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The
Missus Kicks Butt.
Just
lately Chris Jones, myself and my mate the “Lumpmeister”aka David Milson
have been copping some good natured ribbing on the size of the fish we
catch. Comments like “don’t you blokes catch any big fish” are the norm
especially after the last article on fishing the fresh (Harry left out
the nice Barra pic!). Does size matter? Obviously to some it does, to us
no way, we enjoy catching fish whatever size, we enjoy the day out, we
enjoy walking the Creeks. If you can’t enjoy a days fishing in the
Fabulous Hinchinbrook Channel with out catching a “S**t load of fish,
something is wrong. If the day was a dead loss because you didn’t catch
a 1 meter Barra, you’re in for some sad days. Fishing is supposed to be
fun, enjoy the day.
Anyway, on fun days and for me more small Barra. Ross Paton had hired
the house-boat for 3 to 4 days to reward his staff (and his self) for
all there hard work on a recent job at Pt Hinchinbrook. He had also
asked my wife Lin and myself along to make up the party and fish with
them. I can tell you this we only needed to be asked once and where soon
up on the plane (in boat) to meet Ross, the house boat and everybody in
Missionary bay.
Ross decided to take his crew out to Eva in his cruiser and Mark Goodin
was to fish with Lin and myself leaving the houseboat parked at Macushla..
We decided to start of in the morning and fish my favorite creek, 14B! I
was concerned about the quality of fishing as the tides where barely
moving, at most only .5m.
10 minutes on the plane and we where soon fishing. There was enough
water to cover the drains, so we were fishing those and any snags that
where in the water. Lin is soon hooked up and after much excitement
managed to bring a small Flathead in the boat! It proceeded to throw
itself about looking for some one to slash namely me, as I was the
designated un-hooker! After some husbandly advice about bringing this
type of fish in the boat, I lifted it back over the side and let it go,
in hindsight maybe I should have said nothing.
Next snag I’ve hooked a small Barra about 45cm,I had a bit of fun
letting it jump but it was soon at the boat and de-hooked (no pic it’s
no more small fish pics for me!).
We slowly crept along on the electric working snags and drains; I had
plenty of touches, flashes and rolls but no hook up. Now the thing about
my missus is she catch’s fish where there shouldn’t be any. No sooner
had the thought crossed my mind, when Lin has hooked up to a decent fish
(not a snag, drain or FAD to be seen!) She was using an “Ugly–Stik” spin
rod, a Shimano Sahara 4000 and a “Leads”pinkish deep diver at the
terminal end. It really had the rod bent over and was making some good
runs and even spent some time in the air, as Barra do. I could see it
was well hooked so I didn’t say any thing about keeping the rod down,
just let her enjoys the moment. It was soon in the net, measured and
photographed and as this one was for the BBQ, put in the kill tank on
ice.
Mark and I were getting frustrated as we had nothing to show for our
efforts. Lin in the mean time had hooked and released a small Mangrove
Jack. We had crossed banks by now staying with the deeper water, more
rolls and flash’s but still no hook up for us. This was how it was for
me; I’d see a really nice snag, on a headland with a little bit of
current running past. Sounds fishy? Well they were there but not for me,
I worked the “leads” close, stop the motion , let it float up, I’d see
the silver flash , feel the touch but no hook up, missed again! Some
days are diamonds etc!
We decided to Fish a couple more snags and then head for the house boat
as Lin had indicated she was ready for the bottle of white that was on
ice, her book and a chair in the sun! I can tell you I was glad she was
going, next cast, she’s hooked what was obviously a nice Jack. But this
Jack was fisher friendly its dashed to the snag done a U-turn and came
right back in to the middle of the Creek! Yeah right, how many times
does that happen? Soon in the boat and measured 43cm,a quick pic and of
to fight again.
That was it for me, back to the house boat with Lin, after a bit of
lunch Mark and I decided to fish the Bay itself, the rocks near Cape
Richard and secret spot 29. We went to this spot first as I had caught
some nice Fingermark there and mark was keen to catch one and try their
eating quality. It was time to change lures as we needed to get down
deep, I chose a silver ”Hotlips” and Mark a gold diver of some unknown
brand. We both worked that spot hard with long casts and slow pulls back
to get the lure down, (it really is a trolling spot but find that boring
so I stay with the casting). Mark was soon on, they really can pull
these blokes, and after some long deep runs Mark is reward by some nice
bronze color. A nice fish not big but certainly pan size and that’s
where it was going, so on ice it went. I came away with a big zero once
again; I wasn’t even catching small fish!
We shot across to Cape Richard and started to fish the rocks, Mark had
switched to a blue ”Mad Mullet” and I had opted for a “Gold Bomber”. I
should have mentioned the weather before now, it was perfect, a small
breeze, glassed out sea, the water was as clear as, making for great
sight fishing, just one of those great days.
Mark is working his lure past an oyster covered rock, when its hammered
by a decent Barra, you could see the hook up it was that clear. A bit of
work to get away from the rock, some arial action (Mark likes to keep
his rod up!) and it to was soon measured and photographed.
Still nothing for me, I had some follows and half hearted grabs from
some small Queenies but still no hook ups. I had spied these two rocks
with about .5m in between, yeah, thinks I Barra country! I lobbed the
“Bomber” between them gave it a twitch and let it sit, just then Mark
shouts out “look at that” I made the fatal mistake of turning my head
and when I look back at the lure a “horse” of a barra is in the process
of spitting the lure out! I gave it a couple of more casts but it was
having nothing to do with it. On that note I decide it was beer o’clock
and headed for the houseboat, where Ross was cooking fresh “mackerel “
this coupled with some coldies was some conciliation for one of those
days!
Jim (Jimbo)
Lee - www.un-reel-sportsfishing-adventures.com.au
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