Mackay bank fish

Ended up I couldnt sleep last night so around 11pm I headed to Mackay for a flick. Stopped off at the harbor first and fished in very chilly conditions for a couple of hours for not even a hit. Around 4 I headed to a spot on the Pioneer I have wanted to fish for ages I just couldnt find it. Armed with a printout from google maps, the gps and and a list of all the roads in the area I headed out to the northern bank near a weir that Al knows well. Went down in the dark and I tell you the track down is something rakey's girlfreind would have had trouble with. Wet Slippery, washouts, weeds across the track ready to trip me up. Real snake country in summer I would reckon. First cast with a 100mm hollow belly was smashed and it felt like a solid hookup and when it broke the surface the first time although I couldnt see it I figured it was a Bazza around 6-700. Came up for a second look and spat the hb, bugger. Nothing much happened up to daylight after that so I decided to move nearer to town but as I was moving the car I noticed another track this one even worse than the first. Walked over to have a look and hmmm whats that on the ground? Scales, quite a few and they were bazza scales from something around the 7-800 mark. Ok back down the hill and yep it was a worse track than the first. I had changed to a Rattling spot and again first cast a big bump. Jease this is alright hey. Second cast nothing, third cast whack and I am on again, dropped this one a few feet from the bank and immediately threw backi into the same back eddy and bang on again. Give this one a bit of drag and it came out of the water and tried to shake the lure off. Nope not a bazza but a giant hearing. Jease they go alright. Threw it back and a few minutes later it was bedlam again but this time a lot more weight and a lot more drag being pulled. Yep a decent Bazza came out of the water and.......spat the bloody lure again. Fished for another hour for no more hits but jease its a likely looking spot amoungst those rapids and rocks. Cant wait to get back up this way in the early summer or opening of the bazza season I reckon the place would go off.
It was great getting out again as its been a while and to get some good hookups and a few more bumps was great.
Cheers
Steve

I always enjoy a session in the Pioneer River.....so much territory that is accessible and full of things with or without teeth.

yep speaking of teeth I thought a bazza was tailing so I cast a lure past it only to realise it was a 2 foot croc. Stood back a bit further from the bank after that in case mum was around. Water was almost fresh up there.

Good to see you're settling in Steve,just watch out for the handbags mate.
Paulo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snodger

Ended up I couldnt sleep last night so around 11pm I headed to Mackay for a flick. Stopped off at the harbor first and fished in very chilly conditions for a couple of hours for not even a hit. Around 4 I headed to a spot on the Pioneer I have wanted to fish for ages I just couldnt find it. Armed with a printout from google maps, the gps and and a list of all the roads in the area I headed out to the northern bank near a weir that Al knows well. Went down in the dark and I tell you the track down is something rakey's girlfreind would have had trouble with. Wet Slippery, washouts, weeds across the track ready to trip me up. Real snake country in summer I would reckon. First cast with a 100mm hollow belly was smashed and it felt like a solid hookup and when it broke the surface the first time although I couldnt see it I figured it was a Bazza around 6-700. Came up for a second look and spat the hb, bugger. Nothing much happened up to daylight after that so I decided to move nearer to town but as I was moving the car I noticed another track this one even worse than the first. Walked over to have a look and hmmm whats that on the ground? Scales, quite a few and they were bazza scales from something around the 7-800 mark. Ok back down the hill and yep it was a worse track than the first. I had changed to a Rattling spot and again first cast a big bump. Jease this is alright hey. Second cast nothing, third cast whack and I am on again, dropped this one a few feet from the bank and immediately threw backi into the same back eddy and bang on again. Give this one a bit of drag and it came out of the water and tried to shake the lure off. Nope not a bazza but a giant hearing. Jease they go alright. Threw it back and a few minutes later it was bedlam again but this time a lot more weight and a lot more drag being pulled. Yep a decent Bazza came out of the water and.......spat the bloody lure again. Fished for another hour for no more hits but jease its a likely looking spot amoungst those rapids and rocks. Cant wait to get back up this way in the early summer or opening of the bazza season I reckon the place would go off.
It was great getting out again as its been a while and to get some good hookups and a few more bumps was great.
Cheers
Steve

---

You talk the talk well steve but no photos of these fish that jump off mmm

bit hard to get a pick mid fight lol

Good stuff Steve, enjoy your time up there mate. Are you going to try Kinchant while you are there?

You still here Snodge? Would love to go for a fish with you somewhere mate?

Sounds insane snodgie

yer might go there in 2 weeks Luke.
No worries Lukey. Tried to pm you but your pm box is full lol.
It was more action that I have had since Lucinda Az, looking forward to coming up here in warmer weather with the galey

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snodger

yer might go there in 2 weeks Luke.
No worries Lukey. Tried to pm you but your pm box is full lol.
It was more action that I have had since Lucinda Az, looking forward to coming up here in warmer weather with the galey

---

Bugger it would have been good to catch up.
I will empty my inbox now, but yeh send me a pm when you are up again in a fortnight or whenever you are next up
Cheers

Sound's like a lot of fun mate,better than sleeping..
Baz

here at Moranbah for 4-6 week mate but next weekend have to do some work here. Weekend after I am coming down again but only have a barra tcurve travel rod and 50lb on it mate

Good on ya old boy. Glad ya got amongst them atleast, just gotta work on getting them to stick ;)

havent dropped that many in one session before no matter what the species. dunno may go to a single rear on the rattling spot see if that helps

Great minds Snodge. I was just about to say singles seem to be the go for the big toothys now!

G'day Steve,
There is some nice country up the river that still canturn it on given the amount of people that fish it. I too have had the pleasureof a visit from a two foot saurian up there on dusk when I was in knee-deepwater and had the same thought as yourself, "where's mum at?" Drop usa line next time you're coming into town and if I'm able we can organise to go for aflick up there off the bank. If you do manage to snag a fishing session withLuke he will no doubt look after you and steer you right as he seems to havethe Midas touch, I on the other hand am somewhat out of touch but am keen towet a line and will have an outfit or two for you to use if you want.

Cheers

Chris

gees your keen walkin down those tracks in the dark steve but sounds well worth it

Well changed my mind for the next trip. heading to Theresa Creek Dam as a few of the boys caught barra there on the weekend. Its a bit of a bank fishing area like the one we know at Mondy if you know what I mean.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Topcat

G'day Steve,
There is some nice country up the river that still canturn it on given the amount of people that fish it. I too have had the pleasureof a visit from a two foot saurian up there on dusk when I was in knee-deepwater and had the same thought as yourself, "where's mum at?" Drop usa line next time you're coming into town and if I'm able we can organise to go for aflick up there off the bank. If you do manage to snag a fishing session withLuke he will no doubt look after you and steer you right as he seems to havethe Midas touch, I on the other hand am somewhat out of touch but am keen towet a line and will have an outfit or two for you to use if you want.

Cheers

Chris

---

Thanks for the kind words Chris. I just get lucky most times that all ;)

If you are free this weekend, you should come down to the tinnie and tackle show at the marina. I am doing a plastics demo at 3pm on the Saturday arvo and 930 on the Sunday morning. Will be spending a bit of time in the Fish & Boat stand after the demo's. If you come down, make sure you say Gday

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Snodger

Well changed my mind for the next trip. heading to Theresa Creek Dam as a few of the boys caught barra there on the weekend. Its a bit of a bank fishing area like the one we know at Mondy if you know what I mean.

---

Nope??......

Nice work Steve. Beats the hell out of being nagged!

Attachment 23931Attachment 23928Attachment 23929You aint kiddding Stevo.
Here are some picks of where I was fishing. No wonder the bazzas & jacks hang out there.

Pretty spot mate

Are they near the main road that heads through Mackay? Because when I went to Cairns I saw rocks similar on the way up. .

yep very enjoyable mate. The baby croc was in the still water in the second pic

Nice. . Did ya pat him? :p

no but i threw a popper at him lol
no mate its inland maybe 7 or 8 km up the pioneer. rocks everywhere like that there.

Yeah I would love to get a tinny up there..

need to be a heavy duty one lol. most of those back eddies are behind rock bars but i did find a place u could launch a little tiny on the south side of the river

Eh I'm sure a yak would be fine. .............

Attachment 23934Attachment 23933

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by UndersizeBreamKing

Eh I'm sure a yak would be fine. .............

---

if you dont mind crocs. mind you duanne has yakked there and caught bazza. croc was in the big pool in first pic.

I read a report of a couple blokes who yakked in Croc invested country carrying 22's and popping a shot near any that got close lol

thats ok if you can see the buggers

Yep makes a difference lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Barramag

Good to see you're settling in Steve,just watch out for the handbags mate.
Paulo

---

Paulo, Snodge prefers to call his accessories - 'man bags'. Less gay sounding apparently, but sounds the same to me.

I found out yesterday that my favourite little barra-holding pond/creek now has a resident 3m croc - no going there anymore for me.Regards,MikeAttachment 24257