Cairns 2011 Heavy Tackle Season

[team_A_II]

Well been back now for over a month from Oz and was lucky enough to get out there for the start of the 2011 Heavy Tackle season of the GBR. We fished to days with Captain Adam Jordan of the Iona II, with mates Rhino Clifford and Mustard Blanch. These guys are top notch pros in every aspect, very professional and incredible fishermen. Capt. Adam Jordan truly knows his shit down there and was able to put us on an 800 black within minutes of dropping back the skip baits. Getting ahead of myself, we met Adam our first night back in Cairns after a few days traveling north to the rainforest and after meeting him and going over the game plan, he decided to leave out earlier than planned and we were able to shoot out of the Cairns marina in true shotgun start fashion the night before we were originally suppose to depart with cold beers and the sun to our backs. We arrived on the reef after about an hour and anchored up in the dark next to a couple of live-aboard dive stations. The first night was spent hand feeding some whaler sharks and catching Giant Trevally out of the cockpit for fun. After a sleepless night, the sun finally broke just in time to keep me from loosing my mind from sleepless excitement. Everybody woke up to coffee and a quick free dive off the reef. After breakfast we headed out past the reef and started making bait. After a few hours of stocking up on big spanish mackerel (more like a king mackerel back here) we finally dropped some back. Within 10 minutes a big 600 black came up on the long rigger swim bait and was determined to window shop the hell out of it, but would not eat. She moved up to the short rigger skip bait and shopped it as well, but no go. No worries, while she was shopping, a pig of an 800 black engulfed the long rigger swim bait and we were tight. 8 minutes later we had her at the back and she straightened the 20/0 mustad and swam off. Bear in mind these fights are fast and furious to keep the monster sharks from chopping the fish up. We worked the same grounds the rest of the day and were rewarded with lots of yellowins, as well as an acrobatic 200 black in the afternoon. On our way north to the anchor reef later that afternoon a pack of wahoos came in the spread and we had one monster swallow the large swim bait, while another one shopped the big skip bait in half. We were able to get one wahoo on board, with a big 20/0 circle right in the corner of his mouth. I will say, even on 130 tiagras it kicked some ass. That evening was spent on anchor off the reef once again, with drinks, good food, and great company. And not a soul in sight. The next morning started with another quick free dive session, followed by another great day of fishing. We were not able to hook any marlin on the second day, but did manage to see a large one surfing down sea on the big swells. The day was filled with plenty of yellowfin action, as well as a couple of giant dolphin, with a bull around the 65 mark, followed by a cow that wasnt much smaller. All and all, it was an amazing trip, and big thanks again to Adam Jordan and his crew. If any of you guys are thinking about heading to Cairns, I highly recommend the Iona.

[Capt Josh]

Awesome, thanks for the report! I seriously need to get down there next season!!!!

[team_A_II]

Yea man it's unreal, hoping to go down to Newcastle next year for the blue and striped bite..... We were on the reef early this year almost preseason, but were rewarded with a pig of a fish, first one for the season I think

[RyanOhalloran]

Congrats on an awesome trip! The Iona boys are great guys and world class fishermen. Never a dull moment with Rhino on board haha that guys is classic!

[Hard Core]

WOW, what an awesome trip and report!

I fished there once also, but didn't have such luck!

Nothing like free diving the GBR, eh?

Barnes

[Rob C]

Great report!! I have always wanted to pull a big bait like the one shown. Do they pull a full spread of dead bait? Are they rigged differently as in swimming on the riggers and skipping up close on the shorts? What do they run on the shotgun?

I will get there one day!

Rob C

[frankypettolina]

When I fished over there a few years ago it was a 3 rod spread. A big skip bait (15 pounds or so) a smaller skip bait (5 to 7 pounds) and a smaller swimming bait (5 to 7 pounds). We pulled some bigger baits, up to about 30 pounds and some smaller 1 to 2 pound baits at times. It depended on what was available and what we caught while bait fishing. Mackerels, Bonitas, Queenfish, tunas, and wahoo. Two rigger baits and one pinned down as a flat of sorts. When it got really rough we switched to just 2 riggers.

[team_A_II]

Rob, our typical spread consisted of only two dead baits, one large skipping mackerel and a smaller swimming mackerel, both fished off the riggers. The larger skipbait was fished on the short rigger, with the swimming mackerel on the long rigger. We only fished a two rod spread when targeting marlin. At times however, we would deploy a third swimming bait in the middle just behind the prop wash for tunas and mackerel consisting of kind of hard style lure such as a yo-zuri bonita or braid runner.

[Rob C]

Rob, our typical spread consisted of only two dead baits, one large skipping mackerel and a smaller swimming mackerel, both fished off the riggers. The larger skipbait was fished on the short rigger, with the swimming mackerel on the long rigger. We only fished a two rod spread when targeting marlin. At times however, we would deploy a third swimming bait in the middle just behind the prop wash for tunas and mackerel consisting of kind of hard style lure such as a yo-zuri bonita or braid runner.

Thanks, lots of fish over there!

Rob C

[reel fool]

...At times however, we would deploy a third swimming bait in the middle just behind the prop wash for tunas and mackerel consisting of kind of hard style lure such as a yo-zuri bonita or braid runner.

That's most likely a Lazer Pro. They make diving lures, light tackle lures, with a removable bib. They are available in multiple sizes with various sizes of bibs too. Good swimmers, very effective here too. They are less $$ than Yozuri & Braid.