Further North @ The Kalbarri Classic
Finally got my act together and organised my boat and a crew to fish Kalbarri for the 31st Kalbarri Classic this long weekend. It's a comp I've wanted to fish for quite a while, but the stars haven't previously aligned.
Left after work Wednesday with Dad and made good time up the Indian Ocean Road until we ran into the mother of all storms about 50k's from Dongara, the storm went all the way up to and past Gero but the worst of it was before Dongara, horizontal rain, strong wind and lightning which you could read a book by had us down to 50k's a hour at times. Safely arrived at our Kalbarri Accommodation just after midnight.
The plan was to do a pre-comp recon trip and try and find the spanish mackerel, hopefully giving us a headstart in the comp. First day was a good one once we eventually found the fish, catching 8 spanish mackerel from 6-10kg and a couple of 4-5kg striped tuna. That afternoon my brother Paul, arrived to complete the crew.
Comp Day 1
Plan was to catch some fish on 6kg to get some points rolling and then scale down to 3 and 4kg to try and get some high point scoring fish. We started with fluorocarbon leaders and caught two nice fish straight up, the next four however bit us clean off through the leaders so we went back to light single strand stainless leaders. We learnt a lot this first day, taking seven fish including a nice mack for my brother Paul on the 3kg barra outfit. We probably had 25 strikes that first day but dropped a lot of fish to pulled hooks on the light gear and sadly, sharks taking our fish.
Weigh in that arvo saw Paul take out the Top Gun - Gamefishing award for the day, and a healthy boat tally for Further North. After the weigh in we purchased half a dozen lures to replace some of our MIA and spent the evening rigging.
Comp Day 2
Blasted back to our spot where Dad hooked up to a good fish on 6kg, unfortunately the double popped after about 20 minutes with the fish about 15 metres directly under the boat. We worked the area unsuccessfully for about half an hour until the sun poked over the cliffs and started hitting the mirrors on the witchdoctor teaser. The fish went crazy for about two hours, we blew a lot of fish again to pulled hooks and the occasional shark.
The wind came up around 11am but we decided to grind on, chasing another fish or two to turn it into a good day. Two strikes were the end result for the next two hours, with both lures pulling during the initial run. Buggar.
We weighed four spaniards that arvo and a yft.
Weigh in that arvo saw us extend our overall boat lead in the 6-7m class, and Paul take a good lead into the last day for Champion Angler Game. Purchased another half a dozen lures and spent the evening respooling reels, rigging the new lures as well as our dwindling original survivors.
Comp Day 3
Slow start on the fish, nothing to show after the first 90 minutes, causing the skippers nerves to start jangling. Desperately we cycled through some artists on the Fusion Stereo until The Rolling Stones got things started. A nice mack for Paul on 6kg and then another one about an hour later calmed a few nerves onboard. All hell then broke loose when we hit a hot patch of fish resulting in a quadruple hookup, Dad was the only the one to boat one though, with a couple of hook pulls and a broken stainless leader about 5 metres under the boat for Paul. I hooked two more good fish on 3 and 4 kg string but the taxman came into play once again as the fished neared the boat.
Total fished weighed in that arvo was three. After watching the rest of the game competitors weigh in, we headed to the presentation night feeling hopeful.
Presentation Night
The Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club put on a fantastic evening, with an awesome array of prizes and an excellent meal. We came away very happy, Paul took out the Top Gun - Game Angler for his day 1 efforts along with the big one, Champion Angler Overall - Game. Our boat 'Further North' also took out Champion Game Boat 6-7m.
We had a great time and I'd highly recommend next years comp if your into gamefishing, bottom fishing, kayak fishing or river fishing. Some great captures were made in all categories, with a very friendly and welcoming competition put on by the KOAC.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
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Stevo81
Posts: 1278
Date Joined: 16/04/12
Good on ya lads! Sounds like
Good on ya lads! Sounds like a great comp, gotta get up there one year
these sharks are starting (already are) to be a real worry......
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Hutch
Posts: 2221
Date Joined: 21/04/13
Awesome
Top effort, might have to drag the yak up next year
Adam Gallash
Posts: 15652
Date Joined: 29/11/05
Congrats
Good effort guys, congrats!
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Alan James
Posts: 2228
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Well done to you all
A great result for the family team.
Deleted
Posts: 6265
Date Joined: 26/04/14
man i wish i had of been
man i wish i had of been able to take you up on the offer.
bloody awrsome effort lads.
how much line do you have to cut of for testing? is this common for weight class events?
big john
Posts: 8762
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Line
Leader and double must be 4.5m or less (<10kg).
Lure, leader, double and 5 metres of line for scrutineering.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Dale
Posts: 7930
Date Joined: 13/09/05
Well done guys, gotta be happy with that, nearly didn't recognise any of you without your pie caps.
"Just because you are a Character, Doesn't mean you have Character."
Mr Wolf
Ashen
Posts: 1042
Date Joined: 22/03/13
Well done!
Do you gents take on apprentices? I'm putting my hand up...(pick me, pick me!)
A fish in the hand is worth 10 in the water!
Paully
Posts: 3246
Date Joined: 15/08/09
Great effort
Several Big Macs, I must go.
uncle
Posts: 9498
Date Joined: 10/02/07
great trip with the boys,great result for us
lots of old school,abu's some old lures that have been in boxe's for years,boys won a heap of lures as part of their prizes which helped replace some of the MIAS.Yep we had a good classic.best thing wae 4 days of trolling no WEED on the lures.we had a plan and stuck to it.CHANGED PIC CHRIS
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Well done boys
Pity I couldn't be there to put some faces to names. I've got a heap of brand new smaller Rapala Magnums still in boxes from a Singapore trip bloody years ago, stopped using them as I went up to heavier tackle and larger lures. They'd be just the shot for 4 or 6kg.... On the subject of wire, I just don't think you can get away without it. I tried for a couple of trips, first trip was OK, next trip I lost two to snips. I was relying on the big bib and forward towing point of the Magnum X-Rap/ Abrolhos Tormentor, and it didn't work. I had teeth marks all the way up those big bibs, and Tangles actually found one of those I lost on the beach up there. 60 lb leader snipped clean through 50mm above the attachment point.... I put an old purple X-Rap in that day, been sitting in the bottom of the box for years, replaced the rusty trebles with nice new singles. Ran it out, tightened the drag, and the bloody rod tip bowed immediately then gone. Snipped in under five seconds flat, must've dropped it on his nose.
back to 250mm of 60lb single strand.
uncle
Posts: 9498
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Ha ha the silent assassins
As they say if you don't want to loose them dont use em
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
uncle
Posts: 9498
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Lance was going to say hello
But we must have missed him.those older rap dance would be worth gold
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
Lance55
Posts: 126
Date Joined: 26/08/16
Yeah, I tried!
just too full on trying to herd cats ( my team) and your celebrity status at the dinner meant buying tickets to say g'day.
we were team DILLIGAF in the little white cat'
big john
Posts: 8762
Date Joined: 20/07/06
LOL
What celebrity status would that be?
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Gadsy
Posts: 1467
Date Joined: 01/05/10
Great result guys
I will be back there next year to try and improve my catch rate from the kayak.
Was a really well run comp.
big john
Posts: 8762
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Well
You did well gadsy.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
ranmar850
Posts: 2702
Date Joined: 12/08/12
Where did you launch your yak?
River is the obvious place, but, if the swell is down, I reckon you could launch from the little gutter in the corner there at the Bluff, which would put you close to the fish. I have a Hobie Angler 12 myself, but haven't tried it in the ocean there. Stick to the river or, my favorite, Shark Bay.
Gadsy
Posts: 1467
Date Joined: 01/05/10
Launched twice at Red Bluff and went out the rivermouth once
No problems at all Ranmar :).
Kal
Posts: 160
Date Joined: 30/04/07
well done a excellent comp
well done a excellent comp ,booked the accommodation for this year but cancelled it as couldn't get a crew togeter
uncle
Posts: 9498
Date Joined: 10/02/07
Bugger its hard to get a crew
Together at times.there was some big boxes weighted in by the bottom bashers
all aggressive fish love bigjohnsjigs
thesupervisor
Posts: 1136
Date Joined: 10/06/09
nice one guys ill get there
nice one guys ill get there oneday myself
getting the bottom line final answer from a bunch of blokes that use false names and put smiley faces at the end of paragraphs is not the best place in the world to get the information you seek.