# Redcliffe Shark sighting



## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Hey guys,

Just a heads up to those that fish Redcliffe / Scarborough regularly. I have some info from a very reliable source that a decent sized Tiger Shark in the 10ft -12ft range has been hanging around the area. It has taken a number of good fish from anglers with a very good mate of mine losing a squire well into the 70's right beside the boat as he was about to net the fish.

Whilst on the water he spoke to a yakker about it (I think it may have been Kiwi yakker and Redcliffe regular Pete) who collaborated his sighting noting that the shark was swimming alongside him as paddled.

So keep this in mind. Just because you are close to shore does not mean the big boys don't venture in close, if the food is there (good snapper and turtles are always present) then they won't be far away.

Kev


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2011)

duum dum, duum dum, duum dum, dum dum, dum dum, AAAARRGGHHHH! need a bigger boat!


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

I have seen for myself and heard others comment on sightings of a regular bronzie / bully in the 10ft range but a confirmed ID of a tiger at Reddy is something new to me at least. Tiger sharks seem to make me more nervous than the thought of a bull shark of the same size for some reason.

Kev


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2011)

I vaguely remember reports of a similar sized tiger harrassing boats near the beacons at moreton a while back. I don't reckon i'd be paddling over for a closer look in the yak but if he came up in the stinker i reckon i'd be trying to get him up close for a pic.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Definitely sharks there most of the time. Caught 5 in a year up to 1.3 metres, and 2 months ago Beekeeper couldn't land a snapper without a very big shark taking them...then he caught 2 small ones on HB's.

Four years ago a mate of Jim's was fishing close to Osbourne Pt, for snapper (that's 300 metres from shore, in 3 - 4 metres watwer depth). He hooked a big one, in the 70's - 80's cm size, and after a decent fight got it yakside. In full view, 2 metres from the yak, a huge tiger chopped it in half, frightening the poop out of him, leaving him cursing for losing half his lovely snap. At least there was a decent bit of flesh of left, so he reeled it in, and went to pick it up. EXPLOSION! The tiger took the lot, nearly swamping the yak, and he did poop himself. He left the area immediately, as fast as he could paddle, and never came back.

Jaws waters...no doubt about it. No swimming.

Trevor


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## billpatt (Apr 12, 2010)

Maybe the same one that hangs around Wello when the procrabber is doing his thing. The crabber used to feed him so I figured he was always to full to worry about a piece of plastic  .

Have heard he scared 1 or 2 people enough to stop fishing the area, from the stories he used to cruise around in the waves at eye level to the yakkers.


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## remora101 (Sep 6, 2008)

Rumour has it, he could melt a plastic yak by just looking at it.......that's why I bought a glass one! :lol:


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Around 60 years ago, old Bob Barker owned the house that now has a white boat-shed right on the beach-front, just to the South of the jetties at Reef Point, Scarborough, Qld.

His two sons, Noel and Alan (?) used to set big baits supported by 44 gallon drums in the area that most of us like to fish, about a kilometre wide, centering roughly straight out from that boat-shed, and in line with the stick or Beacon as it was called when it had a triangle sitting atop it.

They'd keep an occasional eye on the drum, and at times it would do the disappearing trick. They'd wait for it to come up and stay there, then pop out in their boat and haul in the shark. At times they would finish it off with a slug from their .303 rifle. (At times they would take pot shots at whatever from their veranda window).

If it was big enough to be regarded as spectacular, they would ring the Redcliffe Ambulance Station and inform them of their catch, and donate it to them as a fund-raiser. The Ambo's were really appreciative of the boys' offer and promptly would set up a tent opposite the Scarby Pub, and the shark placed inside. Actually, the tent was put up around the fish. If I remember correctly, only sixpence entry fee was charged, but in those days, the lowly sixpence could buy a couple of ice-creams or half a loaf of bread. We were still using half-pennies then.

The Ambo's made quite a handsome profit from this, (no outlay and plenty of money coming in) and as it happened quite regularly, the Barker boys were very well thought of in the community.

However&#8230; these sharks, mostly Tigers and Grey Nurse, were absolutely huge! That is unless you term a thirteen foot shark as small&#8230; if so disregard this article entirely.

Thirteen feet is longer than my kayak!

These sharks have always been there, and most probably will always be there.

When I was only a little kid, my father and his mate, Ben Seib, hand-lining for jew at the sunken reef off Scarborough one night, experienced what they never wanted to go through ever again. They'd been catching jew, but sharks had just begun leaving them with heads only.

Easily seen in the phosphorous lit up water, a big shark followed the next jew that Ben caught, but he quickly ripped it over the side into the dinghy before the shark could grab it. Over the side of the boat came the shark as well! Scared the crapper out of both of them! It slowly slid back into the water, and disappeared. Shits were trumps, and you could have heard a pin drop for a short while. Then one bloke ripped in the anchor, and the other began paddling the oars furiously.

They were extremely glad to get home that night&#8230; thought their numbers were up, well and truly!

A Dr Jones, local GP when I went to school, used to swim daily from Margate to Scarborough. One morning the local Police ordered him out of the water. Why? A passenger plane flying way over-head had seen a huge tiger shark swimming below him, and alerted the authorities, who contacted the local police&#8230; you know the rest.

Jonesy was a little peeved about the whole business&#8230; he said he was in no danger, as the shark often accompanied him on his swimming excursions.

I've had many snapper de-bodied over the past eight years, and it's usually the big ones that get hit, but when the smaller fish are hit, the bite mark usually indicates a smaller shark as the culprit.

I posted the following earlier on, but it's relevant, so in it goes&#8230; . One of them some years ago was taken just below my kayak, and it had been a big snapper. That wasn't what really bothered me&#8230; it was the shape of the bite&#8230; it was almost straight across!

That shark must have been huge! I'm outa here!

I tossed the rest of the fish back, washed the blood off the kayak and vacated!

Trevor Ward, also fishing from a kayak, told me a couple of days later that he had the best snapper catch ever at "our spot" that we'd found together some time before. I checked on which day he was speaking and he'd actually fished the same spot that I'd vacated some half hour earlier, and had a terrific time.

Sharks know no rules that we're bound by&#8230; they can turn up for a feed, anytime.

Regards sharks coming up your berley trail&#8230; if you really want the big fellers to roll up, berley. You can catch plenty of fish without the use of berley.

Cedric used to fish from a stinky, was a pretty good angler, but hated it when the cat-fish were on the bite. I could hear him in the distance hitting something with a priest. I wrongly assumed that he was catching plenty of big snapper, but at one stage I was within talking range, and I asked him had he been giving them a caning. "All bloody cat-fish, Jim. I smash 'em up with my priest and chuck 'em over the side&#8230; I reckon by now there's a line of dead catties from here to Woody Point (about 6/8 ks)," was the answer.

Within minutes, he asked me had I noticed all the fins nearby. By this time I was paddling quickly away, tossing back over my shoulder, "You've been berleying the buggers, Cedric, all the way from bloody Woody Point! I'm outta here!" The last bit I heard was, "Have a look at the size of that fin over there! They're everywhere!"

Cedric used to fish about 150 metres seawards of the spot Trevor Ward and I fished for snapper. He told me that the fishing was better for snapper there, but sharks also turned up there more often.

A mate of mine told me the other day he pulled a 9ft Bronze Whaler up beside his kayak. He's the same bloke who had a big snapper monstered years ago, near Osbourne Point, that K1 posted about today&#8230; and the huge tiger returned for the head, nearly swamping his kayak.

Yep, plenty of sharks around Redcliffe Peninsula&#8230; believe it!

Cheers, Jimbo


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks Jimbo. I'm joining the bowls club.


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

That's it, I'm sticking with fishing at Brays Rock. No Sharks up there!! :lol: :lol:


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

Great story Jim, hope it scares off the bloody tourists.

Seen any mackerel about?......dont like eating sharks.


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## HiRAEdd (Nov 12, 2005)

I really wish these stories were never told. I used to happily sit side-saddle on my yak out there. Now, I'm flat out washing my hands over the side!

Worst I've done out there is a meter long gummy shark and a black tip reef shark the same length.


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## mangajack (Jul 23, 2007)

Seems to be around October one or two of these pretty little tigers appears for a month or so then quietly moves on again. Last year I saw a 12+ foot tiger on three occasions off Scarby/Queens areas. Heading back out there again this weekend for a snapp fest I hope and possible feed him/her another fish.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

ArWeTherYet said:


> Seen any mackerel about?quote]
> 
> No AWTY, and not likely to for another 5 weeks... resting up after small operation. I haven't seen many mackerel at all this year.
> Cheers, Jimbo


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## Helveticus (Jun 15, 2011)

Beekeeper said:


> Around 60 years ago, old Bob Barker owned the house that now has a white boat-shed right on the beach-front, just to the South of the jetties at Reef Point, Scarborough, Qld.


Hah. Trevor just organized the kayak safety day there last Sunday. :evil: Plenty of flipping the yak and re-entering practice. Plus the swim for your yak competition. I'm so glad this thread only appeard now or I would have put my safety first and skipped the event!


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Hi Martin. Now I know there are no sharks in Switzerland, but it's not as bad as you might think, nor worth becoming paranoid about. Out of the _millions_ of people entering the water (swimming, diving, snorkeling, fishing) in Australia every year the average number of deaths from shark attacks (on people - not counting stealing fish) is about 1.5 per year. Now despite the recent spike in attacks, averages are what we have to weigh up the odds on. The odds are extreeeemely low, but are increased by factors such as swimming/surfing in dirty water: low light (sunrise & sunset); burleying; bleeding; thrashing around in the water. One example that comes to mind was the attack on Rodney Fox years ago on the NSW coast at Seal Rocks (?) by a Great White. Rodney blames only himself because the seals were a regular target for GWS in that area, and he was wearing a black wetsuit....a case of mistaken identity.

The very low odds are illustrated by Jim's account....


Beekeeper said:


> A Dr Jones, local GP when I went to school, used to swim daily from Margate to Scarborough. One morning the local Police ordered him out of the water. Why? A passenger plane flying way over-head had seen a huge tiger shark swimming below him, and alerted the authorities, who contacted the local police&#8230;... you know the rest. Jonesy was a little peeved about the whole business&#8230; he said he was in no danger, as the shark often accompanied him on his swimming excursions.


So stop worrying Martin, or sell the yak. I had my Shark Shield on the whole time anyone was in the water, and that's why I was hovering around each swimmer.

About atttracting them:


Beekeeper said:


> I've had many snapper de-bodied over the past eight years, and it's usually the big ones that get hit, but when the smaller fish are hit, the bite mark usually indicates a smaller shark as the culprit.
> 
> I posted the following earlier on, but it's relevant, so in it goes&#8230; . One of them some years ago was taken just below my kayak, and it had been a big snapper. That wasn't what really bothered me&#8230; it was the shape of the bite&#8230; it was almost straight across! That shark must have been huge! I'm outa here!
> 
> ...


Of course they hit hooked fish sometimes....it's their normal food, it can't run like it can when swimming free, it's thrashing trying to shake the hook, and its probably bleeding. There are actually plenty of 'em everywhere Martin, but they are primarily interested in fish, or something that looks or smells like fish, hence Jim's comments re burley trails. Most of us don't burley, and we and our yaks look nothing like their normal prey. Also in a year of very regular visits to Scarby and 15 years at Jumpinpin, I still haven't lost one fish to a shark, but have caught a few on lures, and two on a pilchard on a paternoster rig. I think using bait increases your chances of hooking one.

Relax mate, and continue to enjoy what you're doing.

Cheers

Trevor


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## CanuckChubbs (May 2, 2010)

Don't any of you guys use a Shark Shield? Or you don't buy into their claims?


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Yes, whenever I'm in the water, or when fighting a decent fish, especially when it's close to the yak.

Trevor


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Regards safely landing a fish... brother of a mate was a commercial fisher, and he found that if sharp noises were made when a fish was close to being landed, or when suspicious of shark close-by, less fish were sharked.

If you've seen videos of sharks coming in to attack, often you see them sharply veer off... apparently this occurs when sharp noises made.

This bloke swears that it's right... after a couple of catches were sharked, he used a priest to clout the side of the boat, and his landed fish rate sharply increased.

Jimbo


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## ArWeTherYet (Mar 25, 2007)

St Peter will protect me.



Beekeeper said:


> ArWeTherYet said:
> 
> 
> > Seen any mackerel about?quote]
> ...


OOps! forgot, hope you get back to slaying the fish soon. The water temp was warmer last year, good for Macs, not good for Snapps. Guess its revered this year.


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## remora101 (Sep 6, 2008)

We saw a few sharks while spearfishing out on Hutcinson's yesterday, small Tiger a Bronze Whaler and a few small white tip reef sharks. They were fine in the morning but later on started taking a few fish from us, so we moved on.

Did see one Spanish around 10kg's but he was on the move not to interested in stopping for a chat! There was a big thermocline on the floor, esp at Smiths. Very cold past the 10m mark.


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## Helveticus (Jun 15, 2011)

kayakone said:


> So stop worrying Martin, or sell the yak.


Trevor, no way I gona sell the yak! It's too much fun and the sharks don't scare me that much. I'm more scared of sting rays than sharks ;-) I was more pointing out that we were swimming at Scarborough and then next thread that comes up is full of sharky stories in that area


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Beekeeper said:


> If you've seen videos of sharks coming in to attack, often you see them sharply veer off... apparently this occurs when sharp noises made.
> Jimbo


That's why I scream when I see them.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Kerry, as long as you can scream, you'll save $600.

Except you rarely see them coming.


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## badmotorfinger (Mar 15, 2010)

kayakone said:


> Kerry, as long as you can scream, you'll save $600.
> 
> Except you rarely see them coming.


Maybe just do precautionary screams at 2 min intervals.


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## Bretto (May 23, 2010)

badmotorfinger said:


> kayakone said:
> 
> 
> > Kerry, as long as you can scream, you'll save $600.
> ...


 :lol: This has made my day.


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## SharkNett (Feb 20, 2006)

badmotorfinger said:


> kayakone said:
> 
> 
> > Kerry, as long as you can scream, you'll save $600.
> ...


If only this had been thought of last week I would not have wasted $6 on a new safety whistle.


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## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

SharkNett said:


> badmotorfinger said:
> 
> 
> > kayakone said:
> ...


Hey! That's cool... they're making underwater whistles, now?? for $6? 
But I don't really want to stick my head in the water to either scream at 2 min intervals or blow little whistles... that's where the bities live!
Land-based fishin's lookin' better every day! 
However...
Yesterday I saw a film clip on email, showing a bloke waving to his mate taking a film of him waving at the water's edge, and an Orca chasing a couple of seals to the same spot neatly picking him up... and that was the last the bloke with the camera ever saw if him.
He did look happy, tho', waving to his mate.
If I knew how to post it, I would have already done so.
Jimbo


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Further to Beekeeper's post, and sorry to bother the techno guys, but how do you post an email and/or it's attachments or downloads on AKFF?

Appreciate any help.

Thanks
Trevor


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Is this the vid your talking about? 




It's a fake, done as an advertisement but very clever anyway. There has never been a recorded fatal attack on a person from a wild orca.

Kev


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## simond11 (Aug 29, 2005)

Rodeny Fox was attacked by a Great White at Aldinga Reef in South Australia back in 1965 or so. He was participating in a spearfishing competition at the time.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Thanks simond11 for the correct location....I thought it was Seal Rocks. Anyway, it was 1963...a bad day for Rodney Fox, but a lucky man to survive. Google details the injuries.

Trevor


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