Montes Magic
Finally managed to get an April, Montes trip back in this year. COVID and a cyclone saw the last two re-scheduled to late September. Great trips but the water was a bit cool for snorkelling and spearing.
This trip saw the new in-laws join the fray, with my eldest daughter getting married just before the trip.
Iffy weather at the beginning saw us delay our departure, but the froth caught up with us, and we still spent a day camped out on the Fortescue access road. Take a fly net would be my advise!
Eventually got across, and its always a big relief getting all that weight and fuel off the boat. Set up camp and then slipped out for a quick squid and swim, James breaking in his new speargun on a nice trout. Dinner was sorted. James is a deadset Master Chef, and we ate like kings every night. He spiced up the fresh seafood (fish, cray, squid) meals with some huge Esperance brown lip abalone and 3kg's of Shark Bay tiger prawns. How I avoided gout I'll never know.
I've never been one to fish deep and drop big leads so we pretty much stayed in less than 35 metres the whole trip. I always jig only (never bait) but James has often dappled in the dirty baito arts. This trip however he stuck with the jigs only and he was rewarded with some cracking fish, especially coral trout. I can't help think that not having the scent of bait in the water also helps with the shark situation.
Main emphasis for this trip was to test a range or two-toned Bucktail jigs (in both the Bucktail Banana and Hard Head Bucktail models), a new whiting worm Flig and a Saltwater Bucktail with a stinger hook arrangement.
Two Tone Bucktails - big tick.
Whiting Worm Flig - medium tick, worked but more refinement needed.
Saltwater Stinger Bucktail - worked but more hassle than its worth. Canned this idea, second hook made releasing fish a bit tricky and kept fouling the main hook after they'd been chewed on a bit.
Also did a heap of snorkelling, spearing and invested some fuel in some solid exploration for future trips.
I'll let the pics tell the main story but a few facts:
- 700l fuel burn
- 12 days at the islands
- Plenty of soft drink, H20 consumed
- Few night time Sambucas and Rums plus a two beer ration per night
- Managed to launch and retrieve the drone from the boat, which was a bit nerve wracking
- Big squid hunting in packs, great fun
- A few shark problems but only at a couple of spots
Roll on the next trip.
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!
Alan James
Posts: 2223
Date Joined: 30/06/09
...
Nice report and pics BJ
Weather looks mint on the way home.
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Glass
Finally managed to crack the 175hp open, very nice.
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!
dodgy
Posts: 4577
Date Joined: 01/02/10
How did you go getting
How did you go getting out?
The ramp is the absolute shittest I've ever seen it.
Massive Easter tides combined with great weather and 100 boats driving on and off have ripped it right up. Saw a few damaged trailers last couple of trips and that lip means most bigger boats need another vehicle hooked on now to retrieve.
Does anyone know where the love of god goes, when the waves turn the minutes to hours?
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Bad condition
Yeah it was pretty shit, thankfully no damage. Left a slightly bigger hole in it.
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!
Brock O
Posts: 3223
Date Joined: 11/01/08
Great write up and Pics
Great write up and Pics John.
Cheers
little johnny
Posts: 5357
Date Joined: 04/12/11
Far out
Unreal . Great pics
squidvicious1
Posts: 824
Date Joined: 22/07/10
Good report BJ
Good report BJ
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Cheers
Cheers guys, was a good one. Weather played the game mostly which helps.
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!
Happy dayz
Posts: 450
Date Joined: 29/04/18
Once again another awesome
Once again another awesome write up and pictures to boot , some unreal fish there mate ,just curious what's with the basket ball and who ever had the boards did the score any waves, cheers
Happy dayz
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Crewy
Crewy is always keen for a surf but no swell the last three trips.
Found the basketball washing around the shore break on a beach. Bizarre.
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!
Happy dayz
Posts: 450
Date Joined: 29/04/18
Ha ha yeah bizarre about the
Ha ha yeah bizarre about the ball spewing your mate didn't get a surf in but thanks for posting another great report John
Happy dayz
uncle
Posts: 9474
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Sounds like an epic trip
Great photos,thanks for the fillets
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15644
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Wow
Some slob trouts in there BJ
Site Admin - Just ask if you need assistance
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Yep
They love jigs too.
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!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 18025
Date Joined: 11/03/08
Awesome effort there.
Awesome effort there. Certainly gotta be happy with that lot of tasty fish you got. A trip to remember
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
NORUN NOFUN
Posts: 1035
Date Joined: 15/08/11
The boats were certainly
The boats were certainly loaded up lol, crackn trip, great report and photo's. Very lucky.
davewillo
Posts: 2398
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Great report BJ. Looks like
Great report BJ. Looks like some glamour weather and those trout! Wow!
PGFC member and lure tragic
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Cheers
Yeah they were good fish. Saw a lot with the speargun in hand as well but they're still swimming, left them for next time.
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!
davewillo
Posts: 2398
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Thta camp right by the water
Thta camp right by the water looks magic too BJ. Why the two beer ration - to make sure everyone is good to go each morning? I drink plenty on fishing trips but am always right to go early. I guess some guys then hit the rums etc. hard and it all goes to shit!
PGFC member and lure tragic
big john
Posts: 8749
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Ration
Ration is more to do with overall weight in the boat on the trip over.
Not a big beer drinker, rather take more fuel.
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!
davewillo
Posts: 2398
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Yeah just after I typed that
Yeah just after I typed that I thought it might have been weight restricted. I'm sure I saw a spot for one more jerry can on that deck too!
Not a big beer drinker either but on boats and fishing trips that tends to increase.
PGFC member and lure tragic
sea-kem
Posts: 14967
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Cracking report BJ place
Cracking report BJ place should be renamed Trout islands. Good to see you cracking the sand flats.
Love the West!