# First time offshore QLD 23/03



## martywe (Mar 13, 2014)

First post time. Thought i'd put it up here instead of the newbie section as it's more of a report.

So a few weeks ago i moved to the Sunny coast from Briz on a transfer. Bloody happy!! Living at my brothers place for the time being i decided to take his cheap BCF yak up the creek to see if i could rustle up some flattie on the run in tide. Came home with a feed and was hooked on the kayaking. Started looking for a good secondhand model as soon as i got back to the house and had Flattie burgers for lunch. After a bit of research on here and a couple of other forums i found a Prowler 4.3 up in Sunshine Beach. Have had it up the river a few times since and haven't come home with out a feed yet.

Playing around up the river has been great but the whole time I've been keeping an eye on the forecast hoping to get offshore and chase the tuna. Well today the weather gods weren't too angry so i Launched from Moffat as the sun peaked over the horizon.




I hadn't seen any birds working from the shore but as soon as i passed the end of the point i spotted a heap working hard to get their breaky. Paddling as fast as i could i could see huge (~1.2m) fish leaping out of the water. Soon enough i was within casting range so let it rip. They chased and hit a few times but no hookup. Second cast was a sh*t fight and resulted in a massive wind knot. After cutting that out and re-rigging the school had moved on. I chased for a bit but they were moving too fast for me. By then another school had started up to the north, so off i went. As i got a bit closer the school had split in two so i stopped to access which i should chase. After sitting for a minute or 2 a school erupted 10m to my left. Quickly grabbing the rod i landed a cast past the action and wound like crazy. 5 winds and I was on! took a bit of line but i started to think I had pulled the smallest fish of the bunch. Then it began, line peeling off, drag screaming and me holding on. After gaining most of the line as the fish charged toward me another impressive run was off. 10 minutes and 2 sore arms later i got my first eyes on the critter. Now shaking with excitement i strapped myself in for another 15 minuted of circle work. Finally got him to the boat and sunk the gaf in. Cheering and now being covered in blood with the beast in my lap i pulled the gaf and put him to sleep.

That was enough for me, arms were spent and by now i had a fair paddle to go. Getting back to the beach i made the rookie error of attempting to surf the wave in. Over i went. Tumbling around i heard the nasty sound of rod splintering. As i surfaced the only thought was of the fish as it had been sitting in my lap the whole way in scared that putting it in the back with the open scuppers would bring the grey suited man around. Grabbed the fish ran it to the safety and proceeded to gather my possessions. Only 1 rod (the one that caught the fish) had been broken so pretty happy about that and after a few minutes i had gathered all my gear and it was home time.

Asked a passerby to grab a happy snap for me. Don't think they'd used an iPhone before. 

Got a better pic at home. 

Nose rigged assist hooks can't be beat.

We're gonna need a bigger esky

Getting down to buisness

Match the hatch


For my first time off shore in a yak and my first time fishing for tuna i am absolutely wrapt!! To say i'm hooked on yak fishing now would be a vast understatement!!!

Moral of the story is... there is plenty of tuna off Moffat, and don't try to surf a shorey in when you don't know what you're doing.

Cheers, Marty


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Excellent report. Good pix too. Re the passerby newbie on the iphone, they got the fish. What do you want. lol

Re the school splitting and then erupting next to you. That is something the yak excels at. Be the FAD.
Well deserved fish for the report it produced.


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## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Big congratulations, great first report. Not many get a tuna first attempt! Welcome to the forum, cheers, Dave


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## martywe (Mar 13, 2014)

Thanks guys, yeah that first run was bloody good! When i hooked up he just sat and gave a few hints something was happening then off he went. If i wasn't working today i'd have been out there for another one.


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## Daveyak (Oct 6, 2005)

A great report! Well done on your first venture onto the big blue, tuna are such great fun. Delicious too.


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## Minny (Dec 2, 2013)

Excellent report very nice fish
looks like heaps of fun
even with a rollover.


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## jbonez (Jul 9, 2013)

Looks like you came prepared with the fillet knives & assist hook. Good stuff.


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## captaincoochin (Nov 11, 2012)

Bastard!


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## imnotoriginal (Jan 13, 2008)

salticrak said:


> nice nipples.


 :roll:



captaincoochin said:


> Bastard!


Amen. I was dying to get out there but everything seemed to be conspiring against me.

Fingers crossed for good weather next weekend or the first week of the school holidays.

Joel


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## wayneedden (May 19, 2012)

Nice mate. Ahh yes there were some fish and birds around today, don't them longies go hard. Always a good idea to stow your gear for offshore trips. Better to be safe than sorry. Enjoy
Wayne


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## wayneedden (May 19, 2012)

There could be whispers of a stripey fish! With a Spanish sort of accent.but them donuts do taste Good.


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## martywe (Mar 13, 2014)

Had another crack this morning. The surf was fkn huge but managed to get out with a perfect wave breaking off the reef beside me. There was no action when i first got out then all of a sudden it erupted, birds everywhere, i chased em down until i couldn't take any more and gave up. Another bloke who launched with me (sorry forgot your name) in a Stealth was south of where i packed it in and i watched as the birds made a line straight for him. It was a massive school so i hope he got on. Back at the beach and absolutely spent i managed to pick a lul in the the sets and surfed it all the way to the beach like a pro. haha. All up a good way to start the day, but now i'm at work and not quite sure how the I'm going to make it to the end of the day. Wish me luck.

Marty


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Not sure how we missed saying hello at launch or on the water but well done on your first time out and first LT. As others have said dont risk your gear on even a tiny wave. Going out is fine but coming in I put my reels in a dry bag in the hull and rods strapped to the side of the hull. Ive seen that moffs shorey pick a yak up and flip it over breaking all three rods. It looks small but can be quite powerful.


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