No Spanish Mackerel for me

Finaly getting around to posting a report from the weekend. Tania, the boys and myself fished the monthly Baptist Church competiton on the weekend. Lucky for us we had the Friday off work, so we headed of mid morning. Weather was forecast to be ok, but not dead flat.

We first ran to West Point to chase some live bait and try lure up some Doggies to get the ball rolling. We got bait ok, but could only manage one VERY small mackerel. Actually, Tania caught him on the bait jig! We worked the area pretty hard for NIL result. From here we headed to Horseshoe bay for dinner. It was pretty rough around the back of the Island, although the wind was not blowing that hard. My plan was to head back out and fish into the night while the kids went to sleep. But it was simply too rough. So back into the bay we headed for the night.

Next morning I wanted to head to some shoals and chase Spanish Mackerel. Weather was ok, light 5-10knot breeze, but it was still lumpy. We slowly bumped our way out with the boys still asleep in the cabin. On arrival we trolled a couple of Gar around for about an hour. It quickly became obvious the Macks where not around. Not even much in the way of bait schools showing. We then drifted some live baits on the bottom. Tania managed a nice 8kg cod, but nothing else.

Weather was now building a little, and the kids and Tania simply didn't want to stay. So back in close we headed. This time to the North Cardinal. On arrival there were bait school massing everywhere. We quickly caught a few and put them back out. Pretty soon I was hooked to a solid fish. It darted around like a Mack, but burried a bit like a Nannygai. Had me confused for a while, but was obviously a good fish. Eventually I caught a glimps of silver and identified it as a Queenfish, and a good one too. No jumps, but a good solid fight.

Missed a couple of other runs, and landed a MASSIVE cod (probably 15kg or so). Too big for me to worry about, so I tagged it let it go. Tough fish. Finally we just to too exausted so pointed the nose home. I tried on more little rubble patch just off Picknic Bay, caugh another Queenfish on a live herring. But lost it at the net. I was fishing my two hook rig, and the second hook caught the net on the way it, from there it just wouldn't go in. I tried to tail it just at it spat the hook and swam off. I blame Tania, but it was probably no ones fault. But it prbably lost me the competition!

Off home, and I am yet to see what we used in fuel!! But we covered just over 100km. So it won't be cheap.