Addy and I rolled back into Exmouth late last night after 1000km in the car and 210nm by sea so we could farewell Brad from the Pilbara- Montebello's style. We had a great trip, even though none of us did the usual stuff. There was three boats this time, Adz and I in mine from Exmouth, while Brad and Sheldon took Brad's and Leith and Paul towed Leith's down from Pt Hedland. Wanting to get value for money, Ady and I left Thursday night and camped at Fortescue Roadhouse for an early refuel and launch on the morning high tide.
We were treated to a pretty sweet ride out, enjoying the wildlife and scenery as the miles passed.
Nearly there.....
Cracking a beer to celebrate our arrival
The other boys weren't arriving until the next morning so we set up a temporary camp and headed off for a pop. The GT's were slow compared to previous sessions but we landed a few to keep us interested.
I also popped this 69cm spanglie that fought harder than any of the GT's for the day, unfortunately the big popper makes it look a tad smaller than it was.
It glassed off later in the day so we decided to come in for a swim, just for a look.
We dined on snags and onion that night and hit the hay early, the trip out had caught up with us. Brad and Sheldon rolled in later that night.
The next morning we packed up to shift to our preferred site.
Leith and Paul arrived at around 9am but we were out of there, our plan was to find some new reef to drop jigs and plastics for demersals. It took some finding but we started finding fish, Adz first with this nice trout on one of Jeffo's (Deepwater) home made jigheads and a McArthy 7", followed by me with a nice trout and rankin on the one jig, first for me!
We shifted a little further where we released a heap of mid sized rankins, then we stumbled upon the Graveyard, the place where jigs go to die. This was some of the hottest fishing I've had, with every drop nailed, usually before I'd even lifted the jig.
Adz jumped on the video camera and took some sick footage of me hooking up, getting stitched up and also landing some nice trout. I hooked and managed to extract a big trout from the reef only to get it sharked halfway up. The head was pretty big and could've beaten my 80cm PB but we'll never know. That signalled it was time for us to move on as these fish are too good to waste but man it was a hot session.
We took 2 mid sized trout for tea that night- some coral trout sashimi followed by a Thai Red Trout Curry- delicious but the sunburnt lips stung a little.
We woke the next morning to discuss the day where we all decided to head to Tryall Rocks
Upon arrival I was rigging a stickbait as I had plans for some popping and stickbaiting for mackies so Addy dropped his placcy over the side on nothing in particular and landed this nice trout, not a bad start!
The mackies were on the chew with some awesome aerial strikes from fish to 20kg getting airbourne with my lure in their mouth, even though pulled hooks made sure none made it back to the boat. Brad and Sheldon trolled and it was fish every few minutes, all released except one which became tea. Adz swam and videod watching the mackies underneath which must've numbered over 50 at one stage. Leith and Paul headed wide for a billfish to no avail, while Adz and I found a sailfish nearby which we cast our stickbaits at but it refused. Bummer. Brad and Sheldon then headed out to some reef where they found a similar situation to what we did the day before- heaps of big reefies all hungry for jigs. Addy and I headed inshore, dropping on any structure we found and pulling up more trout, rankins and chinamen.
Coming back into the reef we passed a few waves that were like this for our whole stay, and we didn't have a surfboard or lid anywhere near us- next time one is getting packed for sure. Left or right? Take your pick.
We came in early and had a walk around just taking it all in.
This seagull was being eaten?? by what looked like a big sea anemone, it was half inside this thing and couldn't get away so Dr Harry came to the rescue and it managed to walk away and sulk, it's final fate unknown.
Tea was fish and chips, with Leith copping a oil burn courtesy of the frypan so no, he's not reaching for a beer.
That night the wind picked up and Brad and I had to take a midnight swim to reset his dragging anchor. We woke to a stiff 20kt Southerly for our long trip home and for about 2 hours didn't we know about it!
The photo is very complimentary to the conditions, we were all drenched and battered. Closer to shore it got better and by the time we hit the islands off Fortescue River it was near glass- go figure! We had some lunch, a fish and relax then hit the road for the long drive home, with a trailer tyre blow out after Nanutarra our last drama.
Cooking pancakes for lunch
Food for fishermen!
All in all we got 4 days of nearly perfect weather, great company, awesome fishing and a nice change to our usual Montebello sorties. Hope you enjoyed yourself B-Dog, it was a great way to send you off.
MattMiller
Posts: 4171
Date Joined: 15/06/09
Jealous much
Bastards, while us southerners are enduring a 2 week belting by mother nature you lot are doing this
Great trip guys and well done on the fish.
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
ill add some more photos
ill add some more photos soon, thanks heaps for making the effort lads, was a blast
Well we only got 2 days fishing but it was worth it. It was a long way to go for the lads but we had a blast, a very different montes trip to the usual with a hell of a lot more relaxing going on and not as much fishing. Thanks Adam, Tim, Paul, Leith and Sheldon for comming out was a great trip and an awesome way to say good by to the montebello islands after 9 trips out there over the last few years
Cheers
Brad
Spangos were thick on top water lures
the viper
Kelvin8tors first ever topwater spango
We made a perfectly good bay look like this
Mackies were really thick with multiple double hook ups
Few mackies on the sounder
Kelvin8tors first ever fish n a jig and on his first drop, 77cm trout
His second ever fish on a jig
nice rankin
another rankin
on the way home
beau
Posts: 4104
Date Joined: 24/01/10
Wow these photos are
Wow these photos are amazing! What lens you using there Banana Brad? The 2nd photo of your mate with the spango on the popper is bloody amazing
Ringy35
Posts: 138
Date Joined: 30/04/11
Awesome photos!
Awesome photos!
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
unreal
Was just unreal. Sooo zoned out by the last day of just unreal fishing, conditions and cold beers quite often! Got some sick video that I'll edit up tomorrow!! Cheers fellas, top trip indeed.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Goodz
Posts: 2332
Date Joined: 20/07/09
Great photos and report!
Great photos and report! There will be plenty of jealous fishos after reading this one!
Simon C
Posts: 801
Date Joined: 01/05/07
fantastic work guys, very
fantastic work guys, very jealous indeed
fisherking
Posts: 730
Date Joined: 29/05/08
Awesome pics.I'll keep
Awesome pics.
I'll keep dreaming & one day I may even get to see it for myself.
Thanks for sharing.
Dean.
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." - Oscar Wilde
Kelvin8r
Posts: 475
Date Joined: 12/08/08
awesome
cheers lads, had an absolute ball, still wrecked today!
STEVE231
Posts: 1443
Date Joined: 05/01/10
Excellent report and pics
Excellent report and pics lads, thanks for sharing.
Alan James
Posts: 2206
Date Joined: 30/06/09
It has already been said
great pics, thanks for sharing.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Awsome
On a rainy day in Perth, To open this thread was awsome. Great pictures and report, thanks.
r.gates
Posts: 573
Date Joined: 15/11/10
Definitely gotta go there...
I'm adding the Monties to my bucket list....what an awesome place. Thanks for some great photos guys, can't wait for the videos.
Best wishes to you Brad, stay safe wherever you're heading.
regards
rusty...
If life is boring, you must be doing it wrong!
Reefmonkey
Posts: 711
Date Joined: 22/09/08
Thats awesome guys, magic
Thats awesome guys, magic
Dave J.
Jacko
Posts: 72
Date Joined: 15/10/08
Nice report guys. What is the
Nice report guys. What is the name of that bay you stayed in. Looks like it would be sheltered from most wid directions
If you can read this thank a teacher. If you can read it in English thank a Soldier.
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
no name bay but it also runs
no name bay but it also runs out of water on the low tide. There are at least a dozen bays like it out there, plus numerous other beaches and sheltered anchorages.
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
Its called "take it to our
Its called "take it to our grave bay" only runs out of water on the springs timbo
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
Looks amazing guys, very very
Looks amazing guys, very very jelous! Definently got me thinking about a trip up that way, looks like a lot of time effort and planning but way worth it! Awsome pics too!
wadetolley
Posts: 2258
Date Joined: 27/06/08
Great
Great photos guys! looks like a good time was had...
Nauti Buoy
Posts: 595
Date Joined: 20/04/09
Nice work
Great report, hopefully Brad can still write the occasional report of his sorties over in QLD region if work allows.
John_M
Posts: 967
Date Joined: 17/01/10
Awesome, just Awesome!
Awesome, just Awesome!
Paul G
Posts: 5215
Date Joined: 12/12/07
Top report and a great way to
Top report and a great way to say seeya brad. but im sure we will see plenty more of queensland Brad in the future
Active Gyp-Rok solutions ,Residential and commercial ceilings and walls
shabba
Posts: 484
Date Joined: 26/02/08
awsome report & pics boys.
awsome report & pics boys. sounds like an awsome trip.
chrisp
Posts: 1217
Date Joined: 24/05/08
Wow..
Great photo's, Great fish, Great waves. Nothing else to say really
marble
Posts: 773
Date Joined: 03/09/09
Pretty special trip that.
Pretty special trip that. Love the trout and rankin on one lure and the pic of the cod on the sand is mint.
Saw the boat in Ads driveway with you unloading stuff. Thought "those pair of pricks been to the islands" didnt think you`d been to THOSE islands.
Thanks very much for the report and the pics. . Bec just read it and guess where we off to next ??
PMY 25 Centre Console DF300 Suzuki
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
you should have stopped in
you should have stopped in for the stories. If you go I'll draw you a mud map if you draw me one of your trout spot here...
Xtreme Coolers
Posts: 721
Date Joined: 02/01/10
Brilliant
You boys make me sick.
What an absolutely brilliant place. Great work boys and enjoy home Brad. Anyone taking your place up there?
Dave
Anthony Hall 87
Posts: 193
Date Joined: 09/01/10
Awesome report
Awesome report fella's.
What I would give to have done that trip 9 times!!
Tight lines to all :)
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Mmm fried! Nasty the taxman
Mmm fried!
Nasty the taxman didn;t even leave you wings!
Paul Cunningham
Posts: 103
Date Joined: 14/07/09
Tim, Thankyou for putting
Tim,
Thankyou for putting that together and what an incredible introduction to that place. It is truly a gigantic saltwater playground out there and as Leith and I found, if you don't go there with a plan you just get lost and try to do too much of everything.
Can't wait to get back there.
Paul
DazSamFishing
Posts: 1518
Date Joined: 19/08/09
sensational report fellas.
sensational report fellas. Great fish, photos, weather (even the conditions on your trip back are heaven for us down here at the moment). Even some beaut surf! What a great way to send Brad over east.
CCC
Posts: 539
Date Joined: 29/03/10
Well done guys, can not think
Well done guys, can not think of a more fitting farewell for Brad. Tim-love the first photo!!!!!
Guess I've got M-dog creek to myself..........unless you guys come up for a barra trip.
CCC
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
Addy and I talked about a
Addy and I talked about a trip to M-Dogs for a no-Brad barra trip this season, might be on the cards!
Kelvin8r
Posts: 475
Date Joined: 12/08/08
i'll be more than happy to
i'll be more than happy to take over brads spot at M-dogs, i'll even sing a few more power ballads for yas :)
CCC
Posts: 539
Date Joined: 29/03/10
yep, come on up in barra
yep, come on up in barra season. With no Brad we might have a chance of catching a big barra rather then watching brad catch them!
CCC
bruiser
Posts: 148
Date Joined: 09/08/05
Thanks guys
Thanks for sharing. Not much else one can say after a report like that.
milsey
Posts: 1462
Date Joined: 22/08/07
Well done guys, cant think
Well done guys, cant think of a better way to spend 4 days.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
Top report there guys, what a
Top report there guys, what a send off!
deepwater
Posts: 1921
Date Joined: 09/05/07
now that looks like a great
now that looks like a great trip ,lots of fish and fun and a great send off for Brad
Ads the jiggs work mate i just need a trip out to give them a go ,it looks great hanging out of that trout
jeff
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Fantastic report there Tim.
Fantastic report there Tim. Man I love that place. All the best Brad.
Cheers
Mullows
The Older I get the better I was :-)
GusG
Posts: 547
Date Joined: 07/04/08
Wow, you would have to go
Wow, you would have to go along way to read a better report and certainly to find a better trip, that looked awesome fellas!!
Pete D
Posts: 1681
Date Joined: 07/06/07
Now that is a send off!
Now that is a send off! Awesome report with many top pics.
Great double too Tim.
Looking forward to the vid. Ads.
Cheers Pete
Fozz
Posts: 224
Date Joined: 01/08/08
Out with a Bang
Great report Tim, some great pics to boot. Nothing like going out on top Bradley, top effort well worth the hard yards getting there I sure. All the best bud. I see Sheldon's been grazing in the top paddock too, you look well conditioned brother. I'll be popping up to hedland in the next few weeks Sheldon, i'll get in touch. When you leaving Brad?
Fozz
Kelvin8r
Posts: 475
Date Joined: 12/08/08
hahahahahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahahahahahahaha very good top paddock mate
Colt_Striker
Posts: 624
Date Joined: 26/07/09
Tops all up, Fish, location,
Tops all up, Fish, location, pics & write up
scottland
Posts: 3031
Date Joined: 10/05/10
very nice
look like a mint spot to camp let alone fish
i support two teams eagles and whoever is playing the dockers
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Surf Vid
http://vimeo.com/27195062
Here's a pretty crappy vid I knocked up last night, shows some of the surf though.
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
Seaquest
Posts: 1132
Date Joined: 22/10/09
Awesome stuff guys. Nice
Awesome stuff guys. Nice double on the jig (revolver?) Tim. Great sounder shot of the mackies also. Love to do that trip one day.
till
Posts: 9358
Date Joined: 21/02/08
Sea Falcon Ukari?
Sea Falcon Ukari?
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
yep, not many left in the
yep, not many left in the box now though.
makai
Posts: 459
Date Joined: 28/10/08
Awesome report
Gotta love those photos. Reminds me how bloody lucky we are to have that sort of country and fishing available. Thanks for sharing!
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Top stuff
Looks like an awesome time was had by all.
Did you have the place to yourselves or were there a few other crew getting about?
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!
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
there seemed to be maybe 6
there seemed to be maybe 6 other trailer boats and a yacht but we only saw them from a distance.
crasny1
Posts: 6986
Date Joined: 16/10/08
I've got to get over there!!
Thats just supreme.
Just have to keep posting these reports up, and BananaBrad will scuttle back this way fast.
Great send off and best off luck over there Brad.
Neels
"I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact!!" _ Elon Musk
The_Wanderer
Posts: 735
Date Joined: 24/09/08
lucky Bastards!!! looks
lucky Bastards!!! looks awesome!
dkonig82
Posts: 2091
Date Joined: 06/07/10
God dammitThat looks too
God dammit
That looks too good!
Not fair. Think I need to get back up there pronto!
When asked by a non-fisherman 'how many fishing rods do you really need?' the correct answer is either:
n+1 (where n is the number of fishing rods you currently own); or
n-1 (where n is the number of fishing rods which would cause your significant other to dump you.
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15610
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Graveyards
Jig Graveyard Video:
http://vimeo.com/27225435
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
How good (but expensive) is
How good (but expensive) is graveyards! had soooo much fun out there
Bodie
Posts: 3758
Date Joined: 05/11/07
awesome video Adz!!!
awesome video Adz!!!
damo6230
Posts: 2029
Date Joined: 07/06/08
sweet trip
to farewell Brad
good to see Sheldon migrate north from bunno.
some awesome shots a s usual and fish to boot
GrahamM
Posts: 648
Date Joined: 19/01/09
Great report as usual you
Great report as usual you boys make us all jealous i cant wait till i am hopefully lucky enough to get back to the monties
JohnF
Posts: 2836
Date Joined: 07/07/10
Great video boys!!!!
Great video boys!!!!
Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.
Daisy
Posts: 789
Date Joined: 24/01/08
Nice work boys, fitting send
Nice work boys, fitting send off.
The view expressed in this post is that of a self opinionated bullshitter and does not reflect that of this website, it's owners, mediators, other members or anyone else for that matter :-P
Bluetonic
Posts: 1146
Date Joined: 09/01/08
Best way to farewell a mate I
Best way to farewell a mate I reckon. They are the sort of trips that stick in your mind for a lifetime. All the best PilbaraBrad. Damo6230 never changed his name when he moved north so i think you should leave your site name as is.
Blue Sky, Blue Water, Bluetonic!
Cruise Control
Posts: 971
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Fantastic report guys and a
Fantastic report guys and a fitting send off for a fishing mate.
If you will excuse me for jumping into your thread, this is a trip that i have always wanted to do but have not screwed up the nerve to undertake. Always worried about weather and fuel, the usual stuff. The day however is coming when I will commit to this trip and I would really appreciate a couple of pointers as to safe anchorages and must takes. I also see you left from Fortescue, how safe is your vehicle and trailer there ?
Any information that you are willing to part with would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Lucky Tim
Posts: 2536
Date Joined: 28/11/07
cars seem safe at Fortescue,
cars seem safe at Fortescue, besides there's not too many other options.
There's so many anchorages you couldn't list them all, Google Earth is going to be your best friend here. Lower tides are going to catch you out more than anything as a lot of the sheltered bays dry out on springs. Must do's include the bomb sites but if the weather is good just go fishing. I can email you bomb site pics instead.
Make sure you know your boat and fuel usage and don't underestimate the amount of miles you are going to do. We averaged about 40nm a day once we were there, they add up pretty quickly. Feel free to post up prior to going and I'm sure someone can help
Cruise Control
Posts: 971
Date Joined: 03/11/10
Thanks Tim, appreciate the
Thanks Tim, appreciate the quick reply.