# DIRK HARTOG ISLAND REPORT



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

I'm only now back behind the reigns again after our epic trip. I had an awesome time. I saw and did things that will stay with me forever. Rather than write a novel I'll just throw up my highlights.

Throwing poppers to amberjack, pink snapper and black snapper on a shallow reef just 1 km down from the lodge and getting busted in the sharp bombies by more fish than landed. To see the head hump of a 60 to 70 cm snapper burst out of the water with thrashing tail in hot pursuit of my lures was just an awesome sight.

Accomodation at the lodge was just fantastic. We ate like kings, had our beds made everyday and munched on fresh home baked anzac biscuits povided to us each day in little packs to take on the water. There is nothing better than dropping your yak on the sand at the end of the day, walking up the beach to the lodge to be greeted with cheese platters, fresh battered fish with dipping sauces, cold beers and hot showers.

Dropping of the various mother ships into very ominous but exciting locations just knowing there are big sharks everywhere.

Hooking a large shark bigger than me, maybe a tiger, on a Rapala and watching it burst from the water in front of my yak, tow me around for a few minutes, leap again clear into the air again then bust me off.

Hanging out with all the guys and learning new stuff from characters like Paulo and Brian from Nitro Innovator. Good times, lotsa laughs.

Watching the Osprey from our dining table out the front of the lodge on its small private island out crop as it hunted all the other sea birds that roost there

Seeing all the guys getting into some great fish right in front of the lodge.

Just seeing the island, its a wild place.

The only disapointment for me was not getting stuck into the spaniards and other big fish at Steep Point and Turtle Bay. A mixture of no fish at one spot and bad weather at another was unfortunate but thats fishing. For me everting else was great and made up for it.

I'll post what pics I can and add more as I go. I'm a bit slow with them but I know everyone else has lots. I also have some vid which I'll put up as soon as I can get someone to work out uploding for me.

Cheers

Scott


----------



## evarn (Jul 10, 2006)

Truly I am going brown with envy! sounds like it was a great trip.

Can't wait for the multi-media feast!


----------



## Guest (May 19, 2009)

Great report Scott. Man, you guys are making me regret pulling out of this trip. As I said via phone, count me in for the next one mate. It's a done deal


----------



## Shorty (May 11, 2008)

Sounds like a great trip, Snapper on poppers is something i would like to add to my list,,Sharks on Rapalas ? thats not for me :lol:

Wheres the next trip location ?


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Paulo










Cheers

Scott


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Popper fishing










Launching at the lodge










Yaks at Sandy Bay with Steep Point in the background










Cheers

Scott


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Mothershipping off the Endracht at Turtle Bay










Lodge living










Finished for the day. Now beer!!!!!










Cheers

Scott


----------



## feelfree09 (May 5, 2009)

so jealous. well done all. so scott when ya taking bookings for te next one? if i have to beg, borrow or steal i wanna be there :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


----------



## varp (Sep 12, 2005)

Sweet!!!


----------



## imnotoriginal (Jan 13, 2008)

it's cruel to spark such jealousy!
Joel


----------



## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

It was this time last year that 6 of us did our Whitsundays kayak fishing trip, and as I won't be doing another one of those for a while I'm loving living vicariously through all your reports and photos. Great to see that so many of you caught great fish and that you scored such good weather (most of the time).

Can you tell us all the names/usernames of the guys that went, and how many of them were AKFF members??

keep the photos coming!!


----------



## yakattack (Jan 12, 2008)

Good report Sound like a big thumbs up all round i have been pondering something like this at lord howe for a while now.

Well done and cheers Micka


----------



## MrFaulty (May 15, 2008)

yakkatak count me in on that one! I say we paddle there!! trolling alll the way of course


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Lord Howe is on my hit list too.

Cheers

Scott


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Here is some vid.






Cheers

Scott


----------



## Big D (Apr 28, 2007)

Awsome report and video there. Thanks for sharing, looks like an absolute hoot. Loved seeing the fins moving in the underwater shot at the end. Did the "Hobie" invitation extend to quest owners too, and were there any paddlers at all??


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Thanks Big D

Yeah the invite extended to anyone so long as they were happy to go in a Hobie. I lent Hobies to anyone that didnt already have one. Everyone pedaled though.

Cheers

Scott


----------



## Rhino (Dec 17, 2007)

Great video there Scotty. Nice to see some familiar faces there.

Will have to seriously consider the next trip.


----------



## karnage (Jan 18, 2006)

thanks again 4 organising an outstanding trip scotty. i am suffering withdrawals from the 3 course meals and awesome snapper fishing on lures.

spotty mac?









ranger cod









snapper from 1-2m of water :shock: 









grants humongous spangled emperor









black snapper









cousin of the mangrove jack (fogot the name?)









snapper on a rooster popper 









cape inscipction snapper









little spanish from cape inscription


----------



## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

sensational vid scott - really gives a good vibe of what the trip was all about. Lots of fun!


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Thanks Steve

Wicked pics mate!!!!!

Cheers

Scott


----------



## willowonfire (Sep 18, 2008)

That all looks like a hell of a lot of fun Scotto. Green with envy Am I and well done sounds like it was an awesome time... Nothin like some time away with the boys.
The water over there looks incredible, and so many different species of fish willing to smash a lure. Good times...
Clark


----------



## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

> cousin of the mangrove jack (fogot the name?)


Spanish flag.
Looks like fun


----------



## Fishpod (Oct 11, 2006)

Some more pics below

Thanks again Scott. Great job with the organising of gear and boats, ;-) ;-) Cheers mate.

To answer Big D's querie above, I think I was the only non hobie owner on the trip but thanks to Scott used a revolution for the entire week. The original invitation was to all.


----------



## Fishpod (Oct 11, 2006)

and some more photos.....


----------



## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

1st it was whiting on poppers, now snapper! What next... 

Good work and guys and awesome pics

Keep em coming

Marty


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

Well some more pics


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

just had to check it worked. so here are some more.







Trying anything to slow the king up







A hard view fro breaky


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

Cuda's small Pinky


----------



## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

The Snapper looks good :lol: :lol: :lol: 8)


----------



## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Cuda said:


> The Snapper looks good :lol: :lol: :lol: 8)


hey Cuda ya bloody old Sand shatk is that really you or Dennis Keith Lilley , i didnt know you were that handsome princess :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------



## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

Still a cheeky bugger aren't you Bazz  Yep, it's my ugly dial there :twisted: At least I have a bit more hair than D.K. has these days :lol: ;-)


----------



## crunchie (Oct 20, 2008)

Gday
I have to agree that last pic of the yak from the water line, what a shot!

good to see you guys had a great time over here in West Aus.

cheers
Andrew


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

*Fishing Dirk Hartog Island - In Search of the Mythical 1m Tailor*
Wednesday. 8am
With the distance covered over previous days it was decided to fish the reefs and bays close to the homestead. A little tired and a lot saddle sore, Anthony, Grant and I decided to search for the mythical 1m tailor off the rocks at Surf Point, the southern most tip of the island. Upon quizzing Kieren (fishing guide) we were told we would get five fish before they shut down and a one metre tailor was no myth. A little sceptical we grabbed some supplies, our rods and a handful of mofo poppers and silver slugs and set off in the troupie for surf point. 
With maximum possible speed around the 40kph mark there was plenty of time to take in the scenery. Once a sheep property, the island is now home to a fair population of feral sheep and goats that are culled by air, twice annually by the government. The roadside and adjacent hills are littered with the by product of the most recent rampage. It's testament to the abundance of life on this island that some carcases appeared untouched by scavengers. Or perhaps its due to the lack of water that so few scavengers exist. With only bore water available we were told by the island's staff that the feral goat population had learnt to drink only the top few mls of the seawater to extract some fresh. Clever how nature adapts to survive.
Arriving at Surf Point we were moving the car off the road when someone suggested it wasn't necessary&#8230; there were no other cars on the island Still cant get used to that.
A quick look from the nearest sand dune showed we had about an 1km walk to the rocky outcrop we had been told to fish.
I've heard a lot of pre-fish promises in my time and expected this to just be another. Check out the surf on the way to the point. Hope the rock platform is up high or protected from the huge Indian Ocean swells that pound the western shore of DHI.








We picked our way round the rocks to the point and surveyed the area. Figuring we only had a dozen casts if predictions were true we picked a likely platform to launch from and chose our lures. Pre-trip advice was poppers over metal slugs so I tied on a big Cotton Cordell in black over silver and waited my turn. 
Anthony was first up with a Halco Roosta Popper 135 in pink, green and orange. In the 20 knot head wind casting was going to be difficult his first sailed about 50m out from the rocks. I watched as he closed the bail arm on the TSS4 and cranked the handle three turns when the rod loaded up and he let out a holler that he was on!! Woohoo.. first cast!!! Unfortunately our joy was short lived as the fish managed to shake the hook when a wave hit.

Me next up. I shot out a cast but realised straight up the popper I had selected was way to light to hit the mark. Rather than waste precious casts, I gave up my spot on the platform to Anthony. He had a few shots while I changed to an 85gm Raider I had found on the rocks at Fraser Island last year.
As I stepped up to the plate I knew it had to be a good one. I got in a fifty metre cast and managed to close the manual bail arm on my Daiwa Catalina before the slug hit the water and start cranking. Three turns and I saw a swirl and a large silver flash to the right of the lure, I turned my head slightly and began to shout "Did you see&#8230;." three more turns&#8230;then I saw another flash and felt an almighty thump on the rod.








My new Nitro Godzilla loaded up like I'd hooked a passing stinker. The drag screamed and the rod jerked violently as the monster tried to shake free the treble in his mouth. The fish is in 2m of water over a jagged rocky bottom with regular white water rolling in. I angled the rod to swim it away from the rock ledge in front of me. How good does the Godzilla feel with a fish this size on??








Another wave hit. Will the 40lb leader hold? Hope my knots were good. I successfully negotiated the rock ledge and positioned the fish to be washed into the small rock pool in front of me. He had other ideas and went for one last gasp. Again I swam him back into position and waited for the wave. This time the wall of white water forced him in and Anthony grabbed it by the tail and up onto the ledge. Shouts of joy all round as the raider fell from his mouth and I held up the mythical 1m tailor for a photo or two and quickly dispatched him back to the water.








Daiwa Catalina 4500H
Innovator Nitro Godzilla 10-15kg
30lb braid, 40lb Black Magic Supple Trace
85gm Raider
1m tailor


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

I held its tail and moved the fish back and forwards forcing the water through its gills. One more and the mighty fish kicked his tail and swam off.








Next up Grant shot his Gold Roosta 135 from another platform 10m away, cranked the handle a few times and he was on now too.








Not quite as big as the first fish but a tailor of 70cm+ is a formidable adversary in shallow rocky water. Keeping the rod tip up and the pressure on the fish, Grant patiently waited for the next wave to lift the fish up onto the platform and grabbed his prize.
















The wind had picked up a few knots now making casting the lighter poppers into the target zone difficult. Anthony switched to a 65gm raider and climbed onto the casting platform. First cast hit the mark, he cranked the handle a few turns and the rod buckled up again.
Here's a video of the fight and a few more photos of all three fish to round it out.




Theres no sound track. I used a backing track and got smacked for copyright... didnt even think about it.
We shot out another 50 casts or so without so much as a follow. I managed to commission the 85gm Raider and another two hefty slugs to the deep when I failed to close the Catalina's manual bail arm successfully and the slug's trebles bit into the rocks.

So in the washup, every word the guide had said was true. There was such a thing as a 1m tailor on DHI. They hit on both poppers and metals and they shut down after five fish. Well four fish, if you count the first one we dropped. Id be interested to hear people's theories on why the fish shut down and why its so predictable.

We hiked the km or so back to the troupie feeling pretty damn pleased with ourselves. We had hatched a plan in the morning and followed it through to the letter with each of us landing a sizeable fish. I have fished for tailor for thirty years on Fraser and Double Island Point and my previous best was 70cm. It doesn't get any better than this!!!


----------



## Swamp (Nov 20, 2007)

Great stuff there Paulo. Monster tailor!


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)




----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)




----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)




----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

Seeing all these pic's I just want to head back. Who wants to work????


----------



## GregL (Jul 27, 2008)

Looks like you guys had a great trip - very envious!
Well done,
Regards,
Smeg


----------



## redman (Jun 5, 2008)

Hobie Sports said:


> Seeing all these pic's I just want to head back. Who wants to work????


Whats wrong with work?? I'd love to - provided it is at a nice pristine fishing location such as this and it involves throwing in a line 

Love the pictures guys - that metre long Tailor has me salivating at the mouth at the thought of the fight and a few nice fresh tailor fillets (cant be beaten). Makes my trip to Fraser this year seem so far away now and to know I will be getting the choppers in July to


----------



## DougOut (Dec 31, 2006)

Top reporting Guys and what a great trip you all had.
and Paulo ..... nice to see that I'm not the only one who can manage "Double Grinners" ;-)


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

Hay here are some more of my pic's







one to keep an eye on !!!! :shock:







Now we know why it was so heavy & it all fitted.







More pinky's















My Fav from the whole trip I think I'll do a poster from this one. If anyone would like it I have it in hi res.

Thanks

Kev


----------



## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

Everything so far shows it to be nothing short of an amazing trip.
Well done to all involved.


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

amazing trip is about it. If you get the chance just do it what ever it takes. Its worth it.

Kev


----------



## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Should be on the cover of a fishing mag, or a hobie brochure at least, cheers, Dave.


----------



## Rod L (Aug 29, 2005)

Great stuff guys. Loved the vid's and all the pics.
By the size of the grins on everyone's faces there's no doubt you all had a ball.


----------



## PoddyMullet (Aug 29, 2005)

Crackin fish yakkin!


----------



## Redfish (Apr 25, 2007)

Well done guys, inspirational stuff. When you're old buggars in your nursing homes you'll be able to look back fondly on trips like that!


----------



## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Sorry for the late reply, swift dose of post trip swine flu, then paying my dues ;-) .

Echoing the general sentiment that it was an amazing trip. Great bunch of guys in a stunning environment with a cooperative sense of adventure. A few more pics to add to the fray.


----------



## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

nice one Dave, how did the video system work ?????


----------



## Davey G (Jan 15, 2006)

Davey G said:


> Can you tell us all the names/usernames of the guys that went, and how many of them were AKFF members??


Again (I asked it earlier) - can someone put up a list of all the guys who went?

So far I can figure out the following

Hobie Vic
Hobie Sports
Paulo
SBD
Hoit
Karnage
Fishpod
Cuda

who else??


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Davey G said:


> Davey G said:
> 
> 
> > Can you tell us all the names/usernames of the guys that went, and how many of them were AKFF members??
> ...


I think you have it DaveyG. Funnily enough the forum was barely discussed all week let alone usernames. The firstnames you are missing are
Simon (HobieVics bro)
Neil and his brother Trevor from Geelong
Brian from Melb
Neil from Melb
Rob from Melb

Dont think any of them are on the forum


----------



## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

Great photos and reports all. I can't believe how many snapper you caught on poppers!! :shock:


----------



## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

Davey G said:


> Davey G said:
> 
> 
> > Can you tell us all the names/usernames of the guys that went, and how many of them were AKFF members??
> ...


Neil from Melbourne is madfishman on the forum ;-)


----------



## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Hey Guys,
Yaks just got back in Melb dropped them at scotty's today, and finally got my camera out the bag that was packed in the Yak, damn. Not helping Ive had a cold for a week..

Had a really awsome time, what an experience. Met some really great guys and some new friends but the whole thing went fantastic. Caught some good fish and nice variety.camera played up a bit and a heap of pics were a bit blury.
There are so many good stories in this one so i will through up some picks and a few comments.

A Snoring comps got nothing on this trip, early or late at night there were definelty some Fog horns, jack hammers, rattle guns and helicopters, and i was one of them...just had to get to your bed first and asleep before the other guy started snoring...hey Kev. Sometimnes you would get to bed and spend the first 5mins laughing your tits off at people snoring... i lost it one night and ended going back out on the baclony for another Scotch. ( gota work out how to get a recording of my phone, hehehe)

Went around the corner from the Homestead and pulled up with Robbie, Neil and Trevor catching whiting on sps and lures. Great beach, just standing in the shallows, picked up about a dozen sand whiting upto 35cm, small bream and flatties between us . Just chillin. 









But the Homestead at Dirk Hartog was the cherry on the cake, literally, the food was outstanding, Keiran and his staff did an awsome job in making sure we were all looked after, anzac biscuits, the best non-batter battered fish, and breaky for kings, really.

Heres some pics.

Bait caught








Bait

















Havin a chat with Paul and Mark.


































Getting in close... watch the water line in these pics, Scotty,Simon and Anthony getting right in there...

























































NIce One, i saw a few of the guys all throwin poppers aanout 100 mtrs away and then i saw scotty getting dragged against the wind and not peddaling, worth it though.









Nice one robbie.
I got a great video of this guy in action, what a funny dude, i was peddaling past and saw him playing a fish so i got the camera out and recorded it .. i will put the video up once i learn how to bleepp certain words...( anyone got any ideas)..let me know so i can post it up with bleeping..








He caught [email protected]% loads of snapper.


















This is what greeted us every morning, yaks ready to go after a kings breakky,and snapper out on the front door to keep us occupied. great stuff.









The island out the front ofthe Homestead had a massive Osprey nest, what a life,









Robbie with another..


----------



## Drewboy (Mar 18, 2008)

Absolute ripper of a time by the look of it fellas... good mates, common goals, great fishing... sounds like bliss on a stick.
My hand is up if there is a reenactment. 
What would be the cost to get a Revo from the east coast to the west coast? Or in my case from Adelaide to DHI.


----------



## haynsie (May 26, 2008)

Looks like a crackin' trip. This thread has got me salivating about going back there this year. Roll on July!

Did you guys try one of the Bluebones? They are a seriously tasty fish, pull like a horse and usually bury you in their hidey hole which they dig deep into the limestone with their front teeth. Unfortunately the stocks have taken a hammering over the years by the freezer-filling brigade, who still occur in large numbers in the West..

Cheers,

Tim


----------



## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

Hey nice report Neil  I wouldn't worry too much about the video of Rob and the need to bleep out the language - I could hardly understand what he was saying anyway :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: 
It was worse in the morning when I woke up with a fuzzy head and Rob was having a chat (of course it didn't help me being half deaf anyway 8) ) A top bloke anyway and almost as funny as you :twisted:


----------



## madfishman (Dec 10, 2007)

Hey Guys( from the trip), can some one tell me where we can put all our pics together and get access, ive got a few more i am going to put up as well, i know robbie is going to put his up next week , hes in tassie still, one extreme to another, and some of the other guys have prob got some more.

I wouldnt mind getting hold of some of the other pics.

I miss the serenity.....and the weather...

Hey looking at the Vid again scotty and you cant forget that trip in the car, a brand new Toyota, falling apart with no bonnet and only 36000 kms on the clock. it only ever goes on the island tracks. Lucky Kev said he was a professional a rally car driver, i felt really comfy in between robbie and simon with him at the wheel.

Some more pics and vid to come....

Cheers


----------



## Hobie Sports (May 22, 2007)

Come on Neil I can chop wood as good as I can drive. So I guess you want another drink to help ya sleep???? So where are we going for the next trip???


----------



## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Coral sea :shock:


----------



## Alster99 (Nov 20, 2008)

Junglefisher said:


> Coral sea :shock:


Now that'd be good.


----------



## ScottLovig (Aug 7, 2006)

Maybe Sweers Island.

http://www.sweers.com.au

Cheers

Scott


----------



## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

I don't recall any fish being caught on bait during the DHI trip - here's a couple of pics of my most successful lure for the trip - a Laser Pro 120 I think it is, in fact I think this was the only lure I caught fish on from the yak over the whole trip. I may have to retire this one after the damage the paint and body has taken


----------

