# QLD: PADDLE, PEDAL, PUMP AND PULL



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

The forecast was not too good - "10 - 15 knots SE changing to NE at 15 - 20 knots by late morning, and 20 - 25 knots by afternoon".

Worse, there was a marked increase in the actual winds after 9.00 pm last night, reaching 24 knots by midnight, and still gusting to 17 kn at 3.30 this morning...... looking dodgy for Scarby.

Hang on, I must be getting old....I'll be okay with 17 kn (or will I?). It'll be a tough paddle, so I'll go anyway, just for the exercise. Nearly ready to launch at sunrise, and Beekeeper turns up and says he is more interested in a straight paddle on the Pine, so I'm all on my lonesome. It was a choppy grey sea with very short period waves and dirty water (now Easterly at 14 kn).

I paddled E, I paddled N, E W, S, in dying winds all the way to Garnet Rock (about 14 kms all up), then turned back N to retrace. The Adventure is good to paddle, except it tracks too well to turn it easily with paddle steering strokes, so the rudder must be used. Showing my age by this time, I rested the arms and employed the incredibly muscular legs.  The other advantage of Mirage drive is you can eat a sandwich while motoring along. Another 11 kms and the score was ZERO. Not even a touch. It can't be lack of skill  , and it certainly wasn't from lack of distance (area covered).

By 1 pm, over 7 hours of paddling and pedalling, a donut was looking like a possibility. The wind had been steadily building from the NE, and was now reaching 18 kn with steep waves and whitecaps everywhere. I was getting wetter and wetter, shipping a few crosswind at chest level. As I turned a bit more downwind past the Northern reef edge, the Saltist screamed. "Ripper! A snapper!" Some snapper. This one had lots of power, and even ran across, changing direction. Pump and wind, get it away from the reef. Pump and wind.

No headshakes. *What is this fish*? I finally saw silver and called it for a snap after all, but I was wrong.

It was a *Breambo! The biggest I've seen for years.*










*That's 43 cms (2 hours later) ... about 45 cms at capture*










*A tad under 1.25 kg*



















Well it just got rougher and rougher, reaching 22 knots. The Adventure is very stable (no amas). I was running out of petrol, but it was too rough to open the hatch to get food. One more circuit of the 'Beacon Reef' and I'm out of here. Then it happened, the Penn went off bigtime. I am on the windward side of the reef wall, only 15 metres away, in 22 knots and very rough water, and a decent fish starts screaming runs against the strike drag! *If I stop paddling I'll be on the reef in seconds!*.
*
There is only one option - lock the drag and pull it away from the reef.* Pull like you never pulled before. A few minutes later and now safely away I back off the drag a bit, to find a spirited fighter remains, still taking line right up to the yak (despite being pulled for 100 metres). Pinky!










A great day, with lots of exercise and a few feeds. Yeeeehaaaa!

trev


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## koich (Jul 25, 2007)

The snapper really puts the bream into perspective Trev. Huge fish.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

koich said:


> The snapper really puts the bream into perspective Trev. Huge fish.


True Josh. When I first saw it under water, I thought it was a snapper, though it didn't play quite like one. Once I got the lip grips on and realized it was a bream, I was gobsmacked. I thought bream took 50 mm HB's, not 100 mm ones.

trev


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## Junglefisher (Jun 2, 2008)

Crazy, I had my boat out in 20-25knots the other day and feared for my safety. No way I'd want to be in a yak.


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## antsrealm (Nov 22, 2011)

Nice catch Trevor ! Well done getting out and amongst it  I'm still dreaming of an actual snapper only squire for me so far.


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## Squidder (Sep 2, 2005)

A trophy poo eater there Trev!


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## DrJed (Sep 13, 2007)

Dude, cracker fish. I fish kayak bream tournaments and have seen some stonkers but that is the biggest I have seen. Still waiting for my turn to catch a kilo bream, well done mate.

Cheers
Steve


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## squidlips (Nov 24, 2008)

Trev, that is an absolute cracker! Gotta be happy with that!


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## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

Considering the weather, that's a blood great score Trev.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Squidder said:


> A trophy poo eater there Trev!





DrJed said:


> Dude, cracker fish. I fish kayak bream tournaments and have seen some stonkers but that is the biggest I have seen. Still waiting for my turn to catch a kilo bream, well done mate.
> 
> Cheers
> Steve


Jason & Steve
Yep...I'm still trying to get my eyes back in their sockets. And I don't catch bream. I have no idea how to (I've seen 'bream experts' flicking little HBs and plastics at structure). It was purely luck. Why, oh why did it hit a 100 mm HB?



BrettoQLD said:


> Considering the weather, that's a blood great score Trev.


Funny thing was Brett, no fish for over 7 hours. It was only as the wind was building through 18 knots heading to 22 knots that the strikes happened. Maybe I should have stayed longer? *Maybe not, as it hit 27 knots soon after.* :shock: Has anyone any experience in the catch rate increasing as wind increases?

("Junglefisher" - Crazy, I had my boat out in 20-25knots the other day and feared for my safety. No way I'd want to be in a yak.")
Crazy? Yes Craig, I was born that way! :lol: :lol:

(Disclaimer and Warning: 18 knots in open waters is very rough water for a SOT. 22 kn is far worse, with capsize risk quite high. Do NOT try to be out in such conditions unless you have hundreds of hours of experience in (increasingly) rough water kayaking.)

trev


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## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

kayakone said:


> Maybe I should have stayed longer? *Maybe not, as it hit 27 knots soon after.* :shock:


At least you wouldn't have to paddle/pedal back. You could probably surf it back in that wind.



kayakone said:


> Has anyone any experience in the catch rate increasing as wind increases?


Wind isn't a bad thing for fishing. Ripples/swell etc.. can give the fish more cover. Its blooding annoying to fish in though.


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## Artie (Dec 19, 2011)

Bloody great result Trev, lots of effort put in first though.... Ive had several 6 or 7 hour stints for nil return so I can apprciate your fitness levels but the conditions would have put me off from the start good effort mate!


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Trevor, you deserve every tropy fish you get going through those weather conditions.
Fantastic Bream, I think I have only caught one in my kayak so far and that wasn't legal if I remember correctly.

As for the rough weather with the Snapper. Not long after I started fishing I was noting down what the Tides, Moon phases and Weather was like when they were caught.
I found it was either in calm or above 15knot winds that most were caught. That was a few years ago and hasn't help me in the slightest. :lol:

Cheers
Paul


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

paulsod said:


> Trevor, you deserve every tropy fish you get going through those weather conditions.
> Fantastic Bream, I think I have only caught one in my kayak so far and that wasn't legal if I remember correctly.
> 
> As for the rough weather with the Snapper. Not long after I started fishing I was noting down what the Tides, Moon phases and Weather was like when they were caught.
> ...


Thanks Paul.

Don't hold your breath waiting for the next report of a bream catch from me. Last one was a year ago, when I stopped to change lures, and a 5" white paddle tail was hanging over the other side, barely moving, at half depth, when a 34 cm bream grabbed it. Once again, no skills.

I'm surprised you didn't know mate, the rough weather's not a problem, as I'm an _experienced_ kayaker. One day at Scarby in less than 10 knots, I was reaching around for something, *and next second I was off and swimming * :shock: :shock: . Thank God Jimbo wasn't nearby, as he would have died laughing :lol: .

Mind you, I am finding the Adventure more stable by far, and am still pushing the limits of rough water handling. Watch this space for report (if I survive  ). Realistically, it would require a test off Scarby beach without the rods etc, and this is something I will do very soon. I fully concur with Dru's post in this thread: posting.php?mode=quote&f=9&p=597763.

They are different from sea kayaks and the like, and when SOT's go, they go really quickly....viewtopic.php?f=3&t=56086&hilit=Couta+101 Doug needs an Adventure.... have to send him Mal's phone number. 

trev


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Gr8 bream and snap Trev congrats.


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

2top fish Trev. A reward for perseverance in what sounds like some tough weather. Well done champ.


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## Darwin (Jul 25, 2008)

Risk compared to prize. It is a big decision. It is not for someone doesn't know what he/she is doing. We need to remind our friends not everyone is Trev. You got to know yourself and know yourself well! It is not only your catch is off my scale, the challenging weather as well! Trev! You are unbelievable!


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## bildad (Jun 20, 2011)

Great stuff, whats next?
Using Carbon Graphite Rods in a thunderstorm for whiting? :lol:


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

AJD said:


> 2top fish Trev. A reward for perseverance in what sounds like some tough weather. Well done champ.


It was rough Al. But I love it.



Darwin said:


> Risk compared to prize. It is a big decision. It is not for someone doesn't know what he/she is doing. We need to remind our friends not everyone is Trev. You got to know yourself and know yourself well! It is not only your catch is off my scale, the challenging weather as well! Trev! You are unbelievable!


No Darwin. Not unbelievable. I believe I am here. Yesterday I _was_ there, and it was rough, but the rougher it got, the more the fish struck. However...


kayakone said:


> (Disclaimer and Warning: 18 knots in open waters is very rough water for a SOT. 22 knots is far worse, with capsize risk quite high. Do *NOT* try to be out in such conditions unless you have hundreds of hours of experience in (increasingly) rough water kayaking.)
> This observation could be a trap for others.
> 
> trev





bildad said:


> Great stuff, whats next?
> Using Carbon Graphite Rods in a thunderstorm for whiting? :lol:


No bildad. Carbon/graphite rods break. You need Ugly Sticks.






trev


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Got a couple of daylight shots before they were devoured.










*Happy chappy*










*I don't ever expect to beat that*

trev


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

You longtails, me bream.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Ado said:


> You longtails, me bream.


Yes boss. Sorry. It be luck only sir. He jump on my lure.

trev


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