Fishing The Fly Scotland

Index => Rivers & Lochs => Topic started by: Sandy Nelson on 02/04/2010 at 01:57

Title: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 02/04/2010 at 01:57
Finally got out fishing with my fly rod whilst away on the Gold coast.
I met up with a guy i've spoken too on Sexyloops and the Australian Saltwater fly fishing forums.
The internet can be a wonderful place.

So Despite them having had 4 weeks of storms before we arrived, the weather decide to improve and we had the perfect opportunity to get out, on my Birthday of all days. Who belives in fate :z7
So i turned up, eventually :roll at Scarborough harbour on the sunshine coast, north of Brisbane.
Voltzy was there waiting with his boat.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/boat.jpg)

I put all the gear together to finally use it in anger.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/allthegear.jpg)

We set off ,out into Moreton bay to look for longtails. We eventually found some birds doing what they do best, showing us where the fish were :z16. it was an amazing sight.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/fish.jpg)

I've seen it in books and on the TV, but to see it for real was quite awesome. This was a huge shoal of Frigate Mackeral, which is one of the smaller tuna, but a tuna none the less despite its name :z3 At times the shoal was over 100m in diameter feeding on Bay anchovies. However they were moving at about 25kph so you no sooner got within casting range, fired off about 3 casts if all went well :roll and then they had moved too far so you had to shift the boat.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/perserverance.jpg)

Every 3rd or 4th time we hit the shoal i managed to hook up, it required that Tried and tested method the Rolypoly, Baz would be proud :z4

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/rolypoly.jpg)

But it was well worth it, the fish might have all been identical size about 3lbs.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/frigate2.jpg)

But they fair put a bend in the 9wt rod, and stripped line off the reel.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/fishon.jpg)

I caught a few over the morning and got a few shots at some longtails (20-30lbers) that were feeding at the edge of the larger shoal.
They were impossible to photo and i didn't get a pull from them, but i did get a few flies into the right place, and with the speed these fish move, i was well chuffed i managed that :z12
Here are a few more frig's

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/frigatemack.jpg)

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/morefrigs.jpg)

Later on we found another disturbed Bait ball and gave it a go. With my typical luck i caught a few Yakka's and some Tarpon about the same size :shock

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/yakka.jpg)

So i caught 3 new species for my day out, saw some awesome longtails, experienced bait balls being crashed, smelt the fish in the air. I had such a great time with great company, it was worth the wait. We also had some interesting fishing buddies sidle up to the boat for a nosey.

(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/fishingbuddies.jpg)

Didn't see any sharks, but given the predictions after the storms, we were lucky to find any fish at all, never mind get the chance to have a few good casts at some longies.
All in, a fantastic way to spend your birthday :z18

Next flyfishing trip is likely to be be at Haddo, so i'll leave the 9wt at home :z4

Sandy




Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Hamish Young on 02/04/2010 at 07:21
Nice - very nice  :z16
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Paul Rankine on 02/04/2010 at 12:43
Hi Sandy,
                 Looks OK I suppose.
 :z4

Nice One.
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Stuart Smith on 02/04/2010 at 18:16
very nice

i had the same luck in sydney harbour on my bosses boat but the tuna were the bail fish.it took hours but i hooked one of the king fish that were chasing them.it snapped my 9 weight on its first run but when i got it in it was about 4ft long

it is a sight i will never forget watching the kings smash through the shoals of tuna

god i wish i was back in oz

stuart
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Iain Goolager on 02/04/2010 at 20:50
Happy belated birthday Sandy :z18

Nice report and fish - lucky devil. :z16

Not too sure about this though;
Quote
I met up with a guy i've spoken too on Sexyloops and the Australian Saltwater fly fishing forums

The last time I organised a date with 'someone' off of the internet it turned out to be a 6' 2" builder from Wolverhampton  :shock

we still write  :z4

Well done again

Iain
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Mike Barrio on 03/04/2010 at 01:17
Awesome Sandy ............ that looks like fun! :z12

Thanks for the report and photos :cool:

Cheers
Mike
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 03/04/2010 at 01:33
Quote from: Goolager on 02/04/2010 at 20:50

The last time I organised a date with 'someone' off of the internet it turned out to be a 6' 2" builder from Wolverhampton  :shock

we still write  :z4


Why does this not surprise me :z4 :z4 :z4

Cheers

Sandy
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Irvine Ross on 03/04/2010 at 14:28
Sandy

Looks like a great day out.

How come there are 3 propellers fitted to such a small boat  :z8

Irvine
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 03/04/2010 at 15:42
No idea
but if you look carefully there are 4 :shock

I think it has something to do with crusing on flats and creeping up on fish
was too busy looking for fish to ask questions about the boat :grin

sandy
Title: Re: Moreton Bay, Queensland
Post by: Barry Robertson on 05/04/2010 at 17:14
Great report Sandy, nice rolly pollying gloves  :wink