up came a nice little Barra around 63 cm which was quickly released and another bait set. Straight away another rod went and a nice fingermark was put in the esky for tea.
Things died down for about 15 minutes before the main line, a hundred pound handline, started spinning out of control on the floor of the boat. After a race to the line my brother and I got there together but he had the closest to the water so I was relegated to filming duties. Another nice Barra was boated, this time about 73 cm. Unfortuneately we were running out of daylight so had to head off soon after but caught a nice bream before heading home.
The pictures are via video camera so not the best quality. Hope everyone had a lucky weekend.
Cheers, Mark

[Daintreeboy]

Same fish

[Daintreeboy]

The bigger one 8)

[Daintreeboy]

On the lie detector before release

[mon]

Hey Daintree, is that your brother in the 2nd photo?????

MON.

[Daintreeboy]

Yeah, he lives at Wonga. Do you know him?

[TimNQ]

They are nice barra, pitty bout the season thing eh