Peel Today 28/10/2005

[joeT]

After the storm last night, almost called off this mornings trip, but then decided that there must be a calm after the storm and after waking up at 3am and checking BOM (which was reading 15knots at banana bank, but 6-8 knots everywhere else) decided to take a punt and head out.

Headed out from Vicky point and BOM turned out to be right and it was about 15 knots out in the middle, and I coped a fair bit of salt water in the face. Eventually pounded our way out to peel just before sunrise and out went the SP's (4" assassins in watermelon and pumpkinseed). #Very quiet at first and after I hooked an ugly little cod, my dad hooked something more substantial and buzzzzzzzzzzzzzz went the drag. After a few minutes fight it came to the surface and it was my dad's first legal squire - 55cm and just a touch under 2kg - bloody good first effort.

It went pretty quiet for about an hour after that and then I decided to change to something smaller, a 2in smelt grub on a size 2 hook. Second cast and buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz went the drag. I had this rigged up on my smaller SP outfit with 6lb line, and the fish stripped about 60-70m in about 10 sec. A bit concerned when I was at the shiny bottom half of the spool I thought I better put in more effort and managed use the rod to turn the fish around. After a few more runs he gave up and was safely in the net. It wasn't hooked very well as the size 2 hook barely fit in its mouth. After a quick measure and weigh it turned out to be exactly the same size and my dad's fish, 55cm and just under 2kg. My PB squire to date.

After a few more undersize and one 42cm squire, the wind died and it just got too hot to be out there. Headed back in glassy conditions.

PS - tip for those out there after squire, the undersize ones crap themselves when bought aboard a boat and excrete their green shit everywhere

[joeT]

Another pic

[joeT]

Also caught this ugly thing - it flared itself up when bought out of the water. Swallowed the sp so i cut my losses and cut the line. Any one know what it is?

[Benno]

Good effort mate, some nice fish there, with the exception of that THING. What is it? Looks nasty!!!

Benno

[MJ]

Well done. Don't recognise that fish though.

[craigie]

Stonefish !!!!!!!

[mackmauler]

i dont think its a stony but a goul, next best thing anyway!

nice squire

[JB]

Whoa!! Your crazy buddy... that thing would not have made it over the gunnels on my rig. Snip goes the line and off swims mr nasty.

Good squire there, they are more than welcome!

Jas

[craigie]

Mackmauler,

I agree with you mate, Bearded Goul or Demon Stinger.

According to grants, known to inhabit the waters of Moreton Bay around Tangalooma and Peel Island !!

Joe T,

Very nice Squire for Peel.


Regards
Craig.

[MIKOS]

Top Squire there Joe T,

Just a nice pan size.mmmmmmmmm

MIKOS

[joeT]

yeah, the fish looked a bit scary when I bought it in, my first impression was stonefish but it didn't look quite like it. No way in hell I was going to touch it, notice the metal claws holding the fish at the top of the pic. Lost a perfectly good 4" assassion and size 2/0 jighead to that fish!

[vertico]

Caledonian Stinger

[straddie]

You and your Dad will be eating well tonight, they are a great eating size.

eek saw the head and spines and thought it was stonefish at first glance as well, but then seeing the guts looked a bit thin for one.

Had a run where I caught about 8 stonefish from two trips in the shallows down there a few years back, I didn't bother bringing any inboard just cut them off while they were still sitting in the water.

So they are down that way but with the skinny guts I'd be taking MM and Cragies word of it being a goul or demon stinger, or in my words an oogly - caution - trip spoiler - handle with care.

[XTSEA_SCOTTY]

It's either a stone fish or one hell of a ugly mother-in-law