Big news of a BIG fish caught off Townsville yesterday.

Local club President Tom Hattrick fishing with club stalwart Mick Miers at Myrmidon Reef off Townsville caught this big girl yesterday. As of late last night they were still trying to find scales to get an accurate weight but indications are - over a thousand pounds. The fish died after a mammoth 4 hour struggle and was taken into Magnetic Island to be weighed. Mick released a 500-lb fish the day before along with another two solid hook-ups.

If only the fishing up here was half as good!

Most of the fleet spread from Jenny Louise South of Cairns to Number 10 Ribbon off Lizard Island are reporting very little action. On Reel Chase we at least managed to reverse our negative bait trends by catching a bunch of Spanish and Shark Mackerel for our Adelaide Anglers. Kekoa has had the pick of the draw with two fish this week. Fascination II released the solitary fish yesterday at the Agincourt Reefs.

Word is though that there have been more BIG fish sited. So we'll keep searching!

Despite extremely slow Marlin fishing, some of our highlights have been this mother of a Black Marlin and a successful tag on a much smaller fish yesterday. And of course good company, cold beers and lots of wind!

Yesterday's fish was an ambitious 200lb-er who managed to eat a big Scaley hooking up straight away on the strike for Angler Steven. Fishing out of the Lodge at Lizard Island this week, we didn't stray too far in the weather, spending most of the day at Hicks Reef and will be back there again today.

Reports are still slow on the fishing front. Kekoa nabbed another small fish at Number 5 on Saturday but was less successful yesterday at Number 10. In our vicinity, the Island Boat Fascination had just the one bite yesterday.

But, as the photo at top shows, there have been reports again of BIG(!!) fish around which gives us hope!

Reel Chase crew for 2007 Season, myself,
Capt. Jim and Deckies Darren and Brad.

Even though it was an uneventful day on the Marlin front for us, at least we know that Capt. Kim Anderson on board Little Audrey released an estimated 800lb-er right by us yesterday and so that bodes well for the big fish arriving soon. The current on the bank was finally going South with nice purple water and schools of Skipjack Tuna showed up with the ever present Yellow Fins which we again added to our collection. (Even though we were equal partners with the local Shark population.)

Reports from further North indicate no change with just the odd fish showing up.

Even though the marlin fishing has been slow the bite has actually been pretty good with lots of good fish feeding on massive bait schools along the edge. Saturday's trip to Jenny Louise Shoal yielded a 60-lb Mackerel that we released, a large Dog Tooth Tuna and a tail chomping Wahoo as well as a pair of delicious Yellowfin. To get everyone all fired up for the marlin season, we're pleased to report Capt. Jim saw a 500-lb Black Marlin cruising by the boat - but that's all it did, and kept on cruisin' ;-)

Yesterday's trip to Spur Reef and Linden Bank again produced a number of Yellowfin, alas no Marlin. Capt. Luke on Kekoa at the Marks on Number 10, had a bite from a small fish on a shortened day of first day of fishing.

Sketchy reports from the Hinchinbrook Tournament indicate the private boat Wombino, run by the Collins Brothers from Mission Beach took out Champion Boat with three Billfish Tagged. These boys have been fishing the Dunk Island area for 25 years proving local knowledge reigns supreme!

A quick update via Kekoa and Castille on their way back in from Osprey Reef - a great time had by all. Packs of 20 sails - all good size ranging up to 40kg - in numbers on Day 1 entertained with both boat releasing two each before they dispersed. Wahoo galore ranging in the 50-70lb range - could have filled the boats with them many times over. And Doggies harder to find but once you found them, coming up 2 or 3 at a time on the teaser, ranging between 40 and 150lb.

Other reports from the edge, a few boats have headed North and are averaging a bite a day at this early stage. Biggles on Allure had a bite out of one yesterday and Hayden on the newly re-named Release (Don't Ask Me) reportedly got a big one this week too. The positive news is that they say the water temperatures are a degree warmer than the same time last year and so the big girls may not be very far away at all.

We're out from Cairns tomorrow.

As we make our way baitfishing North to Cairns, the newly launched O'Brien Castille and its predecessor Kekoa have taken the Bluewater Team to Osprey Reef, 80 miles East of Lizard Island. Sketchy reports of the trip so far are of Sailfish in good numbers. And while the weather has been glamourous for our trip, it seems they have been struggling with it a bit more further North.

Wednesday sees our arrival in Cairns and another couple days preparation before our Heavy Tackle Season begins Saturday. Most of the fleet are likewise starting in Cairns over the next few weeks and so it will be good to catch up with all. Some will of course be arriving via the Port Hinchenbrook tournament starting Thursday. Good luck to those competing there.

One a side note, so far the internet has proved a major disappointment thanks to the 'all mighty' Next G. We're hoping that things are dramatically better North of Cairns.

And Happy Birthday to Capt. Jim!

A picture says a thousand words...



The fleet thinned on the final day with winds gusting to 25 knots for the 7am start fishing but within half an hour it had started to drop - leaving us a glamour run in at the end of the day. Final days fishing was slower with only 3 fish for the day. Fortunately for us two of them were tagged on Reel Chase handing the "Ladies" team the win for sixth time since 1999. Anne started the day off with a very energetic Black of 20 kgs and our male influence (with purple thongs borrowed from one of his 4 daughters!) Ken, brought it home with a stubborn 30 kg fish half an hour before cease fishing. Kekoa, now affectionately known as Keo amongst the fleet (courtesy of Townsville Coast Guard) also tagged a Black Marlin for Australia's "biggest" boat builder, Peter O'Brien, on the final day bringing them up to fourth place on count back.

The final results were:
Over 8 Metre Class
Reel Chase (Champion Boat with 6 fish), Kanahoee (Runner Up with 4 fish), Maratimo 55 (Second Runner Up with 3 fish) and Kekoa (Third Runner Up with 3 fish also).

Under 8 Metre Class
Sedative (Champion Boat with 1 fish) and Viagra (Runner Up with 1 fish also)

Congrats to Champion Angler Chris (Kanahoee), Runner Up Stuart (Maratimo 55) and Second Runner Up Anne (Reel Chase)!

Quick update as today's start fishing is 7am!! (and the weather is atrocious!)

Day 4 results: Sea Baby kicked off with a double header, one Black Marlin, one Sailfish, followed soon after by Reel Chase with two Sailfish. The Sailfish bite continued with as many Sails caught as Blacks throughout the day. Other boats with a fish each included: Kanahoee, Viagra, In the Black, Kekoa, Maratimo, Cool Change and Team Grady who successfully tagged their first fish of the tournament at 5:58pm yesterday after a good fight.

Photo from the Sailpast.

Day 3 was the day for long fights with Maratimo hooking up on a Black Marlin soon after start fishing and fighting an estimated 80kg fish for 3 hours before getting the tag in. Reel Ripe likewise hooked up early on a Sailfish and fought all day only to lose the fish half an hour after cease fishing. Top fight guys. Nearby, we watched Exotic Sands fight two fish, one for Jackie for over an hour and another larger fish for Karen for close to 45 minutes, both sadly unsuccessful in the end.

Wild Turkey finished on top for the day with 2 Black Marlin tagged while other boats with one fish included Tradition, Sedative, Kanahoee and Fascination.

The constant of Day 2 was the weather. The relentless wind and waves have not let up.

Kanahoee led the charge on Day 2 with two fish for angler Chris on what appeared to be a hot lunchtime bite. (The only hot lunchtime bite we experienced was on one of Colleen's famous pasties!) Other boats finding fish on Day 2 with one each were Reel Chase, Cool Change, Maratimo, Far Cry and Jaw Crusher.

Photo of Reel Chase's morning fish.

With boats spread far and wide, from the Northern boundary at Otter Reef, East to Davies Reef and a larger congregation at Cape Bowling Green, alas only 3 marlin were caught for Day 1. All endured testing conditions in the big boats and frightening conditions in the small boats. Constant 20 knots plus and three metre seas - the photo doesn't do the conditions justice. Most of the big boats fished in the Bowling Green area where numerous bait schools were found however all of them were highly mobile and hard to track. Luckily a few Black Marlin have shown their presence with Reel Chase, Fascination II and Kekoa all tagging one for the day with the lucky anglers being myself, Troy Stanley and Leigh O'Brien.

Picture is Kekoa chasing their fish.