# Battle of Moffats beach



## captaincoochin (Nov 11, 2012)

Nice mate, conditions looked unreal.


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## scoman (Oct 4, 2010)

Great stuff Salti and Ido

Im keen to get out for a fish Saturday morning early but I don't think 2m of swell @ moffats is a great idea? Might have to join the latte sippers instead


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Nice. Looks like they're early.


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## IsoBar (Nov 24, 2011)

It's been a long day, so I'll just contribute this photo until I'll get the video and pics sorted:


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## Couta101 (May 22, 2009)

FAAAARRRK Ido, that longies head is huge! I would hate to see how big the tax man was!!

Paulie when you gonna become a real fisherman?


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## Geoffw (Jan 23, 2011)

Nice fish, love the peeling line.


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Sweet talking the ladies there Salti,we didn't know you could tone it down ,the bark is worse than the bite from the pup on the Sunny coast,when we going to sprockets spot again mongrel


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

rodpac said:


> Very nice fellas, was a top day to be out on the water.
> 
> Some long tail were spotted down this way too but maybe a trip up there may be the way to go


Time to stop posting reports fellas ;-)


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## IsoBar (Nov 24, 2011)

Cut it out guys, if I had known Salti would get such a beat up, I would have posted these photos earlier... (who am I kidding, it's such a good fun :lol: )

There's the big guy and his fish:




























Just to prove we had 2 fish:




























I'll also add up my account (even though I still haven't edited my video yet).
As Salti said, conditions were perfect with just a slight breeze coming from the north. I was expecting a bit bigger swell, so we could troll behind the breakers at Rapier shoal, but it was so flat, it didn't even break there. 
Moffats was pretty quiet, but when we got close to Rapier, we saw some bird activity and a splash or two and heaps of little white bait. We trolled through and just as we got to the actual reef, I saw birds circling and diving a bit further east. I darted there straight away and Salti stayed back for a while. There were small schools of Longtails everywhere in a radius of 500m, and massive flocks of birds following them. I lost Salti and started chasing the birds/tuna and at some point I believe I heard some witchdoctor shouting and muttering. Apparently that was when Salti dropped his first.
I tried a few times to get whithin casting range of the tuna and after a bit I managed to cast a small slug at them. I got hit, but dropped the fish after just a few seconds. I reeled in, to realise that the snap swivel I was using was straightened :shock: 
Got rid of it and re rigged another slug. A bit more chasing and casting and I was on again. This time the equipment held on, but it was a tough fight. After half an hour, the fish was still buried deep and I couldn't even get a glimpse, and then there was one strong bend of the rod after which I could reel in easily, to find that head attached :?










I wasn't quite sure what to do, and was a bit shaken from what size of shark can cut this big tuna in half in one bite, but I didn't want to lose the lure, so I grabbed the head and brought it on board for a picture and threw it back in the water quickly as possible.
I re rigged with a white SP (following Paulo article from last year) and went looking for another school. Found it just next to a divers boat. I found out that it was best to chase the school and then paddling parallel to it, to get upwind from them, then stop and cast as the school moving towards me/I drift towards them, or parallel to me. If I paddled straight at them and stopped, I would drift too close and chase them away, or they'll swim away from me too fast to get a good cast. 
Anyway, first cast and I was on!
This fish wasn't as big as the first one, but again, it was close to half an hour to get it wasted on the surface, where I tail grabbed it and put it in the hatch. During the fight, the fish took me over the divers (I could see their bubbles), I can only imagine how cool it is to see the whole fight from underwater...
After that fish it was already getting late and damn hot, so I went and picked up Salti, who had his tuna already in the hatch and we enjoyed the easy paddle back to the beach.

A splendid day indeed and what a difference landing those tuna on the 25lb cast rig (my first, till now I got them on the much heavier trolling outfit). I'm afraid my reel (stradic 4000) won't last long in that effort, but as long as it lasts...

Happy days!  
Ido


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

So come on boys, length, weight and what was in their stomachs?

Gotta say you look like a new man this year Saltone. A far cry from the gerook, cream donut scoffing, ale suiping unit of Snake Rock 2013.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

It's not just the influx of boats that have been complained about in the past

Just sayin ;-)


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## IsoBar (Nov 24, 2011)

paulo said:


> So come on boys, length, weight and what was in their stomachs?


I went to have a picture taken at Davos, he measured 92cm to the fork, meaning around a meter total length.
As for the weight, probably ~8kg.
Feeding on tiny white bait as I said, but they took a medium Qantas slug (Salti), a small silver one (10g halco curved whatever) and a white sp on a jighead (don't ask me lengths and weights, I have no idea, I kinda followed your excellent article from last year).


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

IsoBar said:


> paulo said:
> 
> 
> > So come on boys, length, weight and what was in their stomachs?
> ...


Great thanks Ido. Just what I was after. At 1m they are the start of the school fish run and not just a few big moochers passing through on a lick of warm water in close. If they are taking a wide variety of baits\lures then the white bait isnt thick yet. This often happens early on when the hardiheads, pike, etc, still outnumber the white bait and there isnt a whole lot of bait on offer compared to in a months time. When the white bait thickens up they will start to shy away from hard bodies, larger slugs and in the end even smaller slugs. Then they get harder to tempt and the right size plastic is the key to consistent strikes.


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## wayneedden (May 19, 2012)

Nice longies guys. Keen to get out there and get some.


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## ben123 (Jan 24, 2012)

Time to make a trip up to moffats me thinks, well done guys


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## ant (Aug 28, 2008)

Don't get too excited that's what we use at Palmy for bait to catch real fish ;-) 
Cheers
Ant


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## stitcho (Jun 29, 2007)

Nice tuna lads.

I did a quick run out to the blinker the same morning for a donut, sounds like I should of headed north instead. Didn't see a fish but did have a rather large noah pop up beside me.

Shame about the taxman Ido, if the reports from Hervey bay are anything to go by it could be a very sharky tuna season.

D.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Bah.

Too bad about the sharking. Shame you wear out the fish and the lazy shark takes it. Bet it wouldnt catch one free swimin so easy.
Great day guys. Thanks.


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

Nice session, shame about the one eaten but good to get some fish in the end.


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## bigalex (Mar 16, 2008)

Tempting to go up in the morning. Inspiring stuff. Well one.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

bigalex said:


> Tempting to go up in the morning. Inspiring stuff. Well one.


Hope there's no repeat of the sharking you got last year Alex.


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