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NT Billfish Log

Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:08 pm
by Matt Flynn
Please use this thread to report NT billfish captures with GPS mark, time, bait or lure and any notes re conditions. This data will ultimately help us all improve our catch rates. :cheers: :cheers:

Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 3:09 pm
by max
25/10/08 Sailfish caught approx.30kg on skipping gar.,perfect conditions hooked at 11am.half hour after a low of 2.44mtrs 5 days before new moon at Sth Gutter S12.13.468/E130.31.954 - 8/11/08 Marlin min.100kg lost after 2 hrs(chafed leader) on skipping gar rigged with pusher type head.Sea cond.bit lumpy hooked at 7.30am.an hour before a low tide of 3.45mtrs 5 days before full moon at Sth Gutter S12.14.769/E 130.35.325

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:03 pm
by double haul
5/4/09 2 sails raised. 1 landed. Pitch bait did the damage. Both fish seem to look at the lures and ignore them. Action happend between 11-12.
3 hrs after the low tide, 5 days before the full moon. Flat seas slight breeze. biat shimmering on top all small flying fish. First fish appeared right away. Looking at the marks from mal and the billie comp it seems like its a hightway between fenton and the southern end of the north gutter. Both fish where raised within 100m of s12.08.480 e130.36.411
:mrgreen:

Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 7:06 pm
by double haul
6 to 7/6 sail city. Dont know what to think tides, moon phase and all the rest just got thrown out the window. Fish every where. Skipping gars did the damage as allways. Most fish werent even sitting on bait balls. Only thing i can think is the leywin current. Water temp is sitting on 28c and a nice cobalt blue colour. Have a look for ya self.
http://www.fishingterritory.com/viewtopic.php?t=19972

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:03 pm
by double haul
New moon full moon big tides small tides i dont think it matters. Water clarity and temp seem to be playing a big roll at the moment.
Just have a look http://www.fishingterritory.com/viewtop ... 6084#76084

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:30 pm
by luvindafish
Right, well if it helps. 5 caught and released somewhere off dundee. Numerous seen feeding on surface, free jumpers etc. Not interested in teasers that day preferred to smash our baits and the shotgun. Two days later. Windy and choppy. Raised many on teasers and on my shotgun and happy to swim with them otherwise few were very quick on and off the teasers. Not interested in baits. Caught and released 1.

Posted: Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:33 pm
by jimbobbolty
Thanks it will help

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:39 pm
by Matt Flynn
Very important that we keep updating this log with GPS positions so we can track the movement of this group of sailfish off Dundee. As I see it they are now moving north and have lately been thickest off Blaze Wide and (possibly) Long Lost.

I can put up a time/plot map if the positions keep coming in.

I have deleted the comments on eating sailfish from this thread because ...
1. It is not the place for it, this is a billfish log
2. Very few if any people eat them, so it's not relevant

If we are going to be precious about billfish marks then it's a pretty sad day. Would be much better to see co-operation and everyone hooked up and happy :mrgreen:

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:10 am
by andrew.south
Top job Mr Flynn..... 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-) 8-)

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:13 am
by Out Blue
Unfortunately my boat resides out at Dundee, or fortunately, so I dont have the exact GPS co-ordinates available. I will check on my plotter at work today and try and give some rough points on where we were. Basically in summary, around 20 fish raised, 12 hooked and 1 landed. Fish were thickest around Blaze wide, especially Sunday AM, with the sail landed further to the North.

Saturday plenty of surface action, loads of mackeral, which were regurgitating white bait as we landed them. Bait everywhere. Winds 10-12Knts SE roughly.

More to follow, i'll edit later

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:40 am
by Matt Flynn
All good, if we can log the GPS mark where the sails were thickest in each case that will give me something to plot :cheers:

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:45 pm
by double haul
Well said mat. All i can is more boats = more billies. We arnt trolling a single snag on the daly or some where. Theres a lot of water out there, i thinks its been said some where here before. More noise on top brings the fish up. As for movement have a look at this http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/nmoc/late ... E=IDY00008
1 month ago the 27c line was right up against the perons, :mrgreen:

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:57 pm
by double haul
27/28 june 2 fish landed in dirty water with suspended sand. 1 on a skipping gar 1 with a pitch from a pod of 4. numerous free swimers spotted, maybe up to a dozen strikes. Just a little wide of point blaze at
1246160 13006778 also so spotted what looked like a big marlin eating a small tuna. looks like longlost is next. :mrgreen: Have a look.
http://www.fishingterritory.com/viewtopic.php?t=20158

Posted: Sat Jul 18, 2009 7:51 am
by Balls
Sailfish tagged 14/07/09-Dundee Wide S 12 45 864 E 130 05 269,
5 strikes, 3 hook ups, 1 tagged & a few free swimmers, tagged fish hooked at 530 pm about an hour after the turn the afternoon high tide, skipping gar, pink & purple skirt cut down, circle hook.
Lots of Jelly Bean Tuna, water clarity reasonable, weather conditions reasonable.

Wednesday 15/07/09, 4 Sails in the spread before 900 am, 1 strike, 1 hook up, nil tagged, water clarity ordinary, blowing its ring out, lots of Jelly Bean Tuna, small bait schools of Sardines & Finny Scad late in the arvo, no Sails on them, should improve as the tides neap & clean up.

All Sails small mainly about 8 to 10kg, one 12 kg & one about 15kg, cheers Balls

Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 7:19 am
by double haul
24 to 26/7 bowra wide, i think its called the witchs nose, gps marks are here somewhere. Friday raised nothing 2 other boats raised a few 4 strikes from memory. Sat raised 2 pods maybe 18-22 fish in total. Most fish have come from trolling in between 2 small shoals. 5 strikes 1 landed fish took pitch bait droped on his nose. Calm weather new moon 22nd. Sunday raiesd 1 1 strike. Complete lack of bait and smaller predators. 1 bait ball seen in 3 days.
http://www.fishingterritory.com/viewtopic.php?t=20358