The Wet

Upper Wenlock flyfishing





Caught a few of these little porkers also

Sooties will brick you everytime when fishing light

File snakes were prolific on the banks of the Wenlock



Well the rain has finally turned up!
It has been raining constantly since last friday the 26th Jan hence I have time to get something on the blog.
Previously Notso and I had been doing a lot of camping and fishing in the bush.
Prior to last week the weather had been beautiful, other than a few hot day's.
Over the Xmas and New year period we did a trip to Chillie beach and Portland roads on the east coast and came back via frenchmans road which was great 4wd country.
We got to see lot of the cape that we hadn't seen before and managed to get a few fish for the pond project downstairs from the top of the Wenlock.
Other than freshwater fishing, which I must say I have been enjoying thoroughly I haven't been doing much in the salt.
The family did do a camping trip up on the Skardon/Jackson over Xmas which was great and caught a few good fingermark, but haven' got out since.
My intention was to get out tommorrow but the constant rain may also put an end to that. Kristy with a thumper goldie
Anyhow here is a few pics from the camping trip and I will let you know how the fishing goes in the next week.
Brynn Philliskirk with a good Fingermark

The only charter I had in November and these guys had great fishing for barra. We released 85 barra in three days up to 112cm. The weather is hot but so is the fishing. I had plenty of time to catch my own fish and do some hunting but I would rather see these guys catch there nice fish. So hope we see more fisherpersons in November on my boat.

Xmas end of 2006

Permit doing the covered wagon deal

Hi everyone!
We havent posted much of late as we have finished fishing for the year.
Duane has gone down to Newcastle for a month, and Notso has just arrived back after his heavy tackle marlin season. I have been busily working around the house doing all the jobs that I don't get to do during my season. groover was up a few weeks ago to do a little fishing, and we went camping for a few day's and had a ball catching barra's and threadies and some great queenie and GT action.
It really is good to have a break, and pick up a rod!
My son Brynn and his girlfreind arrive tommorrow from Cairns and with Notso and Kristy,Sue and I are all going camping for a few day's over Xmas.

Next year is really shaping up well and looks like we have a new guide working with our team, Lee
Has guided with DeJaVu and also with Carpentaria Seafari's and has done a bit of work with Notso on the marlin boat. He is only 19 but according to Notso and Groover who have both worked with him are both impressed by his abilities and work ethic.
As we now have a full time 4th guide we still have a few vacancies left for one boat in prime time Apr/May/June so if you did miss out give me a call or email and see if we can work something out!
So to all our valued clients both new and repeat We at F.F.& S. wish you all a very Merry Xmas and a happy New Year and look forward to fishing with you and having a few laughs again in 2007

The last week in October seen the last charter that was a shame because the fish were jumping in the boat. We were heading down the coast to do some reef fishing when I seen this sailfish fining on the surface as we pulled up the fish came over to investigate. I had the still frozen mulet out of the esky and was feeding them over the back while getting a trace ready. As I looked over the side I could see the fish ten feet down eating the mulet

one at a time. We baited the hook and dropped it over, the fish swam up and eat the still half frozen mulet the hook was set and the game was on. After about 15 minute of great boat driving the sail was ours for some quick photos before release. The tuna were so thick you could have walked on there backs this 24 pounder was the size of quite a lot of them. We also got up the river for one and a half days with 50 barra caught and released and many other species these guys had a great time and will be back. It was a shame to finish at the end of October with the fish jumping in the boat.

Gordon @ Charles were the two novice fishers that came up with a group of seven guys lead by Dean Butler I took them to the bait schools off Norman creek on the second day of there trip the morning sea conditions were perfect. As we came closer to were the bait had been you could see the water was bulging with the bait being pushed to the surface by all types off predators. By 1pm we left to avoid the westerly the guys arms felt like they were twice as long as in the morning and the esky was full of mackerals bodies.

Four mates in the middle off October two of them second time fishing.They must think fishing is easy with catches of thirty barra one day fifty the next forty the day after.In between barra all the other river fish were on the bite as

well with king salmon, jack, queenies cods and more ready to eat anything that came its way. Down the coast the reef fished well for fingermark trevaly and nannygai while the pelagics were moving in on the bait schools that had been moving around for days.

Delay

G'Day Guys,

So sorry for the delay in entries, we have been pushed off our feet with work catching up on things.

Notso has been away captaining Wild Turkey ( a marlin chartering boat) since august now and has been doing quite well, if you want to know updates go to http://wildturkeycharters.blogspot.com/.

Fish has been away in cairns catching up on a few things and will give you an update in the next couple of days about the last few trips in the end of the season.

Again I apologise for the neglect of our blog, i hope we still have you attention.

Kind Regards
Kristy (Fish's Daughter)

3 Days of variety in the tropics

I recently returned to Weipa for a week from the Cairns marlin season to take some clients on tour of the wilds of Weipa. A day spent offshore produced spanish mackerel, tuna, trevally etc, while the next couple of days were spent in the creeks catching barramundi, mangrove jacks, estuary cod, bream, fingermark and tangles with some unstoppable snag dwelling creatures. On the wildlife side not to much was missed with sea snakes, a couple of species of dolphins, turtles, kangaroos, pigs, box jellyfish and of course crocodiles observed at times from extremely close quarters. Pictured is "Mackerel Boy" Mike with an average sized spanish; a couple of barras for Graham and Mike; Graham with a nice jack; Peter with one of the few estuary cod which could be stopped.

These guys had a very good five days with lots of great video of bait balls and triple hook ups on macks, tuna, GTs and other trevalys. At the end of the week the guys reels will need rebuilding with bits falling off and smoke almost coming out of there drags.I think we might see them again.

Affter going down the coast on the first day and catching fingermark,tuna,trevaly and lots of other reef criters we were up the rivers for the next five days.We had two slow days in the middle were the tide didnt move much.The other days were good with everyone catching barra on well cast lures.This king Salmon was one off 21 we released on one day.

Jack with his blue basted and black spot tuskfish very happy walking the beach and casting to nice fish like this,he also had a shot at a school of feeding permit but the fly landed like a stone right in the middle of the fish.Jacks none fly fishing buddy was happy to leave the beaches and get into the tuna,macks@trevaly offshore at every opportunity.

Stripe on Fly

We have a a video attached here, it is of me catching a beautiful Stripe Marlin on Fly in Port Stephen's in New South Wales early in this year.

All you have to do is click on the attachment below. Happy Watching.

Stripe Marlin on Fly

Japanese magazine visit

"Chopstick" (another nick name)finally catching the tuna that he wished for.
"Chopstick" aptly named for his very slight frame, was one of 3 japanese in Weipa recently putting together a fishing article for a japanese fishing magazine.
The fishing could have been easier however we did manage to have a few good sessions.
The 3 day's finishing with an amazing barra bite, that left them wanting more and still very excited and talking about returning, as I drove them out to the plane to fly back to Japan.

Hollywood (nick name) with nice barra taken on a lure in Waldrum creek.

"This might go down well with another bottle of Houghtons white burgundy or two"

Last week the weather could not be worse the first couple of days with westerly winds and 2m of swell. The rivers got a good work out with a bunch of small barras and lots of trees caught it was good to have the weather improve for the last two days. With lots of bait and cleaner water off Pera Tuna, Trevaly, and macks were on offer. The last day we even managed 6 legal size barras in the mouth of Walldrum creek on the way back from down the coast.

My stepdaughter JoJo during the Weipa fishing comp this 4.5kg golden trevaly gave Jo a very good fight on light line.She as you can see was very happy with that fish and a couple of others that she cought.Sorry i cant find more time to catch more fish with you.

Peter with his 90cm barra after casting lures all morrning with a buntch off very unbig barra we live baited on the run in tide. With the tide pushing in lots of different fish species came too, this barra was the second 90cm fish to come to the boat.Enjoy the finals Pete and go the Nights.

Peter and Con on the 7th of September with two off eight spanish mackeral happy after catching tuna, trevaly and mad fish all day. Hopefuly the rest of Saptember is as good as last with lots of macks.

The two girls my beautiful Linda and her friend Terry end of August with two off five barras one 62 & 65cm. Terry had a great time getting a tan to take back to Gloucester to show family and friend. The fishing was good to with tuna and trevaly down the cost.