"Blowing dog's off chain's" or "Making the best of a windy situation"

The weather, what can you say? It is what it is and I should be glad I am not cold. That being said, it has been blowing for a week and a half, non stop. My friend Brendan likes to say, "blowing dogs off chains", very appropriate.

We decided to skip work and go for a fish, after all, we own the business and it has been so long since we fished I needed to see if I still knew how.

We headed out at 7:00 on the nose. The water was rather calm and as I throttled up, I was thinking, this is gonna be good.

I wanted to try some new spots and since it was so calm I figured why not.

We headed East, got out side the reef and was met by a ferocious swell and a wind that was picking up. After about 5 minutes of running into this I decided to stop the boat and see just how rough it was. After all popper fishing involves standing while casting and retrieving.

It became very obvious that that was not going to happen out here. The boat was being tossed around like it was in a washing machine.

A quick change of plans and we headed back West to some familiar grounds that are fishable in wind and swell.

We finally arrived to the new spot and wasted no time in wetting our lines. Unfortunately there was no one there to bite.

We fished until the low tide then made the decision to move. Another 20 minute ride and we are at the new location. The tide is moving again and then the bite comes on.

First up is Loren, he catches his first GT on his new rod and reel.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

Rosie moves in to leader and land the fish.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

This is one happy camper.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

Next up, Rosie lands a Red Bass. Too bad they are poisoned.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

By now it is getting really rough outside of the reef so we decide to make a move inside and switch to lighter tackle, 30lb.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

First up is Loren again and he catches a whopper of a fish, a Leather Jacket.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

We manage to catch a few Bluefin Trevally's, the take home and eat size. Then Rosie hooks onto a large Red Bass that tries to pull her rod into the water. After a good fight she is smiling and the Bass is photographed and released.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

This is then followed by Loren getting smoked on some 8lb tackle. But it gave us all a good laugh.

Then in the worst possible location, with wind, tide and current all working in opposite directions, Rosie hooks up to a GT on her 30lb. Normally we would be fishing for GT's with 50-80lb tackle but not this time. A hell of a fight ensues and after nearly 8 minutes the fish is boated and Rosie is smiling again if not a little worse for wear.

From Loren Rosie Callan Sept 15th 2010

Here is a short video of the fight.

That finished us off for the day. Until next time.

Tight lines

Updates from the past few weeks

Sorry it has been so long since a post. No real excuse, just lazy and not a lot to report.

The weather has been, well not great to say the least.

Rosie and I took Yuki out for a Sunday fish. With him was Ken and Captain. Captain is an F15 fighter pilot with the Japanese air force.

The weather was atrocious and the fish were in hiding, but we persevered.

A side note, our usual camera is in the shop so we are shooting all the pictures with an Iphone or a GoPro camera. Not the best quality.

Anyways here is a couple of shots of our trip.

Captain making a go of a crappy situation.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Ken showing true form.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Yuki with a small GT.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Not one of our better days but that's fishing, right?

So the next time out it was just Rosie and me. After a short run in some horrid waves and rain squalls with wind gusts up to 30knots, the throttle cable played up and sent us home without a fish.

So this Sunday we decided to try again. The weather was looking lovely and our excitement was high.

Boat loaded, Billy on board with Spam and egg sandwiches, off we go into the wild blue yonder.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Our first stop was a small bay that has produced some nice Coral Trout and Mangrove Jacks. Light tackle was the call for the morning. By that I mean 30lb gear.

The small bay with mangroves and nice little drop offs.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Unfortunately the wind kicked up and it started to white cap, that's 7-10 knots. A little hard to use the light gear.

We moved out of the bay to another area that is known to produce some nice fish. I am still using the 30lb but Rosie has switched to the 50lb. Now you must be wondering what happened to Billy, he has this deal with the fish, He wont eat them and they wont eat him. Therefore he does not fish. Good for me as I can teach him to drive the boat and I get to do a little fishing.

I finally catch a nice Red Bass on the light gear, what fun.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Soon after my bass Rosie hooks up to a nice GT and has it boat side in no time.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

After that it goes quiet and the wind has picked up some more. Time for lunch and a bit of fun.

Billy does one for his wife Katie who is out of the country but loves fishing and knows he doesn't.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

After lunch we decide to go and have a swim at a sand bar. To our surprise the sand bar was gone, flattened out during the hurricanes this last season. Lucky for us the waters around it are still like a swimming pool.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

After our swim we are gonna try a bit of trolling in a proven location. So out go the lures and off we go. Within 20 minutes the ride is too rough and the lures will not stay in the water. We all agree to pull them in and head for home. Easier said then done. It's gotten really rough and the swell has picked up. After almost two hours we finally get back to the dock.

We still had a great day on the water and it sure beats the crap out of being at work.

On a side note I mentioned the GoPro cameras. I have purchased two of them and have started to see what they can do.

From June 6 2010 Rosie, Billy and Callan

Here is a little video and there will be lots more to see.

Tight lines

Searching for new waters

I had made up my mind that we needed to find some new waters to fish. So I asked Yuki and Ricky is they wanted to go, as well as Rosie and myself. I needed experienced anglers so I would know if there was fish or not.

The morning was a beauty, calm, almost too calm, a bit of sun and gin clear water.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

We found some very fishy looking waters and began fishing.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

It was not long before we had a double kook up to a couple of Red Bass.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

Yuki with a cracker of a Bass.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

Unfortunately the tides and moon were not in our favor. A bit of moving from place to place was called for and hence the warriors were made to wait.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

Finally we get what we came for. A GT, the king of the reef. We knew they were here we just had to work out the formula, and Rosie cracked it first.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

I just love these fish.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

Yuki onto a big Barracuda.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

What happened Yuki? Where's the fish. Oh well, one of the side effects of barbless hooks. If the fish jumps and twists a lot there is a possibility it will throw the hooks.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

Rosie showing the boys how it is done with her second GT.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

The weather is starting to get a bit rough. The swell picks up out of the South and so does the wind. It is all I can do to keep the boat off the reef. But the area just looks too damn fishy to quit. Perseverance pays off and Ricky lands a nice Bluefin Trevally.

From Exploration with Yuki & Ricky

By now the wind is howling and it is really hard to even stand in the boat. Just as well, Yuki has an appointment to get to and we have a ways to go to get home.

As we head for home the conversation is all about the potential of our newly found fishing spot.

We decide unanimously that we can't wait to get back there and fish it some more.

Tight lines

Trolling and all it's cracked up to be.

As usual the weather plays a big part in our fishing lives and this trip is no different. The day before it was sunny and dead calm, albeit a bit hot but calm none the less. Of course I could not get out on that lovely day. So when we finally get out the weather changes and not really for the better.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

The decision was made to do a bit of trolling to get some food fish. Now I must be clear here, I hate trolling, unless of course the bite is red hot, which happens about never for me.

So a trolling we go. A nice spread of lures out the back and a steady burn of fuel.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

Time to settle in for the long haul.

Of course when you troll with friends you have the chance to break up the monotony with goofy antics and lots of laughs.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

During one of our laugh sessions the short corner goes off and we are suddenly thrust into fishing mode. As Nick grabs the rod and sets the hook we quickly realize he is onto something we all dread to catch, Garbage!!!!

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

And Thai garbage at that. At least it broke up the morning.

After what seems like forever we finally we find the birds.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

And when you find the birds many times you will find the fish. This time that is exactly what happened.

First up was Cordula and her first Mahi Mahi and probably her first fish bigger than a trout.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Kordula

Then it was Joe's turn and he also landed a nice Mahi Mahi.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

Now it is Becky's turn and of course with her outfit she had to land something different, so it's a Wahoo for her.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

Next up it is Nicks turn and he is very fired up for a nice Yellowfin. Not long after we get the spread set again the long corner goes off and Nick skull drags a small Rainbow Runner to the boat. Not quite the 50kg Yellowfin but a beauty of a fish and nice eating.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

It is afternoon by now and we have all had enough trolling so we decide to head in to the reefs for a popping session.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

Nick lands the first one on popper and it is a nice Red Bass.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

Followed by four more of them. A few of them were quite big and gave head shakes like a GT.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

Rosie decides she has to get into the action and fires off a few casts. As is usual with her she is soon onto a nice GT and this fellow has some serious attitude. It runs her around the boat and gives a good accounting of itself. Even when boat side it is still putting up a fight. When it is brought onboard it gnashes it's teeth at us. Easy there fella your going back in.

From Fishing with Nick, Becky Joe, Cordula

As you can tell in the photos, the weather came around and we had a good day out. Not to mention we put some fish in the freezer.

Tight lines

Window of opportunity

The wind has finally lessened and the weather is a little calmer. It seems like forever since I have been out on the water but really only about two weeks.

Friends just in from America, Katie, and some from Australia, Nick and Becky. So the weather is good and we must fish.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Believe it or not this is a really calm day compared to what we have been experiencing.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Nick being artistically lit by the flash.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Becky relaxing on the way to the reefs.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Katie getting into the action.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Becky getting into the action.

It was not long before the fish were on the chew. Once the tides are right it seems everything comes together all at the same time. There is this window that opens up and if you are there and fishing you will catch fish. Only problem is when the window closes that's it, the bite shuts down and anything after that is pure chance and a lot of work.

I try to fish that window by being about 1 1/2 hours before right through to 1 1/2 hours after. Seems to work and here is some proof that I am not just blowing chop.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Nice Bass, too bad they are poison.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Not really sure what this is. If you know let me know.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

A nice GT and rather long.

From Nick, Becky, Katie

Katie with a nice GT caught on 30lb. She has now discovered that they can pull and put up a real fight.

These are not trout, they are bad ass fish that will give you a work out.

The total for the day was 7 fish in the boat in 4 1/2 hours. All of them caught in that little window when everything is just right.

By the time we called it a day the wind had started up and so had the seas. Everyone settled down for the trip back with stories to tell and sore muscles.

Tight lines