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Saturday 21st saw Brian Haller and the Volvo crew join KEKOA on the Gold Coast. Cobia (alias Black kingfish) provided plenty of action for the keen anglers with some good size specimens caught.
Nine in total, one weighing in over 80lbs, four over 70lbs and none under 40lbs, the cobia's are renowned for providing a hard and exhausting fight.
After seeing fish on Saturday and Monday and no bites prevailing, KEKOA tagged and released a Blue Marlin yesterday for Tassie Angler Jason est at 250lbs. (Jason's First Blue Marlin)
The weather has settled and with a number of charters booked for the month we look forward to seeing some "Hot Blue action".
Capt Luke tells me that the big yellowfin are smashing through the water but are teasing the crew by resisting the baits and lures on offer.
KEKOA brought home the "Gold" for the visiting crews in the NSW inter club winning Champion Visiting Boat Tag & Release and also took home the Champion and Runner Up Angler (Peter and Leigh O'Brien) for the Visiting Boats as well.
Returning to the to the Car Park where they had spotted the bait balls earlier in the week and found themselves in the middle of the action. A double header straight up (two Stripeys) was followed by consistent bites throughout the day. Angler Pete O'Brien finished the day with a Marlin Grand Slam (Blue, Black and Stripe) as the team came home with 6 tags for the day and 7 for the tournament.
Well done to all onboard and "Wow" what a first outing for KEKOA fishing the grounds of Port Stephens in some times very ordinary weather (approx 20 marlin for a weeks worth of fishing) I will get the exact run down on tallies for you soon as Capt Luke returns to the Gold Coast.
We will be back next year thats for sure!
The last couple of days in Port Stephens with Capt Luke and crewman Tim produced some amazing fishing as the Port showed why it is one of Australia's top fisheries.
Wednesday saw the weather at it's best for sometime and the fish seemed to enjoy the calmer weather .Three from six for the day, a Striped marlin and Black for myself and a 70kg Black marlin for Kelly Dalling which after being hooked in the pectoral fin gave her a tough 45 minute battle before being successfully tagged and released.
Thursday saw the Port at its best with the bites increasing giving us 7 tags from 12 bites as well as raising a least another six fish.The morning started early with two striped marlin tagged before 9.00am and a bull dolphin fish weighing 21kg.
As the afternoon sun heated up so did the action the afternoon bite was on producing another 5 tags, giving us 3 Striped and 4 Black marlin for the day!
Capt Luke's boat handling ability was simply amazing and together with KEKOA they surely are a formidable gamefish combination that produce!
You can read more on Kelly's Black Marlin Fishing Blog at www.blackmarlinfishingblog.com
I will post some of the hot action shots in our gallery shortly.
Steven "Ziggy" Haremza and son Damien continued their good run of fishing the Gold Coast waters after catching and releasing the first Blue marlin for KEKOA this season
The Est 300lber was Ziggy and Damo's first blue and the fish stood up to its line burning reputation as it smoked the reel on its first run. The boys on board were certainly impressed with the spectacular aerial jumps and the fish's continued ability to strip line at awesome speeds.
(Even though I hear that Steven's arms were a bit tired last night)
Fishing east of the seaway the fish struck at 12.30pm on a lure and was released successfully giving Ziggy his first Blue Marlin capture.
Another highlight was a good sized Dolphin fish that they also landed which I'm sure will hit the dinner table tonight.
In the previous news I commented how Damo would be taking the first bite, but It seems that his father started to remember his glory days as a footballer and hip and shouldered poor Damo out of the way!
"I think you might have to leave Dad at home next time Damien?"
Another great day for the boys from Mt Gambier at Jenny Louise catching two from four yesterday. If they keep going at this rate there will be many stories to be told on their arrival back to South Australia.
Yesterdays action saw Andrew catch a 250lber and then the trio finally captured their Big One all 800lbs for angler Dave!
They had been close on a couple of ocassions but a fine angling effort and crew work saw the big girl released safely to fight another day.
Today is the last day onboard, good luck!
After a quiet second day for the Mt Gambier trio Capt Luke headed back to Jenny Louise Reef yesterday a decision that saw KEKOA release two Blacks from three bites.
A double header of a big girl and a smaller male saw the smaller fish caught and the big one lost. Another bite ensured both Darren and Dave caught their first marlin this trip, the fish estimated at 150lbs and 350lbs.
The crew also managed to raise a couple more fish but a bite never prevailed.
Tim Solso CEO of Cummins America joined KEKOA and sister ship Ningaloo with his family yesterday to enjoy all the spoils that the Great Barrier Reef has to offer.
Together with mother ship The Boss it was some what ironic that all the vessels are fitted with Cummins QSM 11's, what a great way to see how your product performs when chasing the Giant Blacks.
Day 1 produced patchy fishing with Ningaoloo jumping one fish off and KEKOA catching Kim Solso her first Black Marlin an energetic #150 pounder
KEKOA and the Laurie Wright led Ningaloo finished off the last and seventh day of charter in fine style. Laurie put Tony Hedley on a nice 850lber early and what a fight 45 minutes being towed around the reef by this big black. Ningaloo's second second fish for the day was a 350lber for angler John Waldrup who was lucky enough to have the entire fight captured on film by the GBR helicopter who was filming the start of the Lizard Island Classic
Not to be outdone Heffner Appling and John Murray fishing on KEKOA scored two from three for the day at #2 Ribbon reef. Heffner releasing a powerhouse 900lber and John a black around 400lbs. The two crews enjoyed their week with Captain's Luke and Laurie and some fond memories will be kept of the Big Blacks that they all successfully released this week.
We look forward to working together with Capt Laurie and the crew from Australian Fishing Expeditions next month as we join forces again.
Day two for the Tassie Crew and fishing Escape Reef again they managed one from three catching and releasing a small Black.
27 September, 2007
What a way to start your first heavy tackle season releasing a big Black close to a grander but being called in at 950lbs.
Good mates Wayne Smith, Craig Hodge,Colin Mitchell and Steven Rowlands are used of succesful trips catching the Big Southern Bluefin Tuna in Tasmania but this year they pooled together to embark on their first heavy tackle season.
Heading out from Cooktown KEKOA headed south, it was starting to become one of those long afternoons where you wish a sunset bite would come along and that it did at 5.30pm at Escape Reef with the scad line being pulled from the rigger. The big girl was on and after some great angling and crew work, Colin did the boys proud releasing as close to a grander as it gets in darkness, a few minutes before 7pm. Well Done Boys!
KEKOA enjoyed Blue Marlin magic on the weekend at the Gold Coast, fishing the grounds of Point Lookout. With regular KEKOA angler Steve Hamblyn on board for two days, Capt. Luke and the crew enjoyed an adrenalin filled Saturday, which saw fourteen Blues raised for nine bites and four successful Blue Marlin releases.
Sunday saw the onset of bad weather, but before being blown out the team managed to raise another two Blue’s, successfully releasing one of them. All the fish raised over the weekend were between the 200 – 500lb range, with Steve also landing a nice 70lb yellow fin tuna before calling it a day.
Some great shots of the weekend are on the Black Marlin fishing blog and we have added some fantastic pictures to our gallery including shots from our Flinders Reef and Fraser Island adventures as well as our popular Broadwater cruises on the Gold Coast. You can check these out in our gallery or visit the blog.
www.blackmarlinfishingblog.com
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