Over the last few weeks Gold Coast based RU4Reel Charters has been exploring new fishing ground offshore around the continental shelf and Tweed Canyons.
According to skipper Roderick Walmsley, the fishing has been really good with surprise catches of snapper, morwong and kingfish a regular occurrence, even in 250m of water. The main target species have been bar cod and bass grouper with success being achieved on both species. “We have been trying not to fish each section of reef more than once as these are both species that would be very sensitive to angling pressure and because of their considerable size we only need a few fish to ensure clients have a substantial feed to share between them.”
Walmsley added, “while searching for the new ground we run a spread of pushers to ensure that we maximise our fishing time. We do this simply because on the odd occasion we have been sounding for up to an hour or more before finding life that is worth having a drop on.”
On occasions the RU4Reel crew has given bottom dropping away to concentrate on trolling, which has produced blue marlin and mahi mahi (dolphinfish) – blue marlin up to 500lb were hooked in the last week of good weather.
On one charter, clients were hooked up to fish via electric reels and retrieving fish from a depth of 260m when a school of large mahi mahi swam up to the back of the boat. Walmsley said a few handfuls of berley soon had them feeding. With spin rods rigged with single hooks and pitch baits in quick time, two very angry dollies were soon hooked. Things became interesting when the fish started doing somersaults around the electric reels. The end result was two large dolphinfish, three bar cod and two nannygai landed 10 minutes later.
Walmsley says RU4Reel Charters is just starting to explore these deeper grounds but to date the results have been very promising. Check out some of the hot on-board action in a video below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQFjSdn1fA4
For more info visit: wwwru4reel.com.au
