I thought I'd post a report of a trip I did earlier this year with Nomad Sportfishing in February where I fished the reefs off the Breaksea Spit.
In mid-February, I went up to Hervey Bay for a two day trip with Nomad. I'd been looking forward to fishing the area as I have fished the region before. I was, however, hoping for better weather than I had encountered previously as I have never had any luck with weather in this area.
Well, luck wasn't on my side. On the day I arrived, there was a very strong south easterly blowing. Things didn't seem to improve much overnight when Ed Lester picked me up from my hotel about 5am. I met Damon and the person I was sharing the charter with, Peter Cunningham, at the harbour and within minutes, were heading out in the Nomad Blackwatch.
Within a half hour of heading out, we were in some pretty big seas! It took over two hours to get out to the area we would fish for GTs. Well, I wouldn't say the conditions were bad - that wouldn't have been an adequate description! They were shocking and it poured at times!! It was so difficult even standing and maintaining our balance casting poppers. Half an hour produced nothing so we decided to go jigging. Jigging was quiet as well but after about half hour, I hooked a very nice fish which I was sure was an AJ. Well, I never saw the fish because after some ten minutes, I felt an enormous weight come on and then it was gone.
We then trolled for a while (I was too %$#$@! to continue jigging) and landed some nice fish including dolphin fish, wahoo and mackeral. I landed a nice sailfish and we raised a couple of black marlin as well which didn't hook up. Later in the day, we went back to try for GTs. Conditions were now very good for GTs with a heavy current sweeping over the shallow reef. The swell was still quite heavy but it looked very promising. It turned out to be one of the most exasperaring sessions on GTs I have ever experienced. We raised a number of nice fish but simply could not hook up. When we finally did have a hookup (Ed when Peter was having a break), it was a massive sideways strike and Ed was busted off at the spool. He looked in shock for a while! I hooked one very nice fish which was on for about ten seconds before it tossed the hook - very frustrating. I think that we had six strikes from GTs for no return. Both Peter and I landed a bigeye each but no GTs. As it was late in the day, we headed back to Fraser Island and anchored for the night around Reedy's Point. Deckie Ed Lester became Chef Ed Lester. I don't think the chef on the Odyssey (Elaine) need feel under threat!
Damon said that it was very common to see small black marlin in the area we were anchoring. Anyway, it was a very pleasant evening and comfortable enough in the bunks on the Blackwatch. The next morning, we struggled to get up - noone wanted to wake up early!
Damon suggested we try another spot for GTs which required us to cross the Breaksea Spit. Unfortunately, the seas were even bigger on this day and it simply as unsafe even for the big gameboat to attempt a crossing. After trying for nearly an hour, we headed out to the same area we had fished the previous day. Jigging produced a number of Almaco Jacks which were great fun although i lost another fish to a noah (not to mention another Nagamasa). Peter also landed a nice cobia.
After jigging for a couple of hours, I thought I was going to pass out so I wisely suggested that we should try some trolling! We again landed some nice wahoo and mackeral and also managed to raise a nice marlin which again failed to hook up. Late in the morning, I landed a huge wahoo which pretty much made my trip.
Around lunch time, we decided to try again for GTs. Condtions were rough but they looked perfect. Unfortunately, the GTs simply did not want to come out to play. In fact, there was no interest at all in our lures until I changed to a pick Orion bigfoot. Amazingly the pink bigfoot seemed to turn the fish on for some reason but I simply could not hookup notwithstanding multiple strikes. Late in the day when I had cast myself into exhaustion, the inevitable happened - I hooked up to a very nice fish. It took me completely by surprise and those couple of seconds were all the fish needed. Another pink bigfoot gone (anyone who has fished with me knows that a pink bigfoot is my favourite lure).
The ride back into Hervey Bay was tough - it took some 2.5 hours to get back in big seas.
Conditions to expect - well, don't expect great conditions in this area! I've never fished it in calm conditions and it is a demanding ride out to the fishing area. The seas off the Breaksea Spit are notorious for bad conditions so if you're travelling a long way to get there, be prepared for a possibility that you can't get out there
Fishing - while the trip was quiet from a GT perspective, the fish are certainly there. We saw a number of very nice fish and landed a number of other different species of fish. Certainly, there seem to be a lot of billfish in this area. The area we fished for GTs is not easy as it is a shallow reef area and there are many places the GTs can cut you off. Unfortunately, the GTs were simply not attacking lures aggressively on this trip.
Nomad - Those of you who have read my trip reports before will have noted that I tend to give Damon a bit of a plug as a charter captain. Well, we got back into Hervey Bay at 9pm. Considering that the previous day that we had started at 5am and gotten back into Fraser for anchorage at around 7pm and that on the second day, we had started abour 6.30am and gotten back into Hervey Bay at 9pm, well, I don't think anyone could ever complain that you don't get a full days fishing or that they don't try their best to catch you fish.
Recommendation - one for true believers and definitely not one if you don't have sea legs. I'll repeat that warning - if you have a tendency for seasickness, think twice!! That said, if you're a true GT afficianado, you have to experience this area. I can imagine that if the fish are on that the fishing in this area would be amazing.
Would I go again - need you ask?
