Ningaloo 2019
Just back from the annual. Spent 3 1/2 weks, not as long as I'd like, but all I could manage. Things were pretty slow the first week, only managed 3 sails, nothing happening with the inside demersals, caught a few mackerel and wahoo, and a nice Mahi. marlin weren't playing the game, either-our first excursion outside had one little black all over a lure, just couldn't hook up properly, had another pass by , then saw zero for the rest of the trip.
Things got better, sails turned up in numbers at times, had one short afternoon session that saw 6 from 9, and four the next afternoon.
Lost a monster Wahoo near the boat. It had to be 2m long and 40kg, taken by a big bronzie just out of reach of the leader. Sharks were as bad as usual.
We did some bottom bashing this year,first time up there since about 1990. Crew were keen, pressure was on, so i relented and thought I'd cure them of it after hauling up from 85m with a 2lb lead and a redthroat a few times. Unfortunately, conditions were perfect, I found fish, and they bloody loved it. You can see I'm grumpy about catching the red.
They weren't grumpy about Rankins ("but we can catch them inside, I protest"), or goldband.
We went back out a few days later, bagged out on Goldband and close to it on others, so I decided to go wider looking for a Ruby. Found a little one, and a few even smaller, returned.
Then got a Greyband--thanks to Alan James for the ID, thought it was a bass groper.
Had no trouble catching fresh gardies off the beach to keep us supplied with sail bait.
Plenty of robbos there, too, caught 2 or three every session. Along with a few big spangleds, they were all released.
Had all the usual brilliant Milky Ways, lots of good sunsets. It looks we are good for a year or two yet, as the appeal works it's way through the courts. Fingers crossed. I have acres of footage, including some drone, to edit, so I might have a video up by tthe end of next week.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Oh, forgot the Milky way shot
SpotHound
Posts: 439
Date Joined: 06/02/14
You did well
Bloke at work just got back and he caught nothing off the beach, said the place was packed with Victorian caranvanners .
Some boaties gave him a coupla fish or he would have come home empty handed.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Beach is always hard going
Nothing but gardies and little dart, some squid. If you hunt around a bit further up from the bay, there are some good spangled to be had but very time and tide dependent.
Rick
Posts: 1104
Date Joined: 22/12/06
Awesome
Looks like a great trip
Some awesome photos, awesome fish
Well done
PGFC Member
Rob H
Posts: 5744
Date Joined: 18/01/12
.
Great pics Ralph, wish I could get myself away up to there in the near future...
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
kirky79
Posts: 1351
Date Joined: 13/01/12
Awesome
Good to hear about the appeal. Time to book for a couple of weeks after Christmas. How awesome is that Milky Way pic.
Meeuwissen
Posts: 744
Date Joined: 29/03/13
Looks like the trip had a bit of everything
I hope you didn't release the robbos they are so tasty. Nice work on having a crack and managing some rubies
Down the Line
Catch the Experience
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17861
Date Joined: 11/03/08
well done. some great fish
well done. some great fish there and the grey band is a good size. def worth heading up there
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
Love the photos
Love the photos
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
I'll likely be in your position next year, crano
After carting up the slide-on camper, loaded with fuel and freezer and boat together, for years, I ran the loaded ute and camper over the weighbridge at the Northampton bins before I left.
Lets just say I won't be carting all that gear on the ute again. So the camper is likely to be trailer mounted, and I'll have to do two trips. But that will slove a few other issues, too.
Anyone got a two tonne flatbed trailer they want to part with?
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
Thanks
Thanks again for the help.
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
We managed a new PB
We actually had a double hookup on sails on X-rap 30 Rapalas. Had 2 sails for the morning, southerly came in fresh, lets just pick up a a mackerel for dinner. Double strike, two sails. I've had plenty hooked up on trebles over the years, never managed to get one to the boat. They took off in different directions, only 2 POB, never mind, bound to drop one then concentrate on the other. Nup. Both stayed hooked. And we got both to the boat for release.
davewillo
Posts: 2254
Date Joined: 08/09/16
Looks like a great trip!
Looks like a great trip! Gotta love the size of those Ningaloo sails!
PGFC member and lure tragic
big john
Posts: 8725
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Sails
Some solid sails along that stretch of coast. Nice work all round.
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Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Great variety, ripper sea conditions. Nice dolly in the first pic by the better half.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
crano
Posts: 695
Date Joined: 04/11/09
3D
Have you had any joy using the 3D ?
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
No,not the 3D
but I really like the Sidescan/downscan using the same transducer. Unfortunately, when I went to use it at Ningaloo, it had become unplugged at the back of the unit. That one is very hard to get at without removing the unit from the dash--I got my hand up the, plugged it in after much effort, but couldn't get to the lockring. So it unplugged itself again. So no sidecan of the edges that I wanted.