Paul Burt

Deep Sea Fishing

Paul Burt

Paul Burt heading offshore with his Surtees Game Fisher

I’ve written a few articles on deep-sea dropping, talking about the so-called ‘last frontier’ and what it brings to anglers. In this edition, I’m writing about a recent trip I took off the Gold Coast. What we saw and caught were nothing short of jaw dropping. It started out a few days earlier with my youngest, Caelan, and a mate of mine, Shane, planning a trip out wide. We wanted to target yellowfin tuna. Our 80-wide Tiagra reels were spooled and ready to tow a bunch of Pakula and Black Magic skirted lures. The Saragosa 20000 spin reel outfits had large Nomad and Shimano Stick bait lures attached and the heavy duty gaffs were sharpened ready for that penetration of a 60plus-kilo yellowfin’s skin. As per our normal trips out wide, the night before was restless, always thinking, “What if we catch one? What do we do with it — sashimi, tuna steaks, seared ahi?” The beauty of these kinds of trips is that we expect the unexpected and that is what exactly happened. With our 7m Surtees Offshore Gamefisher fully fueled, we knew we could travel more than 400k’s on her 325 litres of petrol under the floor. Our plan was to head north off Moreton Island some 110 km away and start fishing in around 1000 m of water. We left the dock pre-dawn and started the long arduous trip out. Conditions were spot on — light offshore breeze, no swell and a mirror-like ocean. The lures were out, and the day began. We trolled around the first lot of birds. Small schools of tuna were busting the surface and we had hopes of a yellowfin to hit the lures. Unfortunately, no luck came our way, not even from a marlin. About an hour later, we noticed a few terns in the air, diving periodically. Nothing smashed the surface, but every now and then, the birds would come together up high then dive down quickly before fluttering across the top of the ocean. We trolled the area again; no luck. Caelan decided to cast a stick bait, which grabbed the attention of a massive mahi-mahi. But still, the fish would not commit. On the next loop past the birds, we decided to throw a pilchard. That did the job — a solid 20kg-plus dolphin fish. Unfortunately, with the current raging, we drifted away from the birds. About an hour later and back on the downhill run with the lures out the back, I noticed what looked like hundreds of flying fish shooting out of the water. I said to Shane and Caelan, “They're squid!” Both boys replied, “No, they’re flying fish!" We trolled past literally thousands of them shooting out the water. Eventually we came close to them, and to our amazement, they were exactly what I thought — squid! Indeed, there is such a creature called “flying squid”. They shoot water out of their tubes and fly backwards, using

Only a mother could love this face

the front of their hood with the wings to steer. The propulsion received from squirting out the water is enough to give them the necessary lift. With our eyes gazing in awe, we continued to head south to a sea mountain some 70plus-km east of the Gold Coast. The winds were still light, and the current had slowed to the point

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Caelan with his mahi mahi

800 metres down

you could bottom fish the top of this underwater mountain that rose 800 metres high from the sea floor 3000 m below. Imagine Springbrook and the Best of All Lookouts being sunk underwater. This is the kind of plateau we were about to send our baits down to. Fortunately, we had our two Shimano electric reels in the cabin. A Beastmaster and a Forcemaster both attached to Status deep-drop rods. We had a couple of sinkers stowed away each weighing 4 kilograms or 9 pounds and some mullet fillets. By then, it was midday and right on the top of the tide. With a disco LED light attached to the top of our 3-hook 400lb bottom-drop rig, the reel was disengaged, and the rig was lowered into the water to start on its 5min-plus descent into the dark waters below. The Garmin sounders were reading the bottom, 3000m, 2000m, then 1200m, then 1000m, before hitting 800 metres. Finally the spools on the reel slowed down. We were there, and the baits had reached the bottom. Fish started coming across the monitors and instantly both rods buckled over. First, I thought I had a snag, for at that depth even with little current, it is hard to tell. I flicked the switch and the electric Beastmaster started to do its job. Our other rod was also working hard, the rod tip was buckling and bending, the other two had a lighter drag set of 30kgs, while mine was 40kgs. After 30 minutes of drag being pulled and rod tips nearly kissing the top of the ocean, we started to see colour. This thing was big and ugly! The electric reel slowed and stopped, and we had to wind the last 30 m manually while leaning over the side of the boat trying to work out what the hell we had hooked. Eventually this thing broke the surface, and man, was it angry and big! It had teeth like a dogtooth tuna; its eyes were super large and it even had teeth down the centre of its jaw where its tongue should be. It had battle scars and cookie-cutter shark bites and even the scales on the fish had spikes coming out of them! This thing was a killer of the depths; and unfortunately, we had caught it. Still not knowing what the hell it was, we summoned up all our strength to bring it onboard, all 70plus-kg of it, while it thrashed and banged and chopped at everything. We then noticed the fish had flicked the electric cabling out of the side flush mount plug and stopped the other reel from bringing up the fish we had hooked on the second rod. We had heard of a fish that had similar characteristics to the one lying on the floor of our boat, called an oilfish. The largest in the world was caught in Malaysia at just over 100 kilograms; ours was not far off it. Some of the stories told by anglers is that they have a laxative effect due to the wax esters within the flesh. Seems this fish not only rules the bottom of the ocean, but also rules if it gets to the top.

Oil fish on deck

Watch Paul every weekend on 7Mate as they Step Outside. www. stepoutside.com.au

COBALT R8

NEXT GENERATION BOWRIDER

The R8 is truly THE next generation bowrider

Helm instrumentation fitted with dual Garmin 743

The R Series from Cobalt is the ultimate line of sport runabouts, designed with smooth, stylish lines to cast an aggressive stance in the water, and the nimble handling to perform, no matter the activity. This model is powered by a Volvo Penta V8 430 hp big block, the most powerful model in the range of marine petrol engines – delivering 14 per cent faster acceleration and providing 10 per cent better fuel economy than its predecessor. There's no better way to spend family time than on the water, and there's no better family boat on the water than the Cobalt RB, the newest of the R Series. But what really makes the RB stand out is the added size. We didn't just make it longer ... we totally rethought and redesigned every aspect of the RB resulting in a deeper cockpit and more freeboard, a roomy, expansive interior, with both bow and cockpit larger both fore to aft, giving extra comfort for passengers and plenty of room for their things. The RB also continues the Cobalt tradition of innovation, including the patent-pending E-Step - an optional electric version of the very popular swim step which lowers, at the touch of a button, well below the water's surface for easy entry or exit. Either swim step version, manual or electric, functions as the perfect launching pad for water sports activity, or just a great place to hang out and chill. The R8 dash and instrumentation glass cockpit is fitted with dual Garmin 743 multi-function displays, gloss black dash console, dash storage pocket with leather and stainless steel steering wheel, dual 12-volt outlets, illuminated switch panel and an R8 Entertainment System including iPod/USB/MP3 Port, stereo sound system with remote bluetooth and 6 speakers. All this running off a dual battery system with electronic circuit breaker protection. The seating is impressive with an aft facing rumble seat, passenger seat flip backrest system, sundeck convertible lounger, removable carpets, and a Del Mar helm captain’s chair. There is a head with marine ceramic toilet down below. The Kevlar-reinforced hull which has graphics moulded-in gelcoat and stainless steel engine vents, boasts an integrated anchor locker, bow scuff plate, 4 fender clips, midship cleats, model designator led lite in transom and a ski pylon flipdown swim step in the swim platform. Some of the great options are an electric helm seat, Mercury rudder indicator, wireless phone charger, a galley with sink, weighted throw pillows, a 35 L cooler, dinette table with teak accent, seagrass floor covering, rearview mirror, led interior accent lighting, transom shower, and underwater lighting, Other more impressive options that are externally fitted include a rear facing camera, wakeboard racks, electric folding bimini or rotating sunshade, cruise control-smart tow, fire extinguisher automatic system, trim tabs indicators, and a windlass. These features and many more make the R8 truly THE next generation bowrider! Performance, luxury, comfort, innovation and room for more of everything. Only from Cobalt www.cobaltaustralia.com.au

Length Overall w/Swim Platform 8.48 m Beam 2.59 m Fuel Capacity 302 L Freshwater Capacity 38 L Bridge Clearance w/o Bimini 1.57 m Bridge Clearance w/arch 2.59 m Draft Drive Up 0.46 m Drive Down 0.89 m Dry Weight 2903 kg

SUMMER SERVICE CENTRE

AT RUNAWAY BAY - BOAT DETAILING ANTIFOUL - COVERS - UPHOLSTERY

RB Marine Covers, GC Antifoul and Bullet boats form a unique all-inone boat service centre at Runaway Bay Marina. Conveniently located on the Broadwater, it’s the ideal place to refresh your boat with any minor fibreglass repairs, annual antifouling and repair or replacement of your boat's marine covers and upholstery.

MARINE COVERS AND UPHOLSTERY - The marine environment is harsh, and good quality covers will protect your boat when you are out at sea, moored, on a trailer or even in a storage facility. As a reputable marine trimmer, they only use top-quality UV-stable canvases, such as Sunbrella or Weather-Max 80 with a lifetime PTFE thread brand like Profolin, Healius or Tenara. The machinist will sew reinforced edges, finishing with a waterproofing spray to ensure there are no leaks. The team are capable of repairing or replacing; biminis, camping covers, clears, zippers, midge screens, window shields, hatch covers or even a cover for the entire boat. They can also repair or replace indoor and outdoor upholstery and bedding, throughout the boat.

ANTIFOUL BOTTOM PAINTING - The application of a special type of paint used on the bottom of boats is designed to protect from micro-organisms that can eat away at your boat hull and reduce the efficiency of your vessel. Boat antifoul will provide a protective layer between your boat and the marine life, which usually lasts between 12 and 18 months depending on your location. In high-flow tidal areas, boat antifouling will need to be done a little more regularly than in a slow-moving tidal area due to many more micro-organisms passing by and attaching to the boat. Gold Coast Antifouling is also an agent for Propspeed propeller antifoul, which can improve your boat’s performance and economy.

HULL POLISHING - The professionally trained team also specialises in boat detailing and cleaning. All detailing packages include washing the boat from the waterline, cleaning under hatches, and all grooves and tracks. They will remove salt, bird droppings, water stains and grime. They can then buff and polish the gelcoat using a proven method of hull restoration to bring back the shine, while ensuring a protective coating.

FIBREGLASS REPAIRS - The team are skilled fibreglass repairers, able to undertake minor repairs and major boat repairs. The company is able to repair, restore, and build just about anything with fibreglass, from hulls to custom fibreglass parts. These include minor scrapes from dock damage, to rebuilding after a major accident, and the restoration of old but reliable hulls, transoms, floors and stringers, and they are also experienced with bow thruster installation. With spray-painters on hand, the right paint work can be applied, so your boat will look good again with new gelcoat.

The team members pride themselves on delivering fast and extremely professional service from quality tradesmen, taking care of all your boat maintenance needs. For a free estimate on all these services, call Paul Tuesley Ph: 0417 173 257

RUNAWAY BAY PONTOON BOATS

built for Australian waters

Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats build vessels in Queensland. They are one of the top luxury and sports pontoon boat specialists in Australia. They are an ethical employer of local people, and sell vessels to customers across the globe. They are always looking for new ventures to help keep Australian people employed, and building pontoon boats suits their manufacturing business perfectly. BUSTING MYTHS WITH UNIQUE FEATURES Customers often assume pontoon boats are only suitable for dams, lakes, and rivers. But Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats prove that Southeast Queensland waterways are perfect for using pontoon boats. Their boats’ standard logs are larger than the normal diameter. When fitted with their exclusive full-length mounting system for the floor beams, the boats have a higher freeboard compared to other pontoon boats. This is important to help reduce the likelihood of wash coming over the front of the boat. First-time boaters will experience first-hand how smooth, stable and safe the ride is, even in choppy, rough water and severe weather conditions. Even experienced boaters, who have owned larger singlehull cruisers but wanting to downsize, are sold on the handling of the pontoon boats, along with their practical capabilities. Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats build vessels that stand out from the crowd. They use only marine-grade aluminium, and their logs are typically 25% thicker than imported pontoon boats. Each log, unlike most imported ones, and depending on the length, has several separate fully-sealed chambers and deep structural grade extruded keels. The centre log on trihulls has a heavy-duty fuel tank built in. The assembly of their boats is designed to ensure longevity in the Australian saltwater marine environment. Marine-grade wiring is used for the electrical system, as opposed to the standard wiring on imported pontoon boats built only for freshwater. The beams used to support the flooring are heavyduty, structural marine-grade aluminium channels.

INTERESTING HISTORY Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats is owned by Holmwood Highgate (Aust) Pty. Ltd., Australia’s longest-running aluminium road tanker manufacturer, founded in the mid-1950s. Holmwood Highgate was set up primarily to repair, service, and maintain fuel tankers of American origin used in the Korean war, then sold off for use in Australia. It introduced aluminium welding to Australia. Highgate Engineers, a branch of Holmwood Highgate, specialise in the manufacture of highquality fuel tanks, “Toy Haulers” (enclosed bike trailers) and high performance pontoon boats. They have been selling the boats under the brand name of Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats for 12 years now. The way that Highgate Engineers became involved in the boat manufacturing market is quite interesting. The story goes that a staff member had purchased an imported brand new pontoon boat. Within two years, the boat encountered several issues relating to log and structure corrosion, along with wiring issues. The original dealer was no longer operating, and the only recourse for repairs and warranty issues was to contact the American manufacturer. After several emails to the company and zero responses, the boat was sold. After that, Highgate decided to build its own range of pontoon boats designed for Australian saltwater conditions. To learn more about all the products, packages, and services on offer from Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats, visit www.RunawayBayPontoonBoats.com or call Craig Winch on 0417 646 711.