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