Seaway Reports Sunday-Tuesday 22-24 September 2013

Made a quick decision to go out late on Sunday Afternoon, went straight out to the north wall, with a 20kt  NE wind conditions and the last of the runout tide were rough but fishable.  Had a cast around with poppers, metals and minnows but no interest.  I notice some large schools of bait holding outside the dirty water line though.  Moved back into the seaway and had a quick troll just as the sun set.  Decided on ultra deep divers due to the dirty water, I used a Maria Deep Snare while dad put on a Rapala Mag 15. First fish to hit the Deep Snare in the Northern Y was a Jewie at 73cm which is quite an unusual catch.  Next up we had a double hookup on GT's both around the 60cm mark.  That was it for the trolling so we had a go for Tarpon but Dolphin's were hunting along the north wall so we headed up the broadwater into the Nerang to look for Bigeyes.  No luck up there so we came back to the seaway just as the moon rose and the wind dropped out.  Tried again for Tarpon and this time we found them though we had to go heavy, 1/2oz jigheads were needed to hit the main school.  Landed half a dozen though all small fish for the seaway between 52 & 58cm.  Called it a night at the top of the tide around 10.30.

After sunday's effort I decided to do an overnight trip on Monday afternoon, got on the water late and went straight to trolling.  Picked up a nice GT on a Bolt Omega, 1 minute into the first troll, then nothing until sunset where I hooked a very big fish right over the edge of the canyon, could feel the line scraping over the rocks as the fish took off down deep and it was over.  Scratch another Bolt Omega.  Switched to a Rapala Mag 15 and tried again.  Next run I picked up another jewie around 60cm.  That was it for the trolling, as the light faded away I moved back to the north wall to try for Tarpon.  Took a little while or them to get on with the job but after an hour or so I was hooking Tarpon on almost every cast on 1/2oz CCM Grass Minnows.  Cast at the wall, wind it in a few turns then let it drift down the water column, wait for the signature taps then slowly wind it back.  Landed probably 10 then right as the moon came up around 10.30 they switched off.  Headed back to north wall wavebreak and found a heap of small bigeyes feeding on surface.  Slowly worked skitterbaits did the job on them.  Decided to take a break so I set up my new fish attracting light on the back and set the alarm for 2am.  Woke up before the larm and checked the light and it had worked a treat, a big school of Frogmouth and Blue Pilchards were swimmimg in circles around the central beam of light.  I could see pike down below picking off the pilchards as well.  Scooped up a few dozen just incase and I left there and went for another look around.  Just off the end of the South wall on the runout tide I found a few Hairtail around a metre long, on 3/8oz Albino Kisu Grass Minnows and I picked up a few more Tarpon as well.

As the sun came up I dropped some 3" Gulp Charteuse Pearl Minnows to the bottom and picked up half a dozen small jewies nothing bigger than about 60cm.  Then I switched to skitterbaits and had numerous Tailor hits but only landed 2 small fish.   Went back down to the Northern Y and Canyon had a quick troll but nothing.  I did see a few small schools of Frogmouth Pilchards making thier way into the northern channel during the run in tide though.

So overall, a solid mix of species across a range of techniques.  Fish numbers in the seaway are increasing by the day and surface feeding is increasing but still not predictable.  Night time is fishing quite well at the moment but during the day we are limited to the dawn and dusk periods.  Bait numbers should continue to increase until we hit the end of December.

This will be my last report until the 10th October, but I will still be posting any reports submitted by members and posting in comments or on the forum.  Any shop orders purchased between the 27th September and 6th October will not be posted until the 7th October.  The reports winner for September will be decided on the 7th October.

Until then Observe, Experiment and Remember your Timing.

Date	Time Fished	Tides
Sunday 22nd September	4.30pm - 10.00pm	0331 0.02 0957 1.45 1604 0.15 2206 1.24
Monday 23rd September	4.30pm - 11.00pm	0404 0.09 1038 1.42 1649 0.24 2243 1.11
Tuesday 24th September	2.00am - 10.30am	0437 0.17 1120 1.36 1736 0.33 2322 1.00

 

Successful Lure’s Rundown

 

• TT 1/20z 3/0H Headlockz Jighead – Price $9.00 / 5 pack – Availability – Most tackle Stores
  
• TT 3/80z 3/0H Headlockz Jighead – Price $9.00 / 5 pack – Availability – Most tackle Stores
• Ecogear Grass Minnow M CCM or Albino Kisu – price $15.00/10 pack – Availability – SeawayFishing Shop or Samurai Tackle
• Berkely Gulp 3" Minnow Charteuse Pearl - Prices $9.00/Pack - Availability - most tackle stores
• Skitterbait – Price $15.00 – Availabilty – SeawayFishing Shop
• Bolt Omega – Price $12.50 – Availability – Some Tackleworld Stores & Seawayfishing shop
• Rapala Magnum 15 – Price $20-25.00 - Availability – Most Tackle Stores
• Maria Deep Snare 120 - Price $20.00 - Availability - Some tackle stores

Fishing Gear Used

• SWF Strong  LLBC702M/ML 7? Spin rod / T7-30 Reel /20lb Grey Saltiga Braid / 30lb Famell Super Shock Leader
• Daiwa Sol 702 L 7? Spin rod / Daiwa Advantage 2500 Reel /12lb Yellow Spider Braid / 30lb Famell Super Shock Leader

 

 

Hairtail on the mat

 

 

 

 

Seaway Conditions Update

An important change in the seaway this week,
Right on time schools of Frogmouth and Blue Pilchards have begun to make thier way into the Seaway and Broadwater, at the moment there are only a few but the numbers should increase over the next few weeks, particularly if we get a strong wind event.  Predators are beginning to gather but as the schools of frogmouths are still in small numbers the bulk of the big fish haven't shown up yet.  In one day fishing this week I have managed GT's, Bigeyes, Tarpon, Tailor, Jewies(on minnows!) and Hairtail.  Surface feeding is starting up again, I have seen a few bustups by GT's in the canyon(late afternoon bottom of the runout), Tarpon feeding on surface at night near The Sign and Bigeyes around north wavebreak wall.  You can expect this to increase as the numbers of baitfish do.  Tern's are on the ball and are locating the schools of baitfish as they come through the northern channel so keep an eye on the birds incase the fish decide to pickup an easy feed.

Make sure you have your twisties, poppers and minnows ready to go.  Once the baitfish numbers reach critical mass the seaway should be on fire.