Brisbane Based GTs

[Andrew Phillips]

Hello,
First post on gtpopping, I have been reading the forums for ages but never posted.  I live in the redlands and practically live down at fish head (sad I know).  I am trying to get some help on Gt fishing around south east queensland, obviously no gps marks expected but maybe ideas on where to have a go.  About a year ago I went on a Nomad trip to Marion reef, since then I have bought a Galeforce 5.5m Centre console purely for its ability to be a great fishing platform.


I am looking at putting a cage around the front of the casting platform so it will be very similar to that of the nomad boats. The cage will also make it heaps better for jigging as well. We have caught 3 GT's out of it so far from around brisbane, but this has taken about 1000 casts.  Just wondering if any one can head me in any general areas that I might have a little more success.

Andrew Phillips

[Travis Heaps]

Gday Andrew, nice fish and boat - they're popular amongst the casting oriented fisho's (fly fishing etc) are they a nice ride?

You're at the lower end of the GT distribution and are going to have to work harder for your fish (as you've discovered) than some of us based further North.  Sorry i've got no specific areas but if you focus around the usual GT attracting features (current/structure/white water) then you're in the right ballpark.  The next step is working out when those features are holding GT's (ie which part of the tide/moon phase). 

If I was you i'd try pretty hard to remember where and when you caught those 3 fish (the image data from the original photo files is a handy place to look) and then go onto http://www.bom.gov.au/oceanography/tides/ to determine what the exact phase of the tide was when you caught them was and also http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/IDCJDW4019.latest.shtml to check the weather obs for that day (ie pressure/temperature/trends etc).  Focus you're efforts around these places and times again and see if it works.  Other than that you'll just have to keep casting until you're in the right spot at the right time - and then the process repeats.  It can take a long time but it's worth it in the end.

Failing that pester Aaron and Duncan at Fishhead till they have no other choice but to tell you where to go or risk go insane. 

[Mick Cunningham]

hi andrew ..

Welcome to the forum
1000 cast allready oh dear
maybe you should take me out fishing and i might help
you out and try to raise them up more
(pm me if you like to go out one day)
nice ride you got there 


Aaron has caught a 40kg gt so it,s out there mate ...

[Peter Morris]

Took ya time getting over here mate....

Good to see ya here.

Pete

[Andrew Phillips]

Travis,
The Galeforce handles really well and goes well in the chop, once I get the cage put in will be able to have 3 people poppering at once no worries with out any one getting in each others way.  Duncan has been out with us once he got a couple of yellowfin tuna on popper and a small GT on a stick bait, but his RDO's rarely line up with mine.

Mick,
You would be welcome any time to come and have a fish, having an extra person on the boat poppering will only bring them up quicker.

Pete,
Have been reading the site for ages, but never posted before because there are guys on here catching more gts then I have hot dinners.  Going to try and head up your way shortly and try the Noosa and 1770 area.  With the hotter weather I might start to see a bit of action down my way, got to improve my GT to casts ratio at the moment it is not that flash.

Andrew

[Peter Lowe]

Hi Andrew

So you joined the GT Popping forum ah -good start if you want the best advise by some of the best GT warriors on the planet............

Travis has given you the best information mate, the rest is up to you - time on the water is what counts, as well as your ability to observe and understand what you are seeing.

There are plenty of great fish out here - Ive caught a few - its the ones that I havent caught (but have seen) that keep us going back.

Just keep getting out thier mate -

P.S -tell your deckie Ben that there is a nice white he should be chasing - after all he is the "shark hunter"........

 

[Andrew Phillips]

Went out yesterday for a go at some usual hang outs and got dusted up by a big GT.  I was spewin, you don't see many around down here and to have a solid hook up and have it run with it for some distance then just drop it I was one would say slightly annoying.  Don't know if there was anything I did wrong, got a solid hook up and kept constant pressure, then just nothing.  Oh well that one will keep me going for a few more hundred casts....

Andrew

[Travis Heaps]

Went out yesterday for a go at some usual hang outs and got dusted up by a big GT.  I was spewin, you don't see many around down here and to have a solid hook up and have it run with it for some distance then just drop it I was one would say slightly annoying.  Don't know if there was anything I did wrong, got a solid hook up and kept constant pressure, then just nothing.  Oh well that one will keep me going for a few more hundred casts....

Andrew

It's why we all keep coming back Good sign that you saw one though, another piece in the puzzle.

[Peter Lowe]

Went out yesterday for a go at some usual hang outs and got dusted up by a big GT.  I was spewin, you don't see many around down here and to have a solid hook up and have it run with it for some distance then just drop it I was one would say slightly annoying.  Don't know if there was anything I did wrong, got a solid hook up and kept constant pressure, then just nothing.  Oh well that one will keep me going for a few more hundred casts....

Andrew

Mate that is so common - the "BIG" one's bite it and run - you dont hook them, it only feels like you do. It is when they release your popper that you hook up, if you are lucky and have a sharp hook in the right place, that's that feeling you get when it feels like the hook is pulling or slipping, just for a fraction of a second, then a solid connection and they get angry and take off -my favourite part next to the strike.

This is due to the way other GT's try and steal a feed straight out of there mouth. I have watched this when feeding them during dives, a GT smashes his target with a single solid hit and runs off- his mates chase him trying to take his feed out of his mouth, awesome to see. From this you can be assured other's were present.

Enjoy

 

[Andrew Phillips]

Peter,
Hopefully there was a few out there, going to hit a few spots again this weekend, hopefully not to much boat traffic, but the weather might keep a few people at home.

Andrew

[Mick Cunningham]

Peter,
Hopefully there was a few out there, going to hit a few spots again this weekend, hopefully not to much boat traffic, but the weather might keep a few people at home.

Andrew

Andrew
hmm sound good 
that was a close call so yea you need few more casting 

Peter .
have you make up your mind about the a trip or the boat yet mate  .

[Peter Lowe]

Peter,
Hopefully there was a few out there, going to hit a few spots again this weekend, hopefully not to much boat traffic, but the weather might keep a few people at home.

Andrew

Mate 2m swells and 15 knot winds - yer probably wont be much traffic ?

Andrew
hmm sound good 
that was a close call so yea you need few more casting 

Peter .
have you make up your mind about the a trip or the boat yet mate  .

Havent decided yet - I want both......

[Aaron Concord]

Andrew!

All I have to say is make Ben drive OR hold the fish.
Both yourself & Nathan are too damn tall to make the GT's you are holding look normal in size!!!!

Enjoy....maybe when I get back from 'nappy duty' I might come for a cast

Cheers

New Daddy

Aaron.
PS. If my son Darcy is going to grow any more quickly, he'll be 'Gordon' size in no time flat!

[Andrew Phillips]

Aarron,
You are welcome out any time, the more the merrier, will have my cage just after christmas hopefully so then it will be 3 way poppering no worries

Andrew

[Aaron Concord]

Andrew,

Cheers mate.

I look forward to the 'cage fighting' ability of the Galey.

Any chance of a 13wt flyrod coming on board?
I have to pin a wahoo on fly before Gordon does.
I am 0 for 3 on hooking the damn things!
Hooked a 25+kg stonker 10 years ago and I still have a 'hoo hoodoo on fly!
If they rise up to the poppers, I'll happily get rid of them for you! 

Cheers
Aaron.