After our Stanage Bay and Capricorn islands adventure in 2009, fishing mate Steve Caruthers and I decided we better head back there for another GT �roughing it style� trip before we get too old for it and start doing a few more easier, tropical south pacific charter style GT trips.
Steve spent most of his Christmas break modifying his plate aluminum boat �Howler�, turning it from a 5.8m blue centre console into a roomier, smoother riding 6.5m white centre cab.
We left Port Stephens early May aiming to replicate the last trip pretty much. Primarily popping the different island groups on 3 day missions with a rest and refuel day in-between, weather permitting for 3-4 weeks.
After last year�s trip we decided the further afield island groups of Percy and High Peak to be nicer, clearer water and to hold more fish plus they had better night time anchorages. Also that 2 lures in the water may attract and excite the fish more then one. One angler casting from the front and the other casting and driving the boat the best they could, if needed.
The first 3 day trip was to the Percy�s Islands via Hexham group and out to Low Rock. The weather was calm, light to variable winds on 1m seas, lovely conditions and the fishing was insane. We encountered plenty of hungry, aggressive GT�s in the 15-25kg range, and heaps of smaller rats. There where pack attacks at a few points with numerous double hook-up. It really was great fishing. Throw in a few nice sized Spanish on stickbaits and coral trout on plastics and we had grins as big as a cheshire cat. Stoked even though we never came across any fish over 25kg. Where were the big boys?
We got too lunchtime on day 3 in no time. Running low on fuel we decided to return to the ramp, have a rest for a day, refuel and get back out there.
The second mission turned into a 2 day trip due to bad weather and swags full of water. The forecast wasn�t great, 15 knots of wind with scattered showers. And it was forecasted to get worse in 3-4 days. We went anyway. High Peak was the end point via Hexham and Low Rock. Stopping and having a cast or 10 at each island, bare rock or shallow reef. This helped break up the 70km drive out to the High Peak Island group.
What a change a day or 2 makes. We hit all the spots at Hexham and Low Rock that had produced on the first trip for hardly a fish. Maybe we had pissed them off enough the days before and the unfished areas at High Peak would produce. We noticed the water temp had dropped a degree, maybe this was the cause.
We got to High Peak late in the afternoon, with some dark clouds starting to form. We had just enough time to catch a trout for tea and secure the boat before setting up camp and cooking tea in the dark. There were very few mosquitos compared to the millions we experienced in December. Nice, maybe we�ll have a good night sleep instead of being cramped up sleeping in the boat.
Not to be. Around 9pm the clouds opened up. Within a few hours of continuous rain the swags started to leak. By morning we had managed very little sleep with our clothes and blankets soaked. Character building stuff.
What do you do when your 70km out to sea and everything�s wet and cold? You put on raincoats to minimize the wind chill and start popping. You�re warm and happy in no time. Well maybe if the GT were biting.
Because of the wind we stuck to the lee of the island, and from the last trip we knew it was some of the better ground anyway. Whatever had shut the fish down at Hexham was having the same effect out at High Peak. By mid morning all we had seen and caught was a shark mackerel.
I had a quick cast with the plastic gear while Steve got the hooks out of the mackerel�s mouth. For some foolish reason the mackerel�s mouth and my left foot ended up being close together. It flapped on the deck; I jumped and in doing so swung my right foot up into Steve�s stella and lure. I felt a bump but no pain. It wasn�t until I tried to put my foot back on the deck that I realized I had collected a 7/0 treble in the ankle. Lucky all the barbs were crimped for the fishes and angler�s sake. I pulled it out, which still took a little force, however very little blood. And on we fished.
Around lunch time we hit a rock sticking out from a point with some deep water. Steve managed a rat casting from the front, me zero. We moved to another nearby island where Steve landed a nice 12-14kg northern bluefin tuna on a stickbait.
After half an hour I suggested we try that little rock one more time, it just looked too fishy. I set up the drift as best I could with the wind and current on hand. Steve cast out his stickbait from the bow, a few seconds later I landed a popper nearby. Pop, pop, holly molly I�m on. With a great big eruption, it looked and felt like a solid GT. The fish went crazy, I held on as best I could with the right hand, jammed the boat in reverse with the left hand. Steve wounded in his lure and came down to steer the boat out into some deeper water. After a tough battle up came a nice solid GT of around 36-38kg. A few pics in the rain and after reviving it boat side, off swam my best GT to date.
The rest of the day continued as before, very few fish and rainy weather, so with everything soaked we headed for the ramp and a few days rest due to continuing poor weather.
We knew we had one or 2 good days of weather for the third trip but also knew it was going to start blowing again from the south. We went south so we could come home with the change. Even though we had heard there was a military exercise on at Shoalwater Bay, that had started a few days earlier, the areas around Island Head Creek and the Clara group were still accessible. We hit all the likely areas and even though it looked very fishy we didn�t raise a GT all day. We did get a few trout, spangled emperor and a small black jew on lighter gear. Maybe the military activity had shut the GT bite down, who knows.
Towards night fall we had a great bottom bashing session on large mouth nannygai, red emperor and jobfish. We landed 30 odd fish between 3-7kg. Releasing most that weren�t damaged by the sharks. We had up to 4 sharks at a time chasing up the fish. We decided to leave them biting as it was just a waste of fish with so many sharks around.
I was very successful using soft plastics on 2 ounce elevator jighead until I ran out of jigheads, mostly thanks to the sharks destroying my gear. Steve stuck with bait on a paternoster. Initially using 2 hooks until he found it too hard to get 2 fish to the boat with out being sharked. So he left one hook unbaited and still managed a double header, luckily getting both fish in the boat.
After a few days off we did our fourth trip. Again the weather was expected to blow up to 20 knots by the third day so we went back out towards High Peak as we didn�t want to punch into a southerly for 60km home from the Percy�s. At least from High Peak you get to travel across the wind and swell.
On the first 2 days the GT�s were still very quiet however at least we managed a couple of school size fish in the 15-25kg mark plus 1 bricking for Steve close to the rocks by a reasonable size fish. Steve hooked and landed a mid size whaler and after a little dental work we managed to get the lure back.
As the GT fishing was slow we headed back to the same area to do some bottom bouncing on the second afternoon and after a slow start the fishing started to fire up. We landed close to 40 fish of a better size class, with some nannaygai going 10kg. We kept a few for ourselves and gave a couple to Marie back at Plumtree store (for a surf and turf charity night dinner to raise cash for the rescue helicopter) and released the rest. Interestingly we didn�t encounter any sharks. They must have been full from the previous session.
Next morning the GT fishing was still very slow. The only action saw me hook and rapidly lose a mid size GT and lure in 3m of water.
That pretty much wrapped up the whole adventure, even though we still had a week of accommodation booked. The weather was expected to get really bad with a big southerly blow expected for the remaining week. Still we had a great trip, landed a few GT�s and got our bag limit of tasty reef fish, beats Port Stephens snapper. Even though it would have been great to do battle with a few more monster class GT�s that the area is known for. Maybe next time.
Lessons learnt and additional info
I�m definitely no Arnie, preferring light-medium popping gear that I can adequately handle. I ran with 12kg of drag on a bent rod or 10kg on a straight pull. Steve�s also moved away from the heavier rods and line class as you can see below. However we both did carry a spool or two of 130lb line just in case.
This trip I used the following equipment:
Ripplefisher 78Flex Dogfight Jerry Brown Solid 100lb YGK 200lb leader
Ripplefisher 79Reversal Dogfight Jerry Brown Solid 100lb YGK 200lb leader
Ripplefisher 79Ultimo MH Dogfight Jerry Brown Solid 80lb YGK 170lb leader
Smith Nirai Expedition Jerry Brown Solid 65lb YGK 70lb FC leader
Nitro Godzilla Saltiga 4500 Jerry Brown Solid 50lb YGK 50lb FC leader
Nitro Viper Hyper 4000 Jerry Brown Solid 30lb YGK 30lb FC leader
Nitro Distance Spin Branzino 3000 Jerry Brown Solid 20lb YGK 20lb FC leader
Steve took and used the following, except the RF 78H which stayed in the rod rack. He preferred his new DJ83MH especially for distance.
Ripplefisher 78H Stella 18000 Varivas PE8 YGK 200lb leader
Carpenter DJ83MH Stella 18000 Varivas PE8 YGK 200lb leader
Carpenter 711TBL Stella 10000 Varivas PE8 YGK 170lb leader
Smith AMJ 52ex Stella 8000 Varivas PE6 YGK 70lb FC leader
Shimano deep jig Stella 8000 Varivas PE5 YGK 50lb FC leader
G Loomis bluewater Stella 5000 Suffix 30lb YGK 30lb FC leader
G Loomis mossyback Certate 2500r Tufline 20lb YGK 30lb FC leader
After our first few trips away and buying this and that lure to try, we have both pretty much settled on using FCL Labo lures. There reasonable price, look great and are easy to work.
Ebipop 140, Ebipop ext 120, SPP 140 and CSP s220s where primarily used. As well as Gunz Tailwalk sinking model.
Ebipop ext 165, Ebipop 120, SPP200, CSP 260f, CSP 200f, CSP s180s, Squidpen 160 and 130, Ulua 120 also made the trip but were used less often because of the weather (surface stickbaits) or angler preference.
We used single strand leaders, joined with a FG knot, rigged on multiple spare spools. And shogun extreme trebles in 6/0, 7/0 and 8/0 size. We had no problems with the hooks and they were used over recorders/decoys based on price only and positive reports from other anglers. There very nice and sharp. Remember to crimp or remove the barbs.
On the other gear and soft plastic outfits we used slim beauties for connections. Jigheads in the half to 1 ounce range even in shallow water to deal with the current. Needing 2 and 4 ounce elevator jigheads for the 20-40m depths once the current started to move.
When we started out GT popping we were very eager for info on the sport. It can be and will be a very expensive form of fishing if you let it. We searched the net, mostly GT Popping, (thanks Luke/Brandon), pm�d Brandon heaps (thanks again mate), called Fishhead (thanks Duncan and staff) just so we knew we were on the right track with gear. Especially in regard to the old stella/dogfight debate (Holden/Ford more like Ferrari/Porsche).
We decided since we were not too sure on which to buy, maybe one of us would buy 1 brand and the other buy the other brand, swap gear now and then and see what you preferred.
I went Daiwa since I had and like the smaller size reels in the range (and am a bit obsessive/compulsive once I like a certain brand), Steve went Stella. I went Ripplefisher only because they are easier to get, Steve went Carpenter as he�s a lot more relaxed and patient.
At the end of the day both brands are at the elite end of the sport (with a few others). Basically you can�t go wrong. Now we rarely swap outfits. Mostly because you like/or are used to the feel of your own equipment.
We both fixed the few issues we had on the first Stanage trip. Steve went a lighter but longer rod and braid thus getting better distance out of the casts. I, by purchasing a tension mate from Fishhead to help pack the braid nice and tight on the Dogfight spools, plus saves the gloves from line burn with my old method. I converted from Varivas SMP to JB solid. Some may like SMP, horses for courses. I�m very happy with JB solid and so is the back pocket, well nearly, at least it means more cash for lures. Maybe even some gamma�s one day.
Regards Tony
