LURELOVERS™ Australian Fishing Lure Community Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Fishing > Fishing Reports
  New Posts New Posts
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Luring Cooktown

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 2829303132 50>
Author
Message
 Rating: Topic Rating: 2 Votes, Average 5.00  Topic Search Topic Search  Topic Options Topic Options
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Sep 2021 at 6:25pm
I went for a walk to the mouth of the Annan River today - got to get more exercise in. While there I tried for a barra, or giant trevally or queenfish using a HJK stickbait.  Imagine my surprise when I pinned his 65 cm flathead. First ever flathead off the surface.


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Sep 2021 at 5:20pm
Weather is finally looking great from Saturday to Tuesday next week.  

Only trouble is Sunday to Wednesday is reef fin fish closure. So Avocado Mick and I are heading out Saturday including 3/4 of the town. So an early start just to get a car park is the go. 

The plan for Monday is to take Mickey Rat out chasing mackerel and GTs as they are not on the closure list.
Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 1:48pm

The trip out of the Cooktown “harbour”yesterday as quite smooth as predicted. We were ready for a total glassed out day with the winds changing from 7 kph southerly to 2 kph north easterly. Well we should have realised the weather prediction was going to be off as the winds were westerly at about 11 kph. Not rough but actually quite nice as the winds kept us cool and not as high as the predicted 37 degrees celcius. I also put a nice little chop on the water which helps to hide the boat.

We were on the water in total darkness – necessary to get an early start if you want a car park close by, and we trolled until I could get good vision of he water. The objects and trees that wash up on the beaches here does not instill confidence in me to blat out into the darkness. So as soon it was light enough, we powered out to the first reef and started trolling again past it. We both had a couple of hits before I landed a nice 76.5 cm spanish mackerel, just over legal size. As I was after a couple of fish for the plate, this one came home. We both had a couple of more hits that I think came from reef fish that came up from 11 metres of water, but no solid hook ups.

Past this reef we trolled out to our chosen destination. We had fished this reef before but not in the area we were going. A few little reefies, including a 37 cm and a 42 cm coral trout that both went back, and Avocado Mick scores a nice 67 cm shark mackerel. Now Mick has a new toy, a Yozuri stickbait that he bought on a whim and he was going to flog this lure for most of the day.

A little while later while using a Jeff Pollard made “coffin” lure, up comes a nice 48 cm coral trout, I gave it a nice cool bath in an ice slurry. A few little reefies later and I’m hit big time using the coffin. This fish had some serious power behind it and I was slowly bringing it to the boat. Unfortunately there was a little bommie between us and it found it. Amazing I was not instantly cut off. Mick on the electric moved the boat on the side that the fish went in and I was starting to pull the fish out – then all went slack. As I pulled the line in, the leader about 20 cm shorter so the bommie was so small, that’s as far as the fish could get into it. Schneider leader material, tough stuff.

Next lure on was a Rivoli. Same sort of a hit, same fight, a very heavy fish as well. But this fish had cut my braid on a small bommie. Mick was on next dropping 2 good fish with a similar fight, one straight under the boat. A curse and I thought his second fish had cut him off, but up came his toy … I mean Yozuri. Next cast and the same style of fight but a smaller fish at a 56 cm spangled emperor.

We caught a few more smaller reefies. I gained an unbeatable lead of 3 undersized red throats that Mick couldn’t beat. (This fun little competition between us has us in stiches at times and the bull shit flows freely.) I now had on a C.R.A.F.T. stickbait made by Roy Durre. On a retrieve I saw a flash of red as a little reef fish came up for it. Immediately afterward a big slash through the water behind it and a cavernous mouth opened up inhaling the lure (think of the “Jaws”seen of a water skier with the shark coming up behind it). This was a good GT. It gave me merry hell as Mick on the electric motor tried to keep me over clear samnd and this fish constantly changing direction. Using sideways pressure to steer the fish and Mick expertly on the electectric we were mostly successful in keeping it in the clear until it found the edge of the coral cay we were in. Highballing the rod lifted the fish over the coral and we followed it into the next coral cay. After about 10 minutes we had it netted and in the boat.

At 104 cm this GT equalled my second biggest but it gave me more curry then my 106 cm personal best. The lure was fully in it’s mouth. Checking it over we could see the rear treble through a gill slot with one barbless point embedded in the fleshy side of the gill slit. The 2 other points were hooked around gill rakers but not damaging them. With little bolt cutters I cut all 3 points off without damaging the gills. Checking the other treble and there was no way we were going to be able to get those points out with 2 buried deeply inside the throat and no room to work. The decision was made to release the fish with the lure in it’s mouth as we were confident that being barbless, the fish would be able to expell the lure itself.

By now the fish had been out of the water for a while. I speared the fish back into the water but it slowly sunk to the bottom with barely a twitch. Mick dives into the 2 metre deep water and retrieves the fish and starts swimming in, pushing it forwards and backawrds to pass water over it’s gills. A couple of little kicks and he lets it go. But the fish sinks again. Mick dives again and I lip grip the fish beside the boat. It gave a couple of little “coughs” and moved it’s fins so I let it go. The fish stayed upright and on the surface but didn’t move. Mick grabs it by the tail again, the fish “coughs” again and out floats the lure. A few more minutes of Mick swimming the fish and off it went strongly under it’s own power.That was an epic fish, an epic fight and a great revival.

The winds had now swung around to the north but not at the predicted 2 kph but more like 15 to 20 kph. At this wind change things went a little quiet with just a few small reefies coming aboard. We stayed a little bit longer then we should have before starting back to troll to GT corner. By the time we got to this section of reef the tide was too high. We spotted a few GTs but they were not interested. Low tide is the go, the lower the better and we were 90 minutes into the making tide. We drifted and motored around a bit looking for active GTs but couldn’t find any. Over a shallow bommie Mick’s Yozuri gets slammed and bricked. Mick called it for a good trout and he wasn’t going to loose the lure AND the fish so …. He jumps overboard. Following the line in 1 metre of water he finds the fish and pulls it out horizontally. A great save.

Shortly after this we started trolling home. The winds and swell had picked up and I don’t like getting bashed around so we were not going to thump on home. Also this type of conditions normally provides a good Spanish mackerel or 2. I put on my last Kuttafurra penguin, the large one and Mick still trolled his Yozuri. Hlf way in Mick tells me that my line had crossed his. Looking up I could see a big belly in my line, I had lost the penguin. Winding in and my wire trace was shortened with a little tag on the end.The trouble wire using single strand wire is that it’s not very flexible. Mackerel can easily grab a bait or a lure and turn so fast that they put a kink in the single strand wire and bust you off and this is what I deducted had happened. A little further along and I pulled in an undersized spotted mackerel on a Steven Gane made Ganesy lure.

So not a day of many big fish brought aboard but a great day on the water with lots of memories and exciting things to see. We saw a gathering of 8 or so large blue wrasse milling about obviously in breeding mode in a metre of water and we had some great experiences. Reef fin fish closure today Sunday 3.10.21 for 5 days so hopefully I’ll get out tomorrow for a mackerel run.

Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 2:30pm

Mick with his Yozuri caught fish.

shark mackerel 


spangled emperor


red bass


Mick swimming to free his trout and his lure and the end result, a 51 cm passionfruit trout.



passionfruit trout



Jeff Pollard's "Coffin" lures

coral trout


one of my "winning" undersized red throats LOL



K.A.D. lures from Damian Flanigan 

spanish mackerel just legal


coral trout




Next is a Vicious Fishes stickbait and a Fugly Martin's Minnow. Normally these lures smash the fish but I tried them after the change in winds when the fishing slowed right down.






Rivoli lures next





undersized spanish mackerel


undersized spanish mackerel



Cam Cupitt's Headland glide bait. This is the model lure that Bill smashed the fish on at Weipa recently.

Long tom



The little spotted mackerel on the Ganesy lure. This lure has copped a beating.




Roy Durre's C.R.A.F.T. stickbait

coral trout 






Mick swimming the GT.



The mangled lure





Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
Craft View Drop Down
Member
Member
Avatar
Craft Lures

Joined: 03 Aug 2017
Location: Gold Coast
Status: Offline
Points: 95
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Craft Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 2:39pm
Another great story Martin. Glad to see you landed one on the stickbait 👍
A sharp knife and a straight grain
Back to Top
sudanraghu2210 View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 27 Nov 2014
Location: Dubai UAE
Status: Offline
Points: 413
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sudanraghu2210 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 6:24pm
Martin it seems lot of action this time with nice catches …. Cheers!!

Regards, Raghubir
Its takes years of hard work, commitment and passion to give a life to a piece of raw timber !!
Back to Top
HARTE View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 18 Oct 2016
Location: Toowoomba Qld
Status: Offline
Points: 698
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HARTE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 6:49pm
Great read and pics Martin, well done! Clap
Back to Top
rodsncods View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2011
Location: somewhere
Status: Online
Points: 4206
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rodsncods Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Oct 2021 at 7:03pm
onya big fella. . . .mick
BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!!!
Back to Top
Nicho View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
Nichos Maulers

Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Location: POMONA QLD
Status: Offline
Points: 8752
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nicho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2021 at 6:50pm
get a job
Heart
Nichos Maulers Homemade timber lures....THEY CATCH FISH!

YA DONT KNOW...IF YA DONT GO...SO GET OUT THERE AND... FISH IT
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2021 at 8:41pm
Originally posted by Nicho Nicho wrote:

get a job
Heart

NO....


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Oct 2021 at 9:01pm
Went out for a mackerel run this morning, lights winds in the morning predicted to come up around lunchtime. And so it was, they got the forecast right for once.

Avocado Mick and I headed out at daybreak trolling up the coast. I was using a Ganesy lure and scored a little barracuda. A bit quiet on the fishing front despite seeing mackerel on the water. But I managed to hook a nice spotty mackerel, got him in to about 8 metres of the boat and - slash and crash of a big shark mackerel that took most of my spotty.

We had a few interesting light hearted hits but nothing hooking up. Mick was using a beach found red head Halco and didn't deviate from that. Co-incidently at his stage the tide was slowing down reaching it's peak and the water movement was extremely slow. A couple of hours later of no action we headed for home.

On the way home a current line was forming due to the dropping tide gaining momentum. We followed this current line and Mick scored 3 nice spotty mackerel at 63, 65 and 66 cm. I kept on the Ganesy lure because I was interested to see how the red head colour was going to produce against another colour.

I have said this before in previous posts, before I moved to Cooktown I didn't rate the red head, white body lures much. But seeing that in tough fishing conditions I am now convinced that that is the best colour combo for mackerel. You'll see by the photos how calm the water is, that makes the fish more spookier then usual as they can sense your presence better. More of a slight chop and a full run in or dropping tide would have made better conditions. 

The same weather pattern is predicted for tomorrow so I'll try another mackerel run.




Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Oct 2021 at 8:45pm
The last 2 trips out Avocado Mick outfished me. But today I got my revenge and outfished him. The fact that he was working 80 kilometres inland is beside the point. ConfusedLOLLOL

A solo trip this morning. It was only going to be a quick trip as I had a lot to do today.

A nice 69 cm spotty mackerel came on board just after sunrise using a Ganesy lure. After that it went quiet.

A late afternoon flick on the waterfront produced a small barracuda and a small 43 cm giant trevally using a HJK stick bait.

I'll haunt the wharf / waterfront area early tomorrow morning.


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
puglee62 View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
Fugly Lures

Joined: 03 Feb 2010
Location: ipswich
Status: Offline
Points: 7933
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote puglee62 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Oct 2021 at 10:50am
look at that sunrise,the fish are a bonus very nice mate
that's no how ye make porridge!
Back to Top
Rivoli View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Location: MCLAREN FLAT
Status: Offline
Points: 152
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rivoli Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Oct 2021 at 10:57am
Would be lovely to be back on the home coral reefs for some tasty feeds. 
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2021 at 12:57pm
A nice 87 cm queenfish on a HJK stickbait. I saw a tern suddenly dip down to the water as it was flying by and thought “ hello hello, must be something there”. A quick cast and 3 turns of the handle and I was on.

Don’t ignore the birds.


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
hooknose View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar

Joined: 16 Jul 2013
Location: emu park
Status: Offline
Points: 1408
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hooknose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Oct 2021 at 8:25am
Nice Marty !!
MAN I LOVE FISHING ! ! !
Back to Top
p.j. View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
P.J's Lures

Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 2936
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote p.j. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Oct 2021 at 9:24pm
Good observation, which paid off
Well done Martin Thumbs Up

   Knaek & Break
            Per
P.J. LURES
SO SMOKING HOT
EVEN CUSTOM DOGS LIKE THEM
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Oct 2021 at 8:51pm
A morning run out to the reef today. I got to the reef just before the run in the tide started to slow down approaching the low tide. All fish caught were caught an hour before dead low tide then nothing - no run no fun is still true even on the reef. I tried all of the usual fish taking lures but to no avail.

On the troll back home I tried a big Kuttafurra murray cod lure and was left with a mackerel tooth in it. As I like to troll for mackerel fast (10 to 16 kph), I swapped it for a 220mm Kuttafurra minnow. This scored a huge run and halfway into the fight everything went limp. The wire was bitten through again, just like my last trip out. 

A just legal sized school mackerel on a Bass Attack lure.



A just legal coral trout on a HJK stickbait




A bludger trevally that went 72 cm on a Rob Reid (SOL lures) made scorpion lure




Kuttafurra lures














Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
p.j. View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
P.J's Lures

Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 2936
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote p.j. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Oct 2021 at 10:54pm
Another day out amongst the toothy critters. Thanks fore showing Martin Thumbs Up

    Knaek & Break
            Per
P.J. LURES
SO SMOKING HOT
EVEN CUSTOM DOGS LIKE THEM
Back to Top
Nicho View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
Nichos Maulers

Joined: 25 Feb 2010
Location: POMONA QLD
Status: Offline
Points: 8752
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nicho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2021 at 8:54am
job someone say job







your killing me






Nichos Maulers Homemade timber lures....THEY CATCH FISH!

YA DONT KNOW...IF YA DONT GO...SO GET OUT THERE AND... FISH IT
Back to Top
rodsncods View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2011
Location: somewhere
Status: Online
Points: 4206
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rodsncods Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2021 at 9:11am
wouldn't work in an iron lung........... unless there was a fishing rod and lures in thereLOL. . . .mick
BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!!!
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Oct 2021 at 11:29am
I thought Nicho said “ JOB fish” only ever got one of those 
Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Oct 2021 at 1:11pm

Good wind predictions continued for the past few days and yesterday Avocado Mick and I took advantage of it sussing out new territory. I had always wanted to hit a nearby big reef with a little picanniny reef hanging just off it. My outboard mechanic told me that on the pressure point of the smaller reef the mackerel stack up. Whenever he wants to spear a good spanish mackerel, that is where he goes.

We left the boat ramp earlier then usual. Not because these reefs are further away (they are about the same distance as many other reefs that we fish), but because with it being a Friday and just good weather, I wanted to make sure I got a car park. We slowly motored past the wharf in total darkness, found out that one of the channel marker bouys lights don’t work. Not because we hit it, but because I was following the GPS map out and we couldn’t see it even when we were 20 metres from it.

Once we got through the leader bouy (only one because the other broke it’s mooring and washed up on the north shore beach, this was removed as part of a beach clean up about 60 of us participated in a month ago), we set out a couple of troll lines. Mick put on his new toy, a Bluewater (brand name) Sauri (model name) in what he called a wolf herring colouration. He picked this particular lure because big spanish like eating wolf herring and Mick has been trying to crack the 1 metre mark on spanish for 3 years now.

A little into the troll and Mick reels in a spotty mackerel. Although it was 62 cm and over legal size by 2 cm, he opted to release it. I stated that we were in a zone of a good mackerel runthat goes by Dawson Reef and that we should get more on the troll out. As the winds picked up a little, but not enough to be of concern, I stated that I think today will be a “mackerel day”. This was based on a fairly strong tidal flow and we had 5 more hours of good flow, the slight wind being strong enough to put small wavelets on the water helping to hide us, and there being a lot of cloud cover that also helped to hide us.

After 10 more minutes Mick had another hook up. As I slowed down the boat, my Robert Reid (S.O.L. lures) scorpion was also hit pretty solidly but the hook up was brief leaving me with a couple of good scars on it. Mick reels in a nice 88 cm spanish mackerel that some how found it’s way into the esky with a cut throat and covered in ice – strange that.

By now the sun had just broken over the horizon. We decided to keep trolling out. Now the reason why I don’t blat it out to the reef in the dark is because I have seen so many big logs floating in the water up here and seeing some of the items being washed up on the beach doesn’t fill me with the confidence to hit wide open throttle in the dark. 3 years ago 2 pieces of concrete pontoon washed up on the beach at nearby Walker Bay after a heavy blow. 9 months later another heavy blow took them off. 6 months after that they re-appeared on the same beach only to be taken off again last year. A couple of weeks ago I found one of these washed up behind mangroves on Archer Point about 40 kilometres south of Cooktown. We had a dive charter boat limp into Cooktown at the beginning of this year with all pumps going. I hit “something” just offshore and a hole the size of a fist was punctured through. No , I like to see what’s in the water in front of me rather then smashing into the darkness.

Pretty soon we were approaching a green zone so we pulled in the lines and sped through it. On the other side is the smaller reef first so we trolled down one side. Mick scored a barracuda over a metre long that we released beside the boat (so no photo), hate bringing these on board wirthout clubbing them and seeing as we were not going to eat it it got it’s freedom. We used this trolling time to check out the reef for future reference. This side dropped off very quickly and we could have trolled in closer, but we were also looking for any deep water bommies that might prove productive for jigging, something we want to do more of.

We opted to continue trolling up the eastern side once we got to the southern end of it. This side sleves off very slowly and we got caught ot snagging out lures in weed and small bommies in less then 5 metres of water. We retrieved both lures then headed quite a bit further east until we found deeper water. It would be interesting to see what we could lure up from this eastern side but that would be for another day. There was also a strong current line on this side and we had to stop a couple of times to clear the lures of weed. During the last time of doing this, I had my lure out of the water and Mick stated that he had a bit of weight on “must be a lot of weed”he said as he was reeling in his lure. Then the line went tight and the reel screamed and Mick was partially in shock. The fish fought deep and huge head shakes and we couldn’t figure out what he had hooked onto to. 5 minutes later he had a huge spanish mackerel circling the boat, it took a few long and sustained runs and then just ran Mick around the boat (usually spanish have one huge run that diminish in power and duration very quickly then a slugging match occurs). This animal of a mackerel just did not give up just kept on slogging it out. I could have sunk the gaff in it a few times but it still would have been too “green”to bring it into the boat and the last thing you want is a set jaws full of razor sharp teeth attached onto an overactive body thrashing around the boat of the boat. When the time came I gaffed it under the jaw and administered it’s last rites with a priest (I call it Mr Smack Smack, if you need to use it on a fish then you should use it at least twice). Mr Smack Smack is a piece of gidgee wood lathed up into a fish baton by Cam Cupitt from Headland Lures. If you are mackerel fishing then you need one.

Now I struggled to pull this thing over the side. Mick called it a “horse of a mackerel”, I called it a “clydesdale of a mackerel. At 141 cm long, it is the largest caught spanish mackerel that I have personally seen. So once again, Mick has bested my largest (mine at 127 cm caught on a Fugly Martin’s Minnow). Mick was so relieved he had to finish his first 6 pack of the day and cracked open another “frothy”. To be truthful, I was so glad for Mick and happy to see such an awesome mackerel in my boat. Now this is despite all of my grumblings of “bloody plastic lures”, and “Mick…? No Mick didn’t come fishing. I went to his house but he wasn’t there…. But look at this great mackerel I caught”. And so the sledging went on all day ….” Hey Mick, can you hand me Mr Smack Smack?..... oh, can you look over the back to see if my bungs are in?WinkWink nudge nudge wink wink”.

The rest of the mackerel were undersized spanish and spotties but we were by now at the bigger reef. We found some very interesting areas, one being a massive rip of water that comes off a large area of reef that channes between 2 bommies that rise up to within a metre of the surface from 8 metres deep. We mainly found that the reef drops off fairly deeply. At this stage of the tide our lures were in a metre of water over the reef to often being in 14 metres of water. Our most productive time came when we found shallow area with bommies in, this is my preferred type of area to fish. I was comprehensively smashed by something big between 2 bommies that I called as a big coral trout. I was winning but I had to try to get it over one of these bommies to land it. A Jeff Pollard coffin lure went MIA.

We ended up with the 2 mackerel, Mick scored a 51 cm trout, I got a 53 and a 54 cm trout and a 71 cm giant trevally. We called it a day then trolled to the start of the green zone. Once through the green zone we had had enough and just powered home with the winds still slight and not much swell to speak of.

Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
rodsncods View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar

Joined: 27 Nov 2011
Location: somewhere
Status: Online
Points: 4206
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rodsncods Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Oct 2021 at 2:18pm
do you get time to eat, sleep or shit? i'll get up there when i can, booked in now for knee replacement so just don't know when. . . .mick
BEER IS PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US AND WANTS US TO BE HAPPY!!!
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Oct 2021 at 2:40pm
Originally posted by rodsncods rodsncods wrote:

do you get time to eat, sleep or shit? i'll get up there when i can, booked in now for knee replacement so just don't know when. . . .mick

HA HA HA Mick, I get plenty of sleep because I don't have a job Wink

Will be great if you come up. The best weather winds for the reef is usually from now until February. But you would have to enjoy sweating, and humid and hot conditions.
Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Oct 2021 at 3:13pm
Now for the photos - 2nd time trying. The winds got up a day early and the stronger the winds the worse my internet signal. Now using my sister's wi fi. Sad when you get better reception on the reefs then what you do 2 kilometres from 2 communication towers.




Photos of Mick - the maniacal mackerel mauler












An undersized Spanish mackerel on the Robert Reid SOL scorpion This lure had a brief hook up when Mick pinned his 88 cm spaniard.




I didn't take photos of every fish caught. Multiple photos of the same species on the same lure would just be tedious to view and a pain in the bum to add to the post. But I do like to show the variety of fish on the reef and also the variety of fish that people's lures catch.

Fish on Jeff Pollard's "coffin" lures

a stripey or Spanish flag, there are a lot of fish species up here called stripies, these are related to the mangrove jacks but don't grow as big. Still very good eating but we haven't caught a larger one for a while.



a little reefie




the next few photos are of coral trout. I do take multiple photos of desired species because it shows that it's not a flute - or plain dumb luck, that this species was caught.








a baby oceanic queenfish



a wire netting cod





Next are fish caught on DJR lures made by Darren Ringlestein AKA Steiny.

I took out the title of "King of the undersized red throats "yesterday. Finding that area east of the little reef has me hoping that it will yield the bigger red throats.



Another red throat but with strange colouration. Thought I'd better show it.



A spanish flag



The 71 cm giant trevally




and a couple of coral trout







Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
HARTE View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 18 Oct 2016
Location: Toowoomba Qld
Status: Offline
Points: 698
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HARTE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Oct 2021 at 5:46pm
Stunning colours on those Trout Martin! Thumbs Up
Back to Top
p.j. View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
P.J's Lures

Joined: 06 Jan 2011
Location: Denmark
Status: Offline
Points: 2936
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote p.j. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 2021 at 8:56pm
WOW I can sure understend you gave that beast a couple off "smaks" before getting it in the Boat
That is a mean eating machine Shocked
Congrats to Mick with the new PB. Thumbs Up
Thanks fore yet another great report, with pict. off the beautifull Fish you have on the reef

     Knaek & Break
              Per

P.J. LURES
SO SMOKING HOT
EVEN CUSTOM DOGS LIKE THEM
Back to Top
Rivoli View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 27 Apr 2020
Location: MCLAREN FLAT
Status: Offline
Points: 152
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rivoli Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2021 at 9:28am
some pretty fish among that lot. nice report, thanks.
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Oct 2021 at 6:24pm
The only flathead I tagged so far had been recaptured 19 days afterwards. It grew 10 mm from 650 mm to 660 mm in that time. I don’t know about you but I reckon that’s a fast growth rate.


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
Ducks View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar

Joined: 24 Feb 2012
Location: Point Clare
Status: Offline
Points: 2139
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ducks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2021 at 8:58am
I'd be checking the rulers, personally. LOL
Back to Top
SnowE View Drop Down
Stall Holder
Stall Holder
Avatar
Snowys Lures

Joined: 29 Aug 2010
Location: Townsville
Status: Offline
Points: 212
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SnowE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2021 at 9:20am
Yeah error in measurements, probably not even on purpose, some people tend to “round up” the measurements and perhaps you rounded down. I caught a tagged Red Emperor that got smaller over a 2 week period by 2mm (I caught it the second time - when it had “shrunk).SmileSmile
Cheers,

SnowE
Back to Top
Danny View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member
Avatar

Joined: 26 Mar 2016
Location: Weipa
Status: Offline
Points: 653
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Danny Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Oct 2021 at 12:49pm
I do a lot of tagging Martin but yeah unfortunately your at the mercy of others measuring it the same way you would have. Sometimes fat Barra can measure different a few times in a row but I would imagine a flathead should measure fairly consistently. You’ll just have to catch him again. 
Dan
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2021 at 8:55pm
Back to Cooktown after a quick trip to Brisbane. The fishing off thexx CD wharf has improved and the mangrove jacks, giant trevally and queenfish have shown up.

This morning I went down there casting HHK stickbaits and scored a nice 89 cm queenfish and a 44 cm giant trevally. Quite a few queenside and GTs were coming up but mostly small stuff. I tried diving lures but all fish caught on lures were on surface lures - poppers, stickbaits. There were a lot caught on live bait but my queen is was the biggest of the morning- back again tomorrow morning for another session.


I’ll have to post up the photos once the internet is better 
Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
horrorhead View Drop Down
LureLovers.com Fanatic
LureLovers.com Fanatic
Avatar
LureLover of the Year 2020

Joined: 14 Jun 2011
Location: Cooktown qld
Status: Offline
Points: 14008
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote horrorhead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Oct 2021 at 9:03pm
I'll try with the laptop and not the phone for the photos.

89 cm queenfish




44 cm giant trevally 


Martin-

you don't havta be pretty to fish
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1 2829303132 50>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.