Fishin’ Maggie
Wrapping Up The Week
Does anyone know who towed a big old tinny way out past Horseshoe Bay and sunk it for a new fishing spot? Our Prawn Trawler owners would love to hear from you after it caught their nets and caused damage. That sort of stuff is extremely dangerous and destructive to trawlers and trawling nets.
Cockle Bay is being transformed as boats are being given marching orders by MSQ or simply disappearing. After the big Catamaran (formerly Sun Cat) was taken without owner permission, other boats have been given removal orders. Another Maggie ex residents’ boat has been removed from the water as a risk via MSQ and is now in dry dock in Townsville. I see the one in the Cockle Bay Channel is still there, many want it removed, although others use it as a navigation marker showing the start of Cockle Bay’s dredge Channel.
I wanted to stay away from dog stories this week, but some lovely locals were telling me they were confronted by an exuberant dog off leash and the woman nearly fell over, and being not well, she could easily have been injured. When she mentioned to the owner that the dog should be restrained very politely, she was subject to a verbal assault. I will say this, Maggie is home to many special people, yeah you know you are, but we all need to respect each other and especially respect our natural treasures. People don’t come to see dogs walking down the road with our wildlife is its jaws, as was posted last week on Facebook. People don’t want to be knocked over by your pooch. Half the money on the island is generated by tourism and we rely on it to survive. I’m sure you know everyone comes to see a Koala, it’s our big drawcard. We should look after them and dogs off leash equals a danger to koalas and more. (By the way baby Jedi is doing well at the Koala hospital.)
Here’s a new customer question for my “special” questions book? “Do some of the bays have more males than females, and which bay would have the most males?” Now it’s not that I didn’t want to answer, I just didn’t want to know why he asked.
The Fishing Stuff
Yes, I will stop the Barra stories, except for these last 2. The final Barra caught just the day before Barra closure on the island a was mammoth 118cm monster caught at Horseshoe Bay by Matt during dinner on a mate’s boat. That’s tinny, by any standards. His mate Chris unfortunately, had been working hard on Barra each night at the boat ramp in the lead up to the closure. On the first day of closure, he changed his tactics targeting Fingermark, but you guessed it landed a big Barra instead. Totally devastated, he quickly got it back in the water and forlornly watched it swim away, with others watching as well. Timing can be everything, but at least Chris has had some success with big Fingermark off the beach. These powerful fish give nearly as good a fight as Barra and many think they taste better.
For those with Facebook, the video of 30 or more meter plus Barra smashing bait in the marina last week made riveting watching. We all know they are there, but they are just smarter than us, (me anyway) except when they gather to spawn, hence the fishing ban. Don’t worry they will still be there next year snapping your lines around the pylons. FYI meter Barra are about 8-9 years old and usually female so that’s why they are still beating us.
The run of top weight Flathead continue, are they schooling for breeding as well? Dozens of Flatties have succumbed to lures in Nelly Bay, Cockle Bay and Young Bay. 45-70 cm on the dropping tide these fish are getting more active than we have seen for a long time.
I see the Mackerel Gods have been protecting the Grey Mack’s big November run this year again with strong winds, just the same as last year. We will beat you one day, weather permitting. For the record Horseshoe Bay has seen some stonker Greys’s last weekend but this time they have guards, Spaniards and big Cuda’s, lure destroyers. Many local anglers running lighter Grey mackerel rigs have been cleaned up. Its good for business but bad for the pocket. Next week I suggest going up a notch, light wire, 50lb leader, and sharpen your hooks.
Those big Tuna are still smashing lures in Horseshoe Bay just off the points and in good numbers. Although frustrating when chasing Mack’s, they give you a damn good fight. This weekend looks okay for boating, Sunday Monday and into next week. Let’s hope so, because the bait schools are thick!
Until next time gone Fishin’…. be back at dark-thirty
Cheers Dale
Magnetic Adventure & Hire/MI Rentals
36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay 4778-5126
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