queensland Peel Island 2020 06 21 & 22

[ellicat]

Hit up the Bay today with my first son, Mitch and his girl, Jas.

The idea was to have a cruise around and enjoy the water and stop in for lunch at Horseshoe Bay. Threw the rods in as well so we could have a stab at some small snaps at an old mark that had produced some 50's for me in the distant past.

Jas was first to register an enquiry but failed to convert. Then Mitch hooked something that spat the hook half way through the fight. Eventually my rod went off and a decent tussle ensued producing a little catshark.

 

Mitch then hooked something that bit him off. I suspect it was a little reef shark.

I landed another slightly larger catshark before Mitch finally brought in one a bit bigger. He was happy to have a weighty fish after a long layoff from fishing while he was growing his hair...

We moved on so we didn't catch any more and tried a couple more spots without luck. So we headed to Horshshoe Bay and stretched the legs for a bit before returning to the ramp.

 

 

We left the ramp at 10:30am in the morning and arrived back about 3:30pm. Plenty of trailers in the carpark but the ramps themselves weren't busy at all. So no ramp-rage today which was pleasant.

Not a spectacular fishing day but it was great to get out with Mitch as we haven't had a boat fish together since the days of the Force.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi ellicat

That's a nice little session you've had there, it's good you got out with your son for a boating trip  

Have you ever tried eating the catsharks? I wonder how they'd go on the table as flake. 

Cheers Hamish  

[ellicat]

I kept one about 20 years ago and the flesh was lovely white and firm, but the section of body I was cutting up was still squirming in my hand even without the head and tail after I'd skinned it. Freaky !

[kmcrosby78]

Good one Brian, good to see you out enjoying your new boat with your son  

[Drop Bear]

Nice day out on the bay mate. Glad to see your boat copping a flogging and on the water so much. 

I love cat sharks. They are good to eat but like all sharks gut them ASAP.

Thanks for the report. 

oh and no Grinners?

 

[Drop Bear]

11 hours ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Hi ellicat

That's a nice little session you've had there, it's good you got out with your son for a boating trip  

Have you ever tried eating the catsharks? I wonder how they'd go on the table as flake. 

Cheers Hamish  

They are good to eat mate. My son used to get a few spear fishing and they were always welcome on the plate. This was back in 2012

[Hweebe]

What was the current doing around there? Was the bait hard against the bottom to be catching so many catsharks?

[ellicat]

7 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

. 

oh and no Grinners?

 

None that day, but today is another day and grinners may or may not have been on the chew....

[ellicat]

1 hour ago, Hweebe said:

What was the current doing around there? Was the bait hard against the bottom to be catching so many catsharks?

Just the normal tidal run, perhaps a tad stronger than what you get around Mud.

Rig was sinker, swivel then trace of about 40cm.

[fishingnut]

No smoking !

[ellicat]

Oops, I should've photoshopped that out. I only had two which is way better than the twenty two I'd normally have.

[ellicat]

Had another go out there today with @Old Scaley. It was a bit lumpy early with a forecast of 15 to 20 as expected but reasonably comfortable. First spot, where we got the catsharks yesterday, Scaley opened the scoring with a large specimen of a secret species that Steve would prefer I wouldn't mention. So I won't.

Then whilst relieving myself over the side I hooked up to a large grinner, just like Steve's.

Donut avoided...

Then on the drift Old Scaley landed two flounder, one was a decent enough size to be tomorrow's breakfast.

We went south in search of another spot and tried around Coochie and McLeay with no luck at all. We were hampered by having to use a small handheld GPS as I'm still waiting on the Navionics card to turn up, and the new sounder/gps doesn't appear to come with any preloaded maps which is less than satisfactory.

The wind was off and on around this area as it is quite sheltered by the islands and mainland but the trip home was rather wet and bumpy with a solid blow around the 20knot mark from the west. It was good to get back into Raby Bay.

Thanks for another good day on the water, Steve. Keep the fingers crossed for later this week.

[Hweebe]

Ooh the grinners - I've being catching that many lately as well. I've started taking them home for garden fertiliser. Every tree i pop them under seems to be going gangbusters after a few weeks.

What new sounder did you end up purchasing that doesn't have maps preloaded?

What size baits / hooks are you using to be catching flounder? I love them crumbed and shallow fried.

[ellicat]

My trees need a bit of TLC since they are being neglected since the new boat came along. Thanks for the tip. I'll let Steve know to keep them next time. haha

I got a Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Splitshot. If there are maps there I can't find them after going through the whole menu. Currently about a third of the way through the manual and haven't come across anything relevant either. It won't matter now anyway as I am expecting the card to show up today or tomorrow. It will make the whole 'looking for the spot' thing that much easier.

I'll let @Old Scaley let you know the hook size/style.

[Hweebe]

30 minutes ago, ellicat said:

Lowrance Hook Reveal 5 Splitshot

I know it won't matter but i thought most new model Lowrance units came with C-Maps pre-loaded.

You will know for sure once you load the new cartography card in. The unit will ask which maps to load (the first time you insert the card)

 

[ellicat]

I thought so too, so just expected it to be there yesterday when I first used it but got nothing but a blank white screen with a black arrow. No tracks, no GPS points labeled on the screen, nothing. It may well be user error. I'd rather that than have to return it if it's faulty. Will see what the new card does.

[Old Scaley]

1 hour ago, ellicat said:

Had another go out there today with @Old Scaley. It was a bit lumpy early with a forecast of 15 to 20 as expected but reasonably comfortable. First spot, where we got the catsharks yesterday, Scaley opened the scoring with a large specimen of a secret species that Steve would prefer I wouldn't mention. So I won't.

Then whilst relieving myself over the side I hooked up to a large grinner, just like Steve's.

Donut avoided...

Then on the drift Old Scaley landed two flounder, one was a decent enough size to be tomorrow's breakfast.

We went south in search of another spot and tried around Coochie and McLeay with no luck at all. We were hampered by having to use a small handheld GPS as I'm still waiting on the Navionics card to turn up, and the new sounder/gps doesn't appear to come with any preloaded maps which is less than satisfactory.

The wind was off and on around this area as it is quite sheltered by the islands and mainland but the trip home was rather wet and bumpy with a solid blow around the 20knot mark from the west. It was good to get back into Raby Bay.

Thanks for another good day on the water, Steve. Keep the fingers crossed for later this week.

Still rubbing the salt out of my eyes @ellicat from the trip back to the ramp, but still a great day out. As usual we learnt many new things NOT to do, but also found a couple of spots for further investigation in more favourable weather. 

[Old Scaley]

1 hour ago, Hweebe said:

Ooh the grinners - I've being catching that many lately as well. I've started taking them home for garden fertiliser. Every tree i pop them under seems to be going gangbusters after a few weeks.

What new sounder did you end up purchasing that doesn't have maps preloaded?

What size baits / hooks are you using to be catching flounder? I love them crumbed and shallow fried.

@Hweebe, I was rigged for snapper so had a whole baby squid on a 5/0 circle hook. Size 2 ball sinker and about 40cm of 10lb fluorocarbon trace. We were drifting at the time but still getting to the bottom. 

I like to cook them whole in a little lemon butter, then fork the meat away from the bones, but I can imagine crumbed would be good too. Great tip about using the grinners for fertiliser. Thanks.

[jon]

Looked like a great day out. Good to see your new rig getting put to good use

[GregOug]

3 hours ago, ellicat said:

Had another go out there today 

Then whilst relieving myself over the side I hooked up to a large grinner, just like Steve's.

Now this sounds rather painful. 

[kmcrosby78]

5 hours ago, ellicat said:

None that day, but today is another day and grinners may or may not have been on the chew....

Probably less to do with the 'day' and more to do with the 'deckie' ......... 

[Old Scaley]

11 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Probably less to do with the 'day' and more to do with the 'deckie' ......... 

I told @ellicat you would be jealous. You would have been salivating at the size of theses babies.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

On 21/06/2020 at 8:26 PM, ellicat said:

I kept one about 20 years ago and the flesh was lovely white and firm, but the section of body I was cutting up was still squirming in my hand even without the head and tail after I'd skinned it. Freaky !

Hey ellicat

Wow, that is shocking. The last eel I chopped up was still squirming after I heard it too. Maybe it is something to do with the fact that their guts are still in their bellies?

On 22/06/2020 at 7:45 AM, Drop Bear said:

They are good to eat mate. My son used to get a few spear fishing and they were always welcome on the plate. This was back in 2012

Hi Drop Bear

Well, it looks like they are a good table fish, if I ever get one it might be coming home as flake!  

On 22/06/2020 at 4:25 PM, Hweebe said:

Ooh the grinners - I've being catching that many lately as well. I've started taking them home for garden fertiliser. Every tree i pop them under seems to be going gangbusters after a few weeks.

What new sounder did you end up purchasing that doesn't have maps preloaded?

What size baits / hooks are you using to be catching flounder? I love them crumbed and shallow fried.

Hey Hweebe

Thanks for that good idea. Like most species, if I ever get one, I will give this a try. I think they will be a bit better than the smelly stuff Dad puts under the trees

Cheers Hamish