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South Alli Easter

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 8:50 pm
by theodosius
Tommy 2222 and I went out over the easter long weekend. Given the poor wet and big tides the plan was to give the runoff a miss. 


It's the first time I've used my drop in tank made by George. Took 190L then topped it off to 200 at the bottom of the ramp. We launched just before high to ensure we had a clear run to the mouth. I hear there are sandbars on that river... :D Despite all the weight on board were jumped up on the plane and made great time down the river. We came through a few patches of tannin, right near the mouth,  must have been boluses from up top- the creeks down from the ramp were all chocolate.


     A few coldies downstream and we had arrived. The plan for this trip was to troll the creeks at the mouth, fish the oysters and try our luck on goldies and jewies.


     First up was the oyster rocks, super sketchy approach with gearbox destroying bommies everywhere. We landed at our spot and got our kit ready for the walk between each spot. Walking on oysters needs tough shoes,  and least time Tommy forgot his. This time he digs them out and the soles fall off. Undaunted, we get the gaffer tape and zip ties out and Tommy quickly whips up some pretty serviceable moccasins.


     The tide dropped and the rocks emerged, time to set off. 3l of water, leatherman and a fistful of lures are chucked in the bag and we crunch across the rocks. The clumps of oysters are prone to giving way regularly, it's a wonder we've never sliced ourselves up too badly. First thing we're notice is the lack of crabs- must be the fresh water chasing them off. The first few spots produce a couple of cod and a barra for Tommy. Before the honey hole though,  his moccasins start to disintegrate and he can go no further.


     I abandon him :rofl: and starting pulling in cod after cod. Then a dozen goldies. I lose my lure and need to switch. First cast with the squidgie produces a barra. So do the next 3. 8) A dozen more and the hole goes quiet. I walk back through the mud and croc footprints, Tommy's catching queenies at the boat.


The next part of the trip is secret- no story no photos. :lipsrsealed:


24hrs later we're exploring the creeks around Field Island, tannin is running in one, but only 1 hit from a decent barra. The turn of the tide seems to last 30 seconds, our reef fishing attempts were doomed to failure. We headed our wider to try a jewie mark. I reached into my table box for a big vibe. Pulling my arm back out, the bottom hook catches the box and the top one transfixes my pinkie. Poop. :bricks: Out come the pliers and I push it through, cut the barb and stem the bleeding. This seems to be happening once a year...


     The creek mouths on the South are full of bait and the side scan looks terrific, so we troll the incoming for some threadies. Great fun, but tinged with frustration when you can see big barra in there! We're mackie trolling up the creek with the tide when I hook a big girl. Line peeling and boat doing 15 clicks, I throw us in reverse and give the decky nonsensical and contradictory instructions (barked orders of a madman). Thumbing the spool shreds the flesh from the pulp and bang, I'm left with no fish and 100m of limp line. :fubird:


     We do one more trip to the rocks, this time the barra are bigger, and after a few I decide to keep one. Straight after that I hook a nice one, which goes totally berko in the shallow water. I thumb the spool repeatedly with my alternate handand gain control. I slide the fish up the shore. It's fat and heavy. Slinging both barra over my shoulder I trudge back to the boat. It's hard enough terrain unladen, but with the bad, rod and brace of barra it's a deadset workout.


The boat is balanced nicely on the land, I lean over the gunwale to grab the brag mat. In doing so I tip the boat down the slope and on the chine so it's now sitting at 30 degrees. Bugger! Anyway, fish on the mat and it's an 86. Nice one! Phone out for a photo and I know what when crunch in my pocket on the gunwale... :evil:


Another trip back to the spot for a few more barra then we camp up for night 3. A quick troll in the morning to watch the fussy barra on the hds and we head back upstream with the tide launching us. 50 clicks for 2.7km/l is good going in my boat! :surf:


A stop at a tiny creek with a flock of medium egrets reveals bait and a couple of dozen barra, but they're not hungry. We cook a barbie on the rockbar at Nourlangie and pull out after.


It was a great trip given the adverse runoff conditions. The sea was dead flat though, and it was great to explore some country.


A stop for a p..s reveals a balloon on the inside of a trailer tire- glad we got to it before it burst!


I'm off overseas for a couple of months, but I'm keen to head back in the build up!

Re: South Alli Easter

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 8:55 pm
by Matt Flynn
Great read :mrgreen:

Have fun overseas.

Re: South Alli Easter

Posted: Wed May 01, 2019 10:43 pm
by Tap'n'Zap
Great write up mate, thanks for sharing.

Re: South Alli Easter

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 10:31 am
by Quinntreximon
Love a fishing story. Nice fish. Shite always happens on a fishin trip. ie Phone, hooks in finger, Tyre blahhhh blahhhhhh. No good on the jew n snapper????

Re: South Alli Easter

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 1:43 pm
by jeffish
:mrgreen: Ripper trip and post , gotta get me one of those hats :D

Re: South Alli Easter

Posted: Fri May 03, 2019 4:57 pm
by theodosius
Nah bunch of goldies from the oysters but no good on the reefs. And regarding the hat, that's a one off model resulting from a sewing machine accident and epileptic seizure