End of another year!

Seems like only yesterday that I was writing this for last year?

2009 was considering, a pretty good year for us even with the so called GFC we still worked almost as much as the previous year and that was with me having all of July off to do my U.S. trip.

Although this year proved to be a little down on some of the pelagic species like tuna and big queenies there was still plenty of fish to catch and most clients seemed to enjoy their experience here in Weipa. Next years bookings have already exceeded expectations with very little space left in the early part of the year.

Lee has finished with us at the end of Oct and has decided not to be returning next year!

We wish Lee all the best for the future and with whatever endeavours he may persue.

As we already had quite a few bookings for 4 boats Justin Duggen from Sydney will be working with us over May and possibly a few other weeks during 2010.

Justin guides on Sydney harbour and is an accredited fly casting instructor and a great guy so hopefully we will all get some benifit from his knowledge & skills

Jason(Owey) and I worked right to the end of the season finishing on the 27th Nov.

Notso had to get a bit of a blue water fix opting to work a couple of weeks with Jim Dalling on "Reel Chase" out of Cairns where one of his clients caught a 1100lb Black marlin on about the second day, looks like Notso still hasn't lost his touch!.

SHIMANO Australia will be one of our major sponsors next year and we look forward to working with them.

So for now it is all maintenance and jobs around the house for a few months.

Longtail has been stripped down and motor removed for some modifications.

I am fitting more rod holders, more rod storage and a 80lb thrust 24v Minnkota electric to the bow, which should make the boat more verstile and a add some stealth on the flats.

Should be awesome for next season!

Thank you to our sponsors for for their generosity in 2009 - Gillies, Sage, Rio, Fin's & Shimano, we look forward to 2010

I will try to show you some pics of the wet season over the coming weeks so stay tuned, in the mean time to all of our valued clients and friends from myself, Owy and Notso, Sue and Kristy we hope you have a wonderful and Happy Xmas and New year! See you in 2010

Things hotting up in Sept/Oct

The fishing has been getting better and better when the weather leaves us alone!

From the estuary to the blue water the fishing has been pretty damn good as these pics will attest.

James Norris fished with us in Oct with his dad and had caught a few threadies and mangrove jacks when along came this monster, a barra of 114cm.

The barra was handled very gently quickly measured and photographed and released with the utmost care as these big fish can sometimes not breed due to undue stress. Most breeding barra will spawn on the moon in Nov/Dec.

Even on the blue water we have been seeing plenty of sails and little black marlin and even getting quite a few bites on our teaser poppers. So far however none of the fly fishermen have had a big fly ready to throw at them.

Heres a couple of pics of a 20kg sail captured and released by Jun Nagamori and his mate Steve. Steve actually fought the fish on a skipping bait rigged by Notso.

A lot of fun and excitement was had by all!

Last few months

I know that I am always saying I will keep up with the blog and don't!

I should!

We have been busy however and even the boys have been a little slack also but getting the job done is important also.

Anyhow here is a couple of pics to squiz at in the meantime and we will see if we can get some stuff happening and catch up as soon as we all get some time to regroup.

Check out this Arakun sunset!

The milkies are still coming as Gary Boehmer found out when this one followed the fly almost to the rod tip before eating it with gusto and keeping him busy for almost 45 minutes.

The milky was 16lb and was Gary's first.

Peter( Windy) Wilson with a nice little aussie tarpon, pity the don't grow big like their cousins?

Even the boss gets the odd fish

Kristy Philliskirk's shot of an all too familiar sight these days a good queenfish being chased by the ever present bull shark.

Keep watching we will get some more good pics posted real soon promise!

flyfishing holygrails

just a few more snaps from the past couple of weeks of the targets we've been chaseing on fly,with young Thomas Cooper scoring a great double to add to his growing spieces list on fly,a milkfish and permit!!!!!..and Steve scoring a crackin BB and his first milky!!!!



and one of the two milkies Pete landed!!!

The latest from Mexico

Unfortunately my tarpon fishing is over!

I have fished the last 3 days here in Holbox island Mexico
Day 1 had two bites from Tarpon and boated 1 about 120lb. This one of 120lb took about an hour to land.

Day 2 had one bite and boated tarpon about 70lb Day 3 last day of tarpon fishing “for some time” and back to reality, had 4 bites missed two didn’t hook up, jumped 1 off about 70lb and hooked another about 90 – 100lb and had him on for about 10 minutes and pulled the hook on the 5th jump.

I have one day fly fishing for bonefish and permit in Cozumel and then back to OZ.

Florida/Bahamas/Mexico holiday

Just thought I would give you a quick update on my fishing holiday to Florida and the Bahamas etc. At present Sue and I are in Abaco in the Bahamas which is fabulous however the bonefishing has been a little tough, but the water is unbeleivably clear and you can swim in it!

The house we are staying at is right on the beach and 30meters from the patio to the gin clear water.

One of the 75lb Tarpon

Tough eh?

Tarpon fishing was successful as my dream was to catch a tarpon sight fished on fly of over 100lb which was acheived on second day in the Keys with fish of 125lb which ate the pissant 50mm fly almost off the rod tip, you could hear my arsehole snap shut from 100 yards away.

The tally for the Florida leg was

Fished 5 days in total, 2 in the everglades, and 3 in the Keys.
Day 1… 1 tarpon of 45lb
Day 2 …2 tarpon 45 & 50lb.
Day 3 …first day in the keys 0
Day 4 …2 tarpon 125lb and 75lb
Day 5 …2 tarpon 75lb and 90lb
In total 7 tarpon pretty good fishing for end of season.

Haven't had time to assess al my pics but here are a few to drool over for the moment.

90LbTarpon jumping

Talk soon

Fish

The last tarpon caught in the Keys 90lb

An Interesting Month...

Due to work and other commitments, I've slackened off a little on the blogging side of things. Fishing on the whole has been quite good, although there have been some quiet days, but the best thing this year has been the weather. A few weeks ago I had a memorable day offshore catching a few mackerel and couple of tuna and raising at least 7 sailfish (hooking a few, jumping a few off and 1 eaten by sharks boatside). Definately a little more homework needs to be done there.......

As yet we have hardly had a winter so the water is still fairly warm in the rivers, helping the barra fishing along nicely. Memorable fish lately were include this 63cm fish on fly for Paul Ellis from Tassie and a nice 92cm fish on a livie from a low tide drain. Crikey there has been a lot of 80 - 95cm fish this year!!

The hot topic at the moment is milkies on fly. Pictured here is Ian Cole, fly fishing guide from NZ with his first of 3 landed from 5 hooked and a few more bites on weed flies.
Jason and Lee had a day off just a couple of days ago and managed 1 each from 6 hooked. My last 2 days fly fishing saw more fish on the beaches than ever with blue skies and little wind. We even had tuna in 5 feet of water on the flats, hundreds, no, thousands of blue salmon and some nice queenies and plenty of blue bastards to take a shot at. My guys found it difficult concentrating on a feeding BB when 50 blue salmon would cross their path, followed by a couple of barras or a nice queenie or a school of 100 5 lb tarpon.......

a few more pics

hey all its been a while (very very slack i know but been flat out)so here are a few random shots from some great times had out on the water...

The Milky Puzzle

What a week!

With all the crew flat out we have had a sensational fly fishing week.

As they say a picture is worth a thousand words so I have added a few for you to drool over.

The baitballs were incredible with Gt's to 70lbs crashing the poor defenseless anchovies, manta's with cobia's all over them and the odd blue bastard makes for an exciting day.

Then the next day catching 3 permit from 3 boats, and over the next few day's hooking 8 milkies and landing 3. Would you even hint that we are starting to work out the puzzle?

Anyway it has been happening to say the least!

I am sure that my guides will also have plenty of pics to show you also.

There are still a few places left in Sept/Oct if anyone is interested? don't be slow you won't know if you don't go!

"Slower" Tides.....

The tides were on the neaping cycle recently when Rob and Dave fished with me and although fishing became a little tougher, the weather was absolutely magic and some great fishing moments were had. As you can see by the piuctures, some nice queenies made an appearance and were caught both on jigs and poppers. Some school sized spanish mackerel were fun on poppers and jigs and although the sharks were nothing short of fierce at times we did manage two triple headers (I couldn't help myself) of tuna on the way home on the last day in 15 frantic minutes .....

Releasing a metre long popper caught queenfish.
A nice queenie double...

Dave did well to land this mackerel on a light spin rod despite Rob's being taken by bull sharks on heavier gear.