09/10/2006: "SPEARGUN HAUL ...... Keppel Islands, Queensland"

27 August We went out early this morning – the motor running nice and smooth with the new points installed.

The sea was dead calm and glassy. On the way we could see the sand bottom at various places in about 40 feet of water. The trip took about 50 minutes to Barren Island which is further out from (Great) Keppel Island.

Visibility underwater was about 100 feet and the average depth of water where we speared fish was 35 feet. Cod were appearing everywhere.

We got stuck in the brown spotted cod and coral trout. We swam around to the SE side of the island. Everywhere coral – mostly the mushroom (shaped) type. The water got deeper – probably around 50- 60 feet.

A school of kingies (yellowtail kingfish) swam up to me – I just could not resist putting a spear into one about 30 pounds. He really put up a fight. Fifteen seconds later three whaler sharks flashed in and darted around under me. The largest one, the biggest shark I have seen, about ten feet long. The other two about seven feet in length.

I swam over to the boat and got the kingie aboard.

We went out to Egg Rock and got some coral cod and brown spotted cod. I shot a barramundi cod about 6 pounds. Came back to Barren Island, S E side. Saw another whaler covered with sucker fish. Got a few more cod and coral trout and then moved back to where we fished originally.

Vis was only about 75 feet. Snowie got a nice big trout about 12 – 14 pounds. Then we got a cod each out of a hole. I saw two more whalers flash in but they took off when they saw us.

It was a slow trip back as a NE (wind) blew up. Back on the beach we took a few pictures and then gilled and gutted the fish. Total score 300 – 400 pounds consisting of fourteen cod up to 60 pounds each, twelve coral trout up to 14 pounds, one kingie, a wrasse or venus tusk fish about 15 pounds.

09/10/2006: "SPEARGUN HAUL ...... Keppel Islands, Queensland"

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