Trapper Tom

Hey Jewmaster Me thinks your on line name should be Jew "God" Absolutely wonderful feat particularly in the conditions. Reckon it rates up there with the small marlin from a kayak feat that everyone knows about. Your feat will not be forgotten by anyone for long long time. And yes what a way to make first post Revel in it for the next 20 years because I damn well would. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey GregL I reckon you just got my vote for the BEST post of the year. Brilliant report. Yor,ve got seriously good fish there too. Note your 120cm queenie beats my 105cm, you should post it in the records section. Im sure you probably could get a few other records as well Cheers and keep the reports coming Trapper Tom

Hey Orca Try Noosa Cheers and good luck Trapper Tom

Hey orca It is a absolutely beautiful little river that is ideal for families, picnics, swimiming etc etc. The Minimurra can be great at times, have caught some good fish there and got into the Blue S crabs as well. All fishraiders note that any crab traps in the system are prohibited!!!!!! You need to use other methods. eh eh that will remain my method for the moment. As for fish, winter time is not a good prospect, but try the mouth of the system at the carpark area and you may pick up some Tevelly or breambo's.(google area). Walk around to the actual mouth of the system and caste into the channal with un-weighted baits upstream allow to float down with the tide and retrieve if not hit, try again. 1.5 hours either side of the high tide For the system, because it is that shallow my experience is that :- 1. Clear water = bugger all, except summer and you get whiting on the sand flats on the eastern side towards the entrance. 2. Muddied water = bingo and lots of flatties and other staple fish all the way through. There are other secrets to this mini system but guess what, thats the best I can give you for the moment, do not want to give to many secrets away. Cheers Trapper Tom

G'day Sam Was also reported on in the paper! Would be interesting to know the details C'on FR's somebody must know something Cheers Trapper T

Hey Tan Its a even bigger BUGGER when he owns it and I DON'T !! PS have not forgotten, we will get out for that Still caught up with work atm. Cheers Trapper Tom

G'Day Tan Sorry to tell you but "The Office"is taken. Thats the name of a dirty big Bertrum in Pt Hacking near Greys Point. TOP name isin't. Cheers Trapper T

G'day Mullet Mug Its been that damn cold they have all put "leatherjackets"on. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Gary Frank Zappa your kidding, I didn't think anybody still new about him. Do you remember Studybaker Hawk ? And how would you ever forget " Billy was a Mountain" ( and Ethal was a tree growing off the top of his shoulder). Damn it, I'm going to have to go and play them now. And Cream Disrali Gears is never far from the old turntable. Cheers Trapper Tom

G'day Stinger See attached Photo's. First was the fight and second was the capture. All to Peter Framptons "DO YOU FEEL LIKE I DO"!!!!!! I actually deliberately put the I Pod on and fished with it so I could make a post on FR just on the above subject if it ever came up. Just for the fun of it. You have provided the opportunity to post on that moment. So there it is. Oh by the way the 2nd song that I had playing was "Jumping Jack Flash" very fitting for Barra but Peter F cut the mustard in this case. Also have a listen to James Raine unplugged he actually sings coherently on this and is one of the best CD's I have. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey ImDale That last photo shows a seriously good Trev Did you measure?? Love to know. Cheers Trapper Tom

G'day Ray Come on mate you can do better than that. Its a piglet What we need from you is a big piggy grunter Good luck and go nail him. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey PeterS As usual top report and top photo's amte. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Slinky you asked for a record fish post. You got one now. Couldn't help myself here mate. FR rules are, and rightly so, that you must post a fishing report to be able to submit a fish for a record capture on FR for it to be verified. So here it is. Will post in records section later for your blessing or otherwise Here with is posted the smallest Barra ever to be captured on a soft plastic. It was a awesome fight and young Cameron nearly got dragged into the water with this beast. Needless to say the Crocs were hovering, salivating and ready to eat him but Andrew and me got the oars out of the boat and beat them off with the CBGS (that being "Crocodile Be Good Sticks”) HE HE He. That’s behavioural modification techniques at its best. Try it with the dog, cat or budgie, it works. Eh come to think of it, maybe not on the budgie. In the end and after a mammoth 20 sec battle, he did prevail. Photo Taken and as per the slogan on Camerons hat, the monster fish was safely released. Slinky do note that the records section does not differentiate between Biggest and Smallest, its just a "Records" section. HE HE. Your are gunna hate me for this post but I just had to do it. Therefore on behalf of Cameron who is now a Fishraider (I'm pretty sure he registered today) I would like to submit this as the record "smallest" Barra ever caught on a soft plastic on his behalf. Will need to verify the actual soft plastic used with him but I can certify it was caught on a soft plastic. I was with him at the time. PS, size approximated at 125mm, weight = about nothing! Circling crocs about 15, number of CBGS'ed by Andrew and me =15, Andrew lost a leg and I lost one arm. Hey but its all worth it for those classic smiles on our kids faces. Fisher Raider does rock. Cheers Trapper ( now one arm) Tom. PSS Slinky its all in the fun of it and I told you you would hate me.

Hey Langa Classic post But did you open another beer when you got home and if you did what did that say????

G'day fish Raiders Thought I'd post my Queenie. Caught Brampton Island in 08. Took Mrs Trapper Tom (or more like she said take me on a holiday or else). It really is a beautiful island and one of the best in the Witsundays if you ask my opinion and I've been to a few. Anyway we had been booked into a massage aromatherapy session for the day (yuk fingers down the throat stuff) when a call came through to our room from the local guide to say that he had a cancellation and if I wanted a fish meet him in 30 minutes. Whoo Hoo. Got the blessing and off like a rocket and saved. Really wasn't expecting anything great. However did a troll out to a spot where he reckoned we'd get some Coral Trout and on the way scored this absolute beauty. Was from the islands 14ft rescue dinghy that the management had approved him to use for fishing guided tours as it was cooler and no people were using sail boards or other non powered craft so rescue was not on the board. Had to sit at the front seat with a small overhead oufit and fight the bugger. Line class unknown but wasn't big. Lure however was a Gold Bomber, guide was a ex Barra guide from NT say no more. Fight took 12-15 minutes and we both got really worried it was going to get sharked or in the end die in the fight. Ended up we had to start the motor and chase the bugger as it had taken 200m of line and I had all bar nothing left. Nothing better than looking up and seeing a fish jumping miles in the distance and thinking "WoW thats what I'm on" After the boat chase, the pump and wind, got him to the boat all bar dead, it was huge and actually upsetting for a magnificient creature that we would not keep (not good on the tooth). So as quickly as, a photo with the guide, only to save time and I was stuffed anyway, and over the side with the bogan grips motored him slowly for about 5 minutes and YES he came good finally and swam off with no fear from us that the men in brown coates would get him. Guide estimated 16 lbs reckon around about right, Slinky has est around 105cm and again reckon around about right. Also caught 4 good coral trout all about the attached size. The resort staff thought they were in for a bonza of a dinner however unfortunately advised them FREEZE EM their coming home with me in the plane (PS gave em one because I'm such a nice guy He He). Note pic quality not good was a spur of the moment thing. All in all a great aromatherapy session. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Guys What a waste!!!!!! Skin em and smoke em. Absoluetly beatiful. Cheers Trapper T

Hey Fishraiders Just out of interest I used to catch these evil looking prehistoric creatures in Botany Bay years ago. Same go as the Hawkesbury, winter and night time adventure only. And yes they were only caught in the deeper areas, those areas would be obvious to those who fish the Bay. Gave up when they disapeared about 15 years ago and have not tried again. Just wondering if anybody has given it a go in BB over the last few years or has any reports? That would be interesting. I think I agree with "Tan the Fisherman" ( Hey great name by the way) the trawlers have figured out where they are out at sea before they come into the estuarys as you do see them in the fish shops year round, sort of. Same for any migratory animal bird or whatever, if they don't make it to where they are supposed to be at a particular point in time in a seasonal cycle then there has been a intervention whether natural or by man. Natural interventions do not generally affect any given species of animal or bird for such a long time, the same indicates a man intervention. ie Trawlers whether targeting directly our for there food/bait source (Even that call is unknown but I suspect not far off the mark.) And on this don't get me wrong they are entitled to earn a living, without question, otherwise you would not be able to go to the fish markets and select and enjoy all our wonderful seafoods. The question is these buggers were here and the are NOT now. Dammit and Jeez I can't help myself on these issues but I do care about our fishery resources, environments etc etc and NO I am defintely not a tree hugger, prefer to hug wifey Mods please don't kill me for being passionate about these sorts of matters, I just quite simple care. Would love to see if anybody has knocked off a Hairy in BB lately. Cheers Trapper Tom

G'Day Moonset Great photo's and really love the 3rd one with the clouds its a cracker. Never heard of "Stairway to the Moon". Do you mind posting back and informing us FR,s who don't know exactly what it is. Look forward to your reply, so as to learn something new each day. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Checch You just gotta change your posting name to Billy S now Jezz you look like him. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Fishraiders Never under estimate the humble carp, they go really well!!! particularly on lite stuff. Well worth the fight. Also for those interested I have done Duck Creek in Auburn, when I'm bored with nothing else to do. A Big flood years ago went through the Japanaese Gadens there and washed out all the Coi carp into the creek. They have been breeding there ever since. Burley same place for a few days at same time go back and bingo!!! Word of caution DO NOT EAT anything from Duck Creek needless to say why. Not that you would eat them anyway. Tight Lines and may "Rod be with You." Trapper Tom

G'day Ray That last shot is a absolute cracker. Beautiful. Suggest you get the grey matter working, get the same shot with still water in sunshine and sell it to the local Tourist Council for their promotions. Might pay for a keg or 15. Cheers Trapper Tom

Hey Jewgaffer Hope you backs getting better mate. Good Post! You've obviously had a bit of time to think about things. I reckon its a combination of factors coming together. All of which you have talked about. The global warming scenario, eh, I am still not convinced about as there is still no really hard scientific data/evidance. And do keep in mind I have done a truck load of environmental work in the past. Even got invited onto the Rainbow Warrior for dinner the last time it was in Syd Harbour, that was a good buzz. As the Radical Greenies keep telling us "47% of the worlds glaciers are melting etc" Doom and Gloom. What they don't tell you is the remaining 53% are growing. DOH. If your still laid up suggest a read. Michael Crichton's "State of Fear". He's the guy who wrote Jurassic Park which then became the film. He specilises in researching and extracting scientific data on a particular subject then creating a fictional storey around that real data. This book is about global warming. And its a damn good read to boot. Note that it is fiction and I love fiction books particularly SF so if your not into fiction eh, well give it a go anyway I think you will like it. Cheers Trapper Tom.

Hey Fishraiders Sitting here in the absolute frezzing cold. Not game enough to brave the elements for a fish. Yes if that means I'm a wimp then so be it. Sort of passed going out and fishing and diving in all sorts of ungodly weather on a speculator trips, have done that for the past 30 years. Looked at some past photos and thought I'd post a really really WARM picture of a Darwin sunset, 2nd is sunrise at Boynoe Habour NT. May help all the FR's venturing out in this damnable cold !! Can't wait for next trip to north in Nov will advise of selected desination. Have it down to three now. Cheers Trapper (bloody cold) Tom

Peter You are a absolutely hopeless FR addict (just like me). And just quitely absolutely love your photos your obviously really good at that stuff. Cheers Trapper