Tinnies well rewarded
IT WAS widely regarded as Bosses’ weather this week with salubrious conditions lapping Townsville foreshores.
Just a handful of local anglers took full advantage steering their modest size boats towards recently inaccessible hot spots including the Bomber wreck wide of Magnetic Island, Albino Rock hanging off the bottom end of Great Palm Island and Robbery Shoal.
James Preston said he and mates had been itching to fish Palm Island waters for several weeks since their last trip. Their patience was well rewarded. A pattern of deep diving minnow style lures dragged past Chillcott Rocks and nearby Albino Rock fooled a bag limit catch of spanish mackerel ( three fish per person) for Preston and each of his two companions.
The mackerel were of school size and pulling up at about 8kg each, the mates figuring there was little chance of a ciguatera encounter, the maligned toxin more likely to found in fish triple that size and greater.
Icebox bursting with mackerel carcasses, lures were exchanged for pilchard and squid baits and allowed to reach the bottom a little beyond Albino Rock and within a hundred or so metres of the nearby Marine Park Green Zone.
Modest size large and small mouth nannygai hit the deck of Preston’s tinny before sharks found the procession of hooked fish irresistible.
Preston declared the trip one of the best he and mates had enjoyed in recent years but rued accidentally erasing the pics from his camera while fiddling with the settings post trip.
Mangrove jack form queue
THERE were no camera malfunctions for Craig Allen of Mt Low when he and father Bill Allen fished one of their favourite local creeks last Sunday.
The pair, who regularly fish together, caught a quartet of tasty mangrove jack when they set live baits close to some fishy looking snags.
“I couldn’t tell you how many I have caught in these waters over the years, literally thousands, and a lot of the fish have come from the Bohle,” Craig said, admitting the river to be one of the most productive.
“I get such an adrenaline rush when they strike and surge towards the snags,” he added.
“If you get complacent they will brick you in the snags in seconds.”
Craig said his entire family loved fishing and all were looking forward to calmer winter weather when they would target spanish mackerel in their reef boat.
Top lures can be yours
AND introducing the Townsville Bully/ Old Dog Lures Fish- of- the- Month competition, an initiative set to reward readers who don’t mind showing off their catch.
Commencing next week, the Townsville Bulletin and Old Dog Lures will give away a pack of the finest handcrafted timber lures to readers submitting ‘ fishy’ photos for inclusion in this column and my ‘ Bully Fishing Online’ series.
The lures will be allocated at the end of each month, the winner receiving three handcrafted lures, first runner- up two lures and second runner- up, one lure.
In addition, should any of the winning photographs feature an Old Dog Lure, a bonus autographed lure – signed and dated by master craftsman and ol’ dog himself, Dave Killalea – will be awarded the entrant.
Old Dog Lures are regarded as one of the finest of the Aussie cottage lure industry, made locally and simply irresistible to fish.
From flathead to barra and beyond, fish just love them and so do experienced anglers – many regarding the lures as collector’s items.
Simply email your fishy pics to eddie@ fishcity. com. au and be sure to include a few words about your catch.
Keep the file size original for best reproduction and remember, the most pleasing pics include a smiling angler, clean fish, few shadows ( try and keep sun over photographers shoulder and hat tilted back).
The photograph of a barramundi caught recently from the Horseshoe Bay boat ramp by eight- year- old Cooper Crooks would certainly be in the final mix of any fish of the month competition.
“The barra was 80cm and so was Cooper’s smile,” said mother Tanya Crooks.
“Was hoping you could put his photo on your fishing page of the Townsville Bulletin.”
Tanya explained that the barra was Copper’s biggest ever and he caught it early one Saturday morning during the recent school holidays. sponsored by