The last few days boats have experienced a stall in the bite, not dissimilar to what we experienced at the end of the Lizard Island competition. We’re expecting it to turn around in the next few days. With more boats heading out this weekend to compete in the Yorkey’s Knob Makaira Bullfight (weather depending of course – Saturday’s forecast is still quite rough though it will be coming down again from Sunday) more reports should be coming in. On the Sunshine Coast, the Mooloolaba GFC are hosting the Maritimo Billfish Bash and the CPGFA Hall of Fame Dinner will be held at the Shangri La Hotel on Saturday night.

I’m editing some more recent footage to put up today. In the meantime, a series of stills from the underwater camera of a big fish bite.

Another action pic, this time from the underwater bite from the TowCam from Capt. Tim Richardson on Tradition.  Capt. Tim started a new trip yesterday with another big fish, a 900lb-er for angler Dave.  Dave and his family are up fishing the reef from Canberra.

We went one from one on KEKOA yesterday for Rick once again before running into Cairn for changeover – that makes 7 fish in 5 days to 900lbs for the boys.  We’ve put together some more footage, this time from Brendan’s (Tman) big fish from the day before. Plenty of big jumps on the leader.  Also at the Bank, Calypso got the late bite for a 300lb-er and Sharky on Sea Baby IV, still fishing ultra light tackle to today, tells me they raised three including the sea monster as well.

I’m still waiting for the official Port Douglas Marlin Challenge tournament results to come through but it might not be until tomorrow because there are some very sore heads this morning I hear (ahem, TNT!)  But I did hear from Capt. James “Jimbo” Bladin on Sparticus who took out the comp with six fish -  all small ones the biggest was only 300lb. The anglers were Ralph and Rolf Czabayski and David Sweet and crew was Dean Nichols and Chris Weeks. Jimbo also tells me that in the last 9 days fishing they have caught 12 fish – awesome stuff – but that wraps up their season now. See you next year!

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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• Its not even September, with a few weeks of light tackle fishing still ahead of us in the North, and we already have a report of our first big black marlin on the Reef north of Cairns.  Capt. Adam on Iona II yesterday reporting a 550lb black released at Escape Reef.  Doesn’t that get you excited!?!  Adam reports they had other shots too pulling the bait out of one and raising another as well.
  
  
• September is tournament month in Queensland.  The Mike Carney Billfish Challenge starts with the briefing this Friday night, the Norship Marine Light Tackle Slam starts at Yorkey’s Knob on the 10th, the 2010 Innisfail Billfish Tournament on Sept 24 and the Sunshine Coast GFC Spring Shootout on the 30th!  (More details in the tournament calendar.)
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• Townsville GFC have called the snap election tournament, with the announcement last night that the Billfish Bonanza will go ahead this weekend.  To enter you must be a current financial member of the club and pay your entry fee by start fishing on Sat.
• Other tournaments sneaking up include the Cairns BlueWater 6kg Billfish Tournament which starts next week.  Townsville’s big tournament, the Mike Carney Toyota Billfish Challenge is September 3-8 and Yorkey’s Knob’s rescheduled (due to the election) Norship Marine Light Tackle Slam is September 10-12.  See the tournament calendar for more info.
• A few pictures from Castille III’s days at Hamo and into Townsville. They grow the mackerel big up there!