Impereiuse reef service trip

During my last service trip we had plenty of time to get a line in as there was over 800 nautical miles of travel involved. At 10knots i was able to run skirts most of the time occasionally picking up the odd fish. At Clerk reef we had loads of action, tuna, macks, barracuda, mahi  but couldnt pick up a sail or marlin.  Then on route to brouse island in some clear water i landed a blue marlin which went 35 to 40kg i guess. It went deep at the end of the fight and on a jigging outfit it was punishing me well. In the afternoons at the island i was able to do a little jigging with average success. The Black trevally were in plague proportion, Caught the odd small trout, some good longnose emperor, and those bloody grey coats fleeced me of loads of jigs.

Was supprised to see crocs 50knm out at Adelle island. Its a hellish place, scorching heat, sand dunes, thich long grass full of mossies and sharks that ate all my poppers.

Spent a few days in the gorges/ creeks. Up around cockatoo island, Gods counrty up there. Amazing landscape and coastline. Went to the Squaters and had a beer with those guys. They were great but there departing moon is was a disturbing image.

Fishing the creeks was a learning curve. I had to leave what i know about southern techniques behind and learn afresh. Had some great sessions on the fingermark, jacks, cod and barra.

Diversity Charters looked after us and definately going to take the Mrs, kids and friends back with them. Theres a lot more id like to see up there.

Anyways heres a few photos

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"Its a life style job"

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Nice range of species there

Thu, 2011-04-07 16:43

Nice range of species there Tony, thats a tough day @ work!

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Ben Derecki's picture

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Tough living Tony.  Looks

Thu, 2011-04-07 17:00

Tough living Tony.  Looks wild mate.

hlokk's picture

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Looks like some nice

Thu, 2011-04-07 17:02

Looks like some nice fish. I've heard different reports in the charter though...

PilbaraBrad's picture

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very nice!

Thu, 2011-04-07 17:18

very nice!

jay_burgess's picture

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Nice fish, looks more like a

Thu, 2011-04-07 17:25

Nice fish, looks more like a black marlin though?

hlokk's picture

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Looking at the pics in my

Thu, 2011-04-07 18:08

Looking at the pics in my fish ID book (Marine fishes of NW Aus) it shows that the blacks have the start of the second dorsal before the start of the second anal fin and the blues have the second anal fin more forward. In the pics it looks more forward suggesting a blue. The pointiness of the dorsal matches my blue marlin pic better. Dont know how reliable that is though. Pectoral fin is hard to tell from the pics (whether it can go flat or the exact position).

Any experts here?

Alan James's picture

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It's a black

Thu, 2011-04-07 18:35

Look at the pics

http://fishwrecked.com/forum/blacks-vs-blues

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hlokk's picture

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Went over those pics again,

Thu, 2011-04-07 19:08

Went over those pics again, and from the gills, its a black, not a blue

Lucky Tim's picture

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sure is a awesome part of the

Thu, 2011-04-07 17:49

sure is a awesome part of the world, it's almost enough to make me want to go back to work, almost.

Pretty good crossing off most of NW WA's iconic species in one trip too.

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That sucks ass

Thu, 2011-04-07 18:20

Dude you need to get a real job.

STEVE231's picture

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 I think the job he's got is

Thu, 2011-04-07 19:15

 I think the job he's got is perfectly fine!! I just need to find one like that.

Well done Tony, half your luck!!

DazSamFishing's picture

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Well done Tony, some nice

Thu, 2011-04-07 19:40

Well done Tony, some nice variety. How bout' those oysters!!!

grantarctic1's picture

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Nice report

Thu, 2011-04-07 19:45

Very cool report and pic's mate.

Big fat oyster's to top it of. Awsome..

southcity104's picture

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well we're hiring...

Thu, 2011-04-07 20:26

so if your confident with low voltage systems and dont mind a little travel let me know. Im no game fisho but one thing that i noticed is the top dorsal folded and from what ive read and vaguely remember thats what tell the blacks and blues apart? That may be bull sh!t though

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"Its a life style job"

hlokk's picture

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That's what I thought but I

Thu, 2011-04-07 20:36

That's what I thought but I think it's the pectoral not the dorsal. I wonder if there's much of a diff in the dorsals.

Alan James's picture

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In juvenile blacks

Thu, 2011-04-07 20:52

I think you may find that the pectoral fins are not always "locked" as in adult blacks and this may also lead to questionable IDs in smaller fish, hence look at the flaps covering the gills.

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Lastchance's picture

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Great shots, Tony. Looks like

Fri, 2011-04-08 00:08

Great shots, Tony. Looks like the weather played the game as well for you. As for 'hiring', looking at the conditions of employment, Ill come along for free!

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That size fish a blacks

Sat, 2011-04-09 11:20

That size fish a blacks pectoral fins are rigid and a blues will fold back easily.