# Qld, Suddenly they're here. Noosa 14Dec13



## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

The sea temperature rose suddenly yesterday, not by much, but the change registered on the buoy off Mooloolaba in the last 24 hours confirmed what pedro and I, two days ago, had reckoned was happening, the bomb was about to go off. The water was warming, we'd seen the longtails blasting out and I'd caught my first Spanish for the season. What more confirmation did we want?

So five of us fronted this morning, with Soren taking his second trip in two days and I my second in three days.

Everyone dry-bummed it. The morning was glorious, with the SE breeze blowing just hard enough to ruffle the water of the inner bay and draw off excess body heat. As Jaro said at launch time "Ain't it great to be alive and here". The sun was still way below the horizon, with just enough light for setting up, but still too dark for unflashed photos.

Lazybugger's recent catch of a stonker GT very close to the shark nets has been noticed as I think everybody started trolling as soon as they were set up. Four of us were bound for Jew Shoal while eyetag had his heart set on Sunshine Reef, having nailed many Spaniards in that area in the past.

I troll a 120mm Halco Laser Pro, rigged with wire. Why? Because it's worked well for me and many others in the past. Eyetag has taken to calling this lure the Jaro Special as jaro pioneered its use among Noosa Yakkers a few years back. To set up the troll I hang the lure out the back, making sure it's swimming properly, free spool the overhead reel, tuck the rod butt under my left leg in the Stealth footwell so that I can see the spool turning as line runs off, then paddle 35-40 strokes before engaging the spool and then inserting the rod butt into the port side rod holder.

Today was no different and I'd aimed a little NW to miss the shark net by a safe margin. Ten paddle strokes after I'd inserted the rod butt into the holder the reel ratchet screamed and I thought "Stuff it, shark!", because sharks often do hang around this shallow water and they also attack HLPs, in fact any lure. "Shit! Spaniard," was my next thought as the fish flashed past just below the surface. A brief fight resulted and I could then confirm that the fish was above the 75cm legal limit (this a judgement call, based on previous experience and the fact that my gaff is 75cm long). Bang with the gaff, fish into the hatch and my day was already made. I'd been fishing five minutes at most.









About 4:30am. My second Spaniard in three days and second for the season. Pic by tunny.

Announcing this capture to my colleagues by radio gave me great pleasure, as you can imagine. It also told them that the Spaniards were here, a fact that jaro managed to confirm a little later, in the best possible way. Tunny, who had yet to depart for Jew Shoal, immediately opted to troll a Spaniard Special a couple of laps around the shark net area.

As for me, I decided to head the 3.7km straight for Jew Shoal, trolling the HLP all the way. With about 1.5 km to go, I hear jaro's announcement that he's hooked up at Jew Shoal and "whatever it is it's a biggie". Then about 20 minutes later he's telling us it's a lovely Spanish so I arrange to RV with him to the east of the Pinnacles to get some on-water pics.

It's a nice Spanish, alright, the latest of many that jaro has caught from his Profish, but his first for this season.









Probably jaro's last Spaniard before he turns 70 next Thursday (because the weather forecast for the next few days is crook).

Back to the fishing for me. Off to the NW the terns and a few remaining shearwaters were whirling around so that caught my attention and with the yak pointing at the activity, and a nice downwind paddle I headed for a hoped-for hookup. It was not to be but the baitfish were present in concentrations I haven't seen for quite a while. Thought you might be interested in seeing what I was seeing:









Baitfish taking up the space from 3m depth to the ocean floor, at 20.7m. Note the indicated water temp.

Predators were not apparent on the surface but probably were hanging around in that stuff somewhere. It was slim pickings for the terns because the bait was mostly out of their reach but when the predatory fish arrive in numbers it will be carnage out there. Today I didn't see a single instance of a surface strike, not even a mac tuna.

And so we headed for the beach. Some pics:



























Jaro's went 1.26m, mine 0.86m









Happy Birthday for next Thursday, Jaro. Fish taken on 120mm Halco Laser Pro, rigged with wire trace.









Another perspective. Pic by tunny.

Thanks for reading, AKFFers. Tight lines.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Too sweet.
Real good report(s).


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## Marty75 (Oct 23, 2007)

Great report (again) Kev and truly inspirational to be doing what you guys and others are doing in your 60s. If I'm doing half that at that age I'll be happy! A great feed as well!

Marty


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Grey Power! Congrats Kev and Jaro - old farts rule. :lol:

Bigger mats available here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=60617


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Fun times boys, wish the comp was a week later.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Lazybugger said:


> The old bastards show us how its done ;-)
> 
> Tried Raper this morning, no big runs, felt a big bite as a large yakka was hit but he stole the bait. Lots of small bait on the surface in groups about a metre square which showered occasionally with the odd larger fish bustup. Picked up a 36 grassy and CJBastard picked up a mid 40's snap. Water temp was 24c.
> 
> All that sounds similar to one of the Noosa reports from earlier in the week. Maybe caloundra isn't far off either.


You young guns have no idea. :lol:

Tomorrow is old fart's special day (accompanied by a few young'uns).


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

salticrak said:


> Kev, how have you mounted your transducer?


Hi Paul

Check out this and subsequent posts in my thread from 12Dec

viewtopic.php?p=684460#p684460

Marty75 is asking similar questions. Happy to show you how it works or explain further by direct email if you need it.

Kev


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

I have heard reports of big numbers of spotties today south of noosa.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

carnster said:


> I have heard reports of big numbers of spotties today south of noosa.


South of Noosa? Name the spot Carnster. This isn't the Gold Coast, we don't keep silly little secrets up here....



Lazybugger said:


> All that sounds similar to one of the Noosa reports from earlier in the week. Maybe caloundra isn't far off either.


A mate in a stink boat had a school of Spanish at the back of his boat off Caloundra last Saturday, he was feverishly feeding them pillies to try keep them there while they tried to rig a bait as they were fishing plastics and they weren't interested in them. Sadly he failed, but said he had a dozen fish up to 4ft cruising round his outboard. So they are most definitely there.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Yeah Caloundra Kev.


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

You boys sure are starting to go strong up there, well done, especially you Jaro.
First one over a metre isn't it, also best wishes for your upcoming birthday.

Kev, I have to ask what pound wire and how long. Already "borrowed" your HLP lures which greatly helped me capture my Longtail Tunas.
I got some 27lb and 58lb toothproof wire coming from the states and will be soon making up some wire traces.
I have the "Fish of the Month" - Spanish Mackerel from 2010 in my bookmarks. Interesting reading there.
Link here: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43581&p=454396&hilit=mackerel+rigs#p454396
I still got some of that Lockweld wire that you recommended in your pm respnse to my one back then.
But I have deleted it for some reason.

Cheers
Paul


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

paulsod said:


> You boys sure are starting to go strong up there, well done, especially you Jaro.
> First one over a metre isn't it, also best wishes for your upcoming birthday.
> 
> Kev, I have to ask what pound wire and how long. Already "borrowed" your HLP lures which greatly helped me capture my Longtail Tunas.
> ...


G'day Paul

Firstly, I'll pass onto jaro your good wishes as he is not a member of AKFF, although he is a staunch Noosa Yakkers member. When you say "first over a metre" I presume you mean first this season at Noosa, as Jaro has nailed many over a metre long and salticrak and CAV (I think?) have taken fish over a metre recently just south of Noosa.

I use the 27 pound wire, bought at BCF, rigged exactly as described in that old post (which I had pleasure in re-reading just now, thanks to you). Length of the wire is just sufficient to keep those teeth away from the line if the fish happens to swallow the lure whole, which has happened to me a couple of times at least. About 25cm should be adequate.

As for the Lockweld, it seems OK for smaller macks but I don't think I'd use it when targetting Spaniards.

Hope the run continues. Water's nice and warm.

Kev


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## JimH (Apr 10, 2007)

I ventured out in the yak to-day to for the first time in about 2 years launching (and relaunching after a sand monster attack - I did say 1st time for a couple of years) near the Noosa sand pump station and headed out to Jew Shoal. Bit of a battle beating into the swell and headwind (and I guess the tide/current). Trolled a hard body with out a touch. No bird action observed at all. Once on location, flicked a SP for about an hour again without a touch. Pleanty of stink boaters trolling and bottom bashing - I didn't see any fish hooked. Headed back to the beach (much faster this time) and managed to evade the sand moster in getting back to the beach.

All in all a plesant day on the water even with the donut.

Jim


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

sunshiner said:


> When you say "first over a metre" I presume you mean first this season at Noosa, as Jaro has nailed many over a metre long and salticrak and CAV (I think?) have taken fish over a metre recently just south of Noosa.
> I use the 27 pound wire, bought at BCF, rigged exactly as described in that old post (which I had pleasure in re-reading just now, thanks to you).
> As for the Lockweld, it seems OK for smaller macks but I don't think I'd use it when targetting Spaniards.Kev


Hi Kev thanks for the reply.

Sorry I did mean here in the S.E. In Cav post all I could find was the fish was over 75cms legal length, couldn't find Salti's. So apologises too them for being the first.

I also should have read further on over the next page where Ant saids and shows he uses 27lb wire.
Your photo of the HLP looks like it shows the lockweld wire and also the photo of the Spainard.

Cheers
Paul


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## sunshiner (Feb 22, 2006)

Hi Paul

I may be mistaken in correctly identifying the Lockweld you're talking about. Just to be quite clear about it, this is the stuff I use.










Kev


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