3rd ever Jew and still not a keeper. DUO lures!

Saturday morning last week marked the only clear patch from both wind and rain for the last 2 or so weeks.  It was also the first time I got to give those magical DUO lures a swim.  I started out as early as I usually do, watching the sunrise as I paddle around flicking some gear.  I started out the morning with dropping a few lures under the motorway bridge in the Mooloola River without a touch.  I changed up between everything I had with me and not even a touch.  I paddled further down the river towards Minyama Island and to the little stretch where I had been lucky a few weeks prior with the trevally.  I snapped on the DUO Spearhead Ryuki 80s and gave it a few swims to determine the action and sink rate etc.  I gave it a real flick for a few times at some pontoons without any luck.  I drifted with the tide back upstream a short distance and flicked into a bridge pylon, after sounding some interesting structure and fish returns I let the DUO sink and gave it a few hops accross the bottom until it was graciously gulped by what I initially thought to be a bream.  After a short battle I called it for a Jew because of the sustained fight but I knew it wouldn't be huge.  Up came this little fella for a few photo's.  Unfortunately my camera let me down yet again so I had to fish out my phone and get snappy with that.  It swam off happily spraying me with a tail flick to say thanks.

Thanks for reading.  Hope your all getting a few.

Little bit of DUO lure porn

Hello everyone.  I've been flat out trying to find a gap in the weather to cast a lure over the last few weeks so I don't have any fishy photo's to share.  I recently picked up some new lures called DUO lures so I thought I would post up a few pics of what they look like.  They are a bit different to every other lure I have used from big name companies.  DUO lures are what you might call the slimfit or skinny jeans of the lure world.  Across the shouldures most of the diving lures are much slimmer, I'm not sure if this adds or subtracts from the action as I havn't had much of an opportunity to swim them.  I can say that they are definatley a quality build and the ones that are painted should remain painted for a long time to come.  So the lures turned up to the door without split rings or trebles - I like putting on my own gear.  I put single lure hooks on most of them as I find I'm getting less snags and tangles using these without jeapordising my hook-up rate, yet.  I ran out of the smaller sized singles so some of the lures did end up with old fashioned trebles.  I took a few snaps of the smaller TOTO bream lures, the Realis popper and the larger bullet.  I will post up some more in the next few days once I have been able to get them to pose properly for the camera and hopefully with some bloody fish!

The DC9 bullet

Realis popper 64

Realis popper 64



Tetra Works - TOTO and Spearhead Ryuku



Tetra Works - TOTO and Sperahead Ryuki

PB GT

Well, my only GT.

I went for a short paddle in the Mooloola River in between the heavy rain periods we have been having here on the Sunshine Coast.  I launched under the motorway bridges and paddled my way up the canals past million dollar houses and yachts, poor suckers were probably at work.  It was a perfect day on the water with zero wind and a nice dirty water line forming as the fresh water pushed against the salt on its way out to sea.  I followed this line for about 1km watching the sounder picking up lots of activity under me.  I couldn't pin anything!  About an hour into the session I saw some action next to the canal revetment wall and flicked my Atomic surface walker right where the boil was and started the retrieve.  Two twitches into the retrieve it was smashed in an explosion of water and it took off like a freight train.  I called it for a Jack but it didn't dive for cover like I would have expected.  Line was peeling from my small reel and my 1kg rod had the biggest bend I had ever seen in it before.  I built the rod on a Samurai blank which had plenty of stick in the butt so I tightened the drag and gave him some curry and up swam a fish I had never cought before.

going to 41cm it was my PB and broke a month long drought I have been experiencing.  My camera battery was flat from the day before and I wasn't too fussed about getting any photos so I leave you with the few I got of the fish on my phone.



I was initially concerned about swapping over trebbles for single hook but I am completey sold after how they performed and my snag up rate has dropped significantly.  Hook up rate hasn't declined, but that might be only because I have not been getting any lately!

Cheers

Dan.

DIY Hobie kayak sail kit

Hello readers!  As you may know I recently bought a Hobie Pro Angler 12.  They are pretty good fishing machines especially when travelling long distances.  I recently came up with the idea that I would really like to be able to sail the kayak when the wind is up.  I visit the Great Sandy Straits a lot and this body of water is perfect for both the PA12 and for sailing - why not add water and mix well...?  Enquiring with the Hobie dealer I was shocked (well not really I know Hobie like to charge a lot) to find it was in excess of $400.  This was something I would only be using in the Straits for maybe once a month.  I couldn't really justify the money.  So I thought now I have nothing to lose by making one myself.  I did a bit of interwebs research on DIY sails and discovered that most young budding DIY sailers use something called Tyvek - a DuPont product used for waterproofing houses.  So I bit the bullet and ordered the 10' X 9' sheet off ebay for about $30 delivered.  Once it turned up I could see why it's used for sails, it's tough as and light as a feather.  So the next weekend I got a sail-making.  First I doubled over the sheet, making about 9' in sail height and 5' in length.  Going off the sizes of the hobie sails, it was about 100mm shorter but about 200mm longer.  Negligible difference I though.

Next I marked up the shape, like the hobie version leaving a shape at the top where the batton would slip in filling out the sail.  I left 50mm around the edges to double fold and stitch.  The mast is a piece of aluminium tube that was once used as a rock fishing gaff handle.  The tube was about 20mm so I sleeved it top and bottom with some ag pipe which brought it out to about 25mm and made a better fit in the hobie mast hole.  the top sleeve was to give the sail some protection when it's slid in so the ali isn't rubbing on the paper directly.

Here is what it looks like on the inside.

Next I cut it out and got it ready for sewing.

Once sewn with a cross stitch along all the seams and eyes attached to the bottom and longest edges - where the rope is attached I made up a furling device out of some PVC pipe.  This allows you to furl the sail by simply pulling on the rope around the mast.  To unfurl you just pull the rope attached to the back and out she rips.  It worked really well especially considering it was my first attempt at both sail making and sailing.  I got up a good speed and didn't even need to use the pedals to tack.  I look forward to some better weather next time and maybe a few more hours on the water.  I might push my luck and see if I can make it to Fraser Island, some 8k's.  Ill leave you with some piccies below to show you how it looks full of wind.

  



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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