# QLD Palmy-Hoo's there in the dark.



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Yes they are out there and even in the dark. Padded out this morn at stupid o'clock (4.30am) in pitch black, wasn't all that cold surprisingly. Made it to gravel at 5:30am with a hint of light on the horizon. Put out the baits and double hook up on barracuda. 2 more hits on the way in and passed Ant and Clive (aka Hoo slayer) at palmy at around 6:20am and wished them well. Back on the beach at 7am and BRRR the temp had dropped heaps at car park. Off to work and raced home this arve around 4pm to try it again. Hit the gravel late in the arvo with a stiff north westerly breeze and chop/wind swell. Was paddling in and decided to go into my fish inducing paddling frenzy. Sure enough both rods exploded. The fish ran towards me and thrashed around on the surface. The one in the holder got free while i carefully played the other. The hoo came in early and had a look at me; it looked fantastic in the dark with my headlamp on it. It was electric blue lit up with fins up. About 30mins later i sunk the gaff and sung out the usual rendition. I noticed that the hooks were hanging on the side on its mouth and i had to work to extract the wire that was tangled up in its teeth. I am not sure how long the hooks were dangling but it was probably lucky i used light drag and stayed patient. By then i had been blown another couple of km's offshore so i had to battle the wind, rain, chop and cold all the way home in pitch black but i was loving it. Went 1.3m and 13.5kg.


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## avayak (May 23, 2007)

That's AWESOME. A double session, you have some stamina Carnster.


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## dazza11 (Feb 16, 2010)

Nice fish Chris , that's a long paddle back in the dark , welldone


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Cheers Gary, i am a bit knackered now.

Darren you are up next mate, you have put in the hours and deserve one for sure.
regards Chris.


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## Bigdyl (Feb 13, 2012)

Nice one Chris, I wish these renos weren't keeping me out of the water with all these hoo reports.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

salticrak said:


> Hoos afraid of the dark? ....not you it seems. Well done mate.
> 
> I would like to ask you Hoo wranglers as to why you think there are a concentration of these fish down there?


I think there is just a lot of us chasing them atm, really it is pretty dead out there when Ant, Rod and myself couldn't get a mackeral or hoo yesterday morning (even with live macktuna trolled around all morning - normally would guarantee a fish). With so many of us pushing the envelope someones going to get lucky and find one. But yeah schools are coming passed and if you are out there you have a chance. Plenty of boats and yaks trying for nada.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Here's the disclaimer guys:
I don't want to glorify/encourage paddling around in the dark way offshore, because it is downright dangerous. If the swell, sharks or cold doesn't get you there is plenty of other things to go wrong. I am a tad crazy when it comes to fishing, but i love it and pray that it won't spell my downfall.


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Well done mate and that's for going in the dark oh yes nice Hoo too ,for me ill stick to light hours I'm really not keen to push my luck too far in the dark ,last time I did that I was told you going to be a father


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

salticrak said:


> As for yakking in the dark, thats not for me.


Me neither! bit of a sook, myself, but realise that fishing can be wonderful after the sun goes down.

Great fishing again Chris... you're amazing!

Jimbo


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

How much would it cost us to get you to post up a report where you catch nothing ?
My doctor has advised me not to read your reports anymore.

Anyone know any suppliers of cheap St John's wort ?


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

salticrak said:


> @ Saffa :lol: I really seem to think there must be an aggregation point down your ways as far as wahoo go. Please understand I am not trying to downplay your magnificent captures. I mean the whole time i have fished the sunnycoast I have only caught a small 'hoo off a stinker.
> As for yakking in the dark, thats not for me.


They get a lot around Cape Moreton too, I think they stay wide after passing the islands.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

carnster said:


> Here's the disclaimer guys:
> I don't want to glorify/encourage paddling around in the dark way offshore, because it is downright dangerous. If the swell, sharks or cold doesn't get you there is plenty of other things to go wrong. I am a tad crazy when it comes to fishing, but i love it and pray that it won't spell my downfall.


That's a good thing to add Chris. I agree, lots _can_ go wrong. Heck, I've been in trouble in daylight often enough. You have excellent fitness and skills, plus lots of local knowledge and fishing knowledge....many others would not have all of those.

Keep doing what you love! We pray too that it won't be your downfall .... what would we have to read at night?


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## DennisT (Jan 2, 2012)

Nice Work Chris.

Great looking fish they are.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

salticrak said:


> @ Saffa :lol: I really seem to think there must be an aggregation point down your ways as far as wahoo go. Please understand I am not trying to downplay your magnificent captures. I mean the whole time i have fished the sunnycoast I have only caught a small 'hoo off a stinker.
> As for yakking in the dark, thats not for me.


Yes i agree that they are around palmy atm, but many members of the army have been targeting them with troll baits this year. I personally have covered a lot of kms lately with top baits swimming fantastically. It is a long paddle to the gravel and back when you come home with nada. I do have a mate who has been catching them on the sunny coast in his boat. Can't give away details but around 4km's offshore mooloolaba.


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Another great fish Chris, Well done again... and in the dark!


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## Funchy (Dec 3, 2011)

The Carnster does it again! Well done mate. Can't question your consistancy mate


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## Game fisher (Jul 5, 2006)

Great fish, hope you get many more.


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## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

Madness I tell ya,well done Chris.


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## murd (Jan 27, 2008)

Dumb question, but what are HOO like on the plate? I've never seen them for sale in the shops down here in Sydney.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Personally i rate them, up there with spanish. The flesh is white and moist; so versatile to cook with.


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## spottymac (Aug 29, 2005)

Nice one Carnster, two trips out to the gravel patch on the same day and in the dark on a slow yak, rain and wind, Hell this game has gone to new level.


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## imtheman (Aug 24, 2012)

could I come out with my 2-4kg loomis ya reckon carn lol


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

imtheman said:


> could I come out with my 2-4kg loomis ya reckon carn lol


Yeah mate i am only running minimal drag, but you will need wire and min 300m on ya spool!


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

spottymac said:


> Nice one Carnster, two trips out to the gravel patch on the same day and in the dark on a slow yak, rain and wind, Hell this game has gone to new level.


Yeah it's funny Stu, it wasn't that long ago that i considered it to be a really long paddle (almost to far) and i used to worry about the southwesterly picking up and preventing me from getting back in.
Now i don't even think about it, it's just an hours paddle. I think that we should tackle The Nine Mile.


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## SLB (Jul 8, 2010)

nice fish again cris! now time to get some off the rocks next yr, best yr i've seen in awhile for pelagics in real close. seem to skip our close reefs though and patrolled the headlands instead


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

SLB said:


> nice fish again cris! now time to get some off the rocks next yr, best yr i've seen in awhile for pelagics in real close. seem to skip our close reefs though and patrolled the headlands instead


Ok, i will have a crack, but i am don't want to fight another big bronzy.


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## SLB (Jul 8, 2010)

mate they might hang round to mid june like last yr on there way north if we lucky, and they are only big ones


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