Fishin’ Maggie
What’s New on the Rock
It’s that time of year when the Lions mane (Snotty) Jellyfish infest our waters. Sunday they were joined by bluebottles and the odd Box Jellyfish. While the Snotties are harmless they make it annoying to snorkel and spearfish, and the other types of course are painful. Be careful during water sports this month.
I saw hundreds of university students getting off the ferry on Saturday. I don’t know what was happening but my first thought was whether all the activity people on the Island had been informed, so they could open for business, or prepare staff. Can anyone fill me in on the details please?
LM told me his Dad pulled the bung out of his boat to drain the water out while driving his tinny, and held it up to show everyone, where it promptly got ripped from his hand by the wind and lost to the ocean. That meant of course the end of fishing trip and back to shore to Magnetic Adventure & Hire for a new one. If the motor had failed it would have been finger in the hole, or a frantic search for a quick alternative.
Sunday I saw another example of bad boatmanship, as some boaties pulled in too close to other boats in the shallows near the Marlin Bar. Lowering their anchor only a little they headed off to play. Because the anchor was barely on the bottom the boat spun 360 deg and started dragging and hitting other boats. Eventually they were located and the situation resolved. Some people need more training in boat skills and also etiquette.
Fishing Maggie by Land
Forget WestPoint for the moment, it has been suffering from lack of bait and has been extremely quiet. Although still a spectacular sunset picnic spot, particularly with the afternoon clouds providing wonderful colours, don’t expect to add fish to your dinner plate while you are out there. Fortunately other areas are performing much better, like Nelly Bay.
Sarah and Evan scored big Saturday night, landing a thumping Barra in the Harbour. Evan came in to Magnetic Adventure & Hire and bought a cast net and some tackle for a relaxing Saturday night fishing with his wife and a couple of coldies. Relaxing in the evening, their chatting and drinking was happily interrupted when the rod drag screamed as the line peeled off at a rate of knots.
After a battle the hefty Barra was beached and the couple celebrated with another drink. The best Barra to eat are our own golden salties.
Wayne joined the list of anglers catching big Mangrove Jacks. Even the Spearo’s have reported more Jacks than they have seen in years around the harbour, and Nelly Bay. Are they here following the bait?
From the Boats
Despite some rough days, some local boats managed to get out to the reef.
The Nelly Bay Trout boys went out Saturday and worked hard to get 10 Trout in what was a very quiet fishing day. Some trips are outstanding and some are hard work, but you can’t beat the anticipation on the way out, it’s such a buzz.
Nigel and his apprentice had a top reef trip working soft plastics and poppers around Brittamar Reef. Nigel had a stonker of a flowery cod smash his popper and go straight under a chunk of reef before he could stop it. Not a person to give up Nigel dived in and pulled the cod with lure from its hidey hole and got a pic plus his lure back. The boys had a great session working lures in close to the reef in their Tinny.
Ray and I went to investigate some new marks, midweek, with one looking like a possible mostly untouched wonky hole, (more investigation next trip.) It was a tough days fishing with the normal mix of Pelagic action, but no Reds for dinner. We were sitting off one mark that I hope is not known by many when we saw a boat heading straight for us. They barrelled out to within 10 meters and opened up a dialogue, asking what was down there, and being very invasive. They claimed they had no marks and were from Cairns. After a few minutes of their crap we left and the mongrels promptly anchored right over our mark.
The winds are looking to drop out Friday and Saturday. The fishing tip is… fish at night, the action is much better than the daytime fishing.
Remember, “To the world it may be just one fish but to me it is the world”
Until next time gone Fishin’…. be back at dark-thirty
Cheers Dale
Fish’n N Fuel’n
36 Mandalay Ave, Nelly Bay 4778-5126
For all of your fishing and hire gear. Weekly specials. We hire and sell fishing rods, and snorkel equipment, plus sell bait, tackle, ice spear fishing equipment, Toys, Party and convenience supplies. Check out Kooler 24 hour Ice 7kg $4. Specials Bins
Rod and reel repair available.