Bailey's Bait Bags Whopper

Newcastle Herald

Friday November 30, 2007

Fishing Simon Walker

ADAM Jordan, owner of game fishing boat Iona, or put another way, Iona's owner, returned yesterday from Cairns a very proud father.

Each year Adam takes Matt "Bonehead" McGee and a few mates up north for a fishing trip.

And the last two years Adam has taken his young sons up as well.

Last year year it was Cooper's turn, this year his nine-year-old twin brother Bailey got a go.

Bailey excelled in his custom-made harness and managed to catch a very handy-sized striped tuna the biggest fish he'd ever caught in his life.

He then generously donated it to the bait supply.

Bonehead and the boys had enjoyed a good five days fishing, with eight marlin caught, so Bonehead invited Adam to have a crack.

"So I used the tuna Bailey caught for bait and within three minutes I had a 456kg black marlin to the back of the boat," Adam said yesterday.

"I couldn't believe it I'd caught the biggest fish of my life using bait from the biggest fish my son had ever caught. We were stoked."

Despite a late start to the game season the marlin didn't start showing up around Lizard Island until October Iona ended up catching 62 marlin.

Five of those weighed over 1000lbs (456kg). And another eight weighed over 800lb (362kg).

"It was great work from the boys Trent Visscher, Ryan Clifford, Rysce Youan," Adam said.

Iona will be back in Newcastle next week, but the exciting news is a brand new Iona a 50ft custom-made game-fishing machine is set to be launched in Newcastle in a fortnight.

The boat was built by Dick Ward up in Cairns, shipped down by road and is presently receiving the finishing touches at Lemon Tree Passage.

On the local offshore front, Karl "Gus" Gould, from Nelson Bay Tackle, reports water out wide has been very patchy with only sporadic fish activity.

Estuary's king fisher

THE Newcastle District Anglers Association (NDAA) held their estuary comp last week.

Windy conditions abated late Saturday providing good fishing beneath the full moon that night and on into Sunday.

Bream and whiting were the main species caught, NDAA spokesman Craig Oaten said yesterday, and a lot of small flathead were hooked up at Port Stephens.

Overall winner was Matthew Small, from Burwod Bowling Club, closely followed by runner-up Adam Hodges (Mattara).

Winning team was Burwood No 1, made up of Small, Oaten, Ryan Morris and William Versfeld.

William was also veteran champion and took out the largest flathead category, with a lizard weighing 1.5kg, and the largest whiting (0.65kg).

"There were a few nice whiting weighed in," Craig observed. "All the good ones were caught in Lake Macquarie ."

Roslyn Johnston (Belmont 16ft) was lady champion, while Jodie Day (Burwood) edged out sister Donna for the sub-junior crown.

The next NDAA event will be the February beach comp.

Taking up ECO posts

NEWCASTLE ECO Fishing held their AGM at Mayfield on Wednesday.

"Punishing" Peter Sanderson handed over presidency to Stephan Pordage. Geoff "Kanga" Ruse remains vice -president while Lionel Jones is secretary/treasurer.

Newcastle ECO Fishing will press forward with a number of conservational goals such as the establishment of artificial reefs in selected areas, and pressuring government in areas of need, such as pollution in local waterways, trawling in Nelson Bay, and the supply of anchoring maps for coal boats waiting offshore off Newcastle.

Weighty groper haul

IN general fishing news, Geoff "Kanga" Ruse, from Freddys Fishing World reports the wash is awash with groper.

Anglers are getting plenty using abalone gut for bait and berleying up with bread.

Reliable sources suggest the snapper are back on around the islands off Port Stephens.

An angler hooked a kingfish in Lake Macquarie through the week off the Dropover.

Whiting are biting on surface poppers throughout the region, there have been some nice jew caught in Newcastle Harbour and a few schoolies hooked up around Raymond Terrace as they feasted on prawns, which will be under attack from trawlers from next week.

swalker@theherald.com.au

WEEKEND ON THE WATER

BELMONT

SWANSEA

NEWCASTLE

TEA

GARDENS

LAKE

MACQUARIE

STOCKTON

BIGHT

Offshore:

tuna, marlin

Newcastle

Harbour:

jew, bream,

whiting

Lake

Macquarie:

whiting, bream,

flathead

Port Stephens:

flathead, whiting,

bream

BOATING TIP

With the summer

boating season

starting tomorrow it?s a good

time to get your motor serviced

and things like the battery

and steering checked. Ask the

mechanic for a quote.

FORECAST

Saturday

East to southeast wind 10/15

knots. Scattered showers and

isolated thunderstorms. Temps

17 to 26.

Sunday

East to northeast wind

15/20 knots. Mostly

fine with isolated

showers.

Temps 18

to 27.

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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