# QLD Gold Coast Report



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Well i think the fishing is over for this month, so maybe it's a good time to reflect on 2013 so far and put up a few pics.

1st jan was an interesting day with light winds but big swell and tuna busting up everywhere.
After having some fun with the stripeys i headed to the reef and immediately saw a school of spanish swim past.
But they didn't want to know about a slug or my pillies, as i paddled flat out thru them. So i did the fast tight circle and sent a cast in front of where i thought they would be. After letting it sink a little i cranked in the slug and came tight on a nice 1.07m spanish and landed it on loose drag as i only had 20lb wire on.

Two trips later i had 2 more spanish and a few Small YFT, but no spots yet. Then came the barrage of spotties with Ant and myself having to practise catch and release on the ones that were hooked in the corner of the mouth. We even limited ourselves by only taking 6 or so pillies on some trips. 2 trips in particular were special as there were no other boats or yaks were out, due to the 15knot plus northerlies that were blowing. But even so the macks were on big time but it was messy as out there and i was glad when i ran out of my 6 pillies.

Ant quickly began to upset others with his constant screaming drag and one boat even trolled straight behind him while he was fighting his fish. Unfortunately they cut him off but Ant was a true gentleman. I proceeded to point out to them that if we did the same to them they would be fuming, but then my rod took off and i let that conversation go.

One morn i scored a donut (unless you can count a mack tuna on a slug), but i was so impressed with my 2 baits that i refroze them and the next morning i quickly converted them into some nice spots with one going 1.05m.

Another story was when Ant had a massive pre dawn run at the bait reef in front of all the boats and yaks, but unfortunately he got bitten off even on wire. After another 4 bite offs Ant came good landing countless spots and a nice spanish.

We had to travel over the border a few times to avoid the masses but all in all we had a ball catching spotties until last week when Work started to reduce me to quick morn trips.

So there's the month in review, such a gr8 time but now it's well and truly back to the grindstone. 
Ahh sweet memories.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

And a few more pics:


----------



## stussman (Aug 27, 2012)

With the weather bomb,90 km/hr winds and 200 mm of rain,hitting the goldy as I write i think fishing is over for a long time. The fresh is going to take a long time to clear. 
Conversations with the wife suck.


----------



## Bigdyl (Feb 13, 2012)

What can I say, you're the king! 
Work is well n truly the worst invention ever, my trips are only ever on Sundays with every other boat on the GC out as well. Ill keep trying tho!
Awesome photos and fish bud ill see you out there once this cyclone subsides


----------



## efc (Sep 19, 2006)

Good numbers there!
I've had little luck around Brunswick reef. I can't bring myself to fish the Goldie , too many wankers.
Do you guys fish that far south?


----------



## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

Onya Carnster. Can't tell you how jelous I am - all those screaming fish on your doorstep. Took me days just to get the one (on hols) :lol:


----------



## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

When I read that report, gave myself an uppercut for not even wetting the yak this year, let alone catch a fish.


----------



## VikingJim (Nov 22, 2012)

Great report Carnster. Looks like the fishing has been pretty decent.


----------



## Ubolt (Dec 8, 2009)

They are all impressive looking fish make us southerners a little jealous


----------



## brolans (Aug 9, 2012)

Nice work carnster.... been a bit busy out there on the reef, counted 40 boats already out there at 4.30am (was on a stinkboat, but only because my dad can only fish from a boat due to his back). Pretty funny watching all these boats anchored up and then carnster always seems to pull the fish haha =)

really keen on a cobe from a yak and also a spanish


----------



## Guest (Jan 28, 2013)

Great bags ,your a legend mate


----------



## ant (Aug 28, 2008)

King Carnster or I might change it to King Carn''star'' we have had some wonderful mornings and I should remind fellow yakkers that the Carnster some mornings works hard for a fish. A bit like a magician with a bag full of tricks he seems to make it look easy. No doubt when this blow goes we might have a few waves to battle and I might have a camera again and join in on the photos. Let's hope for a great February. Love your work mate 

Cheers
Ant


----------



## SLB (Jul 8, 2010)

Sounds like fun cris, keen to see u get some monster mackerel and wahoo this season. finally in the bay all settled in, now the fishing starts again, we'll after this blow and rain : ( Jew off the rocks for now down here.


----------



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

WTF?
Skippys, spanish, spottys, YFT, cobia.
Very poor. Where's the wahoo?

Sorry, I snark. Really incredible month. Take that to heart, because not many places on the globe offer such bounty from a shore launch.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Hey guys yeah i am very grateful that i had a lucky month and when you look at the pics you may think it is easy. Don't be fooled into thinking that you can just rock up to the goldy or nnsw and catch a mack or 2. I can assure you there are plenty of guys out there regularly feasting on donuts and i have had my share as well. I can tell you of guys paddling out 4 days straight for not even a touch and one who worked hard paddling from dawn till 11am to finally get one spotty. But having said that if you are out there you have a chance, just be careful cause the grass always seems greener on the other side. Personally having grown up in north qld the fishing here really is a bit fickle. On a recent trip to north Qld catching mackeral, tuna, trevs, coral trout was really all too easy and with no swell to contend with the only concern is crocs. Anyway lucky i have some freezer stocks cause it may be a while before it is worth trying again.


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Love your work Chris but could you please go back to drip feeding me my porn. 
An old bloke like me cant cope with so many beauties at once.... not to mention a diet of starvation for the rest of the month. 
Vote 1 for the return of regular Carnster trip reports.


----------



## TheFishinMusician (Feb 5, 2007)

In a few years, Once this global warming thing really kicks in, all my trip reports will look like this.

Until then. Jealous.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Thanks 4 your kind words guys, i also miss the regular reporting; Mick Jagger "who wants yesterdays papers..."
Unfortunately there is a lot (more than most realise) of Local and Non local Boat owners patrolling this site, wanting info on when and where the macks are biting and the last thing we need at our local is more boats. Also the amount of yaks out there also at our local at times is out of control. I personally don't like the massive crowds and will usually go elsewhere but then i have to drive further. The local spots are really not as good as the further ones, but they are closer and that's why i try to go locally. I have stopped posting on other fishing sites, so that i don't get the blame for encouraging the masses of boats to hit the goldy. I am uncertain as to the solution, but i had fun telling my stories while they were fresh in my mind and i could remember them.

One story that i just remembered was when recently a large spot that i had hooked out wide of the boats dead set took a liking for a boat and ran a good 100m to reach the anchor rope. I backed off so i didn't cut the rope and had to work the line (apologising to the boaty) around the rope and the motor. The guy was real good about it and i assured him that this had never happened to me ever. I ended up grabbing it's tail and went on my way; proving that most boaties are gr8 blokes.

One other time Nico went past a massive boat who had a snag and a guy blew up at Nico for some reason (same guy who once threw a slug as far as he could saying he was going to hit me in my yak, after they anchored up next to me, while i was float lining in one spot) The funniest thing was Nico's reply:
He smiled saying "i love you man, no matter what you say" Well the look on this guys face was priceless.


----------



## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

carnster said:


> Thanks 4 your kind words guys, i also miss the regular reporting; Mick Jagger "who wants yesterdays papers..."
> Unfortunately there is a lot (more than most realise) of Local Boat owners patrolling this site, wanting info on when and where the macks are biting and the last thing we need at our local is more boats. Also the amount of yaks out there also at our local at times is out of control. I personally don't like the massive crowds and will usually go elsewhere but then i have to drive further. The local spots are really not as good as the further ones, but they are closer and that's why i try to go locally. I have stopped posting on other fishing sites, so that i don't get the blame for encouraging the masses of boats to hit the goldy. I am uncertain as to the solution, but i had fun telling my stories while they were fresh in my mind and i could remember them.


Completely understand... so....
happy to take my regular dose via PM ......or why not start posting in the over 50 posts, members section? 
Mods? Special dispensation?



carnster said:


> One other time Nico went past a massive boat who had a snag and a guy blew up at Nico for some reason (same guy who once threw a slug as far as he could saying he was going to hit me in my yak, after they anchored up next to me, while i was float lining in one spot) The funniest thing was Nico's reply:
> He smiled saying "i love you man, no matter what you say" Well the look on this guys face was priceless.


On a recent surfing trip with my 20 something I asked him a few days in why so many girls that passed us gave him the biggest smile and hello. He reminded me of a story I told him when he was small after he had asked me why I smiled and said hello to everyone. Hard to keep shouting at someone that smiles back at you isnt it?
Nice to know they listen sometimes.


----------



## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Pretty disappointed that reports have come to a once a month affair from someone who had been a regular poster. Plenty of Yakkers fish this area and we never hear a peep from them either.

Sadly it seems that yakking is heading the same way as boating anglers with all this secret squirrel BS.

I loved the willingness of Yakkers to share what boaties wouldn't and cannot help but express my disappointment that you're reports have come to this Chris.

Kev


----------



## Qyak (Sep 5, 2012)

Thoroughly enjoy reading your posts... would love to catch half of what you catch in one session, is a credit to you and your fishing / kayaking ability!


----------



## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Can you write reports without location names. I too miss your reports. Feel free to post in the Bar and Grill, but that sortof defeats the purpose.

I'm not won to keep secrets, but then again there is a lot of water and not much pressure down this way. It's not as though people look up my name on trip reports for inside knowledge either.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

BIGKEV said:


> Pretty disappointed that reports have come to a once a month affair from someone who had been a regular poster. Plenty of Yakkers fish this area and we never hear a peep from them either.
> 
> Sadly it seems that yakking is heading the same way as boating anglers with all this secret squirrel BS.
> 
> ...


It's a sign of the times Kev i guess, but someone putting all the boats onto this site was the straw that broke the camel's back, now days it's so ludicrous out there, that when you paddle (if you can find a car park) around the outside of the boats and other yaks, you are on sand, because the whole reef is covered. 100+ boats and 30 kayaks and a lucky handful get a mack or 2 and people think it is a hotspot. People drive an hour to fish it and i drive an hour to not have to fish it. There is so many other more productive spots in SE Qld, but they are not all so close to home for me unfortunately. It's sad but i might have to do a seasonal report. I am often sharing some of what i know, but a lot of fishing requires you to try different things at your local, until you work it out. 90% of my fish are caught in my garage prepping rigs etc. Just sayin.....


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Ado said:


> Can you write reports without location names. I too miss your reports. Feel free to post in the Bar and Grill, but that sortof defeats the purpose.
> 
> I'm not won to keep secrets, but then again there is a lot of water and not much pressure down this way. It's not as though people look up my name on trip reports for inside knowledge either.


I rarely mention the name of any spots i fish, but the person who blabbed on another primarily boat fishing site was very clear about spots, this site and other info. It was fun while it lasted.


----------



## MrX (Feb 7, 2008)

> "Don't be fooled into thinking that you can just rock up to the goldy or nnsw and catch a mack or 2. I can assure you there are plenty of guys out there regularly feasting on donuts and i have had my share as well. I can tell you of guys paddling out 4 days straight for not even a touch and one who worked hard paddling from dawn till 11am to finally get one spotty."


Carnster, I agree. Just because fish are there, doesn't mean you're gunna catch 'em by simply turning up dropping a line. It takes ages to work out how to catch fish at your local, then you have to start all over again to catch them at someone else's. Still, would lover to try the doughnuts (and good times) the Palmy carpark one day.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Always fun times MR X, with my Boet's, even when the fishing is tough. Always good to see a few new guys as well, just not too many at the same time.LOL.


----------



## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

It's no secret spot boys. I've fished at palmy with 200 other boats over 25 years ago. The cream will always rise to the top. Don't see the point of having a kayak fishing website without the fishing reports.

There has been no need to troll akff for your reports though. Plenty on Ausfish, Nuggets, Active Angler etc....


----------



## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

Hail the king! Nice January haul there Chris.


----------



## carnster (May 27, 2008)

BIGKEV said:


> It's no secret spot boys. I've fished at palmy with 200 other boats over 25 years ago. The cream will always rise to the top. Don't see the point of having a kayak fishing website without the fishing reports.
> 
> There has been no need to troll akff for your reports though. Plenty on Ausfish, Nuggets, Active Angler etc....


You may not find too many reports on those sites this year Kev.
regards Chris.


----------



## brolans (Aug 9, 2012)

Its a shame that people can get so aggravated and aggressive towards another.... but then i guess there are those with a few hours sleep and a short fuse who can ruin someones day......
Its also a shame about the swell and wind... keen as to head out for a paddle but I don't think that will be happening for a while


----------



## clarkey (Jan 13, 2009)

carnster said:


> BIGKEV said:
> 
> 
> > It's no secret spot boys. I've fished at palmy with 200 other boats over 25 years ago. The cream will always rise to the top. Don't see the point of having a kayak fishing website without the fishing reports.
> ...


I work on construction sites with a couple of hundred guys and believe me they aren't reading this site to find out info,Palmy is Palmy and it's only going to get more crowded.The guys have more money and boats are cheap to pay off.You only need one guy to say they got a couple of macs and then the Chinese whispers start and all of a sudden Palmy's on fire and they are all heading out with out a clue.
Your reports and others might have encouraged more yakkers to get there,but as long as they keep their distance who cares.


----------



## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Mate, I am definitely one who asked you to keep reporting. All I can say is...

Thank you.


----------



## exp2000 (Jul 9, 2011)

rodpac said:


> Its more to do with the way many boats and kayakers use the fish reports as some sort of fish barometer. On many occasions I have been out every morning for several days straight with only a hand full of boats and kayaks on each day. One post of a mackerel being caught and add 30 more boats and 20 more kayaks. Thats 50 more the very next day! not just added to the tally of over 100+ boats on a busy day.


You know it's very hard for me to imagine .

I used to dive palm Beach Reef semi-regularly for a while with a GC local over 30 years ago and it was rare that we ever saw another boat that I recall. Reading this all I can think is what a total shit fight and I'm glad I got out when I did. It's a shame that such a beautiful expanse of ocean has become city-central.

Broome is not what it used to be since it was "discovered" but it still has the advantage of being remote.

Perhaps a prudent time-lag interval before issuing reports might pose a possible solution. That way prying eyes are just getting yesterdays news and there's always the grapevine for pressing invitations.
~


----------

