A Day In Shoal Bay.

Hi there,

Last Tuesday Jim and I went fishing to Shoal Bay.
We left at gentlemen hour, after he dropped his beloved at work, and picked me up at my place.
Yes some people have to work during the week while other are going fishing, and usually I am the one at work.
But having the day off, I tagged along, for a very pleasant day.

We launched at Buffalo Creek, where we quickly saw our first croc of the day.

Crocodile and fishermen.

This was not a prehistoric monster, yet it was still a crocodile, and I prefer to try to keep an eye on them. Specially when they are that close from the boat ramp.

From there we made our way to Shoal Bay, with the intention of flicking our lures to every snag that we would find.

Upon arrival, I was surprise to see the water being so clear, a rare sight around Darwin. We could see every under water snag, and even the bottom. This prompted me to use a Reidy's Junior B52, as they have a slow rising action that I really wanted to be able to see and measure, if I may say.

First cast was interesting, and i did a second one a bit longer.

Twitch twitch the lure goes down, pause, it rises at a very slow pace, nearly resting in position.

This was beautiful, and a good way of understanding how this lure is swimming.

Twitch twitch again, pause, twitch twitch and pause, I was thinking that I like the action of this lure, as it was slightly rising in the water column. When a little Barramundi materialised itself just under my lure, swimming straight for it. Twich the lure, pause, and Wham! The Barramundi turn in front of the lure, boofed it and turn away from me to swim back in its deep lair. Except that it didn't went very far before realising that it was hooked and made a bee line for the surface, where it erupted like a little rocket.

Jim had just told me that the last time that he was in this spot every Barra were giving some great aerial show, this one didn't disappoint. 

It went a bit all around the boat, before finding the entrance of the net, that Jim had placed on his way, and yes! We had a Barramundi on board, in a record short time.

First Barramundi of the day.

At 64 cm (25.19685 inches), it was not very large, but a fish is a fish, and most certainly when it is a Barramundi! I was happy, I had a fish to bring back home, good food for the family.

I told you that it came full frontal of the lure before boofing it, here is the result of it:

Lure head down in the Barramundi mouth.

We knew then that we were on the right spot, as soon after that, Jim was on a fish too, which had also taken his lure head first:

Lure in Barramundi mouth.

Jim first Barramundi for the day.

Yes, this was going to be a good day.

It was then a matter of minutes, before Jim was on again, and this time it was some kind of Trevally:

Jim and the Trev.

Not really one of these monsters that you chase on big popper… In fact I was wondering why it even attacked the lure? Greed or competition I guess…

We continued to drift aided by the electric motor, and to cast  to the mangrove lined bank when Jim got another one! And this time he was back on target with a Barramundi:

Jim's second Barramundi of the trip.

This was getting fun.

We could see when the fish were going to grab our lures.

I then decided to try a Ceto Tackle lure in a colour that I hadn't try yet, and loved the way it cast. Like a bullet.

I got a little cod on it:

Rock Cod on a Ceto Tackle lure.

The action of this lure is the opposite of the lure that I was using previously. It rise on retrieve, and dive on the pause. So a bit dangerous in very snaggy country, so I didn't use too long as I didn't want to loose it. I went back to the little one that had got me a Barramundi earlier.

And we decided to cross the bay to try another creek, the water was flat like a glass.

Crossing a flat Shoal Bay.

As we arrived to our new destination, we saw a baby crocodile, who must have been waiting for us:

Baby Crocodile in the mangroves.

By then the water had risen considerably, for a neap tide, and was now well and truly in the mangrove. I thought that I needed to fish deeper to get a fish in these condition. To remedy I put a weedless soft plastic on, and started to let it drop as deep as it would go. but with no success. So I made a long cast, deep in the timber, and joked that it would be hairy to catch a Barramundi over all this wood… Shouldn't have joked about it, it happened…

The fish took my line between the branches, I could see the line rubbing along the dead wood, and the fish jumping on the other side of it. I might have been a bit excited back then as to me, it was a sure thing that I was going to loose this one. Jim manoeuvred his boat to get as close as possible from the branches and trunks that were between us and this feisty little Barra. He even found a direct line, without any obstacle to cut my line. Reeling like a maniac, I was able to get it through, and near the boat. Jim did his thing with the net, and Voilas! My second Barramundi was on the deck:

A sweet little Barramundi.

This one had given me some serious fishing adrenaline, and in the water it went back.

Not to be outdone, Jim caught a bigger one just after that.

Not even letting me the time to savour my little victory.

Another Barra for Jim.

This one was rather nice, and Jim kept it, in the esky it went.

He didn't wast too much time to get another one, but a little bit smaller…

Baby Barramundi on Rapala.

Then Jim got two hit on the same retrieve, enough to get us excited.

Immediately I cast my lure in the vicinity of his cast and yes, I can see some fish following my lure, but turning back at the last second. They are fast and long, Queenfish maybe? We are not sure but want to catch one of them. We both cast our lures again, and I am on! 

The fish is rapid and goes from right to left in no times. Going deep, and then on the top, then down again. What is it?

Well, it wasn't a queenfish, and I am sure that for the ones among you who have fished these waters before, you might be starting to get an idea… 

It is long, fast, go in every direction possible, and is grey looking…

Yes, I had at the end of my line a little shark!

Lucky me, it was rather small:

A little shark, taken on a lure.

They are very good food, and I sometimes keep one. But as I already had a Barramundi in the esky, this one went back swimming to tell the tale to his mates.

This is about when we saw the storm, lighting an all, coming our way:

Storm on the way.

Now, from what I heard, storm on Shoal Bay, can be a bit rocky. So we started to make our way back, just in case. With the goal of fishing closer to home, so we could make a quick escape if things turned a bit sour, weather wise.

Closer we went, and started fishing again.

And Jim got the fish of the day!

Monster Barramundi.

Yes, it did attack a lure…

Greedy little thing.

Then he got a cod, and watching the rain falling around us we decided to go home.

Rain on the bay.

All in all it was a great day. We had started not too early, and went back home not too late.

Life was smiling on us.

Thanks again Jim, for a great day on the water.

So we didn't catch any super sized Barra…

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.

A Morning Between The Vernon Islands.

Hi there,

We were very lucky my work colleagues, Gavin, Michael, and I, to be invited to go fishing for a Sunday morning between the Vernon Island, aboard the Barraddiction.
This fine boat belong to a very good fisherman and great photographer called Peter.
This was the third time that I had been invited to fish with Peter, and what a treat this was going to be.

We left just after 5:00am from the Nightcliff boat ramp, and after zooming in the dark for about 45 kilometre, we arrived at destination for day break.

Sunrise between the Vernon Islands.

This was Michael first fishing trip since he arrived in the N.T to work and live.

And on the first drop he hooked a Mackerel!

I think that by then, my own jig had not touched the bottom yet.

This seemed to be a nice fish, and it was taking some nice runs, making Michael work hard for his first fish from the Territory waters.

But then the Mackerel started to jump out of the water, and Peter quickly said: "Free spool it!" And them in a much calmer voice he explained to our new comer that if a hooked Mackerel jumps, it is because they have a shark breathing on their neck...

So Michael did as told to, and the mack started to go on the other side of the boat.

After a while the bail arm was back on the line and the mack was being pulled back toward the boat,  with all of us trying to see the fish or what was going on in the water...

Then some big splashes erupted not very far from us and that was it for this poor Mac, it had been done by the sharks...

Michael reeled in a line cut, he had lost his first mack and his lure...

Welcome to fishing in the Territory!

Was what someone said, and I can promise you that it wasn't me.

Peter drove the boat back to make a second drift over the mark, and told us to drop our jigs.

And this time it was his turn to be on, and he got a nice Queenfish.

Peter's first fish of the day.

This was a nice and healthy fish still full of kick, so it was released.

Then Michael got another Queenfish, which was full of scare all over it's body.

That was a big fish, and it must have been very close to end up Shark's dinner, on one of it's lucky day.

So he deserved to be released too.

Then my jig got hooked, but on the reef, not into a fish...

Peter drove the boat back and the lure un-hooked itself from whatever was holding it. So as we were going back to the mark, I was reeling the lure and could feel its weight in the water, when suddenly, nothing... I secretly hopped that a big fish had taken it and was swimming in the same direction that us, but faster. 

Alas no, I had just been cut at the knot by what must have been a mack.

Yes this also is part of fishing at the Vernon.

Then as we were over a mark again every body dropped their jig and started to furiously reeled them in, when Peter said: " Ho I can see some big fish on the sounder".

Of course, I then stopped to fish to come and have a look at what fishes on the sounder look like. This was captivating but I soon realised that while I watched a screen, my companion were fishing and getting hits or hooked on some fish.

It was quickly time for me to get back into it.

And then it finally happened to me.

Something that I had heard of, but never experienced yet, my lure was taken on the dropp, not on the retrieve. The line which was dropping behind the lure in the water, suddenly accelerated and seemed to go more away than down, in an opposite way than the drifting boat. So I gave one turn of the handle, and the reel immediately started to scream.

Someone asked me if I was on the reef again or if that was a fish. It didn't take long to figure out that this was a fish.

Truly enjoying the moment.

(This photo is copyrighted by Gavin D.)

This fish took a first long and fast run, before I was able to gain a bit of line.

But it was a heavy fish, much heavier than what I had got in a long time.

Maybe even the heavier ever...

I had some real trouble to get any line back, and really had to pump the rod to get a bit of line back, before it would go for another run.

This lasted long enough for all the other to stop fishing and look with anticipation at what fish was in the end of the line.

It was heavy enough for someone to suggest that I may have a shark on the line.

But no, I knew it, this was the massive Spanish Mackerel that I have been dreaming for,  since a long time.

It was so heavy, I could not see the colour of it, impossible to get it to the surface.

Then it suddenly came to the surface, and was a bit smaller than I had anticipated for the fight he was giving me. But he wasn't alone, a shark was just behind it, and bitted the mac tail of in one single very clean cut, like if it had gone on a chopping board...

I was then able to get it to the boat before that shark came back for a second serve and Peter gaffed it.

Look: No tail!

Sure, some of you might wonder how come I was not able to reel in a mac of that size...

Well in fact for the truth to be told, it was hooked on the belly and had been able to alway swim away from me.

I had been unable to turn it toward me and this had given him an advantage, as long as the sharks didn't moved in.

Now the positive in that?

Well, for a moment I really did believe that I had just caught a monster fish, and that was great.

Also, it was bled even before being in the boat, this is what I would call efficient fishing.

Of course not long after that, Gavin was to hook on a nice mackerel too and to boat it in full, with a lure firmly placed between the fish jaws.

Someone then said to my address: "Hey you, look this is how it should be done, with the lure in the fish's mouth!"

To this I simply replied that this was so common that I still preferred to hook them in he belly.

What else could I say?

Then on another drop both Peter and Gavin were hooked at the same time, Gavin on a mack and peter to a GT. As Michael had never caught a GT before, Peter handed him his rod.

Double hook up.

Michael with his first GT.

Gavin with his Mackerel.

We then changed from the chromies for fast jigging to some slow type of jig to bounce near the bottom of the water column. Which of course resulted on another nice Queenfish for Peter.

This was interesting to me, as I had alway fished for Queenfish going as fast as I could with chrome slice near the surface, or with poppers. I had then naturally assumed that the queenfish were top water fish. This was an interesting eye opener. 

Queenfish jumps.

And a bit later on, Gavin hooked on something close to the sea floor, which put a serious bent in his fishing rod.

Is that bent or what?

This was a nice Trevally that we all but Gavin, estimated to be around one or two kilo...

Heavier than 2 kilo...

In fact in must have been closer to nine than to two kilo, this was a pretty nice fish.

Then it was time to go back, and I didn't understand why, as it seemed that we had just arrived.

But a quick check of my watch told me a different story, we had already been there all morning. It had just flew by as fast as when you have a great time fishing.

I had been a bit sick in the week prior to this trip, and had to take a bit of time off from work. In fact I nearly canceled my participation in this escapade on the day before the D day, as I was feeling a tad unfit. But I didn't want to let the opportunity to go fishing at the Vernon, and I do not regret going there. This was once again a great time on the water, with some good camaraderie and some great fishes.

We were back at the boat ramp at around 12:30pm and I was home early enough to have an afternoon nap. 

No, not a nana nap, a power nap...

Thanks again Peter for inviting us on your boat, that was a great morning.

So do I have not caught the Moby Dick of the Spanish Mackerel world yet?

No, not yet...

But hey, it could be worse.

Have a good day,

Me.

Two outings in the same day, for no fishes...

Hi there,


Yes you read it right, I was lucky enough to do both in the same day: East Point from the rocks in the morning, and East Point from the sea in the evening...
And what did I had for dinner later in the evening of this glorious day, you may ask?
Chicken soup because I could not get any good fish in two fishing session!


So now you know, no need to hurry to the pics...


In fact I should have known from the start that it was going to be a beautiful day, but without any glory on the fishing front.
First I woke up early, got out of a nice and warm bed, to got in the dark and cold night to one of my favourite land based spot...
And what did I found on my way to it?
A closed door:

Bad fishing omen

So yes when you arrive full of anticipation and found a door that should have been open about an hour ago closed...
Any wise man would read it as a sign from the fishing gods, and quietly return to his beloved, and a warm bed...
I wasn't wise, I was greedy and saw it as a challenge.
So I quietly sat and waited...
Finally a guy came and opened the door, just as I had started to leave, so I though: Great now the action will start!


Well it didn't...


First I arrived there while it was still dark.
And walking on the rocks, I started to see crocodiles every where:
" No there was no dead tree there the last time I was here, this must be a croc! Flash of the torch light on it: Driftwood...
Ho my god this one is surly a croc! Flash of the torch light on it: It just a rock that must have been there for the past 80 000 years..."
And so on, I guess you start to see the picture by now... I was just croc obsessed and could not relax as I had planned too...


And when the first light finally came I started by using a big popper and in the first few cast I saw a very big fish come to it and splash around it and bump it a few time, but it didn't hook. I don't know what it was but was big enough to get my heart racing...
And that was the one and only action I got for my effort for the morning...
Nothing else.


The water was clear, flat, and no wind it should have been a perfect morning.


So I went back home relatively early and spend the rest of the day with my family.


Then in the afternoon my friend Carl called me and asked what I was up to...
This is often a sign that the next question is going to be: "Do you want to go fishing?"
And it was !
So a quick plan was made to hit East Point from his boat in the end of the afternoon early evening.


So this is what we did...
And the idea was that from the boat we would be able to target the school of Tuna, Mackerels or Queenfish that I didn't saw in the morning.
Well, like in the morning, flat and calm sea, very clear water, and not a bird or fish in view... Like a beautiful but deserted sea...

The no fish sunset.

Not to be defeated, we though that we would catch some little reefies and use them as live bait all the while keeping some rod at the ready with chrome slices for when the pelagics would come...
Yes we did got some reefies and used them, but the pelagics never came.


We were entertained by all the little reefies, mostly Parrot Fish and Stripy that kept eating our squid bait, but the big line stayed untouched.
Then, I started to see the tip of my rod with the Parrot Fish at the end (yes I was trying to replicate Double Haul great catch from last year at the same spot, same technic, same bait, that how he got a +14 kilos Spanish Mac...) starting to move. I looked at the float, and I could see it turing in circle, faster and faster...
Then... ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzing the thing went of!
Quick I grabbed it and started what I would describe as a good and very honest fight, with us starting to shout and scream like two exited fisho who finally see with excitment the action for which they came for.
The call was made for a nice but not huge mac, but when the thing was finally under the boat, it made a very fast and powerful run, going in all direction at once!
Ha! 
This might actually be a very nice mac in fact!


Then I got him back to the boat again as we saw the colour of it...
A medium sized shark.
I should have taken a photo of it, as I don't know what specie was this one, it was not a black tip. 
He was kind of brownish, with a white belly and teeth big enough to already grab a finger or two if we weren't carful.
Even if I do enjoy eating a shark once in a while, with shark being more useful in the sea than in my plate, we released it.


And back to the little reefies action it was...
Then it was Carl's reel who started to sing, and this time we said: I bet you that this is another shark!
And... It was...
But as we were debating who was going to get the hook back from this new set of fangs, the shark obligingly spat back the bait and the hook.
Nice job!
So with that Carl didn't even had to rebait his line and just chucked it back in the water.


Five minutes latter, his line started to peel of again!
Another battle and another shark at the boat side...


Now some people would say: "Another stinking shark!"
But not us, in fact it was still some good and fun action.
And was certainly better than nothing.


And just as it came close to the boat, it did just what the last one had done and spitted the bait and hook again.
Talk about luck!


So once again Carl was able to chuck his line back in the drink without re-baiting it...


After another few minutes, his rod that he had just nonchalantly rested on the boat gunwale started to go: click... click... click....
So I told him: Your fishing rod is about to go for a swim...
So he took hold of it and immediately Bam! The pull was very sudden and very violent, and the line was broken before he had the time to do anything.
Yes if he hadn't grabbed it a second before it would definitively have gone for a swim...


So with the darkness descending upon us, we decided to go back home early, without any fish, but still having had a good time and a few good laugh on the water.


So What did I learnt from this two fishless trips in the same day?
Well, that sometime even in perfect conditions the fishes are not biting.


But hey, it could be worse.
Have a good day,
Me.