Sat, 1st Sept, 2018 Mum & Dad’s, Cairns, Qld (Fishing)

Lovely spring morning, clear sky, 8am 23 degrees according to my new thermometer.

Did some cleaning out of the laundry cupboard for Mum then we went out to visit Val and check out her new ‘digs’. Lovely big room with a big courtyard from her door so she gets lots of light and fresh air. Huge TV too.

Home for lunch then Steve and I went over to Pete’s to go fishing. He has made a few modifications to the boat which we used to have a half share in. His friend, Smurf, joined us and we headed out from boat ramp near the sugar terminal. A chap said he had seen heaps of whales but he didn’t say where he had been. Jon and Jess had seen a whale last week when they went for a ride on the jet ski. I had brought my camera to get some photos as we headed out. Should only be 5 to 10 knot winds and the sky is clear. Lots of boats moored up the inlet. Years ago Steve was in two attempts for water skiing and they went a long way up the mangrove lined inlet then skied past the wharves to end of the inlet. I have some videos of it now after attending a reunion.

Around the sugar terminal then past Trinity Wharf where the cruise boats dock.

The main marina near the Pier can have some very expensive boats and yachts mooring here.

Cairns’ high-rises aren’t too bad luckily. A new glass-fronted one going up.

Mt Whitfield and over the mangroves is the Cairns Airport.

Lots of hills and some little beaches as we head out and around False Cape. There were gun emplacements there during WW2 and there was submarine net across the Inlet closer to the port.

Looking north up the coast.

The coast continues around to Yarrabah, an Aboriginal community, with Fitzroy Island not far off shore.

Looking north Green Island is just a flat bump of trees.

Headed out to Telford Reef – the sea is so flat. Passed a couple of turtles on the surface grabbing a mouthful of air. Then some dolphins.

Passed some schools of tuna as we zoomed out. A small mackerel went flying through the air chasing the bait.

Arrived at Telford Reef which is near Moore Reef which has a big pontoon where the reef boats take visitors out to swim and view the Great Barrier Reef.

We anchored up and started fishing. Pete and Smurf put out two floaters and we had rods to fish the 44 metres of water. There were lots of bait fish and big fish on the echo sounder.

I hooked the first fish, actually two as we use double hooks, Trevally which is good to eat. Not much run as there isn’t a big tide movement today. I got a big tea leaf Trevally and so did Smurf.

Hooked a mackerel on the floater which Smurf brought in. Then we saw something around Pete’s floater and saw a fin. The line went so Pete thought it was a shark but it turned out to be another mackerel. Steve wasn’t having much luck but as long as someone was bringing fish in he was happy. Had a few little fish nibbling which we caught to use as bait.

I hooked another fish which put up a big fight – I will have some bruises in interesting places from my rod handle. I saw some gold and thought it was a nice Golden Trevally but sadly it turned out to be a Giant Trevally – no good for eating. After a photo we let him go. Great fun to fight.

Lovely sunset over Cairns.

We moved as nothing much was happening. The run picked up so we had to put on my sinkers and we didn’t get much other than little pickers. The floater line went off twice and both times it was a huge Reef Jack. Beautiful eating.

Steve then hooked something that bent his rod in half. It wouldn’t budge but he could feel the fish on the line so he thought he had a groper. He let out some line but it didn’t swim off so Smurf grabbed the line and gave it a pull as Steve was worried about breaking the rod. It gave way but Steve could still feel a fish. Up came a lovely Red Emperor but unfortunately it was too small so had to go back. He lost his bottom hook and the sinker so maybe he had two fish on or it got stuck in something down there.

No more action so we headed for home about 8.30pm. It was so flat that it only took us an hour to get back. That’s the type of fishing weather I love and we have fish for dinner too.

Back to Pete’s. We divided up the fish then headed home. Great day out – thanks Pete.