Author Topic: John F's trek to the far north of Moz (Read 26433 times)

John F · « **Reply #40 on:** October 29, 2012, 03:32:38 PM »

29 October 2012, Day 9 - Tecomagi

We had nice weather today, blue sky and sunny, hot conditions.

As we needed to cover a lot of reef ground to not much fishing was done today. Additionally, the seismic lines we worked today are very close to our anchorage site, so we started getting wet at 07:00 and only finished at 13:00. Only trolled for about 1.5h in the afternoon. Again no YFT. We're now trolling 4 rods with feathers, konas, birds, strip baits, deep divers, etc. but no tuna.

Unfortunately, we can't detour too much from our route to look for them. In the mean time there's still plenty of fish on board to enjoy!

As we passed the lighthouse on our way back, bam! the x-rap did its magic. Again! Sam (our deckie) took the rod and it was another wahoo. 123 cm (about 10 kg).

We finished with the rapid assessments on the seismic lines for sensitive habitats and will start tomorrow with proper, in-depth reef surveys using SCUBA. We are all excited about staying down there more than just a few minutes.

That's it for today.

2 x great barracudas
1 x couta
1 x blue spotted kingfish
1 x GT
1 x dorado
3 x wahoo

Manuel Junior · « **Reply #41 on:** October 30, 2012, 11:50:55 AM »

Nice Wahoos Marcos!!!

Awesome stuff.

SAfish · « **Reply #42 on:** October 30, 2012, 12:14:46 PM »

Quote from: Manuel Junior on October 30, 2012, 11:50:55 AM

Nice Wahoos Marcos!!!
Awesome stuff.

Good to see you are back, Manuel. Where have you been?

John F · « **Reply #43 on:** October 30, 2012, 05:36:39 PM »

30 October 2012, Day 10 - Tecomagi

We started moving at 08:00 and the sea was flat like a mirror. We could see the reefs under the boat to a depth of about 8 m. Could even ID some reef fish from the boat! Nice blue sky, no wind and temp above 30o C.

I set a spread of two long konas+strip baits with birds and two deep divers.

Nothing till about 10 o'clock when both long rods started screaming. I took one and Craig took the other. He lost his fish midway and I got a rainbow runner (my first!). It was about 1.5 kg. Perfect size for a nice circle hook on it's head... Released it and we kept going...

We did two shallow dives. Water temp 27o C!

As soon as were finished with the work rods were out. Had a strike on one of the strip baited konas: a bonnie! Nice size for bait. Was tempted to get some nice strip baits but killing it just for the bait didn't seem right. Released it after a few shots.

[smg id=989]

Almost 10 min later the x-rap goes bang: a nice leopard rockcod! We were over reef just 11 m deep. This one was also released with a kiss, despite some long faces from the crew!

[smg id=990]

A little kiss...

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... and the release!

[smg id=992]

About 15 min later my last dorado strip bait on a kona, was attacked and the fish took some line with a big splash. Unfortunatly the hook didn't stick. We didn't see it properly but from the depth we were and teeth marks in the kona it was probably a wahoo.

Tally for the trip:
2 x great barracudas (both released)
1 x couta
1 x blue spotted kingfish (released)
1 x GT (released)
1 x dorado
3 x wahoo
1 x rainbow runner (released)
1 x bonnie (released)
1 x leopard rockcod (released)

G!enn · « **Reply #44 on:** October 30, 2012, 06:01:44 PM »

@ John

Great photos from the Sky.. Beautiful weather.. Amazing fish! Keep up the good work!

Werries · « **Reply #45 on:** October 30, 2012, 07:54:50 PM »

I'm so enjoying this thread...

Toppie · « **Reply #46 on:** October 30, 2012, 08:48:24 PM »

Marcos, thats some nice fish, suppose you need some specimens too!

Well done, very jealous.

John F · « **Reply #47 on:** October 31, 2012, 06:22:12 AM »

Thanks guys...

Yeah Toppie.... been having fresh fish and ceviche as starters every day.... tough life this...

pics of the rockcod (and bonnie heheheh) added...

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #48 on:** October 31, 2012, 08:06:04 AM »

Beautiful pics Marcos, that rockcod is awesome!

Whats the difference between that one and a Marble Coral Grouper?

Manuel Junior · « **Reply #49 on:** October 31, 2012, 11:24:29 AM »

Quote from: SAfish on October 30, 2012, 12:14:46 PM

Quote from: Manuel Junior on October 30, 2012, 11:50:55 AM

Nice Wahoos Marcos!!!
Awesome stuff.

Good to see you are back, Manuel. Where have you been?

School, because I have exams this year!

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #50 on:** October 31, 2012, 11:26:03 AM »

MJ

Manuel Junior · « **Reply #51 on:** October 31, 2012, 11:27:49 AM »

Homie · « **Reply #52 on:** October 31, 2012, 11:44:26 AM »

Marcos !

Im

SAfish · « **Reply #53 on:** October 31, 2012, 12:08:15 PM »

Quote from: Manuel Junior on October 31, 2012, 11:27:49 AM

Good luck with your exams.

Marcos, you have us all

Keep the reports coming.

John F · « **Reply #54 on:** October 31, 2012, 04:38:55 PM »

31 October 2010, Day 11 - Tecomagi

Another day in paradise. Wind has picked up a bit, making for some choppy seas and hopefully some great fishing. Rods were out and at about 08:00, just as we were going around the lighthouse, a nice humpback whale right in front of us did its magic. This area drops from the beach to +70 m within 400 m!!!! R&S anglers could catch all sorts of gamefish here!!!

[smg id=995]

08:10: TLD20 on long rod with strip bait screams. Small great barracuda. Photo, release and on we went.

[smg id=993]

Nothing happened for the rest of the day. Spring tides are upon us and brought lot's of murky water. We had to cancel one dive on a nice seagrass bed this morning: viz was 45 cm!!!!

Second dive on a reef a little further out the viz was 6 m. Workable but not really nice as the panoramic pics come out full of back scatter.

It turned out to be a poor day with just one more strike on our way back. Smallish fish (probably a small barracuda) as we were passing the lighthouse. It attacked the x-rap. Lost it about 30 m from the boat.

Tally for the trip:
3 x great barracudas (all released)
1 x couta
1 x blue spotted kingfish (released)
1 x GT (released)
1 x dorado
3 x wahoo
1 x rainbow runner (released)
1 x bonnie (released)
1 x leopard rockcod (released)

John F · « **Reply #55 on:** October 31, 2012, 04:46:34 PM »

@WK: no difference, same species.

Some people call it marbled leopard rockcod, marbled coral grouper, etc.

Latin name: Plectropomus punctatus.

@ SA: posted just a couple of pics of the

just to prove I ain't lying... this is a family site, can't post bikinis and speedos! LOL

WalkersKiller · « **Reply #56 on:** October 31, 2012, 08:52:01 PM »

Lekker

Happy Dog · « **Reply #57 on:** October 31, 2012, 09:20:13 PM »

Keepit going. with this bleak weather it is awesome to see the great pics. Also someone actuallly catching fish!!!

Corks · « **Reply #58 on:** November 01, 2012, 07:04:59 AM »

Great to see your catches. So you are able to fish during work???

John F · « **Reply #59 on:** November 01, 2012, 07:31:40 AM »

We only put lines out when travelling to or from the sites...