32 Hours at Sea

Finally got a decent weather day that coincided with a weekend so James and I planned a hit and run overnighter off Onslow. In line with the quick trip we kept camping gear to a minimum and planned to sleep on the boat.

Saturday morning we left the ramp at 5.00am, hoping to fish the turn of the high tide at 7.30am on some red ground. Trip out was bit slower than we liked due to some slightly stronger than forecast winds. First drop on the spot was at 7.00am, worked it for 90 minutes for some average spangles, a 10 kg estuary cod and some juvenile reds (all fish released).

Plan B was put into action and we headed to some more ground 1/2 a mile away. First drop, bang, 73cm red for me, excellent. James got busted up big time, re-rigged and then hooked what he thought was a good red. Couple of minutes later up popped a nice chinaman. Nice fish but not what we were after so he released it. Over the next two hours, pulled a few nice rankins, spangles, school sharks and little pest fish, then the floater finally went off.

James had his work cut out as his fish took off across the top leaving a rooster tail in the lines wake. Wahoo? The unseen fish took several powerful runs on the 20lb finn's braid, eventually gliding into view as the cry erupted, waf*&^()$%hoo! Good gaff shot behind the gill plate and aboard the Further North comes James' first wahoo. Very happy boy. Took the obligatory pics and decided to go have a cray snorkel.

Water clarity was great and we grabbed some good painted's and one green, which was destined for peri-peri cray entree that night. Plenty of bluebone around but only just size so the rob allen wasn't shot in anger. After two hours cray snorkelling we decided to troll back and look at some other bits of coral I had previously marked around the area. No luck on the coral but picked up a small dolly on the troll.

Ended up back on the mornings spot, no fish on the sounder this time and the tide rising again. Pretty slow and then bang, 82cm red crashed my party and James nailed a 10kg spaniard on his floater. Pretty tired by now so cruised into the lee of an island and put the mooring anchor down. Cooked a feed and then crashed. Not a bad nights sleep once we got used to the water slap on the ali hull.

Sunday morning saw James awaken with red fever burning in his eye so we hit the spot where we pulled the big boy the night before. Very slow, the odd picker and rankin, but perseverance came through in the form of another big red for myself, a PB at 84cm. Fished on for another hour, but then pulled the pin to have a look for some red crays on a favourite spot. Three reds and a big painted for James, finally saw us pull the pin and head home. Thankfully the 20 knot sea breeze was blowing up our date on the way home.

Pretty tired now and the stable soft bed, will feel good tonight. Not a heap of fish, but the quality was right up there.

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Jigs available online in my web store!


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Gaah and I was expecting a

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:30

Gaah and I was expecting a search and rescue story with that title. You Northerners really like to rub it in!

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damo6230's picture

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nice work John,

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:32

you jigging up those reds?

certainly didn't see any crays like that yesterday

big john's picture

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Tried jigging

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:43

Dropped the jig on a nice show, looking around while waiting for it to touch the bottom, looked back at the line to see it fluttering in the current just below the surface. Dang, the razor gang got me! Ended up being the only jig I dropped.

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WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.

Jigs available online in my web store!

Rodrat's picture

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Great pics and report

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:32

Reading the title i thought ya motor had shit itself lol.
Some top catches there matey, well done.

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FISH FOR THE FUTURE

SamC's picture

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Farrrkk

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:39

Hows the size of that red!

Liking your work BJ

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Cheers,

Sam

mullows's picture

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Good to see you blokes

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:44

Good to see you blokes finally got some descent weather down there and geez didn't you make the most of it. Well done fellas!!!

 

Cheers

Mullows

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The Older I get the better I was :-)

Colin Hay's picture

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Well done Big John

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:53

That was a marathon effort that paid some good dividends.
Some great fish and some bloody big crays really make for a worthwhile adventure.

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DazSamFishing's picture

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Very nice. Great reds!!!

Sun, 2009-11-29 20:55

Very nice. Great reds!!!

wadetolley's picture

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No fair

Sun, 2009-11-29 21:05

Adam, can you please delete this thread..these pictures are the last things us southerners want to see at the moment during the ban.

Well done John, you have it good up there.

PilbaraBrad's picture

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Awesome BJ, you have those

Sun, 2009-11-29 21:25

Awesome BJ, you have those reds well and truely sussed now

Faulkner Family's picture

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well done guys.a couple of

Sun, 2009-11-29 21:39

well done guys.a couple of great reds by you and you cant complain about the wahoooooooo either and then there is the crays , what can i say but mongrelsLaughing. great feed all round and a great trip

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Lucky Tim's picture

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can't complain at all with a

Mon, 2009-11-30 03:24

can't complain at all with a mixed catch like that. Gotta love overnight adventures in the NW. Well done fellas.

sherbert's picture

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Well done guys

Mon, 2009-11-30 05:54

Some nice fish and the  crays are big buggers

Good report john

steve

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HuggyB's picture

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sensational guys

Mon, 2009-11-30 06:09

great mixed bag and the weather looks "OK".........lol

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uncle's picture

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good time

Mon, 2009-11-30 07:25

everything comes to those who wait, sound like a great time was had,good pics as usual,good stuff boys

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Looks like an awesome trip,

Mon, 2009-11-30 07:55

Looks like an awesome trip, Reds look good and some decent crays.

Andy Mac's picture

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Wow!

Mon, 2009-11-30 10:54

Great stuff BJ.

 

Quality!!!

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Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)

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So so jealous, bring on the

Mon, 2009-11-30 12:16

So so jealous, bring on the 15th

grayzeee's picture

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amen to that!

Mon, 2009-11-30 16:07

amen to that!

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Adam Gallash's picture

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Gold

Mon, 2009-11-30 16:38

Pure gold BJ

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Roger Knife's picture

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great report and awesome

Mon, 2009-11-30 16:46

great report and awesome photos i goota come back and try for those

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fisherman1992's picture

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great stuff guys wish i

Mon, 2009-11-30 18:08

great stuff guys wish i could have that much fun on a boat haha good work love seeing a good catch oh question what sort ov cray fish are them 2 big ones just normal or difrent

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big john's picture

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Painted's

Mon, 2009-11-30 19:22

There painted's fisherman1992, or ornates, same cray just different names.

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WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.

Jigs available online in my web store!

Seaquest's picture

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Nice mixed bag mate. Love

Mon, 2009-11-30 18:38

Nice mixed bag mate. Love the photo of the wahoo, maybe POTM contender.

Kelvin8r's picture

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nice work boys and a top

Mon, 2009-11-30 19:55

nice work boys and a top report BJ. nice mixed bag there boys

Kasey L.'s picture

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wow, look at james and that

Mon, 2009-11-30 19:59

wow, look at james and that cray!

big john's picture

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Big boys

Mon, 2009-11-30 20:03

Gotta love these big boys Kasey. Most times there feelers are sticking out from under the coral as there too big to get right back in there. Get's the heart racing when you find one.

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WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.

Jigs available online in my web store!

carnarvonite's picture

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Tops

Mon, 2009-11-30 20:34

top report Big John,some excellent fish and whiskers there

Rosco's picture

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reward for effort!

Mon, 2009-11-30 21:55

Well done Big John and your Crewie didnt do too bad either.All fish of a lifetime mate.84cm Red!! Great Dr Who and those Reds on eggbeaters....Ripper!
Love to be up in Onslow at the moment and have dinner at yours...Crays,Reds,Dolly mmmmm let me think where would you start?
Rosco