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Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Reports & Expeditions => Topic started by: Luke Wyrsta on May 25, 2007, 01:57:28 PM
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Nomad Sportfishing Newsletter May 2007 (http://www.nomadsportfishing.com.au/newsletter/newsletter%20may%202007.html)
Here is an excerpt from the newsletter:
Shoalwater Bay 2007
UNBELIEVABLE GT action is the only way to describe this week. We fished the lead up to the full moon in April with George Pang, Steve Kakavas, Brandon Khoo and Peter Edwards fishing alongside our guides Damon, Tim, Ed, Liam and Jason. Biggest GT hooked was around 55kgs, and there were many of these. Brandon Khoo hooked up 4 monsters in the last 2 days to get the unlucky bugger of the week award. There were many personal best GTs landed, and the average fish size was between 25 - 30kgs, with many 40kg to 50kg fish seen every day. The number and size of the G's at this location is astonishing. CLICK HERE for the full trip report on the website with all the pics from the week...
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Has anyone seen that new DVD on Shoalwater?
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I'm the unlucky bugger in question :'(
I hooked one GT that looked around 55kg and then the escapee from Jurassic Park which kicked my butt was noticeably bigger. I have no idea how big this one was. I've seen big fish but this was ridiculous. All this was within about twenty minutes of each other. I lost my last five fish of the trip in a row but the last one was only a "midget" around 35kg BUT it was a jet black coloured one which i really wanted.
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I'm the unlucky bugger in question :'(
I hooked one GT that looked around 55kg and then the escapee from Jurassic Park which kicked my butt was noticeably bigger. I have no idea how big this one was. I've seen big fish but this was ridiculous. All this was within about twenty minutes of each other. I lost my last five fish of the trip in a row but the last one was only a "midget" around 35kg BUT it was a jet black coloured one which i really wanted.
That's what happens when you start discussing about using minnows for GTS :P
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but I only did it AFTER Shoalwater. I must have been punished for thinking about it when I was out there already :o
I better be careful if I am so transparent with my thoughts lest I get arrested!! ;D
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Has anyone seen that new DVD on Shoalwater?
It's still in the final production stages, so not actually out yet. They're trying to digitally remove all of Brandon's minnows and replace them with poppers, but it's time-consuming.
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Has anyone seen that new DVD on Shoalwater?
It's still in the final production stages, so not actually out yet. They're trying to digitally remove all of Brandon's minnows and replace them with poppers, but it's time-consuming.
:D ;D :D
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The Shoalwater DVD is actually based on 2006, not this year. Damon did want to film this year but their cameraman got injured and had to go into hospital on the eve of the trip. I for one am thankful for that. If any of you read the trip report on the Nomad site, I would never have lived down the incident where I dented the new rails on one of the dories if it had been filmed.
You see, this imbecile (me) ::) decided that he had lost too many lures and that in the really shallow areas which were covered in bommies that he needed to really wind the drag up. I've obviously been listening to Jon too much with his "no line out" principle.
Well, the stickbait got smacked by a massive fish that would have 50kg+. It was a huge fish in really shallow water. Damon reverses and I'm in that squatting position with the rod high. With a drag set at about 18 to 20kg, well, something has to give and it was me. I got pulled over the rails and both my feet lifted about six inches to a foot off the deck. Thank God the Nomad deckie Liam pulled me back down. That wasn't the end of it. Damon then drives out but the fish didn't like that idea and it pulled back. As a result I got slammed into the rails and dented them and then i was bouncing back and forth as the fish and Damon played pinball with me. If Aaron had filmed that..........
I was actually quite sure I had cracked a rib initially but it was only bruised. Not my finest moment :D
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Are the dory rails strong enough for the Telecom rope? ::) ;)
You can use the Telecom rope to troll your minnows!!!
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Struth Brandon, That is just nuts - sure sounds hard core, I so can't wait for my turn...... I hope that Aaron is OK.
If you read this Aaron - get well yo we love ya work -
p.s ; I am prepared to step up for you if required bro, i will be your wing man any time...... ;)
I want that Jurassic park fish - he has my name all over him.... :o
8)
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with a bit of luck, you'll get your turn next year, Pete. Luck is really only for the weather - the fish will be there. The big fish are certainly out there and there are some spots which are more forgiving too so if you hook a big fish, you actually have a decent chance. Of course, there are also many spots where you know it is death to cast it in if there is a decent fish in there but it is so hard to resist! Mind you, I paid dearly for this lack of self-control :D
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I had a look at the place on some maps. Almost tempting to tow the boat down to give it a crack. Would be a mission for sure with 100k's of dirt leading to Stanage, but looks do-able. Ah, maybe getting ahead of myself, still plenty of exploring to do at home yet..
steve.
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How far from cairns do you need to travel to find good numbers of GT's Stephen?
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About 10km of road and 30km in the boat from my front door. Been dying to get out and have another trip but between work and the wind lately I haven't had a chance.
steve
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I had a look at the place on some maps. Almost tempting to tow the boat down to give it a crack. Would be a mission for sure with 100k's of dirt leading to Stanage, but looks do-able. Ah, maybe getting ahead of myself, still plenty of exploring to do at home yet..
steve.
Steve,
Just FYI, i was under the impression that a lot of the Shoalwater Bay (if not all) is under military control, therefore no civilians are allowed in. I could be wrong though - not to say that surrounding areas may not also hold big fish too? I understand that Damon has explicit permission to fish the area (but hasn't always ;))
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I asked him about that. The army permits people in when they are not using the place but often, you have to vacate the area at a moment's notice. The Bay itself is apparently in use for most of the year. For the islands outside the bay, they can also close this area and do during exercises but apparently, the islands are open for most of the year. The only problem with the islands is that the closest launching point for a boat is Stanage Bay which is something like 80 miles from High Peak island, one of the island we were anchored in.
That is a long to go in a tralier boat.
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Just FYI, i was under the impression that a lot of the Shoalwater Bay (if not all) is under military control, therefore no civilians are allowed in. I could be wrong though
I've got a map with the bombing range boundary marked, as well as the green zones and yellow zones.
You're right in a fashion Luke. A large area of Shoalwater Bay itself is a bombing range. There is only a very small area within the bombing range boundary that is not a green zone though (the area around the Clara group) so apart from this small area, permission from the military isn't going to have too many advantages for the fisherman. I'm quite certain Nomad would not be fishing in green zones.
closest launching point for a boat is Stanage Bay which is something like 80 miles from High Peak island, one of the island we were anchored in.
Yes the closest ramp is Stanage Bay and there's 100km of dirt road leading to it from the highway.
However, High Peak Island is just over 70 kilometres from the ramp. A lot less than 80 miles, and 70km is do-able in a trailerboat, especially when there are numerous islands in between. Like I said though, it would be a mission.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the uniqueness of the place, or the Nomad operation. If anything, after doing a bit of research into the area, it would be very difficult if not impossible to beat the value offered on a Nomad trip.
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I certainly didn't take it that way, Stephen and actually, you're right. I think I got the distance mixed and its 70 - 80 miles to Mackay, not Stanage Bay.
We did see a couple of trailer boats when we were out there as the islands like the Percy Group have really nice sheltered areas. The only thing to be careful of is you're a long way out anyway you look at it and the seas out there can be big. Even the 80 foot Odyssey was rolling all over the place when we were on the way out there so it would pay to be careful.
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Yes there's definately safety in numbers in such a remote location, and the benefit of a mother ship has got to be enormous.
steve