Logan River Fishing

from BOAT GOLD COAST MAGAZINE JULY - SEPT 2022

In The Flood Zone

Logan River An Epic Battle

By Ray Bricknell www.sbsfc.org

On the Logan River, I had one of the great fishing experiences of my life – one of those occasions you simply never forget.

I was out on the water very late for a morning fish. I travelled up to The Elbow, and the sounder indicated that the deep hole there was 50 feet deep at high tide.

Following advice, I anchored on the edge of the deep hole, in about 13 feet of water. I set two rods up in rod holders, one floating a bony bream I caught when throwing my bait net, a couple of metres below the surface, and the other on the bottom baited with a strip of mullet from my freezer. Both drags were set very light as I was trying to avoid having another rod and reel dragged over the side by a shark taking the bait “on the fly”. The bony bream lasted about 15 minutes and was taken without my seeing or hearing any action on the rod, so a big banana prawn went on to replace it.

I was rigging another rod, my tackle box open on the floor of the boat, when the rod up the front of the boat went off. It was exactly 11:00am. Something was taking the strip of mullet for a swim up the river – not a violent run; just very leisurely. I took the rod out of the rod holder, put a bit of tension on the line to sink the hook, and waited until the fish stopped taking the line.

After about 50 metres, it slowed a bit, and I started to try to recover some line. It didn’t take me long to realise I had a very big fish on the end of that line. You can tell when it is a very big fish – rather than frantically kicking and dashing and darting about, they seem to barely notice that they are dragging a line behind them.

I thought it was definitely not a shark. I have caught enough bull sharks in the Albert and Logan Rivers to know how they behave when hooked. They dash and dart all over the place, take you for a tour of the river, and nearly always leap out of the water soon after being hooked.

Neither did I think it was a big stingray. Stingrays have a characteristic feel to them when hooked, and this was not a ray. But it was a big fish, so I decided it had to be a jewfish, and it would clearly be the biggest jew I have ever caught.

The rig I had it on was about a 10 or 15 pound breaking strain mono line (say 5 to 7kg), two metres of 50 pound leader, a wire trace, and a live bait. I was determined to be patient, and to take as much time as was needed to tire the fish and gradually ease it to the boat.

The fish was covering a lot of territory, so I completely lost count of the number of times it swam around the boat and anchor line. It was at least six or eight times. I then decided to try to pull the anchor in, with one hand and a foot. I eventually got it in without losing the fish.

I was having to constantly walk from one end of the boat to the other to try to keep the line clear of my other rod and line. On one occasion, when the fish was going for a serious run, I stepped on the edge of my half-open tackle box and tipped the contents of one drawer all over the floor of the boat. What a mess!

At one point it swam just past the back of the boat and managed to wrap the line once around the propeller. I was able to tilt the motor out of the water with my spare hand and get the line off the prop. Then the fish headed for the big mangroves growing along the riverbank. When the boat was just two or three metres from the mangroves, the fish turned and headed out into the deeper water. Twice, I got the fish close enough to the surface to be able to see the top of my leader, but the water was too muddy for me to be able to see the fish before it headed off for another leisurely “run”.

Eventually, after about 55 minutes I got the fish close enough to the boat for me to be able to get hold of the end of the leader. And I am quite certain that the shark that came to the surface alongside my 3.7 metre boat was every centimetre of two metres long. Its head was at least 30cm across – probably more.

I got hold of the end of the wire trace. I was trying to decide whether or not I was game to try to get hold of the bottom jaw with my grippers, to try to get the hook out, when the shark gave a bit of a kick and solved that problem for me – by snapping the wire trace. I was actually very relieved at that outcome and will never forget that fishing experience.

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Runaway successbuilt to go places

Interview by Caroline Strainig

Being able to pull up to a beach anywhere the fancy takes you is just one of the boats’ pluses. Smiles all round – happy owners and their friends enjoying the on-water lifestyle.

Manager Neil Stapleton (L) Salesperson Craig Winch (R)

Australian boat buyers are voting with their wallets when it comes to new luxury pontoon boats in which to cruise our waterways – and a longestablished Brisbane company is leading the way. Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats of Burbank/ Rochedale successfully manufactures and sells quality pontoon boats, proving that anything an overseas manufacturer can do an Aussie company can do as well, if not better. The company proudly and justifiably describes itself as “Australia’s Premier Builder of Basic to Luxury Pontoon Boats”. HERE TO STAY - Company manager Neil Stapleton attributes the strong demand to their boats’ build quality and easily customisable design, as well as the company’s excellent customer service and reliable local back-up. “Our parent company is Highgate Engineers, a division of Holmwood Highgate, a privately owned Australian company,” Neil said. “Holmwood Highgate was established in 1985, and today we have more than 200 employees. Buyers can have confidence that we will still be here for many years to come, which cannot be said of some companies who import boats from overseas. “Our pontoon boats are built by Australians for Australian conditions and that really shows in the build quality and their toughness. They are also built to Australian standards and even international standards, if required, and designed to be within standard towing width, so there are no issues towing them.” FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE - Neil knows all too well how important dealer and manufacturer back-up is, because it was after buying an imported pontoon boat for his own family that he came up with the idea of building an Australian-made version. “The imported boat in question was designed to cruise in freshwater in the USA and did not take kindly to constant immersion in corrosive salt water here in Australia,” Neil said. He found it difficult to get satisfactory dealer and manufacturer support for the problems that cropped up. Eventually, the dealer shut down and he was left on his own. Frustrated, he decided to build a pontoon boat himself, using his own ideas and the extensive expertise of the team at Highgate Engineers. The resulting two prototypes hit the water in 2008 and the rest – as they say – is history. Sales have continued to grow year on year, and their only issue is keeping up with demand, which is a wonderful issue to have. THE BEST - Company salesperson Craig Winch has been part of the success story since the beginning and his enthusiasm for the craft shines through in his comments. “We have some pretty special waterways in Australia and our boats are the perfect way to get out there and enjoy them,” Craig said. “Our pontoon boats can be built to survey, and we also offer various lengths and widths including many popular designs between 16 and 28-feet, all trailerable. Customers can choose their own colour scheme and customise their internal fit-out to some extent, so the boat layout truly reflects your personal preferences and usage. “They are all-day boats, designed for enjoying local waterways with your family and friends, whether that is fishing, water-skiing or wake-boarding, or just sitting back and taking in the world as you leisurely cruise on by. We work with clients to offer them the very best in sports fishing pontoon boats and leisure pontoon boats.” THE PURSUIT OF PERFECTION - Neil noted that one of the aspects potential buyers appreciated the most was being able to visit the factory and see boats under construction, and observe first-hand Highgate Engineers’ meticulous attention to detail and build quality.

You can choose and customise the layout to suit your own envisaged usage.

“The company prides itself on a policy of continuous product development and improvement, while utilising the highest quality materials and keeping abreast of the latest technologies in the pursuit of perfection at a competitive price,” he said. “Those are big words and that is an ambitious goal, but it’s what we strive for, and I think our sales show how well we are achieving it.” In keeping with its underlying commitment of ongoing customer support, the company is also happy to repair and modernise older pontoon boats with new furniture. Neil said the reputation of the company is also reflected in the resale price of the boats, because owners often resell their boats for almost what they paid new, even after years of happy usage. Want your own dream boat? Call Craig at Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats to discuss your ideas. Prices start at $40,000 for a base boat excluding engines and trailer. You will find Runaway Bay Pontoon Boats at Highgate Engineers at 155 Ford Road, Burbank/Rochedale QLD. Office: (07) 3440 9000. Craig’s Mob: 0417 646 711 craig@runawaybaypontoonboats.com www.runawaybaypontoonboats.com

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Gavin Ward has joined the group as Dealer Principal and manages the day-to-day operations and sales across all brands and the range of brokerage vessels. Gavin has an extensive background in yacht sales and substantial expertise as a CEO in the corporate sector.

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Whitehaven Motor Yachts can provide a wide selection of solutions, that can be adapted to embrace each owner’s vision of creating their ideal motor yacht. Aquila power catamarans have an impressive range of performance multihulls from the 28 foot Molokai offshore design to the luxurious Aquila 70. Integrity Motor Yachts have found a niche, delivering a high-quality finish, spacious design and easy, efficient operation with low maintenance and running costs.

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And there are many innovations to look forward to in 2023.

Extending on its existing success, we are looking forward to 2023 when we will be delivering some great new Integrity solutions. Key amongst that is the new 470 Coastal Express cruiser, which will embrace the traditional comfort and quality but will also provide a new ‘modern contemporary’ look and feel, plus provide genuine higher speed cruising capability for those who need to call for greater performance. This faster semi-displacement model is already in production and we will be releasing it when we talk to customers at this year’s Sydney Boat Show. We expect to have the first boat here in early 2023 and any new orders taken by August can be delivered in time for Summer boating in 2023.

Gavin Ward, Dealer Principal of Spectrum

Featuring advanced styling and higher speed cruising capability, this great new cruiser boasts a 17’2” beam at its widest point, offering huge volume accommodation for two couples, each with discrete shower and toilet facilities, including fully separate shower stall. No cramping in this is a luxury escape for you and your friends.

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“We are looking forward to catching up with our existing customers over winter with some exciting events and cruising experiences that will introduce owners to like-minded boating enthusiasts and show newcomers to boating some fantastic itineraries and anchorages.”

To get in touch with Gavin, phone: 0418 402 809 or email gavin@spectrummarine.com.au

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Teak cleaners in action

BEFORE AFTER Rust Off Gel in Action