Blade Issue 9

Hi everyone.  I hope you are all recovering from whatever natural event has made its way to you over the last few weeks, fires down south, cyclone in FNQ and flooding in my neck of the woods - Sunshine Coast/Brisbane.  There are plenty of folk up Bundy way who are copping a right soaking!  Anyway I thought I'd just push this along - get your latest issue of Blade Kayak Fishing Journal now - issue 9 is out and chock a block full of all things kayak fishing.  Nothing from me this issue but I have been writing furiously over the last few weeks and will have plenty to submit next issue.

Cheers
Dan.

Great Sandy Straits on the BoatHoist folding trailer

I hope everyone has had a great weekend getting out catching fish, cause I have been!

This weekend saw another pilgrimage to the in-laws beach house in a small town between Maryborough and Tincan Bay on the Fraser Coast.  These trips are becoming more frequent and we seem to be getting away once a month which is awesome.  I thought I would give the BoatHoist folding kayak trailer a thorough test out and tow it up from the sunshine coast (about 2hr drive) with the Pro Angler on top.  Long story short the trailer made it up without a single hassle.  I ended up having 3 fishing sessions in between some reno work that we are currently in the middle of so.

Session 1 - I started off slowly this morning as the beach we are on only allows water access at high tide.  The high tide was 10am so I was out and paddling by about 7.  I swung around a few bays peppering the banks and mangroves with a little Pontoon 21 Greedy Guts 55 in Carared.  It did a fair amount of damage on the resident flathead pulling out about 6.  I snagged a little bream on the same lure - I love this lure.  Because the PA can carry a few rods laying down I like to take a few out so I swapped over to something a little bigger and was flicking around a BCF Kato lure in white and green - I love this lure.  This lure saw heaps of action on its first use straight out of the box and swims incredibly well for a $10 jobbie. 

I managed a baby cod that I didn't even measure and on a cast into the mangroves the lure was smashed and line was peeling of the 2500FA Shimano Aernos straight into the mangroves.  I called it for a jack until I saw a silver streak flash which had me thinking barra!  Shortly after my questions were answered when a chunky catfish that looked about 45cm came up grunting. 

I was tempted to keep the catty as I've never tasted them before but couldn't be bothered cleaning it so off he went.  I paddled back out wide towards Fraser for a troll home without any success.

Session 2 - I was joined by my partner on a late afternoon fish up Tuan Creek.  We both had yaks, so out came the BoatHoist trailer and knocked over that job without a worry in the world, even travelling along those logging tracks the trailer didn't even miss a beat.  The PA is a bit fat so I just strapped the little blue Ocean Kayak Frenzy on its side.

The whole mission proved fruitless for both of us it was still pretty cool to take my lady out on the water for the afternoon.  She can even cast a lure without me having to keep checking up on her that everything is alright and she hasn't jagged herself!  So after about 2 hrs of her siding up to my yak and holding on while I did the peddling for the both of us, yes against the tide... we packed it in and headed home.



Session 3 - We made a quick morning trip again in the Straits where my partner hooked up to my yak and we made our way around the 2 points to the day before's spot.  I tried about every lure in my tackle box without raising even a scale.  I think it was getting a little late in the day and the action slowed right down unfortunately.  Bummer.  Still, it was a sensation morning on the water getting a little sun.  We came back right on high tide and took the dog out for a swim for an hour or so before we had lunch and headed home.  I had to take a trailer home so i folded up the BoatHoist trailer and chucked it in the back, this little sucker goes anywhere!

Here's some pics ill leave you with till next time.

Tackle maintenance tips

I thought I would just do up a quick post for people out there who are constantly having problems with rusting hooks - those of you that fish the briney anyway.

I noticed the other day that Plano are bringing out new tackle trays that have holes all through them which got me thinking about all the rusted hooks this would give me, not to mention what would happen if you dropped the box overboard!  It might be geared a little more to freshwater anglers without reading anything about them.

So here's what I do to prevent rusting hooks or prolong their life at least.

Buy waterproof tackle trays.  This will stop any water making its way into the tray when its slopping around on the deck - thinking kayaks here - or if you manage to drop it overboard.  When I get home after an outing I usually get the hose and spray out the whole box making sure every lure gets a good drencing then let it all dry in the sun.  The aim here is to get out all the salt water, if there is a little bit left the sun will evaporate the water and the salt will be left there to hang out on your trebles.  Next thing I do when its all dry is I throw in some of those little Silica gel packs, you know the ones, you threw them all out when you opened up your Christmas presents.  Hang onto them and load up the tackle box with them, this will absorb any leftover moisture around.

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