A few updates this morning from up and down. Thanks so much for sending these in guys – especially as I have nothing to add from the Gold Coast yesterday! The blues staged another disappearing act and we had to be content with wahoo and dollies instead.

On the Sunshine Coast it was another great *morning* on the water for Jeff Oats yesterday.  While we were getting comprehensively rained on once again here (lucky we’re in a boat I say!), Jeff was enjoying a quick morning session off Mooloolaba. In his 15ft centre console Simple Plan, Jeff released 3 sailfish and boated two wahoo and two dolphin fish – and he was home again by 10.30am!  If this continues and the blacks show up in numbers it will be a good tournament for them next month!

Further south, Editorial Both (Glen) sent me this update from his base at Coffs Harbour:

There’s been a few blues and the odd striped marlin around, but keeping them attached has proven difficult. Dark Side got comprehensively destroyed by a blue on 24 kilo, and there have been enough jellybean yellowfin and big dollies to keep boredom at bay. One yellowfin was a slightly better specimen at 24 kilos.

South West Rocks fired up for a couple of days last week, with some nice second year blacks being caught at the usual inshore marks. Bait is thickest it’s been in over five years.

Out wide here, the current is still running a banker, but it’s blue and warm — 25 degrees plus.

Spanish and spotties have put in an early appearance at Coffs and Grassy Head, but now its pouring so they’ll probably disappear just as quickly as they arrived.

The Golden Lure comp starts at Port Macquarie this weekend, and the fledgling Solitary Islands Game Fishing Club is fielding a team of six boats in its first venture into the big league.

And, down off Port Stephens, Brent tells me that the fishing has started to to pick up with 23 degree water in close which is full of bait. The shelf is around 25 degrees but the current is still running at 3 knots. Even so there are a few stripes and a couple of nice blues to 400lb, and there was even a couple of whaoo caught during the week!

Thanks again guys!

Just a few days after getting stuck into the black marlin, the Sunshine Coast clubbies have now been getting stuck into the sails.  Jeff Oates fishing solo out of his 15 footer released three sailfish and lost another black.  The 31 foot Cabo, Lynch Mob also released three sails and Blu Reela came out after lunch and got a double header within five minutes including this one pictured. There were a few more caught and lost including Ymer who were still fighting a nice black as the sun set.  The Spring Shootout (briefing Sept 30), should be a real cracker!

Meanwhile, up off Cairns, its big black marlin time!
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Sunshine Coast: Another good day on the water.  Ymer released 2 blacks, 2 sails and landed a 23kg mahi mahi which is a pending new 8kg Australian record.  While Spot On went 1 from 3 on black marlin.  David also sent me this link to his footage from Tuesday.  Great stuff!

Ribbons, Cairns – Capt. Adam continues to get the jump on most of the fleet who are just now turning their attention to the impending start of the heavy tackle season as Iona 2 released another two smaller fish yesterday at 80 and 100lb.  He saw five for the day including a monster at Number 10 Ribbon.

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