Greetings!
Ok, picture this….
Wayne and I had moved to a designated red hot black jew spot in Weipa right at the change of tide.
If anyone has read one of my earlier blogs about the black jewfish you may recall they are fairly reliable to aggregate in numbers at known spots so we should be on the money.
Bang, I was on and then twang I was busted off as the damn leader was too light.
A couple of re-rigged lines later with the same result Wayne and I headed back to the Houseboat mothership with our own tail between our legs instead of the fish’s.
The next night with heavier leaders the boys went to fish the same spot again at the bottom of the tide.
The tide had only just bottomed out when one, two, three and four of the guys all hooked in at once.
The result? One, twang! Two, ping! The third was wrapped around a channel marker and the fourth was brought thankfully to the boat by my son Grant – a nice black jewfish at a respectable 84cm.
Most avid fisherman could probably fill a book on bust offs and one day I may offer up some of the highlights of my own personal defeats.
All that aside, the difference between landing a large fish or being broken off is huge.
So, as always, I went in search of answers.
The initial bust offs were with no doubt caused by the use of an inadequate leader line (25Kg). In the wilds of Weipa this was unforgiveable but it was also all we had on board the runabout at the time (it’s amazing how forgetful you become after a few days on the grog!).
What is interesting is that the next day, the boys were on the money with their leaders in place.
Hooks were ok as well – between 6/0 to 10/0 and some circle hooks.
There was no doubt either that each had a fish on – they weren’t busted straight off away.
So here’s my theory…
Each was using braided line which we all know is fantastic in the right situations because you have so much better feel for what is going on at the end of the line.
And therein lies the problem with handling big fish – there is no stretch and no margin for error.
Fishing for big black jew with mono (or for that matter other large species) allows for headshakes and the times when the fish want to crash tackle the bait or take off to the other side of the ocean with it.
That’s what your drag is for I hear you say and to a certain extent that’s true.
The thing is that with no stretch comes little margin for error – and for this reason it’s a lot easier to de-snag a braided line than it is a mono line.
Anyway, I’m happy to enter discussions with anyone who has a contrary view.
Don’t forget to have a look at the www.skippermeggs.com website and view the bareboat sailfish caught by our own F&RTS team member Gary (the fisherman formerly known as Harvey). See what you think and have a vote in the poll to tell us if you believe it’s over the Australian record mark of 78kg.
Until next week,
Sea you later,
Skipper Meggs
Posted by Meggs | Fishing Holiday Stories | Posted on August 9th, 2008
The F.A.R.T.S. crew at the airport with all their gear including their ugly shirts!
Greetings!
Follow the steps below and you could organise the most memorable fishing holiday that you and your mates could ever experience…
Step Number 1 – Float the idea
Make your friends and their partners aware that you are planning a fishing holiday – you need their support and commitment to make it happen.
Step Number 2 – Select the Crew
Great mates in close confines with extended periods of alcohol fuelled sleep deprivation, interspersed with flurries of activity can stretch friendships. But it can be so much fun! Choose wisely – I’d recommend limiting numbers to either four or six people.
Step Number 3 – Determine the Venue
The venue will depend on your group’s fishing fetish ie freshwater, deep sea, estuary, beach, rock or game fishing.
Step Number 4 – Select the Dates
Work pressures, school holidays, weddings, relatives, children’s sporting activities, pregnancies and other inconveniences will make it nearly impossible for you to select an appropriate date. Even if you have to set it twelve months in advance the date is the key to getting everyone committed.
Step Number 5 – Establish a Budget
The budget will determine your accommodation, length of stay, number and nature of fishing expeditions and extras you can package to make the trip special. Tell the crew the trip will cost more than you expect and grab a deposit off everyone to show they are committed.
Step Number 6 – Use a co-conspirator
The planning task can be made easier if you enlist the support and help of one of your crew to bounce ideas off and use as a sanity check.
Step Number 7 – The Exploratory Visit
Check out the available accommodation, golf courses and pubs and clubs for entertainment. Look out for maxi-taxis, restaurants, cafes and pizza joints and unusual nearby attractions. If chartering a boat or using a guide, try them out while you’re in town. Speak to locals and get advice about which one to go with. Use the Internet to investigate the destination.
Step Number 8 – Come up with a Plan
When it comes to fishing holidays you should be seriously organised. Don’t wait for things to happen, come up with a daily agenda that outlines some organised activities. Consider a punter’s club day, a BBQ somewhere, bushwalking or card and theme nights like an “Ugly Shirt” or a “Funny T-Shirt” night. Include a sports day where you conduct a Pentathlon comprising of snooker, darts, pool, golf and a mystery event. Have a prize for the eventual winner.
Step Number 9 – Have some fun Rules
Implement a set of 10 rules for the trip. Kick off a “Kittie” for common grocery items used by all. Have a slave each day that cooks, cleans, get beers for the other participants.
Step Number 10 – Under Promise and Over Deliver
Promise a fishing trip but deliver an experience that your crew will never forget. Try to be under budget and send your mates home with money in their pockets – it’s always appreciated.
Sea you later,
Skipper Meggs
Greetings everyone!
I must admit that I’ve been thinking of buying a fishing kayak for a while now but something always stops me from going ahead with the purchase.
There is an old Chinese proverb that basically says that one should never think about anything three times because twice is enough. If I followed this line of thinking I’d probably have ten kayaks by now!
A recent episode of Fishing Australia aired on the weekend and there was Rob Paxevanos inflating an i12 Hobie Kayak with a hand pump. Believe it or not he flew the kayak into a Torres Strait Island resort in its own suitcase. That’s right it comes with it’s own carry bag and the whole kit weighs in at 25kgs. Even so once inflated it can handle loads of up to 500lbs or 225kgs.
You can throw it in the boot of your car and away you go.
Now that’s pretty cool.
What’s more the kayak can be inflated in around 5 minutes.
That’s pretty good too.
The kayak utilized pedal power, or what Hobie refers to as Mirage Drive. If you’ve never seen a kayak propelled in this fashion it’s an amazing sight as each time you pedal, two underwater flippers move back and forth.
Being powered by your feet means that you have both hands free to fish. There is also another clever inclusion with a hand controlled rudder that sits next to the driver.
As the name implies the i12 is twelve feet in length once inflated. Rob mentioned that there were no rod holders but these were on there way on the latest model. It also comes with a high back seat and an 8 inch hatch for storing things that are not meant to get wet.
I live near the Georges River in Sydney’s south west and the thought of heading down to Kelso Beach, blowing up the boat and setting course for the local bridges is pretty enticing.
I went and had a look at the cost of the kayak and I only found pricing in US dollars at around $1800 which I think is a little excessive but how convenient is the storage and transport of this thing?
In the past I’ve looked at solid kayaks and had thought that the inflatables were like toys but this one seems to have jumped a few hoops in the making.
I’d be happy to hear from anyone out there who has had some experience with fishing kayaks. In particular anyone who has any first hand knowledge of the i12 Hobie inflatable.
Sea you later,
Skipper Meggs
