Last nights fly tying efforts

Over the last Few nights, I have been tying flies for an upcoming fly only comp at end of April
Regular SWOFFING partner 'Aussie Pete'  (a.k.a Canadian Pete) and I are keen for some FW competition action with the Darwin Fly Rodders club

Haven't seen many of them since the club fallout and split a year and two ago, so will be good to see some of the old faces and catch up.
Despite some still ill feelings by some, it's been Awesome from a selfish point of view to now have two local fly fishing clubs to be a part of. Just wish I had more time to go on ALL the group outings that two clubs can offer. (oh, to be single, retired and plenty of finances! and a new boat while I am fantasizing)
 
Got more than a few of the flies that I regularly use in Tropical FW but been tying one of Peter's favourite that has given good results in the past

A simple pattern but been very effective for Peter, who almost always runs a place in the FW comps

It has a Synthetic black tail, orange hackle collar, bead chain eyes and a mono weed guard. Not too big tied mostly on 1s and 1/0s

Now what else to tie................??
Have just got hold of some nice hooks (thanks Roger!), some krinkled Synthetics and awesomely great (& cheap!!) craft fur from 'At the Riverbend'  (please look this guy up on Facebook and ebay, he has some good products at very reasonable prices) that will work wonderfully for some profile, bush and hollow styles of baitfish flies. Will tie these in a range of sizes from 5cm to 15cm for applications and situations for the next few dry season months both fresh and salt water

Will report soon on the tying of these baitfish flies and on how Peter and I go at the Darwin Fly Rodders Freshwater competition at Corroboree Billabong 30th April-1st May
And importantly how the new flies I tied  performed or whether I stuck to my old favourite "Triple Bs" - Bunny Barra Busters (tied in various contrast colours of rabbit zonker tail, rabbit crosscut collar, eyes from bead chain to heavy lead dumbbell) for salt or fresh water applications

I also tie these flies in purple-black and orange-black colourings too

Until then I am earning brownie points from the wife and kids - a niece's birthday party, doing all the household jobs etc.

Man! the things one does just to go SWOFFING!!!!!!

my thoughts on considerations of a new boat

While I can't afford a new boat currently - here's what I am thinking about
Thinking about even though I have a massive road block in that I can't even afford a new trailer that I need for my current boat due to starting to build a house on our rural block

and not forgetting that I love my current boat (only one I have!)
A boat that I have caught a heap of fish species from

And while it doesn't get me offshore if any wind about - it gets me everywhere I need to go to catch fish locally and on a good day a fairway offshore

However........if I was going to (and I want to) but a new boat...............

I very much like the Quintrex 570 Top Ender - looks nice, rides well, plenty of fishing space
Will do offshore, the big rivers and some skinny water
but the basic boat is $50k+ here in Darwin without electics etc basically a bare boat
not exactly a fly friendly boat with no rear deck casting area

That's a lot of money for a boat when you list what you get and don't get. particularly what you have to buy and put on it to make it a good fishing boat - sounder, lights, electric motor, extra batteries, lots of storage and all the tiny bits that add up to a lot of money

Then there is the boat I really want
I used to have fibreglass boats only when on the east coast and the areas I fish here in the Top End are no harder on boats than there
So here it is - the Cobia 21 Bay - built for east coast US waters but it would be perfect here
offshore, inshore, rivers, and most shallow water like the ones I target most
fished with a guide long time ago chasing stripers off Montauck on one of these (well a much earlier model), then a different guide the next day who had a big Boston whaler - the Cobia was heaps better ride and fishability - loved it

just love watching this video!!!

The video clearly shows that the turn key standard options on US boats, far outway the standard boat we get here in Australia
Then there is the cost - under $40k US, on current exchange rates that's round $53 AU
When u compare the two boats and features and turn key setup of US boat, why would you buy locally made (well welded overseas most times)

there is also transporting the boat here which is between $9-15k. Which when added to cost price ends up being more but it is far more boat and options. I would also get a 24volt electric motor but can be fitted during building of hull to ensure compatibility and wiring. plus heaps cheaper for electric and batteries in US - so save there too.
Finally the the ride when compared to a aluminium boat is miles apart, with the glass boat far way superior

So if I had 60-70K I know from where I would be buying my next boat.

bugger - no fishing this weekend due to work commitments

Have just been so hugely inspired by NT Fly Fishers latest posting of fishing around the Peron Islands

but bugger - no fishing this weekend for me despite plans earlier in the week

school starts in three days................

and I have a few subject programs I haven't written that must be done

also got 90 iPads for middle school students that need software upgrades, app upgrades and a few apps taken off and a few added on

damn it I hate being conscientious!!!!!

but if I am going to push paperless classes we need the iPads don't we? 

I will be tying a few flies though while waiting for upgrades to crunch away so can fish that way even if not on the water

Have to replace all the clousers and silicone surf candies I lost in the last few outings to voracious fish

Might tie also some prawn sliders and deer hair sliders too if time permits (it wont!)

 Love these flies from Saltwater flies.com

Where next ?....

Fishing this weekend -..................................?????????????????
          maybe fishing big rivers chasing barra on plastics, (Never been and can follow someone)
          maybe offshore Dundee on fly and trolled lures, (lots of tun last time)
          maybe Vernon Islands on fly (great tides for this location)
Weather and a few other factors the deciding parameters for location
can hardly wait regardless of location!

Easter Monday Fishing video clip - My perspective

a bit bad of sound, too much camera movement, but you will get the idea of what we did, where we did it and what was caught

Easter Monday Fishing report 20160328

Seeing we slept in a donga 60 metres from the parking area of boat trailers at Dundee ramp we were the first at the ramp Monday morning, number one was our launch number - it was number 16 yesterday.

The morning weather had a moderate easterly wind but the further offshore we got the rougher the seas and chop
So it was a bumpy ride to Blaze point
looking back towards Dundee Beach gave us an awesome view of a rapidly rising column of cumulus cloud above Bynoe with its rising tip in the sun, the lower part dark and ominous, at times with lightning zipping from top to bottom, it was superbly breathtaking scenery

Not a bird or slash was seen along the way
We continued on to the couple of areas that we found the tuna yesterday in hope of something to cast to
Again no birds or any indicators of the presence of target species

We soon found ourselves almost to Perons again without a cast in anger
The water on the NW side of the north island was chocolate milkshake in colour
Not to Peter's liking at all - nor to fish as none we seen
 We kept moving around the island to check out the rest of the island hoping for cleaner water and some sign of the target species

The further we got around the north island the cleaner the water got - there were emerald waters,  aqua waters, and blue waters, the lines of those colours joining would surely have fish hanging about

On the SW corner of the north island we found a large curved sand bar starting to be exposed by the dropping tide
We could not see any activity but the location screamed fish in a back eddy on the inside of the front corner. It had a slightly deeper pocket of water behind it. The first cast had twenty or so queenfish attack the fly shouldering each other out of the way to get the fly as if they had never seen a fly before and were starving.

Every drift past the corner had many, and I mean 'many' fish attack the fly, attacking even the knots that joined sections of the leader. Mostly 40-45cm queenies but also golden trevally and brassie trevally - all using the flowing tidal water to make the fight more than you would expect for fish that size

Peter had a great time with a floating line and a white gurgler that in the end of all the chewing it endured looked nothing like it should have and still get attention from the many fish tucked in behind the tip of the sandbar as the water swirled past. Peter would get a hit on the surface, lose the fish as it went deep and get hit again before the fly floated to the surface. Great fun!
But it became too easy, to the point of us starting to look elsewhere so bored with catching fish every cast (yeh sure! no it was too easy!)
We tried the other corner of the sand bar but although looking just as good as the other proved to be barren of fish, maybe another tide and time it would fire up.

The weather conditions had calmed considerably to having no chop at all.
We ventured over to the SW corner of the South Island which I had briefly stopped on that trip to Anson Bay with the lure tossers a few weeks back
It had looked promising then and more so now with the super calm conditions
Peter had been tossing about a monster huge popper hoping for a mega GT or metre plus queenie

I was giving him a bit of a hard time about it and suddenly a 80cm queenfish that did I a sort of headstand once hooked for a few flicks of its tail before racing off, just to show me who should be casting instead of bagging out a mate.
The next cast another to Peter, and then another responding to his casting efforts.
at one time not 15metres from the boat a large queensfish was just sitting in the water not even moving but before I could cast he saw us and left a huge hole in the water with his trusting tail.

The SW rocky point of the south Peron Island is right up next to deep water and it is one of the fishiest spots I have seen

We got Macks, jacks and cod. Regularly we had several large queenies shoulder each other in combativeness to be the first to attach themselves to our offerings. Some even swam under the boat after following to the boat circling around actively seeking something to devour. All this in very clean water - so visual, so exciting, we had to keep casting and casting to see more of it!

Half way along the front ledge as we wind drifted along, in just 10 feet of water, I had two very big queenfish push each other aside so much that they totally missed my offering, so a quick recast back to same spot and instead I got a good 54cm mangrove jack that rose from the rocky depths to hookup.  Then moments later Peter hooked a plate sized jack off the outer edge of the same rocks, it was followed and harassed by two other fish slightly large then the jack. At first we thought them to be more jacks. I had just dehooked mine, so quickly I cast toward Peter's trio, hoping to entice the bullies next to Peter's mangrove jack. Peter was keeping the trio in the water near the boat. With the third cast I finally attracted the attention of one of the accompanying fish to my fly and two subtle strips and longish pauses later sees the bigger fish suck down the clouser and the line goes tight after a strip strike. So awesome the visualness of the episode that unfolded. It turned out to be a pair of estuary cod that were harassing Peter's jack.

We were trashed physically by the heat and action of the last few hours, so put up the canopy, prepare some lunch and trolled a few lures around and past the rocky point a few times - lunch was repeatedly interrupted first by mackerel, then big queenfish, followed by huge shark, then a thick as a leg barracuda - all taking a liking to the lures we trolled while eating our lunch and puttering around the water off the rocky SW point of the south person island.

We found some cascading water flowing off the higher reef, forming a natural fish attracting device. There was a little movement of fish moving about but many casts didn't produce a take. This place would fire at other times. We will be back to find out.

Time to head back. Wind increasing as too the chop. By the time we get to Dundee ramp it's 4pm and no sign of fish activity along the way. Blaze Reef off Point Jenny was only a meter or so under the water level given stage of the tide. We again cast the water to a froth for no result but the place would go off at other times for sure. There was a few moments of thought and talk about trying north of Dundee again but tiredness of two big days of good Swoffing won in the end.
We were home by 6pm - that highlights the awesome fishing so close to Darwin - are we not blessed living in this wonderful place of the Top End!!!

All the way home we were planning future trips - Coburg when I get my new trailer for my boat (currently on blocks due to cracks in main frame of trailer), very close by Vernons leaving from Nightcliffe ramp using a predawn high tide, back to Perons again really soon, keep an ear out for bigs Macks running off Dundee and getting amongst them

So many, many options when fly fishing and living in Darwin. Bring it On
Off now to the tying bench as lots of flies to replace after this recent weekend!

Keep an eye out for the video of Easter Monday - up on blog soon

Easter Sunday Report - Dundee Offshore

It was a dark northern suburbs and a 3:30am start – uggggghhhh!

Then over to Pete’s, load gear, fuel truck and boat, drop my ute back at my place

And in the words of Shania Twain “Let’s go fellas!” 

(I so had the hots for that lady as a teenager and then some!)

We arrive at Dundee and only three boats at ramp when we get there just after 6am – Beautiful!

But while we were waiting the boat trailer line grew til it went way out the yard in a very short time with at least 15-20 plus + boats in the queue by the time we were tractored to the ramp

We are launched in no time – given our inexperience at launching here (first time) – quite amazing that we didn’t make ourselves look even more silly than we actually were

First port of call was Point Jenny and Blaze reef, a good half hour plus away – water moderately calm with glassy patches here and there. Nothing on the sounder worth dropping a jig or bait over the side for. we did find a heap of bait but not one predator harassing them - no birds or bigger fish. 

So with not much happening – the trolling for macks and sails was far too boring, we proceeded towards the Sail City GPS coordinates but along the way we found birds for the first time that morning

Under them gloriously were longtrail tuna – yeehaaah!!!! Just what the doctor ordered!

But Frustrating with a capital ‘F^%# yeh!’

Up….. down……Up.....Down.....

And usually Going, going gone! as soon as we arrive – but we keep at it enthused every time we would see a bird swerve and roll towards the water or a porpoising tuna attacking baitfish.

We get a few close calls, at times the tuna are right next to the boat. Once, one tuna happily, nonchalantly, and ever so slowly cruising past the rear of Peter’s boat without a care in the world. But at times other tuna were overtly aggressive with follows right to the boat and angry slashes at the last moment right next to the boat and still no hook up (other anglers (lure tossers) back at ramp told us similar behaviour and still no hook ups for them either)

Peter finally got one nice longtail much to his delight. He had been wanting of these for a while now.

I could not get anything right when we got close enough for a cast – line tangles, dropped lines, poor casting, fly tangled – it was not going to be my day. I had several touches for no return (just like my teenager years when I like Shania Twain)

We kept following birds and slashes till we were almost to Peron Islands. Then a knock, knock, knock was happening at rear of boat and after a strenuous investigations in the boat - we finally found out the transducer outside the boat had broken its mounting which also crossed out any bottom bouncing as we could never find reef fish hanging off reefs without the sounder. We use a couple of bungee  cords to stop it slapping and banging about but its function and benefit equalled nil!  When back at ramp later than evening- and if I say so myself – I quite cleverly used 6 small zip ties to reattach it to the transom – better than a bought one too@! Peter still has his doubts!

With weather crap and getting crappier, and no birds in sight after a small squally storm passed in front of us - we trolled our way back towards Dundee – I was so excited I had a snooze on floor of boat with a fly box for a pillow – bugger I hate trolling! So bloody boring!

The wind had been increasing from the west all day and the trip back was harsh and wet.

We were back at Dundee by 3pm which meant still time for fishing but the weather was very uncomfortable. Still we ventured further north past Dundee ramp despite the chop, wind and spray. Options were not the best - we almost went back to ramp - almost!

We ventured around the leeward side of a large rock platform (Roche Reef??) exposed by the low tide hoping for some sheltered water behind it.  Hoping for even just a few small fish in the shallows behind the rock platform during the last hour or so before the tractors stopped working at Dundee ramp at 6pm 

but no electric would make that fishing hard too (Friday arvo after I left Peter (see previous blog entry) his electric chucked a hissy fit and wouldn’t work – lucky it’s a warranty job – but inconvenient all the same, still you can’t help shit hitting the fan all the time!)

But given I have been a good boy lately (not really!) karma intervened and we find behind the rock platform a few hundred birds working over the top of a plethora of queenies marauding baitfish schools. Fast moving queenies, queenies vary wary of boat but if we got the approach right and the cast right we got hook-ups and at least Peter got them to the boat. I dropped four fish before I could get the net under them – I was getting pissed to the say the least – a very bad day for me.

We did have a few double hook ups – see video for the kafuffle and frantic antics of our crossing over lines and rods, and each other, and still managed to net our fish!  (mine was bigger!)

Now while its no epic-ally awesome Todd Moen video clip, it is a real time unedited few crazy frantic moments of a double hook up while fly fishing in rough seas, in strong winds and having the fish crossing over twice.

The wind was howling, every time we chased fish we got soaking wet with salt spray. But still both of us thoroughly enjoyed our time. Who would not want to be anywhere else than casting flies to fish even under such poor weather and water conditions. Bust ups, swirling birds, the chase, the cast, the hook up – given me more please! Peter even in the ugly seas and chop hooked up on a floating line and a surface fly (gurgler). Love that visual stuff!

We would fight a couple of fish, dry off, clean sunglasses, and then zip off to cast to some more – awesome fun!

Two approaching storms finally made us head for the ramp – dark and foreboding, heaps of lightning, massive amount of rain. But in the end we slipped into ramp just as a gap opened in the storm front.

Six boats waiting for extraction as we got to the ramp. Will be great when the new ramp is built and it will be self-launch and retrieve – hopefully with a protective break wall for the westerly winds that the current ramp gets hammered by like this time. Peter’s boat kept bouncing around on trailer with every wave hitting the transom. Peter handled the winch job but on hopping off boat got his pinkie caught in a small narrowing gap between front railing and the nav light. Talk about painful with his full weight pulling his hand into gap and unable to release it after getting of boat, Ouch! Plenty of blood but no stitches needed but almost. So many simple things can go wrong so easily - so be careful folks.

After when cleaning up boat and packing rods – all the other anglers walking past our boat about were quite keen to hear about the fly rods and how we went. Most had poor days, with only a few fish sinking lead weights to the bottom. While we had had a great day - sight casting to great fish - a few boring trolling bits in between yes but over all a great start with tuna and an exciting finishing time in atrocious conditions chasing countless 50-75cm queenfish.

Bring on tomorrow for more of the same. (but a better day for me is hoped!)