The new 56 KEKOA had its first dunking on Wednesday for sea trials and here she is looking sleek in the water. It will come back out again early next week for the finishing touches and be officially launched some time in January.Its been amazing to see the transformation and we can’t wait for it to be finished! On the fishing front, still a little quiet down here in SEQ with the little blacks yet to make their presence known in numbers. There have been a few around but no big concentrations. Likewise, outwide there have been a few blues as well. Capt. Ross on Lucky Strike released one yesterday around the 500lb mark and had a bite out of a black and said there are also plenty of dolphin fish out there.Photo left: in the water at the Townsville Motor Boat Club without the bimini top (to come of course).

The latest issue of BlueWater Magazine will hit newstands in the New Year (Jan 6) and for those eagerly anticipating my 2009 Cairns Season Recap (recapping on the season for the professional charter fleet), you’ll find it within. There are plenty of big fish photos included as well.

“Each year from September to December, the grounds between Cairns and Lizard Island, along the outer edge of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, provide your very best chance to catch a marlin of over 1000lb. The 2009 season was a good one for the professional charter fleet and many anglers caught the fish of their dreams.”

On a separate note I wanted to mention that while we were still up north, Dr. Julian Pepperell released his labour of love titled “Fishes of the Open Ocean” (and illustrated by Guy Harvey), perfect for your family fisherman’s Christmas stocking. Annie’s Books on Perergian has signed copies for sale at $59.95, also available online from various other retailers. I got my copy this week for a certain someone for Christmas and I can’t wait for Christmas Day for him to unwrap it again so I can have another (longer) look through!

We first met Julian many years ago when he was the head of the tagging program and travelled around to the different tournaments to promote it. He is now one of Australia’s best known marine biologists and a world-wide authority on large oceanic fishes. More recently been heavily involved in the pop-up satellite tags, collecting very valuable data from those. Julian has always maintained close contact and a great rapport with the fleet and we wish him the very best with the book!

The Cairns Season has well and truly wound down and some of us are enjoying some down time at home after several months away (keep an eye out for my professional fleet season recap in the next issue of BlueWater out in early January). But we are looking forward to some little black marlin action on the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.

Capt. Rob “Smithy” Smith on Triton IV tells me they have arrived on the Sunshine Coast. The Maratimo Billfish Bash 2009 was held out of Mooloolaba last weekend and was won by the Relax team on board Pacemaker with two tags. While only one was tagged Saturday, there were 9 tags on Sunday with another 20-30 lost.Smithy had his first black marlin trip of the season this Sunday and bagged a 60-70kg black off Noosa – a bigger fish amongst the smaller models (pic below). On Monday he had another couple up but no conversions and also maxed out on dolphin fish on the FADs.

Also on Sunday, Smithy tells me that a boat called Eleanor went 8-6-5 off Cape Moreton on the little ones and that a couple of blue marlin were tagged on Friday so they are still around too. Smithy also sent me these photos of junior Sunshine Coast GFC angler Daniel Brooks in action on Ymer during the recent Hervey Bay Tournament at the Waddy Canyons. After 1 hour 35 mins on stand-up 37kg tackle, the estimated 200kg blue (440lbs) was released. Congratulations Daniel on a great efffort!

No word yet on whether they’re making their presence known here on the coast although Capt. Jim on Reel Chase arrived back last night so I may find out yet. In other new, the new KEKOA is on for sea trials early next week and I should have more photos soon. And season footage to come as well, probably after Christmas.

Reports will start to wind down now as the season does too. Thank you to everyone for reading this year. Please stay tuned for periodic updates throughout the summer as well as the fishing moves down south. Capt. Tim Dean on Calypso fished Linden Bank Saturday going two from two at 700 and 300lbs. On Reel Chase we fished out to the Sea Mount and back for the last two days and came across a lot of marine life although not all the marlin action we’d hoped releasing one from three on Saturday and none from a few yesterday. We raised a number of fish, in particular a pod of 3 or 4, this big girl coming up on the teaser (shot below) at the same time both rods went off. But none of the bites stuck. We raised and got bites out of the fish again but they were just toying with the baits rather than seriously trying to eat.We also got some good underwater footage of other critters including wahoo and dolphin fish like the below.