Thursday, December 15, 2011

First fishing trip - Mooloolaba bay

I've just got my kayak on Sunday and was eager to get it wet. The forecast was promising for Tuesday's morning - no wind and low swell, so I headed early morning towards the southern corner of the Mooloolaba bay:

When I arrived to the beach, I took my time getting the yak ready to go and enjoying the morning silence and calm sea:

I put all the gear in the Stealth huge hatch and with a few strokes was out behind the small surf. A look behind me revealed a beautiful sunrise:

As a first trip here and in Australian water in general, I decided to cross the bay towards Mudjimba rock and explore the bottom with the fishfinder, while I troll some lures. The water was murky with very poor visibility. After an hour or so I came close to the rock, without any action on my reel, or on the water surface:

As I drew near the rock, I saw a school of small mackerels (I think...) chasing bait, or being chased around. I took out my spinning rod and prepared a small slug and only then noticed the strong current, that was moving me past the rock, further north. I realized that I was paddling with the current in my back and figured out it would be best to turn around and start head back.

This time I've passed Mudjimba rock from the inshore side and discovered some Wave Ski riders, who came all the way for the small surf that formed over the reef. I passed by them and continued back south, this time, closer to shore, just behind the shark nets. I stopped a couple of times to change lures, but still got no action.

After another hour and a half, I was back at my starting point, sheltered from the wind and swell, landed the kayak and went for a refreshing swim:

In total, I guess I wasn't too close to any fish dwelling reef, but I had a great morning paddle (20k in a little less then 3 hours) and headed off to work.

Next trip I'll venture the southern shoreline or maybe the offshore reefs in the middle of the bay.

Yours, IsoBar

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