# Scarby Qld 06 01 14 Snap'n'grunter…



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Forecast for the morning looked promising regards weather, but suggested late morning storms&#8230; nothing that I could relate to really turned me on except perhaps the moon would rise at 0935, and another of JP's sweet spot times around 0530ish to 0630ish&#8230; apart from that, nothing stood out&#8230; but if you're not on the water, you can't catch snapper!

So!

0500, and there I was, paddling my little Acadia, trolling the Koolie&#8230; however&#8230; lots of weed halted my progress and also didn't attract any pink fish with blue dots&#8230; so&#8230; I was mightily pleased when I was finally in an area that seemed free of the rotten stuff.

With a North wind blowing around 10knots, I tried a drift that took me through some prime areas, but today the results were anything but prime. Perhaps the fish hadn't arrived there as yet, or perhaps they just didn't appreciate my offerings&#8230; who knows!

I needed a piddle so I sheltered behind some rocky reef in order to have smaller waves that wouldn't splash in while I decreased the liquid overload. Operation complete, over go the soft-plastics, one on the bottom and one around mid-water.









Mid-water one straight away brings in a just legal snapper&#8230; it was so close to legal that yesterday it would have been undersized! Only just legal! But, that doesn't really matter, it went back for another chance at life, anyway.

About another hundred metres, and away goes the bottom dwelling softie&#8230; and after a spirited tussle, up comes one at 50cm&#8230; it fought really well, and swam off smartly after I'd photo'd, measured, de-hooked and released it.









This particular drift took me a couple of miles South to an area that had been quite productive over the years, but, today it came up empty&#8230; perhaps the noise of the crabber roaring around checking his pots may have been off-putting to the fish, but whatever the reason, it was an unproductive long drift.

I swapped the koolie lure to a Storm Mid-thunder in the blue-mackerel colour for the Northwards troll, but although it has a lovely heavy beat, it produced no strikes. By the time I'd returned to the sheltered spot the excess fluid needed draining again, so when that, plus the cold water drink to replace it was completed, over go the soft-plastics again.

Around then, I noticed that one tinnie that had been occupying an area in which I like to drift, had vacated and roared off, I gave the area a little time to quieten down, then arranged a drift to suit that area.

Within minutes, another just legal snapper had hit the deck and been released, so I trolled back and resumed drifting again.









Whoa! Away went the bottom rig, and this was a much better fish than I'd caught today&#8230; felt like either a snapper or jew, judging by the head-shaking that was transmitting back up the line. When colour was sighted, I mistakenly called it for a really nice snapper, but my colour judgement was way off, as was proved when a decent look at its flanks was gained.

Grunter! And a good one at that! He didn't like the colour of the Acadia, and dug deep for a while, but the new 8/15 medium heavy Ugly Stick soon had him sliding over the side and onto the spray-skirt in front of me.









Lovely fish!

Did all the photo-ing, measuring, de-hooking, etc., but this one was destined for the table! So out with the towel, wet it over the side, then wrapped the grunter in it and slide it down inside the Acadia, amongst my feet. Check out the time of that catch&#8230; moon-rise! Hmmnn?

Normally, I would rip back for another shot over that spot, but whilst fighting this one, I'd noticed several streaks of mean-looking lightning over Bribie, and although the bite seemed to be on, discretion was chosen over valour&#8230; ie I chickened out and paddled home.

Over the years, I'd witnessed a lightning bolt streak across a clear blue sky and strike something on Mount Mee, some fifty miles at the very least from the small black cloud from whence it came. So&#8230; you might ask?

Just in the last week a fellow and his son were knocked over by lightning&#8230; the father was killed but the young bloke was OK. I believe that onlookers were amazed at the lightning&#8230; apparently the sky was clear.

Never-the-less&#8230; I didn't want to be the tallest thing on the water, especially waving a two metre rod in the air to attract one of these electrical killers, so chicken-shit-Jimbo went home!

I wonder if the bite would have continued, had I tarried&#8230;?

We'll never know!

Cheers all... Jimbo


----------



## redgreg (Oct 17, 2012)

Good read


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

BigGee said:


> Great fish again Jimbo ... Or should I say as usual ... but an even better or wiser choice to get off the water when you did.
> 
> Such a tragedy about that fella fishing on the beach getting struck by some lame arse errant lightning, poor family.
> 
> Gee


Yes Gee... that young bloke having to bury his dad... that is sad... not from a car accident, illness or such... as you say, some lame arse errant lightning.

Jimbo



salticrak said:


> Grunters, at your age.


I'm in my second childhood, Salti... you haven't even finished your first!

Jimbo


----------



## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

Nicely timed Jim, It must be the time of year for Grunters around here. I bet you would have been happy just to catch anything during your come back but you getting your favorites right away.


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

cjbfisher said:


> is that the number of fish you've already caught this year?


No it is the amount of times he has emptied his bladder.



Beekeeper said:


> I needed a piddle





Beekeeper said:


> excess fluid needed draining again,


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

Well done on the fish Jim.


----------



## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Rarely do you disappoint us Jim, nice report again.

Once my now ex and I were down Suttons Beach near the Lifesavers building when a thunderstorm arrived. 
We sheltered under one of those corrugated shelters, we had no other choices.
Didn't we jump when a lightening bolt landed about 20mts in the water, in front of the rocks that jut out, East of the building. We watched the lightening hit the water 3 more times as it headed to Moreton Island.
So I definitely would get off the water with a storm coming.

Cheers
Paul


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Awesome fish Jim! I am green as mate.


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

carnster said:


> Awesome fish Jim! I am green as mate.


Carnster... thee pulleth my leg, doth thee?



paulsod said:


> Once my now ex and I were down Suttons Beach near the Lifesavers building when a thunderstorm arrived.
> We sheltered under one of those corrugated shelters, we had no other choices.
> Didn't we jump when a lightening bolt landed about 20mts in the water, in front of the rocks that jut out, East of the building. We watched the lightening hit the water 3 more times as it headed to Moreton Island.
> So I definitely would get off the water with a storm coming. Cheers Paul


The old saying, "Shits were trumps," would be correct right about then,Paul, eh? That would be frightening! Perhaps the term, "some lame arse errant lightning" quoted by friend Gee from Canberra, didn't apply that day... I wouldn't like to have been fishing from those rocks that day, eh?



krustayshen said:


> cjbfisher said:
> 
> 
> > is that the number of fish you've already caught this year?
> ...


Krusty... as you get older, so your bladder system deteriorates... but K1... going by that formula, he must be about 200 years old! 



cjbfisher said:


> Good stuff Jimbo. You're straight on the money on your return. I have to ask, the numbers at the front of your photo description, is that the number of fish you've already caught this year? Chris


Give me a break, Chris... I've only hit the water twice this year, a donut and yesterday's flukes. Actually the numbers are from my camera... if I don't use them when I transfer them to the computer, the photos go by the size of the fish, and that puts them out of sequence... hence the numbers stay.



bruus said:


> Nicely timed Jim, It must be the time of year for Grunters around here. I bet you would have been happy just to catch anything during your come back but you getting your favorites right away.


Quite true, Daniel me boy... (only two trips in 2014 as yet, but still... still the jewie is the stand-out non-lure taker!) 8) :lol:

Cheers all... Jimbo


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

I've only just bought a new computer, and as yet still finding my way in amongst its new-fangled ways. It took me about 7 attempts to enter the fish photos seen on this thread, that I almost gave up. Then the light came on in the back of the brain, and then the phots were added. 8)

Sometimes the simplicity of the old 386's and Apple Macs with the tiny little screen might/probably seem archaic to young folk (anyone under the age of 60  ), but some of us oldies find it hard to adjust to the new moves associated with progress! :?

Cheers all,

Jimbo


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Thanks Jim. That reference to the number of fish was a bit tongue in cheek, although not a completely unreasonable assumption given your expertise around Scarby. :lol: 
Hope to catch up soon.[/quote]

I knew that! ;-) 
J


----------



## krustayshen (Oct 14, 2013)

Beekeeper said:


> Krusty... as you get older, so your bladder system deteriorates... but K1... going by that formula, he must be about 200 years old!


I know too well Jim as I am not far behind you.

Any way I was only, _taking the piss._


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

krustayshen said:


> Beekeeper said:
> 
> 
> > Krusty... as you get older, so your bladder system deteriorates... but K1... going by that formula, he must be about 200 years old!
> ...


'soff yer young bugger! (I knew that, too!)


----------



## wayneedden (May 19, 2012)

go jimbo!
mate where do you find these mighty grunters? :? 
bruus gave me one a while ago., tell you what my 2 little girls did`nt leave me a morsel.
really tasty
nice read, thanks
see you out there. ;-) 
wayne


----------



## TouringTom (Mar 6, 2012)

Jumbo

Great catch and excellent decision to head home, lots of time to go back when weather conditions are favourable. I would love to catch a grunter, reminds me of the good old days with my old man when I was a lad, many years ago now.

Cheers

Tom


----------



## grinner (May 15, 2008)

jim,

congratulations. is that grunter the perch species called grunter bream. i presume so. i have caught quite a few on yabbies in the nerang, especially after rain but none anywhere near that size.

awesome catch


----------



## actionsurf (Jul 8, 2010)

Mmmm. Grunter. My favourite eating fish.


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

wayneedden said:


> go jimbo!
> mate where do you find these mighty grunters? :?
> wayne


Apparently anywhere in Peninsula waters, Wayne, me boy, and apparently Pumicestone Passage is full of them.



actionsurf said:


> Mmmm. Grunter. My favourite eating fish.


Mine too, Actionsurf.



grinner said:


> jim, congratulations. is that grunter the perch species called grunter bream. i presume so. i have caught quite a few on yabbies in the nerang, especially after rain but none anywhere near that size. awesome catch


That's the one, Pete... Grunter Bream... I don't know about being a perch, but Javelin Fish is another name.



TouringTom said:


> Jumbo
> Great catch and excellent decision to head home, lots of time to go back when weather conditions are favourable. I would love to catch a grunter, reminds me of the good old days with my old man when I was a lad, many years ago now.CheersTom


Yes, Tom... at least I'm here to tell the tale, but I really didn't want to leave when fish like that were on the chew!

Cheers all... Jimbo


----------

