# North Pine River (QLD)



## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Paddlepop and I hit the upper reaches of the North Pine on Saturday. An area that he has fished for many a year. After a short walk with the yaks we put in at a small inlet (pic 1).

Most of the river we cruised was shallow. We trolled and cast at the banks for nil reward. Stop at a section of rapids and cast SP's around. Paddlepop got his first fish - the rare black striped toadie (pic 2).

We jumper back on the yaks and headed back up the river - trolling and casting at the banks as we went. Then while trolling I get an hit and I'm on. Bring along side the yak another rare black spotted toadie (no pic I'm sorry). That made us 1-all.

We make our way back to the launch site and walk the yaks back to Paddlepop's secret freshwater dam to check the depth and to rinse the salt off our yaks. A sign at the entrance to the larger dam alerted us to the major pest, Tilapia. So we thought we'd chase some of these pests and help rid the dam of a couple. While trolling a Chubby deep I got a big strike..I'm on and it's putting up a good fight! After about 5 minutes of fast runs it's near the surface. Looks like a big Tilapia. Then it breaks the surface...It's a large Bream (pic 3) of 41cm.

Well that was the day we had. I've now been sworn not to tell anyone where this large bream haven is. So don't ask and I won't have to tell you any lies. 

Cheers,

Pete


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## Vikingfisher (Jan 31, 2008)

Well done that's a monster bream. How do you find the eagle cuda 168? I'm looking at installing it on my Viking. How did you mount the transducer?
Jay


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Hi Jay,

Yeah wasn't expecting a bream in that dam. This Bream actually beats my previos PB bream of 39cm, which I got in January this year at Nudgee.

The Cuda 168 is a great little unit. I've had it for about 1 year now and haven't had a problem at all. It's a real simple but reasonable sounder. I like the single plug too. My other sounder (Humminbird 717X), though a much better sounder for many reasons, has 2 plugs, draws a lot more current, which drains the battery quicker. The Cuda 168 just keeps on going and going.

I mounted the transducer inside the yak. Just rubbed the bottom of the transducer and the surface I was attaching it to with some light sandpaper, then gave it a wipe with Isopropl alcohol, gave it 10 minutes to dry, then squeezed about 2 x tablespoons of Selleys All Clear silicone onto the surface of the yak, then pressed the transducer down into the All Clear and put some weights onto the top of the transducer to press it down. Just make sure there are no bubbles in the silicone, which can be achieved by keeping the nozzle of the silicone tube in the blob of silicone while squeezing it out. Bubbles will give incorrect readings on the sounder. Selleys All Clear also takes a few weeks to totally cure.

Attached is a pic of the result. The post the transducer is attached to is the Hobie's sail mast post, which is handy.

Cheers,

Pete


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## Guest (May 26, 2008)

Pete

Nice Bream mate 

Whats the G O with a Bream being in a freshwater lake, never heard of such a thing :?

Cheers


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Sel,

I was surprised as much as Paddlepop was. I know Bream have been known to move between salt and fresh. But I wasn't aware that they stayed in the fresh. This guy doesn't really have much of an option I guess. I'm happy to catch big Bream no matter where they are.

Nice trip at Big W on Saturday too. Looks like some big bass are wanting to be caught (unless you are Gra  ).

Are you heading back there next Saturday?

Cheers, Pete


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Thumper of a bream Pete. :shock:

Maybe the water is brackish and has a little salt in it. I've heard of other land locked lakes that get the occasion top up with king tides having big fish lurking in them. There used to be one near the airport. Not sure if its still there or not. :?

Nice toady paddle pop. ;-)


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## Vikingfisher (Jan 31, 2008)

Thanks Pete for the info, I like the idea of mounting the transducer inside (stop the risk of damaging) and its hard to go wrong with the price of the cuda.
Jay


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Jay,

That's the main reason most of us put the transducer inside - to stop it getting damaged. Ideally it would be better to have it on the rudder. But it would cop a beating. You don't loose too much from putting it inside. Though the temperature reading is never correct due to the air temp inside the yak. But that don't worry me to be honest.

Good luck with the install. Lots of info on sounder installs on the Wiki part of this site too.

Pete


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Gigantor said:


> Though the temperature reading is never correct due to the air temp inside the yak. But that don't worry me to be honest.


Pete and Jay read both of my replies in the thread titled Cuda 168, I did some interesting tests after holding the same views as quoted above for 18 months
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16891


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## Gigantor (Jun 27, 2006)

Richo,

Fair enough. I suspect they only exception might be in the heat of summer and the build-up of heat in the yak? Having said that, I guess the temperature sensor on the transducer is on the bottom and may not be affected anyway.

Cheers,

Pete


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## tysonhayes (Jan 26, 2009)

I now where that dam is my pb in there is 42cm to the fork. I call it spot x and dont tell anyone where it is ever. where that photo was taken i call that the cove.


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## FishinRod (Mar 2, 2007)

Pete, 
The king tide early this month pushed the salt water very hig up the North Pine.
Was absolutely amazed at the current going upstream at a certain low-level causeway at the Brisbane Bar High tide time. This was probably at least an hour before the tide turned there.
Would have pumped a lot of salt water , & presumably salt water fish which would not have been able to get back after the tide turned.
Nice bream for that far up.


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## Shabadoo (Jan 4, 2009)

Fantastic bream. 

Never seen a toadie like that either.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

Gigantor said:


> Sel,
> 
> I was surprised as much as Paddlepop was. I know Bream have been known to move between salt and fresh. But I wasn't aware that they stayed in the fresh. This guy doesn't really have much of an option I guess. I'm happy to catch big Bream no matter where they are.


It's surprising what you can find in freshwater. I've caught bream, whiting, flathead, javelin, juvenile giant herring, diamond scale mullet, rays and even mud crabs in freshwater. Admittedly they got trapped in there (rather than choosing to swim there) but they survived for many months without access to saltwater.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2009)

I have put my transducer on a swingarm that kicks up in a collision of can be brought up by hand (paddle?) when needed. Bonus being the temp reading still works.


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