Kayak fishing in the Maroochy River - Fun with plastics

The 3 m waves and 10knot winds made a beach launch and offshore fish not really an option again this weekend. Plan B; I met up with another kayaker; Dan and hit the Maroochy river @ 8:30am from near swan boat hire. The plan was to get some livies and try for some flathead or a jew since they have been on the chew lately. For the life of use we could not find any bait and when we did they were too deep. We trolled around a bit and flicked a few plastics and got a few hits. I picked up a 50cm flathead around swan boat hire on a gulp pumpkin seed, t-tail on a 1/12 jig head; a wonderful way to christen the new Stradic Ci4 2500.

50cm Flatty

We then trolled to the cod hole to fish the change of high tide, as soon as I arrived I picked up a small trevally on the plastic.

Small trevally

Then several minutes later a nice big bream @ 33cm on the plastic again.

33cm Bream

The tide changed the the fish shut down, Dan and I trolled around to no avail. I worked one of the edges of the cod hole following some shapes just of the bottom and picked up this fat bream. Despite him trying to fertilize my kayak I had enough fish in the bag and let him go.

Fat bream

We spotted some birds working near swan boat hire and we paddled over but by the time we go there the bait, tailor and birds were nowhere to be found.

The keepers.

Dinner.

Unfortunately Dan did not get onto anything this time, sorry bud.

Cheers
Dan

Kayak fishing with my dog Ollie

Winds were up this weekend and didn't head offshore, instead I thought i'd do some light trolling around Maroochy river with my red kelpie, Ollie.

She didn't last too long and was quickly distracted by birds, wanting to jump off and chase them so I returned her back to the dry shore. I trolled around for a few hours, I hooked up a nice bream and a a few small fish which went back in the drink. No monsters today.

Ollie took about 2 hours to devour her new toy when we got home, she is getting pretty efficient at it these days.

Cheers
Dan

Kings Beach to Bray Rock Snapper on Trolled Lure

I braved the forecast 10knot winds early and launched from Kings @ around 6am to try and get that big snapper with my name on it.

I trolled to bray rock, I got 2 pike about 5 min in which managed to tangle themselves up well good and had to re-rig of of the lines but it was good to see my first attempt at trolling a blade seemed to be working.

Pike on Blade

I got to Bray rock and the wind and chop was making it a rough, wet and cold ride. Shortly after reaching the rock both rods buckled over, I felt both and wound the overhead with the halco laser pro on. Landed a nice big snapper, all of 62cm and 8cm over my pb. I went to wind in the blade but it was attached to the reef and not coming back

62cm Snapper

Me and the Snapper

On the new brag mat


The rest of the morning involved peddling up wind, setting the drogue, flicking plastics, nothing, try this again. I must admit the new drogue worked really well but unfortunately the fish didn't come to the party. I saw what I thought was a bustup 100m away and peddled as fast as I could but on closer inspection found 5 or so dolphins doing a few tricks. I caught a small sweetlip on the way back.

Sweetlip

Cheers
Dan

Maroochy River Giant Trevally

The winds were up this morning as predicted so I didn't get offshore today, decided to have a go at cast netting bait from the kayak in the maroochy river. I launched at picnic point and headed for chambers island It took me some time to find some bait fish on the sounder and on my 4th attempt I hauled in a full net of bait fish, a bit bigger in size than I am used to. I trolled a hard body lure and a weighted livey around chambers and hooked up a small gt on the lure, but it unhooked itself next to the kayak before I could net it.

It was then quiet so I headed to the cod hole, nothing there but many boats. Headed back and around chambers Island my livey rod buckled over and took off. It had an unstoppable run so I set the rod down and wound in the other rod. By the time I got back to the rod it had about 150m on me and was still going, at this point I thought it might be a ray but could feel distinct kicks and was confused. I caught up to it after 5 min and got my first glance at a big GT... but it wasn't done yet, another big run and I was getting nervous about my 6lb fc leader holding so I backed off the drag and gave it another 5 min before I got it yakside and netted. It measured in 54cm, not bad for an estuary on 6lb outfit.

Giant Trevally 54cm

Giant Trevally 54cm

I checked my leader and I was right, nearly worn through and was very lucky to land this fish. I did hesitate in keeping it after it gave me such a valiant fight but as I had caught nothing else I kept it for dinner.

Smile for the camera

I threw on another livey and headed for home, I got 500 meters and I noticed some hits on the livey and wound it in, 3 times something had a go. I got the bait fish beside the kayak and found a small and ambitious flathead trying to take a fish half it's size, I let it keep trying beside the kayak and eventually it managed to hook itself.

Aggressive little flatty

Released it and headed home. I had stuck a ruler sticker to the paddle but found it really hard to measure and photograph the fish well. I cooked it up for the misses; crumbed with crispy smashed potato and salad. It tasted much nicer than I expected, very nice actually and i'm glad i kept it.


Cheers
Dan

Kings Beach to Bray Rock Snapper and Longtail Tuna

After not being able to launch at Kings the day before I was keen to try again. The surf looked much better. Met up with some fellow kayakers and launched at around 6:30am. The beach launch went well until I realized that I had forgot to take the wheels out... I swore a lot as I had stayed pretty dry and now I had to do it all over again and get much wetter. I trolled out to Bray rock, and around a bit without a touch.

Beautiful Morning

There were half a dozen other kayaks and boats out there. Tried some plastics and the 4" nuclear chicken got some action, 3 hookups but all spitting it. Tried a hook on the jig and landed a 35cm squire on the 6lb outfit which was fun, let him go. I then landed a pike?

Pike?

Squire

It was quiet the rest of the day until I got my plastic too close to a long tail tuna, the 2500 symetre screamed and after 2min and 2 runs I had lost half my line, i tightened the drag; well below the 6lb breaking strain but no soon having done this the line went slack, the braid had cut my leader. My friend was nearby and kindly showed me how to do a proper double uni knot for next time.


There were alot of longtail tuna about today but the only hookups I heard about was mine and another yakker how also hooked up on a blade using 4lb braid, needless to say that didn't end well.

Broke the rudder pin on the way back in but I needed to order a spare one anyway, I realized today I need to rethink my rod/reel combination.

Dan

Maroochy River Flathead on Hardbody Lures

I wanted another snapper session offshore this weekend with the good weather predicted so I headed to Kings Beach Saturday morning. The water looked real nice but the surf break looked a challenge and as nobody else showed I headed to the Maroochy river for a quick troll. Launched at picnic point and it was very busy on the water. I tried trolling around chambers island with nothing but a small hit. Netted some livies and tried the cod hole with no avail. Trolled back to chambers island and tried some livies from my DIY bait tube. I was rewared with 4 flathead within 15min.

flathead #1

flathead #2

flathead #3

flathead #4

Happy with the results I headed home.

Dan

Kings Beach to Bray Rock Snapper

I arrived at Kings Beach, Caloundra at 5:30am in complete darkness and near freezing conditions. I had only worn board shorts and was feeling the cold. The conditions looked perfect for snapper, plenty of chop and the recent cold weather should have them up and feeding. I had a work bbq that afternoon and was hoping to catch a snapper to throw on the grill.

Sunrise peddling to bray rock

I launched the Hobie Outback at around 6:15am with some fellow kayakers that had turned up. I was a bit nervous about my second beach launch; my first beach launch saw me getting wet and humiliated. I was much more prepared this time and stowed my rods in my DIY rod storage setup and DIY rod leashes. I dropped the rudder down, pulled the wheels out, waited for a break in the surf and pulled the kayak out past the breaking waves before getting in and peddling off. Despite getting a little wet from the waves it was a very good launch.

I rigged up and trolled some Halco 150s Laser Pro's to Bray Rock; about 2.5kms. Both my new kayaker friend both reached Bray rock at the same time and both hooked up, I lost mine shortly after after it spat the hook. Where as my friend landed a 63cm snapper. I then trolled the laser pro and a RMG deep diver around this area for an hour or so and produced 3 snapper, the largest coming in 54cm. I tried throwing some 4" plastics around on my light gear but nothing was interested.

47cm Squire

Small Squire released

Fish Kept

I peddled back at 9:30am very happy with my results, especially with these being my first snapper. The surf landing was also good, I played it safe and jumped out before the breaking waves, waiting for a break before pulling the kayak ashore.

Dan