March-21, 2004 Opal Mining Update - No 33 A Few more good fish and some different ones as well.

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Monday, This a view of Garden Island where we are fishing right now, there is a sand spit that runs out from that little beach you see on the left, the water is not deep here (average 13 feet between tides) it is like a little lagoon and I may not have told you before, but there is a resident Grouper here, somewhere around 6 feet long.

Here you can see the sand spit, the fish when they are here have to swim around this and so we wait here hoping that they will want a feed on the way through, it is a very good fishing spot as we are finding out, a lot of the locals get here on the weekends when the weather is right, so far we have done well here and today is going to be the best....

This is a couple of guys that are in the holiday park for a week of fishing, reminds me of how we used to be 13 years ago when we were fishing in our 11.5 foot dingy, thankfully we traded it in on this boat, no more frying of the brains (not that we had many) they also had a good day here today, that yellow float you can see holds live bait.

We had a terrific day today the fish were on the bite about 15 minutes after we got there and then it was none stop fishing for me for over 1 and a half hors, I was buggered when I finally got to have a break, the reason being was we bit off a couple of times (sharks) and got busted off at least 4 times and the Grouper took 6 fish off us during the course of the day, so not only was I busy with the fish biting, I was also busy making rigs up. We finished up with 14 Grunter and 1 small Trevally and as I said the Grouper took 6 off us and I have to tell you it is one big fish, there is nothing you can do to stop it taking your fish, the bigger the fish and more fight it puts up means that you cannot get it in quick enough to get the catching net under it, that gives the grouper plenty of time to come over the top of it and swallow it and break the line and in doing this it comes right on top of the water and dives on the fish as we are bring it up, the first time it happened was on Sunday and I was mesmerized by the event and the size of the fish, it has some appetite and never seems to get full it almost took another couple off us but we managed to get the fish out quickly.

Tuesday, Day off today, going into Cairns to do some shopping and give the hands a rest as I have a thumb and a finger on both hands that are sore from fish spines that have caught me when I am taking the hook out and filleting them. Wednesday, We had a very bad night sleeping for some reason last night pat and I could not get to sleep for some reason and we was getting up at 6am the last time I got up was at 1.20 to take a sleeping tablet, a bit late I know but you keep thinking that you will drop off at any moment, well we did but I don't know what time it was and of course we were very tired this morning before we went out. We went back to the same spot at Garden Island this morning hoping that we were going to have a killer day like on Monday, but the wind was from a different direction although it was a beautiful day again, but for us and not the fish there was not a bite for the first 2 and a half hours, could not believe it as the weather was perfect for fishing or so I thought, Pat then got a bite and caught a small Trevally which was thrown back then I got this one which I keep, don't know the proper name of it but it is a another species we have caught, we are up to 23 or 24 now I think.

Pat then she caught a small Grunter which we keep as it was legal size I had a big fish strike but got busted off after a few minutes, I think it was a big Trevally the way it fought but not sure, then I hook into another decent fish but it turned out to be a reasonable size Stingray which I got to the boat and then cut the line above the mouth as it has swallowed the hook, so it turned out to not be a good day at all for us. Thursday, Did not go out to early this morning as nothing was biting early yesterday, so as the weather forecast was similar for today except they forecast some rain and possible Thunderstorms, so we hit the boat ramp at 8am and was at the fishing spot at Garden Island for 8.35, the sea was up a bit with about half a meters swell. Again there was nothing on the bite, we think it has something to do with the wind direction, as on Monday the wind was from the North and now it is from the South, the forecast says the wind will be from the south until Monday then it will turn around, so we will see if that makes a difference, but there is a lot more that affects the fish from biting. We did catch a couple of small fish after a while, but there was no Grunter on the bite, so I moved around to a spot called Sail Rock and parked within 50 feet of it, the water is a bit deeper there and there was some fish on the fish finder but again not on the bite, then Pat got a big hit on one of her rods and she took about 6 or 7 minutes to get it in, turned out to be a Shovel Nose Ray, Pat said she forgot to put the camera on board so I did not get to take a photo of it as I let it go once I took the hook out of it. Then within 5 minutes Pat got another big hit, this time it went all around the boat the line got caught under the prop which I had to get loose even though I had the motor up, then it under the boat and right around the front anchor rope which I had to get free and then Pat finally got it in and I put the landing net under it for her, here it is below, called a Diamond Trevally, the photo does not do it justice as the skin on it is full of colors Pat called it a Opal Fish, reminds me of the signs that we have with all of the flashy colors as the suns hit it from different angles.

So again Pat beat me for the big fish, she has caught the biggest so far this holiday, just like the last time she seems to always beat me somehow, but there is still time for me yet to beat her, it did rain out there today, but the squalls were all around us and we did not get that wet, the edge of one just caught us and we got a bit of rain form about 10 minutes and as we have the cover on the boat and there was no wind behind it we did not get that wet, after Pat had caught the 2 fish and nothing else was biting, we moved back to our original fishing spot in front of the Island. But the wind got up again and there was white caps everywhere, not that bothers us, but when there is nothing on the bite why take a pounding for nothing and it was starting to look like it could get worse so we packed it up and came in, there was squalls all over the place and we came in along side of one and just got a bit wet when we almost in as I had to go across it to get to the boat ramp, we had just got our boat on the trailer and pulled it up the ramp when the rain came, got back to the Holiday Park and cleaned the boat and filleted the fish of which we will try some of it tonight along with the small Trevally above also a small Grunter with some prawns (bought) and some Bok Choy, Snow Peas and a Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce, aint life a bitch and I have to go back home in 2 weeks to DUST. Friday, Did not go out today because of the weather, it was forecast for rain and rain it did, we went to Ingham, 54 kilometers back down the road to do some shopping and in that area it had rained 161 mm (6.5 inches) before we had left in the afternoon and it also had rained some 4 inches here as well, so just as well we stayed at home. Saturday, The forecast for today was strong winds (20/25 knots) and rain, but we decided to go out and try around Garden Island (E on the map above) first thing, the wind was up a bit around the 10 knots or so but the swell was not that bad going out until we got near the island then it was getting worse, but we tried in our usual spot for a while and got no bites so we moved around to this Sail Rock which is on the right hand side of the Island as you go out, this is where Pat caught her two big fish on Thursday.

Today I anchored a bit closer (about 30 feet out) so I could cast the line a bit closer to the rock, we got a few bites and I caught 3 fish 2 were Stripy Sea Perch, just over legal size and good eating, we also call them Spanish Flags forgot to take a photo but you can just see one of them in the bottom of this photo below and this fish is called a Blue Striped Parrot Fish, we call them Blue Bone as there bones are a pale blue and if you cook the fish whole, the bones turn very blue and are really excellent eating, in fact this is the best eating fish we have caught so far and the next would be the Golden Trevally.

Here is Pat looking very serious as she was having a bit of a nibble here, not only did we catch these 3 fish but we also lost 2 rigs through getting caught on the bottom on small rocks I should think and the sea by now had got up along with the wind, it was getting to rough to fish here now as the anchor was starting to drag and the drift was towards the rock so we decided to pack it in and head back in, I told Pat that the sea should get a bit quieter when we got past what is called Missionary Bay (L above) and get to Hecate Point. (D map above)

Which it did, so at the time was around 10.50 we decided to go to the Damper Creek and try out luck there, so here we are going down the Hinchinbrook Channel to Damper Creek, here the sea is very good with a slight chop and we are doing 18 Knots.

Here is a baby stingray I caught, funny Pat caught one as well, called a Brown Stingray, this is the 3rd kind we have caught here now, this is only about 8 inches across and has two very deadly barbed spines in its tail that got caught here in the carpet.

This is another species, called a black Bream, small but legal size of 23 centimeters and I kept him, they are also very good eating but the fillets of this feller were a bit small and will throw any more like this size back.

Pat also caught this Mangrove Jack, which are also a top table fish, but although this is a good size it is illegal as it is under sized this legal size on this fish is 38 centimeters.

In fact Pat caught all of the fish we brought home except for the three I caught at the beginning and 1 grunter, we caught a heap of small fish that we threw back for being undersize but we did come home with a good feed and some for the freezer, pity most of the legal size were biting on Pats side of the boat, don't know what I would do without Pat.

Sunday, Day off again because of the weather, more rain, Pat also needs the rest as she is getting worn out catching all of the fish, me I am raring to go, now will have to fish Monday and Tuesday as we have to go and visit a friend on Wednesday so we wont be fishing that day and the Wednesday after that we are on our way back home. Monday, The forecast today was for 20 knot winds and rain, with the possibility of a thunderstorm, so as we had yesterday off when in fact we could have gone out fishing we decided to go down to the Damper Creek again and try our luck. We was not there 10 minutes when it started to rain, light at first then it got heavier, lucky for us the wind had died in the creek and the rain was almost coming straight down so the cover over our heads was saving us from a drowning and we got on with the fishing, at least we tried to because at first there was nothing on the bite for about the first hour at least then the small stuff came out of hiding, we got sick of taking them off or cutting off the hook and leaving it in the fish so I did not harm or kill the fish by trying to get it out, so during the course of the morning we went through a few hooks, below is a slight Rainbow that came in between squalls, as you can see the water is becalmed.

Pat has caught a what is called a Blue Salmon or it real name is Colonial Threadfin Salmon, (legal size is 45 centimeters) it has some whiskers behind it jaw for felling for food, good eating, its cousin the Giant Threadfin Salmon which grows well over 4 feet long and is better eating.

This is not a good photo as the fish was a bit long for my hand, but this is a baby Black Jewfish also excellent eating if you can catch one big enough this one went back, we have now caught 32 different kinds of fish so far and we know of some that are here and have been caught.

Today we finished up with 4 Grunter legal size, one nice sized Black Bream and Pats Blue Threadfin Salmon of which we had half for dinner tonight along with the Black Bream, Pat liked the black bream the best but both were good fish to eat, did not take a photo of the day take due to rain as it was raining when we got back and I filleted the fish in slight rain and could not get the camera wet. Tomorrow the forecast is for 20 knot winds again and lots of rain, so we do not know if we will make it out at the time of writing this, but if there is a chance we will, would like to go out the Garden Island and try for something bigger but not if the wind and sea is going to be up. Tuesday, Took a chance got up at 6am and went out today, we did go out to the Garden Island although the sea was a bit rough on the way out as the wind was coming from the South East and there was about 3/4 to 1 meter swell and as the boat hit a swell the wind would pick up the spray and we would get wet, thankfully it is not cold up here. We had not been there long when Pat caught a fish, the biggest Grunter we have caught so far, I think we would have had this size before but that Grouper took them, notice that I said Pat caught it, you can see that the wind is up and around the 20 knot stage by this time, I would have thought it may have come in later, but it was in almost right from the start, look at the landing net that is the strength of the wind.

Pat also another species today this makes it 33 species we have caught here so far, this is called a Barred Queen Fish and is a small one, they are eatable and are not to bad if you have nothing else in the freezer.

I managed to catch a Remora, which is a sucker fish, you may have seen them in programs that had sharks in them as this fish attaches itself to them with the sucker on top of its head and hitches a ride, bit unusual catching them on a hook, but have caught one before, but not as big as this one, this makes 34 species we have caught here.

This is a closer loom at the sucker on top of the Remoras head, weird looking fish with its bottom jaw sticking out like it is.

Here is a nice little yacht sailing past us, what a life, gave Pat a wave as it went past but I was busy taking pulling in that Remora and taking it off the hook at the time.

Here it is about to drop anchor and then they went onto the island for a while in the dingy they were towing, you can see the sea has some white caps on it, but it got a lot rougher than this in the next half hour, so we had to call it a day and come in which I did but slow so we did not get drowned as the swell was not up 1 and a 1/2 meter and also coming across the bow of the boat and the wind was still up around the 20 knot plus mark.

We will not be out fishing tomorrow as I said earlier we will be visiting a friend up near Cairns and might but a new car Fridge/Freezer first, should be back on the water on Thursday. Wednesday, Day off, visiting a friend today. Thursday, Did not go out today as the forecast was not good, but as I watched the news tonight it is not going to get any better now before we leave, so I will try to fish in the Damper Creek if we can get out, the weather is bad because of a low in the area that just might develop into a Cyclone, they have even forecast winds as high as 30 to 50 knots, wont be that strong in close and around the creeks, but it has been raining for the last two days and I mean rain, buckets of it, its been a long time since I have seen rain like this and if it rains like this while I am out fishing I will not only get drowned I will not be able to see in front of me to get home. Friday, Did not go out today because of the weather, it was forecast for rain and rain it did, we went to Ingham, 54 kilometers back down the road to do some shopping and in that area it had rained 161 mm (6.5 inches) before we had left in the afternoon and it also had rained some 4 inches here as well, so just as well we stayed at home. Saturday, Did not go out today because of the weather, that low Depression on the other side of Cairns looks like turning into a Cyclone so they say with winds up to 100 kilometers an hour or more, so we stayed home but it did not rain, the wind was up so we put the cover up on the boat so it could dry out and I took all of the reels off the fishing rods, cleaned them and put them away in the box. Pat had washed the fishing clothes and in general we had started to pack up and get ready to leave on Wednesday, but on the news tonight they had changed there minds and said that the Cyclone warning was canceled as the depression has started to go east out to sea away from the coast and as it was 90 kilometers north of Cairns we was in no trouble, so we went to bed early as the wind had dropped by now. Sunday, Got up at 6.50 this morning and there had been no wind all night as I know off and when I looked out of the door it was a beautiful morning so I said to Pat that we was going fishing, I had to take the reels out of the box and put them on the rods (only 4 of them) and after I had took the storm cover off the boat, we took the overhead cover out of the boat and put it in place etc and was off by 7.30 We went out to Garden Island and fished for a while in out usual spot, we were there before high tide and the we did not get a bite until the tide had turned which was at 9.15 I caught 2 small but legal Grunters and Pat caught nothing there. Then we moved around and in font of Sail Rock which is on the side of the island, you saw this from the other side last week, I had a big hit and it took line out but before I could get hold of the rod it had gone into the rocks and I could not get it or the line back so had to break it off, then Pat had a hit but after a couple of minutes we knew it was a stingray so I broke the line off, then Pat caught a Stripy Seapearch which we kept after that it was just small bites.

This is right along the side of the Island and the rock is the right, did not catch anything the second time we tried here.

These Rocks were just under the water when we started to fish there this morning, now are around 4.5 feet out of the water and this is at 1.20pm, low tide is at 3.15 this afternoon, the big rock is just to the right.

Well that is for this year, now to pack everything up and get ready for the trip back home and back to mining and to try and find my fortune which is proving very hard to do. Hope you have enjoyed this issue and look forward to the next one, hopefully I will have some more good photos to show you in the next issue and maybe some of Good Looking Opal and lots of it, I am still hoping that this will be a good year for us in mining, so stay with us over the next few months and find out what goes on in our part of the world as far as Opal Mining goes. Stay Tuned for the next Issue, who knows what I will have to report. Until the next issue......... and wish me lots of LUCK. Cya Later, Stuart Bird. To return back to the Archived Page for more Updates click, Here!

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