20150705 - Lee Point and glassy baitfish

Started off this last Sunday morning in Peter's boat at Dinah Beach Ramp before the sun was up

The wind that was in our faces was so way off the forecast that someone should sacked. The wind was howling 10-15 knots rather than the 1-5 knot forecast and in the opposite direction! The 30cm chop that pounded the boat ramp as soon as we were in the water – was not encouraging! Given it was supposed to be a lot calmer.

Still we headed out to Lee Point with no stops along the way - getting pretty wet in the wind swept and choppy harbour as we headed out to the front of the harbour and Lee Point. we wove through a large number of naval boats here for exercises in the Timor Sea in the next couple of weeks, even a large black submarine off Talc Head was seen. 

Once we arrived at Lee Point, while the water was very clear, we were still about an hour before the top of the ‘springish’ tide – and absolutely nothing was showing fish wise - and worse there was still lots of wind and a heavy chop coming all the way across from Shoal bay.

We moved around a bit searching the various spots near Lee Point. We hung around the area because we knew even though nothing was showing at the top of the tide as soon as it dropped a bit the baitfish would be funnelled around and over our favourite reef and its Spot 'X'.

It was pretty boring with nothing happening fish wise - so I was being lulled into sleep mode by the chop and wave action waiting for the pelagics to start slashing at the water surface.

At the reef we mostly target, the tidal current goes the opposite way you would expect given the swirl from Shoal bay and the flow in and out of the main harbour. High tide was 8:15am and at around 10am we started seeing action around the area. We chased a few in the area around the reef but quite flighty and inconsistent. So we kept heading back to our Spot X about 500m North-West off the tip of the beach of Lee Point. It’s a semi-circle reef section  that corrals the baitfish to gaps in the reef. Sadly for the bait fish the pelagics gang up on them in front and behind the reef as they slip though – but awesome fun for us. as it tells us where to cast.

Plus the wind had started to back off - so it was feeling quite nice out on the point 

For the next two hours it was if someone had touched a switch changing the attitude of the fish in the immediate area – total mayhem after a hour or two of nothing. Macks to 50-60cm, queenies were small 40-50cm but the odd big one over 60-70cm mixed in. 

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There were some absolutely huge slashes at times in the distance and once a large number of meter plus macks and queenies were right under the boat in very clear water easily seen harassing the big garfish and yellowtail pike who were also gorging themselves on the prolific numbers of small baitfish. The 20cm size garfish and pike were jumping everywhere to get out of their way.

The pike were also jumping about and flicking out of the water - right at the back of the boat. I was wondering why, when I finally had a closer look I saw a patch of the small baitfish next to the prop of the outboard, seemingly sheltering for safety near it. Thousands and thousands of them were in the area between us and the reef. I even scooped a few up to feed my large tropical fish at school. 

See video here for a clip on the bait hiding at the back of the boat around the motor.

We kept a few macks for the table and a couple of the bigger queenies. Off the side of the reef Peter got a nice 35cm stripie - one of the biggest I have seen since coming up here to Darwin, and we both caught a plethora of other reef species. There was a short period when the golden trevally were about but we only got one of them to hand. It was so brilliant in its yellow hues. I think the flies never got deep enough for them, with the queenies and macks taking most flies we cast

Once Peter was on a hot streak with the macks and as the new Deckie I would net the fish, and as we wanted a few for the table, I would wack its head to calm it down (that is kill it!) and head to back of boat to de-head it, bleed it and clean it. But before I had time to finish he had cast again and was hooked up again. He had three in the net and the one I was cleaning all in four casts. and the poor deckie wasn't getting any fishing in!!! wah wah wah!  poor me!

We used closuers of any type and colour – only size seemed the main criteria – if the fly equal to the size of the bait fish (4-5cm) and you got follows and hits. I mostly was using a grey over white clouser on size 1 hooks with beadchain eyes. We also used a silicone based surf candy I made up 20 of last week - which were if a touch longer than the actual baitfish - were an almost perfect match texture, colouring and size for the glassy baitfish everything was eating. note: I feel the silicone has a different sink rate to an all epoxy surf candy. Adding a different bite and feel in the mouth to the predator fish too.

After over two hours of great SWOFFING with fish after fish, and multiple double hookups - we left the fish biting and slashing at the bait and our flies as sadly I had to be back home for afternoon family stuff and we had a change of shift at the boat ramp between myself and Peter's wife and her daughter - for their family time (a picnic on the low tide sand bar off Cullen Bay). I hope the wind stayed calm for their outing.

Adding to our excitement of our SWOFFING was that it was another time when the fly reigned supreme with Peter and I being to only ones catching fish of any numbers of the 6 or so boats working the area. You just cant match the size and action of the targeted baitfish with metal slices or soft plastics which sink too fast - most of the takes we got where on subtly stripped flies rather than rapidly stripped ones. Casting the flies across the tidal current to drift the across the edges of the reef worked the best. It wasn't just cast long and strip fast - you had to think about it and cast accurately to the actively feeding fish. Longer cast were made almost full line length (wind assisted in my case) but most casts made were only 40-60feet. Even caught a few fish after dehooking a fish and tossing the fly to sink slowly right at back of the boat while washing hands of fish slime, such was the aggressive mood of the predator fish.

So now to clean a few fish I kept and cook them up for dinner.

See you on the water.

NT Swoffer 

Got an email from Jeff Watson - a fellow Darwinite SWOFFER - with this photo asking if this was me and Peter fishing. That's Peter up front and me in back with yellow shirt right on Spot X. Twice now he has been on the beach at Lee Point and seen us getting into the fish. He was land based and targeting sand whiting on the beaches. 

20150622 – All over Darwin Harbour – Twice

First Day of school holidays and first time using my own boat in several weeks

Was going to take out the volunteer bus driver from school but he was a bit under the weather

So it was just me fishing, which was fine…..

Up a little later than normal due to dropping Youngest daughter off at day care. Found out later in day she told everyone who would listen that Daddy was fishing today. Must teach her a new word – SWOFFING! As far better than fishing or dangling let alone trolling!

Having fueled up and iced up the day before so as soon as daughter was tucked into day care, it was a straight road to the boat ramp. Was on water by 7:45am. Would have been earlier but left chain on boat and after three attempts to jolt the boat off the trailer I remembered I stopped undoing chain as bolt had rusted frozen and needed pliers to get it undone.

Once up ramp a bit, undid the bolt – at least I had put the bungs in (who hasn’t at one time or another done that!) Steering free and easy, motor starts first try – awesome (has the school holiday curse been lifted????)

Quite windy, chop short and messy – I must have toughened up since my last sook about windy conditions the harbor seems to be producing, because I head out quite optimistic (unusual I know!)

Headed out to Shelly Island first – tide had two more hours of inflow before reversing, so the wharf side of island usually holds a few fish as this stage of tide.

Fish not in the usual tide line but out the front of the island, every few minutes bursting the surface attacking bait pushed up against the island shallows. Trevally, queenfish the main but a few of the typical slashes that suggest small macks mixed in with them. I hook up almost instantly, lost a few flies to macks, kept a bigger trevally for dinner. Tossed the rest back. A half hour of fun and they just disappeared as if they were never there.

Sorry pic not in focus - only one I took for the day too! have to pick up the standard.

Next stop was Caitlyn bay – nothing

East Point – macks about and lost two flies to them, Then some BIG queenies zipped in and out without taking my flies and scaring me as to their size and potential fight (that didn’t happen!)

With only a bit of incoming tide left, I raced out front to Lee Point (Deckie Peter in his boat in the previous afternoon wind lull got into a heap of fish, so I was hoping  they were still there)

On arrival very windy and subsequent swell and chop, no fish seen. After a half hour of blind casting I got two macks, and a queenie. But thought I would head back into main harbour to see what was about out of the wind

Would find a few birds working make a few casts catch a fish or two – then quite again. So off to another spot, rock bar, reef or current confluence. I made it all the way to back of Harbour and the Elizabeth River and an island just at mouth. Caught a few macks here, one with a perfect V cut behind its anal fin – just like one its mates had taken a chunk out it.

Back to Shellie Island, a few more fish on the outgoing tide. Next was Wickham point – now this was a great time

The water levels were dropping so the sand bar at the back of Wickham point was funnelling the water and thus  the bait through a narrow chute, confused and disorientated as they transverse the sandbar making them easy takings for the queenies and trevally waiting for them.

By the time I caught three the tide had dropped too far and the bait moved else where as too the predators.

First time for the day visit to Weed Reef – not much showing at usual halfway down tide locations. A few more of the usual for some blind casting.but that is boring. I love casting to fish busting up the surface. So off to Mandorah T bar reef south of wharf. Only very small stuff here.

Wind had been dropping off all morning – so headed for East Point. Nothing here of note. So out to Lee Point again.

Water was bubbling all over the reef. Mostly larger macks to 70cm, under them some 40cm goldens.

Was losing heaps of flies to the macks, so added on a haywire twist of 20lb single strand wire in front of the fly. Figure eight knot on end of wire to tie the mono leader to with a uni knot (slides down to figure 8 knot). Not much wire just 5cm or so. Still it impacted strike rates on the small white clousers I was using.

Caught 6 macks and a couple of goldens before it was time to head home. I have no nav lights so had to back at ramp before sun went down.

Had a 70cm+ golden on but lost it on second netting attempt after 15 minutes of struggle - where is the deckie when you need him!!! oh that's right working!

On way back in I fished East Point, Caitlyn bay, the area in front of the Deckchair Cinema and Shellie Island again for a few fish each location. Nothing huge, nothing constant – at least 50 fish over the 10 and half hours on the water but it seemed a hard day.
Averaged out to five fish an hour but lots of travelling time to and fro.

Twice around the harbour. Well maybe not around twice but at least it was out and in twice and lots of swerving from one side of the harbour to the other side and back.

It was almost the holiday curse back as I pulled the boat out. While the boat was on the trailer half way up the ramp I stopped and pulled the boat bungs - SADLY about 20 litres came out - damn! another keel crack!*^&*&%&#$^%#

But on filling it up with water when home not a leak (one very very tiny one (not near keel either) but certainly not 20 litres worth. So why why why...?????

Then I remember I haven't taken the boat out for at least four weeks which means the rain storm from three weeks ago was the culprit not a crack - thank goodness!!!!

It’s been a long time since I fished that long, let alone half the day in 5-10 knot winds.

What’s next? Thursday looks good for another time in and out of the harbour.

Until then..

One more thing on bungs -when I was pulling out after a long day - a couple of young blokes had left their bung out when they launched and by the time the ute driver got back to the boat the little tinnie was a third full of water. We hauled it up the ramp and let the water run out. Took four of us to haul it but tide was coming in so once water was out they wouldn't have issues relaunching it.
So make sure your bungs are in before launch next time out!

20141019 - Lee Point Trip Report

So was given Sunday morning off (again!)
And as much as I whinge about my wife she does let me go fishing quite a lot!

So just before 6am saw us launching at Nightcliff Boat Ramp
Just launched! As still quite shallow at the end of ramp when we launched given low tide in a little over three hours at 9:35am.

The wind was only slight, from north-east but predicted to increase at midday
We headed for Lee Point for the couple of hours we had

As soon as we arrived birds were working the edges of the reef lines running east west across the front of Lee Point land based rocks.
We were hooked up multiple times in a short period of time

Tarpon, Trevally, Queenfish and Mackerel were all mixed in  together -  creating a lucky dip to what would come the boat. the tarpon were most enjoyable, Having not caught them in the harbour since I got a few landbased off east point to 63cm on surface poppers a few years ago, it was nice to get into some very fit, thick shouldered tarpon - man are they good fighters for their size!!

Large shoals of baitfish were working their way through from the harbour proper towards Shoal Bay. The east west parallel reefs that are evenly spaced in line with Lee Point land based rocks funnel the baitfish and concentrate them making them easier targets for the pelagics.

While there were bust ups all over the place, we found one spot where the they were regularly attacking the baitfish - the large number of birds above this action helped us know exactly where they were.

We had some 50cm queenies get almost eaten by some monster fish while getting them in. Once a trevally of at least a metre and another time a metre plus cod (see video for brown blur of Cod as it swiped at the queenie).

We were into fish or chasing fish for most of the the few hours we were at Lee Point.
A great morning of SWOFFING indeed

The Mackerel were bigger too (well than previous trips anyway).
Here's Peter with of the better one's, he got this one on a tube fly with a trailing stinger hook.

On getting back to  Nightcliff ramp around midday - the water was still fairly low. So much so the boat before us once on it's trailer could not get up the ramp and had to dump itself back into the water to wait on the rising tide.

Given the flat end of the ramp, even I had to put most of my ute into the water to get my boat on - at least I had four wheel drive to get it up over the edge of ramp (unlike the previous boat which was twice my size and only a two wheel drive light ute to tow it!)

we were happy to be off the water as the wind was now absolutely howling from the NW, outside the shelter of the small rock jetty at the ramp white caps were everywhere. It would have quite unpleasant out there in my low profile Stessl Protracker

It had been a really fun morning trip with heaps of fish caught, lots of double hook ups and a varitey of species coming to hand. Surface and subsurface flies used - mostly silicone surf candies by me (no epoxy like a normal surf candy, just a thin layer of clear silicone over hook shank and tail material tie in point, with prism eyes added and a few layers of nail polish to give it a crisp scale/shell like feel to crunch of fish teeth)

Bring on the next trip!  (got to do those gold bomber tying instructions blog, promise - soon!)

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10min summary video of what happened for the trip