Got back late Monday night from 4 days chartering out of Gnaraloo Bay.

After about 3 weeks strait of non stop wind out of nowhere we got a perfect 4 day weather window for our 4 day Gnaraloo Charter. Left Coral bay Thursday morning with a strong easterly but as forecast dropped off by midday. Had a bit of prospect on the way down but not much seen other than 8kg Mullaway from one of our older marks in the 50’s but not much on any of the new spots we marked. Spent most of the day setting up our mooring ready for the strong sotherlys forecast for later in the trip. We managed to float and move 2 large concrete blocks back that we normally use down there, but last year we found that someone had dragged into the reef. Getting them back into the sandy area of the bay. Met the crew of 8 we have for the week on the beach in the arvo and came up with a plan for the week.

Day 1. Plan was to work our way out to fairly deep and try to get onto the Goldband for some kg. First Anchor in the 80’s saw us boat about 15 got Reds strait up. I thought you beuty, fish are on and Gnaraloo was going to turn it on like I know it can. But things seemed to get slower after that with only a fish or two each anchor until about 1pm when the Goldband started to fire on last couple of spots. Having to stop fishing as we had bagged out just as a few horses started to show up. In the middle of the day a trevally that measured 1.2m showed up. It is about as big as I've seen for a Gold Spot.

Day 2. Started a bit deeper in the 90’s and found much the sam with a short morning bite and then slowly came on the late arvo. We found ourselves on some old ground in the 110m when the came back on in the late arvo and finished up quickly with double header horse Goldband causing chaos on the relatively light gear the boys where using. Had to again call a stop right in the middle of it with when we got bag with fish still coming up and lying everywhere on deck most is a mess of rigs o some kind. I don’t normally let other boats bother me too much, and being Gnaraloo we really even see one. But in the middle of the day did have one cat come from nowhere and try to set up drift next to us. But as we where anchored over the small spot I knew he would not even get close enough to see a show on his sounder. Plenty of ocean so I decided to pull Anchor and power 4 mile to leave him to it. Only to have him again come from out of sight and thing time do a full circle of us and then head back to where he came from???

Day 3. Now having plenty of kg in the freezers we decided to have a look around in the shallowes (shallow for us anyway). Starting in the 30's it was a bit of a slow morning with the odd good fish comming up. Reds seemed quite, but where they should have been there was Rankin Cod. Slowly picked up through the day. Tryed a few pinky spots but did not really se them schooling and where not on the bite. Ended up fishing a lot of spots but paid off still bagging out and in the end with at least 20 good sized Rankin amoungst a very mixed bag for the day also including another Mullaway. A few unstopables through the day that I assume where big cods from the was they went, but luckilly sharks whre allmost nos existant with only a coupple hooked during the day. Wind came up as we where finishing and had to punch into a 20kt s/w on way home but where not too far from the Gnaraloo Bay so was allmost (allmost) a nice change from the just about glass conditions we had had al trip so far.

Day 4. Bit of wind in the moring and we knew more was on its way so the plan was to get out there get what we can get back. But fish seemed quite hungy today and starting in the 70's and working our way in with a reall mixed bag we where allmost on our limit after just a couple of anchors. We decided to come out with the 6lb chalenge where we attach the hooks to the rigs with a 6lb bit of mono and the biggest fish landed on that wins. Once snapped off you are out and back to normal gear. With the Rankins still firing and every other fish being a horse Spango not many fish made it to the surface, with a small sweetlip being the end winner. Finished the day and the trip drifting over some mixed ground in the 30's, for a bit of fun catching and releasing lots of little stuff untill we finally got onto what I wanted to show the boys. I think we hooked and list a few but finally got a nice Malabar cod at abut 1.5m to the surface. being 30m it was still quite well so got the deck hose over the gills and after a quick photo it swam off strong.

We love chartering out of Gnaraloo and want to do more so if you are intrested have a look at our website www.seaforcecharters.com.au 

I know it can be hard to get groups together (let alone orginized) So we are looking at trying to put a couple of smaller groups or individuals together with packages including accom at the station and meals. So send us a email or pm us if you are at all keen to register your intrest.

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