Maybe a Rush for cover
WITH a wet, wild and windy few days considered more than a reasonable prediction by even armchair forecasters like myself, those contesting the Burdekin Barra Rush fishing competition might want to pack a brolly or a raincoat when they fish Burdekin waters this weekend.
It is unclear whether the popular event will be postponed in line with the impending inclement forecast and organiser Mike L’huillier will be making the call.
Contact Mike on 0400 696 386.
Getting a bit crabby
AND it wouldn’t too be left of field to expect this week’s most welcome rains to have stirred mudcrabs and prawns into doing their thing within local and Burdekin waters.
Given that the rains are forecast to continue well into next week, the keenest crabbers might already be sourcing baits and refreshing ID tags on pots and floats in anticipation of mass mudcrab movement.
Plenty will be hoping to snare big muddies like those caught recently by Jordyn Beetham.
Jordyn, 4, set traps with her dad but mum Nikki Beetham was careful not to reveal the father and daughter’s secret crabbing spot.
Birthday wish
A VERY big happy birthday to my middle Riddle, Rhys, who welcomes double digits today.
On his wish list of presents – which was surprisingly short for a nearly 10- year- old – is for me to take him fishing.
“You take everyone else Dad, but I understand,” he tactfully muttered with biggest cow eyes I’d ever seen.
Watch this space.
Anniversary haul
“WISH we had gone fishing on our honeymoon.”
That’s just the statement every bloke wants to hear 20 years after the blissful sabbatical ... not.
Alligator Creek’s Susan Whittaker added, “It was so much fun, but of course I was ignorant to the fun to be had fishing!”
Susan was recounting a recent trip to the sugar port of Lucinda where she and hubby Graham celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary fishing nearby Hinchinbrook region reefs.
The pair spent a good part of a nine- day break exploring the fishrich northern waters stowing a fine mixed bag of reef fish in their icebox.
“There were a few fish on the bite that we caught including a number of reef sharks,” Susan said.
“Of course we released the sharks and caught and kept some green jobfish, sweetlip, trevally and mackerel.”
Susan might have been most proud of a fine haul of coral trout caught during a memorable session.
Landbased barra
I DIDN’T take Hamish Tristram’s boast personally.
“Who needs expensive fishing tours and guides when they’re right on your doorstep,” he said.
Tristram was talking barramundi and showing off a fine 80cm specimen he pulled recently from one of his favourite land- based spots.
The keen angler caught the barra last Saturday using a live mullet bait and was justifiably proud of his catch.
“This creek system is only a walk from Townsville’s CBD and regularly yields fish like this – and larger,” Tristram said.
Hooking a ‘ River Marlin’
JEFFREY Neill was hoping the old adage “big bait; big fish” would turn the odds in his favour when he recently went barra fishing with son Toby.
The pair fished a local system well known for barramundi catches and it was with designs on hooking the biggest of barramundi when Neill Sr pinned a whopping 50cm live mullet bait to a hook and tossed it into the drink. sponsored by
Neill’s brother Ron said it didn’t take long until his reel was screaming and line was lost at an incredible rate.
The huge mullet was eaten by an enormous queenfish – the predator beating barras to the bait and taking at least 80m of line on its initial run.
“It was like a marlin, jumping several times,” Jeffrey told his brother.
“It came in at a 130cm and was released, swimming off healthy.”
The father and son fishing team managed to snare a couple of modest size barras and jacks but will long remember the “River Marlin”.