Fished A Yak Fish Comp On The Sunshine Coast

[arpie]

Hi all

After Keith's win on the Gold Coast, I thought I'd try & keep it in the family & instead of going inland, headed up to Mooloolaba where a Yak Fishing contest was on yesterday! Keith loves the coast, so he said "Yes'' to the change of plans!

Up at 5am yesterday to be at the start by 6am (just around the corner from the camp ground that we are staying in.) Keith came along as "Kayak Puller'' whilst I conserved my energy for the comp!

Keith wished me good luck and went back to bed!

Everyone was lined up, ready to start!

Toni ready to go

Toni had her yak loaded to the gunnels - everyone ready for a wet water start

I had a game plan of fishing the bay that I had pulled a nice bream out of 2 days prior ....... and stuck with it! There are about 30 pontoon jetties & some moored boats, so figured I should find a fish there!

Loaded up with my trusty 1lb braid & 3lb Sunline FC Roc I thought I'd really push the envelope & go 'suicidal silly string'!

I was really hoping to get just the one fish ........

Dropped a gulp shrimp in front of a bream that was silly enough to stick his nose out from under the pontoon & he sucked at it, but I was too slow to react & missed him (or was I too fast & missed him?) Darn!

Then I heard the 'Bream Kiss' & saw a bream working his way along the side of a yacht! I whacked on a small popper but by the time I'd tied it on, the kissing had stopped! Then it started along the pontoon between the yacht & dock! Oh dear! Between a yacht & a pontoon, with only a narrow 1m (if that) avenue to toss into! First few casts were way off, scaring the fish off. I pedalled off to another pontoon & fished there for a while, then thought of the adage ..... DON'T LEAVE FISH TO FIND FISH ..... and went back to the yacht!

Soon enought, Kiss Kiss & I lobbed the perfect cast right up the apex of the gap ...... leaving it there! The bream sucked at it & I felt the line twitch. Discipline, discipline ...... don't stuff it up at this point ....... don't twitch the lure ..... let the bream find it again & it did ..... TWICE ..... then, the line took off & tightened & instead of going under the pontoon, he headed under the yacht out to clear water!!

Don't panic, stay calm, get it to the yak ...... let off the drag, stay calm, breath deeply ....... don't want to donut this one ........ YAY!! In the net!

To say that I was relieved is an understatement!!! It went 27cm to the fork (had to be 23cm for Qld rules.)

Then I was thinking ..... another 4 would be good!! The comp rules were the total added length of the 5 legal, photographed & released fish.

Continued fishing & got another small one & eventually headed back to the start line, happy with my one fish.

When I handed my fish pic in, the judge enlarged it & said it actually went 27.4cm, so could be in with a chance to be 'Top Ten' but as another 10 anglers were yet to submit their pics, I wasn't hopeful.

Everyone was assured of a lucky dip or prize pack, so as everyone was being called out & finally the last name was called out & it wasn't me! I said 'What about me?' The Tournie Director said ........aha, a new face in town - that could be because you are in the Top Ten & your number has been left out of the lucky dip!

I am in the Top Ten!! Aaaaaagh!!!! Shock Horror!!

I am then called up to the presentation area & win a terrific 25l Eva Kool Esky! AWESOME!!!

Lots of terrific fishos - only 15 had landed fish on the day tho, out of 55 entries. Only 3 had 4 or more fish ...... one of them Dizzy Borg, who had 4 (busted off big time by 8 tho!) Only the winner got 5.

Dizzy Borg came in 3rd

A young gun 16 year old came 2nd

Terrific day on the water, lots of new friends & I was so glad I stuck to my plan & fished the one bay that I knew!!

Will add pic of fish & yakkers when I get home

Cheerio for now

ROberta

Edited October 12, 2009 by Roberta

[The Iceman]

Good on you Roberta

Keep it up with all the yak comps coming up you could do very well

[slinkymalinky]

Congrats Roberta. Sounds like you had great control over your adrenalin on the day... Nice to hear Keith helped you out too. I know just how much your heart rate spikes every time a fish surges on the silly string now too... awesome result to get in the top 10.

Cheers, Slinky

[Jewhunter]

Congrats on your 1st top 10 finish Roberta.

It's only a matter of time until you win one of these comps.

Cheers,

Grant.

[bastik]

Well done mate

one question what does the 'Bream Kiss' exactly sound like??

cheers

b

[tide'n'knots]

top stuff roberta! cant wait for you to get home so we can organise a bream session in wallis lake!

pete.

[roosterman]

wow. .. top ten eh

well done...

throwing the silly string around all that structure is a big effort as well...

cheers....steve.......

[mako1]

Congrats Roberta.

That's a top effort to make it into the top ten

[adjustedpete]

Great effort Roberta, nothing like a game plan that works out. A great read too.

[arpie]

hehehe Thanks guys - you are right about the adrenalin rush/heart rate spike, Slinky!! I am such a 'fast twitch' person, I normally land more flatties than bream..... have probably only landed less than 20 bream on lures so far, against hundreds of flatties!

Not sure about winning a comp tho, Grant ........ in my dreams, maybe!!

After the comp & prize giving, Toni & I went out again till 5pm & targetted the trawlers where 2 of the top 3 landed all their fish & were busted off by more! (quite a long paddle in the opposite direction from my bay) Didn't get any tho did get some hits

Keep an eye out for the new blades that are coming out from TT ....... Dizzy Borg (came 3rd) was busted off on about 8 of them!

Hi Bastik - once you have heard it, you will never forget it ..... the Bream Kiss!!! They are usually sucking small shrimp from the edges of either moored boats or along the edges of semi-submerged structure, eg docks, jetties or their steps etc. Instead of a 'normal' kiss sound, it sounds like the suction noise as you pull your foot out of really thick bog/mud. You can make the sound by 'sucking your lips into your mouth' and then open your mouth whilst sucking in ....... it sounds like that!! It is so exciting when you hear it, you start looking to see the movement of the bream along the edge of the structure & if you have a popper on, toss it right at the edge & leave it there! Hopefully the bream will suck it in!

Hey Steve - I started out planning on only using the suicidal stuff out on the flats, with no structure to get wrapped around, but find it much more exciting to do it round leases & boats now!

Cheerio

Roberta

If you haven't tried it ....... give it a go! It is very addictive!

Edited September 22, 2009 by Roberta

[cat-as-trophy]

Fantastic report as usual Roberta and a Top 10 finish to boot. Gotta be happy with that. Congratulations, cant wait to see your name up in lights on the top of the podium. And this will happen before you know it.

Cheers

Mrs Flightmanager

[Ray R]

Hi Roberta , congrats on your top ten finish must have been a blast,

can't wait to see some pics...

[jewgaffer]

Well done fishing your way into the top 10 in the yak fishing competition Roberta.... being involved in tournaments with such good company around you, is bound to improve on the gear to be used and keeping an eye on the spots chosen and the methods used by the leading fishermen can only tweek up your own fishing skills ......

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Luke K]

Congats Roberta, well done on your result!