Gold Coast

As I reported on the BMB Facebook page, Mat Stehman’s Murphy’s Law kicked off their holiday season on the water with a billfish grand slam off the Gold Coast on Dec 23rd.   Mat says that it’s a day they won’t forget in a while with the final result 5-4-3 which consisted of a black about 90kg, blue about 120kg and a stripey about 40kg and was their first ever Grand Slam heavy tackle.

Ryan Goding’s Mojo also released a sail on the 27th being a first sail for angler Sean Gilbert.

Seems like there are a few more sails being caught again this year. There used to be quite a few along the beach from Jumpinpin’ to Point Lookout along the 30m line so its good to see a few more being seen.

Murphy’s Law was back into it again on Boxing Day with a 3-2-2 including a 60kg stripe which ate first up in the morning before they even got the second lure in the water, and a real solid blue they put at 180kg being the first decent one they have seen this season. Both fish where caught by John Stehmann and caught on Larva Lures.

Also on the 23rd Leigh Holtsbaum (prev report) also headed out again this time for 2 black marlin a little smaller this time at 25 and 40kg. Leigh said they had a few other bites and had one follow a bait all the way back to the boat. Looks like the numbers are starting to improve! Thanks Leigh!

Sunshine Coast

David Granville provided the beauty shot of the sail at top today christening David “Tagpole” McMaster’s newly refit Pole Dancer, a 30ft Black Watch completed in time for Xmas and fished out of its new home of Mooloolaba. Dave, who had the skippering duties reports they fished three days out wide trying to bait and switch blues but never saw one. They did raise a pod of lost sailfish in 500m of water however and managed to convert one of those for Ellen Dewer (her first sail). Dave said it was great to get behind the wheel of a Black Watch again and says they will be making a concerted effort on the blues in coming months.

Port Macquarie

Fresh home from his season in Cairns, Tom Dykes was straight back into it before Christmas on his boat Care Factor going 2 from 5 blue marlin around 150 mark. Tom says that another boat got one nearby as well and the week before they also got a nice stripe at 92kg. He says there are already lots of little black Marlin around in close down there as well!