# QLD Mackay - I am the wolfmaster!



## SamT (Feb 27, 2011)

I've been spending a fair bit of time in the yaks lately, with only paddle-callouses at the base of my thumbs to show for it.

The one type of fish that I've been able to get onto in the past couple of offshore sessions is ribbonfish/wolf herrings (12 last week, 5 this morning). Most are caught by casting tiny powerbait minnows near the splashes they make as they chase sprays of tiny baitfish.

Now before anyone chimes in & tells me what great spanish bait they are, they are smelly, wiggly, very slimy and have a front end full of extendable teeth. Maybe I'm a sook, but I'm not yet keen enough to be rigging one up as a livey on my lap.

But they are fun to catch. They'll often pop right out of the water when feeding, so it's no surprise that they tend to jump when hooked. Big ones can pull some line off the reel, but they run out of puff pretty quickly.








They last one I got today was interesting. I had followed some bait schools into the shallows of a reef off Bucasia & reeled in the trolled waxwing to avoid an expensive snag. As usual, I left the lure just in the water so that it didn't swing around from the rod tip. It was in the water enough for this big wolfy to try to grab it & hook itself in the side of the head.








Interestingly, a little whaler shark had earlier shown interest in the same lure while it was dangling in the same way.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Those wolfs are prized Spanish baits up there
.


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## yakfishar (Aug 23, 2013)

very popular with the spanish those ones


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## sbd (Aug 18, 2006)

Nice. We call them gran cebo español down here.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

I'm with you, SamT... I loathe the slimy buggers! A hooked one did a 2 metre leap at my rod-arm, just tweaking the underside of my shirt... the mind boggles as to what could result from a lacerated bicep plus all the other nasty bits there.

They're so bloody slimy! Why would you want to handle them... must really want Spanish Macs to even touch them!

However... I'm more interested in the trichodesmium bloom to which you referred... we're getting the same looking stuff in Moreton Bay at this time... smells crappy...

What is it?

I thought it could have been coral spawn but I have been known to make the odd mistake before (last one twenty five years ago ;-) ).

It even looks a big like an oil spill which lots of local residents assume it is.

Cheers, Jimbo


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

.


Beekeeper said:


> However... I'm more interested in the trichodesmium bloom to which you referred... we're getting the same looking stuff in Moreton Bay at this time... smells crappy...What is it?


Wikipedia as usual supplies your answer Beekeeper (Jim).
Nice to have met you on Friday with Kayakone (Trevor).
Cheers
Paul
P.s While in the shower my memory came back and I realised (Doh) that I didn't add the link to Wikipedia so here it is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichodesmium


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## SamT (Feb 27, 2011)

patwah said:


> :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Ole!


Hijo de la puta madre! :roll:


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

cjbfisher said:


> Beekeeper said:
> 
> 
> > I have been known to make the odd mistake before (last one twenty five years ago
> ...


Fifty years, now... that was the one prior to the last one... :lol:

I hope my swmbo never sees this! ;-) 
Jimbo


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## redgreg (Oct 17, 2012)

Great read,and I must say some very good interesting response


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## malhal (Jul 8, 2008)

I'm heading out off north wall tomorrow morning to see what I can muster up. If I get a wolfey it is going straight back out with a hook in its nose.
What about spotty's or longtails where are they?

Cheers Mal


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## SamT (Feb 27, 2011)

Mal, If it's <10 knots when I get up tomorrow, I'll be at the north wall too, for a pre-work paddle.
Longtails have been there a couple of times in the past two weeks.


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## Barrabundy (Sep 29, 2008)

How many plastic got chewed up/bitten off in the process?


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## mackayaker (Aug 14, 2010)

At least you're catching something Sam I am having a hard time just getting a feed of late. :? Went for a paddle this morning in the river for one 40cm Estuary cod but i caught it while standing on the rock wall so didn't count as a PB. Good luck tomorrow mate!

Cheers Scotty


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## malhal (Jul 8, 2008)

Locked and loaded let's hope the longtails turn up.

Cheers Mal


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