# Qld Scarby 20May13… nnnnice fish!



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

What a glorious beginning to a lovely day on the water&#8230; spectacular pre-dawn display followed by a sunrise to be believed! I only took one photo&#8230; could have spent lots of time taking more, but time's a-wasting&#8230; there's fish out there!

Slipped the Acadia into the "Oh, so smooth" water, and before I was out of the launching area, released a just legal 'koolie caught' snapper&#8230; looks like a good day all round.

Trolled to one of my drifting areas, dropping a tailor on the way, and within minutes had a smashing run on the overhead outfit, but about 20 seconds of run, then come up empty&#8230; now that's two fish dropped to one fish landed&#8230; maybe not so good.

The 3inch Zman flat-tail electric chicken coloured softie looked a bit screwed about, but easily fixed then out it goes again. This lure, after such a dramatic start, only produced what I would reason to be squid bites for the rest of the day.

But&#8230; the lilelechick? (little 4inch electric chicken coloured Snap-back jerk-bait)&#8230; it had a momentous start to the day&#8230; but first I had to lose one to a snag (I didn't think much of that)&#8230; however&#8230; whilst I was watching the squid bites on the other line and jig/jigging the lilelechick line absent-mindedly, Big Bertha apparently was being switched on by the latter.

Wham! Big Bertha slams lilelechick and zooms off!

Action up top in the Acadia! Bail-arm flipped over, drag checked, Zman line wound in, out of the way&#8230; then full attention to the rod with the wailing reel.

Everything checked off&#8230; all OK! Line darting off in all different directions&#8230; what the hell kind of fish have we got here? Snapper? Jewie? Don't think mackerel, but never know&#8230; Whatever it is, I hope this doesn't end in spitting the lure! One a day is enough of that!

After some pretty hectic to and fro, a bit of colour&#8230; big fish, but still can't identify it&#8230; another glide past, and Snapper&#8230; big one! But it's not finished yet&#8230; zipping under the yak, out the front, and under again&#8230; but&#8230; my patience pays out, and Big Bertha's waiting there for the net. In she goes, kicks up a fuss about that, but there's nothing she can do now&#8230; she's mine&#8230; well nearly.

As I lifted her out of the water, "Wow! That's heavy!" That made me a bit more careful, don't want to tip over&#8230; now the net is sitting on the spray-skirt/work-bench in front of me&#8230; Mine at last!

Piccies first, although easy enough with little to medium fish, but with anything this big I can't get a decent picture, due to not having long enough arms&#8230; however, I try with three shots, but none of them were really flash, no pun intended.

That done, hook out&#8230; well, damn me&#8230; look where the hook is&#8230; not inside the mouth&#8230; she's hooked in the cheek (?)&#8230; this can be seen in the close-up shot. Hook out, get the lip-grips in so I can measure the ol' girl.

Just then I realise that the lip-grips have a scale included, so while she's still in the net, I lift the net and her holus bolus, and although there's still some of her touching the spray-skirt, (still suffering from too-short arms) she pulls the scales down to 18lb! Yes!!! Orright!

Now out of the net and measure&#8230; make sure head is at the end of the rule, 95cm! Check head end again, not right, slipped sideways as I screwed my body around to see the tail end&#8230; check again. 93cm! and again&#8230; confirmed 93cm!

Wow! I've caught one at this length before and only one slightly bigger at 94cm. Try and get the grin of this ol' face, feller!

That all done, slide the ol' girl back into the briny&#8230; no troubles&#8230; I could be wrong, but&#8230; did she wink at me as she slid back into the depths, waving her tail at me as she went? Nah! Dreamin' Jimbo.

Back to reality! Check out hook and lure, all OK, over they go again. After all that excitement, just the squid-like bites again, but while there are lures in the water, anything can happen&#8230; but it didn't and a little time later, a yellow runabout rolls up and chucks an anchor over-board, chain rattling as it dived to the depths. The two fellows in it just didn't care that I was fishing/drifting not a boat length away, so although I've told myself to live with it and also get on with it, I couldn't help myself and gave them quite a gob-full.

They'd just anchored over the spot that I like to drift over, and I'm now stuffed! I really wanted another ¾ of an hour drifting there (sweet-spot time) and when I looked around at all the other places I could work, there was a tinnie anchored at them all&#8230; bugger!

So, I headed South, trolling as I went, dropping another fish on the way, meeting up with a neighbour whose mate (on board with him) had landed a lovely fish in the 80's, and sported quite a large grin. I kept going till I got to the Shield St reef where there was a bunch of blokes in tinnies fishing, but I had to stop&#8230; just had to get this wind-cheater jacket off&#8230; the paddling was over-heating me&#8230; Have you ever tried to take a jacket off with all the safety gear on whilst in a SIK? Must have looked quite funny, but after a while it was off and stowed in a placcy bag, gear back on and lines back in, so I went further South.

A little while later, a 51cm snapper hit the deck, and duly swam away, but time was getting on, and by the time I hit the beach again, it was two thirty PM.

Al, a fishing friend greeted me at the car, and was duly impressed with my catch, and another fellow offered to buy future fish from me, but I told him that there were specific laws about that, and it wouldn't happen, besides I have a thing about snapper, and release all but those needed for the table.

Trev rang me seconds before I picked up the phone to tell him about my fish, and I tried to kid him that I'd got the fish at his secret spot, but they reckon you can't fool a fool, so gave up on that. He couldn't hold back, and posted one about a "rumour of big fish".

I'm sorry about the quality of the photos, but the short arms syndrome limits my abilities in this field. I even managed a double exposure on the first fish&#8230; obviously my expertise is limitless.

Cheers all&#8230; Jimbo


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Bugger me.

Cracker Jim, you're a better man than me letter that one go.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Nice fishing Jim.


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## imtheman (Aug 24, 2012)

nice work mate & good on you for releasing the big snapper


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## Wrassemagnet (Oct 17, 2007)

Very sweet, very well deserved! Shame about the tinnie interrupting you Jimbo.


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Ahh Jimbo you are the man mate. Catching the monsters and letting them go, well done and congrats.


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## outbackAl (Oct 8, 2011)

Wow..... that's a nice fish Jimbo, I was to lazy to head out yesterday so I went out this morning, got a couple of nice ones but nothing close to yours, well done......

Cheers,
Al


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

indiedog said:


> Were you holding the rod when it hit? Getting the rod out of a holder would be almost impossible.


When I'm fishing with that rod, I have it clipped to the case in which I secure my pliers and hangs from a strap that goes around my neck... It's held across my belly with bail-arm open... my right hand is constantly but loosely holding the braid mainline, and I jig it regularly and jerk the rod up a few times when the lure ticks the bottom. I like to fish very close to the bottom with this one, and mid-water with the other.

When fish like this strike, the line rips through my loose grip which I then tighten, thus quickly ascertaining the strength of the fish, and trying to hold to a degree, with the other hand I click the bail-arm over, then of course let the line free from my right hand.

Recently, I've taken to using a piece of rubber push-bike inner tube to protect my middle fingers. Even when the drag is set pretty strong, the line still just pours off with fish such as this.

I don't have rod-holders in the Acadia (SIK)... too much hassle for me.

Thanks guys for all the comments, except of course the one with salt around his crack. ;-)

Jimbo


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## killer (Dec 22, 2010)

Lazybugger said:


> salticrak said:
> 
> 
> > bastard.
> ...


x3 
While you were hooking them I was hooking TURDS! & TREE ROOTS! out of a blocked sewer. 
I know where I'd rather be!!!!

Cheers 
Killer.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

There are some terribly nasty chaps using this thread... tch tch!
Jimbo


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## WhipperSnapper (Jun 2, 2012)

incredible session! amazing trip report! noiice


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## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Thats one nice looking fish Jim.


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## tj63 (Jun 1, 2011)

Nice fish Jimbo,I was out there as well you gave me as wave as you were heading out, all I could manage was a couple of 30cm squire, well done. ;-) Terry


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

killer said:


> Lazybugger said:
> 
> 
> > salticrak said:
> ...


Get any big ones?

Now are you sure Ron? Fishin' don't pay them bills....


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

kayakone said:


> Now are you sure Ron? Fishin' don't pay them bills....


I can vouch for that, not sure when i'll be fishing again


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## JRF1973 (Dec 7, 2012)

Great fish. Well played.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Hi fellers... I was brought back to reality today, tho'... two fish in six hours... on was a Sole, and the other an Indian Flag-tail Flathead... I'll add the photos, if only to show the Indian Flagtail tail... Gary (Sweed) had a top morning, but I'll let him tell you his story.


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## Thegaff (Apr 19, 2011)

Ive never even herd of a indian flag tail let alone seen one, thanks for the upload jim.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

CAV said:


> Forgive my ignorance but isn't that a bar tail flathead or are they the same fish?
> Your bad day is still better than mine, last two trips out at redcliffe for me have resulted in 2 sharks and a donut...
> I need some mojo sent my way


I get my fish information from the Australian Underwater Federation Qld branch... they put out an A4 size publication called the Qld Spearfishing Records...

On the subject of Flathead, their publication lists Bar-tailed Flathead also as Sand Flathead... tail description as follows... 5 or 6 very dark streaks (narrower above) contrasting with a very white tail. (my addition... these streaks are horizontal)

The Flagtail Flathead's tail description... 3 or 4 dark horizontal bars, white top and pottom and white between bars. Bright yellow blotch at top of tail

The Indian Flagtail Flathead's tail description... Yellow blotch in middle of tail... 2 or 3 dark bars and white areas.

This is the only reference to Indian Flagtail that I've ever seen.

Mojo officially sent! 

Cheers, Jimbo


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

Jim I guess if you can't beat your snapper you might as well catch a couple of different things. Congrats on your last couple of trip. I'm still waiting for you to crack 1m, stop stuffing about and just do it haha


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## WadsYak (May 20, 2013)

Nice fish mate jelous as haha id get towed by that monster in my little yak lol


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

bruus said:


> Jim I guess if you can't beat your snapper you might as well catch a couple of different things. Congrats on your last couple of trip. I'm still waiting for you to crack 1m, stop stuffing about and just do it haha


I'm actually waiting for Trev to get the 95 he's been telling me hes' going to beat my 94 with, so I can top that with a 96... got to do these things in stages, Daniel. 

He reckons he's been getting hit with one that's over a metre, but I think he's dreaming...

Hope to see you on the water soon, young feller... Jimbo


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## bruus (Aug 27, 2010)

Jim you must be the most patient person ever if your waiting for trev to catch a 95. Particularly since repairing his car has cost him his weekly koolie bugdet.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Cheeky bastards. :twisted: Just you wait....


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... :lol: :lol:

Patient all right, Daniel... In the meantime, I'll catch some little ones to keep my hand in... (one at 42cm today)... in that howling Westerly that would blow a dog off its chain. 8)

Jimbo


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

great session Jim


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## killer (Dec 22, 2010)

Whats that I here Jim , just ONE!!!!

I don't no what Scarby's like in a strong westerly , but well done for giving it a go !

Cheers 
Ron.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Tinnies can venture out further than I'm game to go, Ron... they have motors to use against the wind, but arms just have so much power, then when they get tired, you're Moreton bound... and if the currents take you, out between Moreton and Bribie!

Methinks could be quite troublesome!

I've done this quite often in the past, and just hang in close, doing short drifts repeatedly, and lots of trolling parallel to the shore.

Even then, a sudden gust can catch you un-prepared and knock you over.

Yes Ron... just one, and I was happy to get that fish as well.

Cheers mate... Jimbo


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Great read Jimbo and after the DI trip I'm going to target these snapper a lot more this season,ill have to head south for them or maybe just return to DI .
You definitely have taken agood beating with the mojo stick of late,now hand it back to (bastard ) Salti I think he may need it for next week chasing hooo maybe.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Safa said:


> You definitely have taken agood beating with the mojo stick of late,now hand it back to (bastard ) Salti I think he may need it for next week chasing hooo maybe.


Sorry Safa (and Salti)... I officially passed the mojo on to Cav from Deception Bay earlier in this thread... haven't caught anything decent since!

Perhaps, seeing that you've got the mojo on hooo, you could slip a bit his way... he's probably still eating his accidentally caught toona, hmmmmnnnn? :twisted: :twisted: :lol:

Jimbo


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