It has been too long between posts (and fishing trips) due to numerous excuses none of which are good enough. I did however manage to get out for a couple of Yak sessions on the Pioneer river. Although the weather was not ideal and the normally clear blue water was running brown with lots of fresh still coming down from the last rains, I decided to brave the 15 to 20 Knot winds and take the Prowler out to find some fish.

Launching from the River street boat ramp is very easy with lots of parking, this location gives you quick access to well known spots such as the V, the River mouth, Bassett Basin or the Forgan-Smith Bridge. So at 5.30am I paddled off in search of anything that would take a lure, I was 10 minutes into my paddle when my 50mm Reidys Bonito was smashed right next to the rock wall by what I called early as a small trevally and sure enough after a short tussle a 38cm Juvenile GT was netted, photographed and released.

It then went very quiet and the next couple of hours were spent flicking soft plastics over the sand bars and yabbie beds in search of a Flathead. This is one of my favourite methods of fishing and usually most successful but I could not seem to get them interested. I had tried every soft plastic I had and a few hardbodied lures as well but they just didn’t seem to be biting. I had almost lost hope of enticing any interest when finally my Zerek prawn was solidly engulfed by a small Flathead, not a large fish but good reward for perseverance.

Little Flattie that took a Zerek prawn

It was a great feeling to get out on the water again and although the fish weren’t huge or plentiful I still enjoyed the trip. I will now be telling myself if the weather isn’t perfect or the tides aren’t ideal,  just get out there and have a go because you just never know.

MACKAYAKKA