QUICK SALT FIX AT BYNOE

Had to have a salt fix so just spent a couple of days at Bynoe...although Wednesday night did take a bit of a toll because of the QLD win, after drowning our sorrows still managed to get on the water just after dawn.   Not much movement in the tides and we were trying out different spots ...but got fish...nothing to write home about except the one that got away...only about 80cm barra...but saw a lot of action in the creeks....just missed the rain, which may stir things up...but plenty of fish out there...we got the old seven species over Thursday and Friday..

There were a heap of small steelback salmon in some of the holes..

Plenty of small macs around..very slimy

Water got glassy....really great out there with a cool breeze

One only tarpon...

A couple of snapper

One of the smaller barra 

...and a few more barra....

saw some awsome shows in the shallows when some big fish, probably queenies or trevally were cutting through schools of larger baitfish...but did not hook up on anything...lots of small queenies and trevally on tiny bait balls....with luck those bait balls with join together and bring some bigger fish around.   One of the boys got an 80 plus mackerel in the harbour but we did not see any big ones, just the little slimy's.  Its been nearly three years since those big schools of Macs used to circle knife Island with the Tuna...lets hope those days are not far away.

The Bassetts

MATT AND HELENA - EXMOUTH

After a six year lapse Matt is back in Exmouth with Helena and taking the fish on....

Landed at 8, on water by 10. So stoked to be back in Exmouth after six years

One of the Cobia from a double hook-up. Fishing with good mates is the best. Tasted great if you're wondering.

Helena getting her game on in Exmouth

 

Tuna on fly are the bomb. Another Exmouth awesome day

You know you love this Permit game when your hands start shaking half an hour before even getting in the boat. Game on!

No deal on the Permit today, but who cares when you smack a 7 pound bone. Awesome!

with Jono Shales.

Enjoying a beer Exmouth style.

Bye, bye Exmouth...till next time.

ROBINSON RIVER - ON THE BUCKET LIST

A few of the mob have been talking about a trip out to the fresh (Billabongs) later in the year and during the conversation, we discussed a trip back to Seven Emu Station on the Robinson River because its been a few years since any of us have been down there, so for those contemplating a trip down there next year possibly, here are some highlights...we always had a small group with us, and as you will see it was great for the kids (these photos are over a decade ago)..

The two photos above are of one of our camps at the Cox's Crossing which could be crossed when the tides were low....its mainly fresh but at the end of the tidal influence

This is a 126cm, the biggest we landed down there, but we saw bigger ones

This is a typical barra..

and there are queenies galore....

all big and right up into the fresh. we lived on these and favoured them over barra

The girls had a ball with the queenies, and on fly they really give you a run for your money here are a few action shots

Cathie into a queenie

Cathie into another with Darryl and Tony coming up the River

Virginia on a queenie

Her mum, Sophie with another

Virginia with one of her queenies

Kyla with a pair of queenies and one on the table for filleting

The fly got hooked in the fin of this one....

..but Cathie still got it in.

Pete with Richard and another typical queenie

Gemma and Renee..now in their teens will probably cringe at the photos...

we had a blow up pool down there for the kids, so they didn't have to go near the water because of crocs, it was about two metre round and half a metre high.  When we caught bait we put it into the pool and the kids would dive for them...kept them happy.  But our dog bert would jump in and eat any of the bait he could catch.

We did it really tough...like most our camps...

and the card games were very serious...

 So we will try and get all the camping gear, stove fridge, generators etc. and see if we cant have a return possibly next year.

THE TIDES OF CHANGE

For anyone who follows my posts   you might recall me penning an article called  "Everyone loves the Moon " (click to go to post)

                                                     A World of endless possibilities
A significant event has occurred which I allude to in that post of the continuing processions of the Equinox's

                                                                    Golden Trevally
Simplifying  this to some degree you will notice this happening.
In any given 24hr period you have 2 low tides and two high tides ,October to end of April the lowest and highest tides are in the daylight hours from May to end of October they occur in the dark.

                                                     Demonstrating the possibilities
Why ? its a phenomenon in our evolution that the earth's divides our seasons and solstices , an Earth that is not round and on an axis moves the equinoxes from Summer to Autumn Spring to Winter every year.

                                                 First Big Queenfish for a Trout guide
To circumvent the complexity,appreciate it like this.
Two weeks ago  the biggest low was in the daylight now the biggest low is in the dark the Autumn Equinox commenced 2 weeks ago with a low down to 1,0m and the daylight low was no more then 2.3ms.

                                        "The Flyfishing Community"moderator John Billings
What does this mean for us ? if you are a predominantly a shallow water hunter like me it means more time on the flats, thats the bonus and one of the prime reasons I start my guiding in and around the end of April to end of October,that is when we see the return of the spring equinox.

                          First Barra ever Greg Beecroft London Lakes Chief Guide
Last week fishing started well  until the massive high and strong winds sent everyone scurrying for jumpers

                                                          Close enough to the Camera
Reefs and holes produced Jacks and Snapper in numbers.and occasional Tarpon and Blue Threadfin.

                                                 Blue Threadfin were not plentiful
The Barra didn't like it and started ignoring us, some were caught  although it was the exception and not the rule,Queenfish were plentiful as you would expect with the cooler months and numerous fish were caught up to 90 cms

                                                  Anywhere in the evening is magic
The Diurnal and Nocturnal crossover (last light, first light) was excellent during the week with numerous small to medium Trevally and Queenfish caught in numbers,this is undoubtedly a very pleasant way to start or finish a day in Bynoe harbour.

On a final note for those who think its easy to fall off my Hewes, Dotty did the big spear off purely from horsing around, nonetheless she wins the step off trophy.

                                                     Dorothee at saturation point

Cheers Graeme

MICHAEL (VINNY) AND ROSS ON DARWIN HAROUR

Ross trevelled up from down south for the Corrooboree Cup/Plate and stayed for an extra week because we hoped to get out in the week after the cup for a salt fix.  The wind changed that so he hit the billabongs with Lord Jim, (see Home).  However Vinny managed to get him out on Darwin Harbour for a fish and subsequent feed.

On the way

Typical queenie

Marooned?

clear water? can see the crocs coming

Some were very small

Queenie nibbles

Ah...food ..75cm of it