Noosa Yakkers News September 2013

Base pic: Beejay. Doctor Dog and whale, Laguna Bay, 23Sep13.

PUBLISHED 04Oct13

Hi there yakkers

So, here we are at the start of summer, and no indications yet of any serious signs of big, or small, pelagics. But the river is proving a great fallback situation, as proved by eyetag.

This indicates the great flexibility of our chosen fishing craft. One day you can be offshore dodging whales and be in with a chance of hooking a huge pelagic while the next night you can be in the river slaying trevally, mangrove jack and barra! Same boat, different tackle, totally different environments. All you need is the spare time and energy to get out there.

So, will this be the season we get a marlin on the record books? At least two Noosa Yakkers hooked marlin last summer in Laguna Bay so the chances are probably going to come again and this month, or next, may be the start of the action. Almost certainly, before Christmas, we'll get some spotty macs at least.

As always, all you have to do is be out there when the action starts. Hope you get some this summer.

See you on the water.

Kev


Hello Yakkers, What a difference a year makes. Roughly the same number of trips but at the bigger end of town the variety of fish were very different.

This time last year we were into landing good sized, and in fact record sized, Tuna and an early season Spaniard with Kahuna and Baptism taking out the honours. BeeJay also weighed in with some nice fish.

A reminder from last year below featuring Rob and BJ.




Pics by Sunshiner

For the month of September this year we have seen the usual catches of Snapper, Sweetlip, Trevally, Bass and MangroveJack but the big event came on the 22nd when Eyetag landed a monster Barramundi at night in the Noosa River. What a catch per photo below.



Comments from Eyetag "The fourth hooked, second landed and first barramundi I've kept from the Noosa River in 25 years. Oh, yeah, it went 87cm."  a very happy man.

My other favourite photo of the month, as seen in this month's banner pic, was BeeJay's of Doc Dog eyeing off a breaching whale - or was it the other way around? Either way a great photo with Noosa Main Beach in the background.

Well that's about it folks, until next month...

TurtleBoy



Hi Yakkers

Another month gone, a few more fishing tales have been spun. Memberships are steady, with one more new addition taking us up to a total of 93. Still a few off my prediction of 100 for this year, but we have some time left.

Now, let's give a warm welcome to our latest recruit!

Jack Sullivan (Sully)

Jack is a 25 year old wedding gown designer from Noosa Springs. He has recently come back into contact with his love for fishing, and would like to extend that to enhancing his fitness offshore. Jack is currently trialling his Stealth Supalite in the river while he increases his skill level.

Cheers!

Matt (Gemini)

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Surf Skills
by daveyG

Hi Yakkers

These are my notes from the Surf Skills Day. I thought they may be of interest to all so asked Kev to put them in this Noosa Yakkers News.

NOOSA YAKKERS SURF DAY

AIM OF DAY. To educate attendees on risks and how to minimize to ensure safety of themselves and other beach users. To ensure that Yakkers are aware of their own and their crafts' limitations and what conditions they are comfortable in.

1. RISK AWARENESS AND ANALYSIS

• ​Minimise risk by being prepared, aware and practiced.
• ​Type of risks apparent - Physical Risk (injury), Mental Risk (fear), Social (embarrassment), Financial (lost gear).
•​ People risks (unprepared, unfit, unaware)
• ​Equipment risk (faulty, substandard, broken or incorrect gear)
• ​Environment Risk (location, conditions, stingers, rocks, other water users, changing conditions)
• ​Identify hazards – what could cause harm or loss?
•​ Avoid risks where possible – if not ‘prepared’ – do not participate.
• ​In return for risk there are positive rewards – fun, knowledge, health, confidence and skills
•​ Monitor risk levels at all times, conditions can change (eg low tide/high tide/wind/swell)
•​ Restricting participation to unsuitable persons.
•​ Ensure all participants have correct equipment and know how to use it
• ​Location and access to first aid/support facilities
•​ Buddy system and head count on regular basis
• ​Monitor correct use of all equipment

2. PERSONAL PREPARATION

• ​Fitness, physical and swimming ability – ensure YOU are comfortable with your limits
• ​Ideally need to be a capable swimmer with reasonable fitness. 200m swim in under 5 minutes is a good benchmark
•​ Mental preparation – ensure you are comfortable with what you are about to do
• ​If in doubt of your ability you can always come back another day.
•​ Do not go if you are not 100% confident
•​ Wear suitable watersports clothing and sun protection. NO BAGGY CLOTHING which can DRAG YOU UNDER or get SNAGGED on equipment
• ​Confidence and fitness will assist you to be more successful and have more fun.

3. EQUIPMENT PREPARATION

•​ Kayak needs to be suitable for intended use. Paddle kayaks are OK in surf, most pedal kayaks are not as you lose the ability to paddle steer/brace
•​ SOTs not generally surf craft, some surf OK, most don’t. Be ready to swim
•​ Yak's balance point/weight is in centre so turning ability is limited. Kayaks don't react like surfboards.
•​ PFD use in surf – pros and cons.
•​ Tethers – avoid in surf zone
• ​No broken, loose or sharp objects – cut hazards
•​ Ensure correct use and fit of equipment for each person
•​ Ensure hatches, straps etc all secure.
• ​Access to First Aid if needed

4. PRE-LAUNCH PREPARATION

•​ Ensure knowledge of weather forecasts, wind, tide, rain for duration of trip etc
• ​Assess local environment, crowds, other beach/water users
•​ Identify rips, gutters and sandbanks – where is the water coming in, where is it going out?
•​ Identify paddle out/paddle in zone and be able to locate it from the water
•​ Type of waves - rolling surf or dumping surf?
•​ Avoid breaking wave zone and shore dump as much as possible
•​ Two areas - Surf Zone & Safe Zone
• ​Communications – how will you communicate with group/others if in trouble?
•​ Signals/access to help/find out local lifesaver VHF channel/phone number

5. TECHNIQUE

GOING OUT
• ​Paddling style/ efficient technique
• ​Be aware it is difficult to paddle in aerated water
• ​Rudder steering/paddle rudder
​• ​Technique for heading out – timing, point nose into wave at all times, when approaching waves keep your speed up, wait for dumpers. Speed will help with balance
• ​Reverse paddle if necessary to avoid dumping waves
• ​Once you commit, go hard and don’t stop! Ensure you reach ‘safe’ zone before stopping

COMING IN
• ​Watch and time sets for a few minutes to get an idea for the sets.
•​ Sets usually come in groups of 3-6 waves, come in on back of last wave
•​ Ensure you are in correct ‘paddle in’ zone – ie not too far out/in
•​ Ensure nobody in your path (swimmers, other yakkers)
• ​When ready to go, GO without hesitation
• ​If caught by wave, speed is your friend, keep paddling and ruddering to maintain directional control
•​ If nose turns sideways be prepared, lean INTO wave and brace with paddle on wave side (leaning away from beach)
• ​Low brace, keep your shoulders safe (high brace can dislocate shoulder)
• ​Maintain brace until the wave lest you go, deeper brace can be used to pop over back of wave.
• ​If it looks like you will be dumped, be prepared to abandon ship – however please be aware of any other water users in the path of your kayak before doing this.
• ​To slow down/stop throw legs over side
• ​If capsized in surf zone and you cannot re-board grab tail of yak and ride kayak in. Your body acts as sea anchor, kayak won't get away from you
• ​Grabbing the side handle may give you more ability to 'surf' the kayak back to the beach but also more risk of injuring your shoulders
• ​Don’t be afraid to let kayak go and swim in if necessary

6. GROUPS

•​ If you are in a group situation, how many in group?
•​ Buddy up in groups of 3 or 4 – and ensure you all look out for each other/your partner
•​ Be aware of other water users and ready to assist if required.
•​ Communication – how will you communicate with group? Radio/signals?
• ​ENSURE ALL GROUP is aware of procedures

SAFETY ISSUES - VITAL AT ALL TIMES

•​ WATCH AND LISTEN FOR WAVES AT ALL TIMES
• ​If in difficulty raise arm above head and wave slowly side to side to attract lifesaver/group attention
• ​If you fall off kayak in surf zone, ensure you watch waves and stay on ocean side of yak
•​ When exiting kayak ALWAYS stay on ocean side of kayak or you risk getting broken legs
• ​Do not stay in IMPACT ZONE
•​ Never get between yak and beach in surf

SURF DAY TASKS FOR PARTICIPANTS (if conditions permit)

•​ Identify safe paddle out zone and potential hazards
• ​Paddle into, over and through breaking and broken waves (surf zone)
• ​Practice paddle backwards/retreat from wave
• ​Paddle out through surf to ‘safe’ zone – using rip if available
• ​Capsize and re-mount yak in safe zone - technique
•​ Throw paddle away, swim to/with paddle in safe zone
•​ Low brace – technique on flat water
•​ Catch unbroken wave and rudder/paddle steer
• ​Lean into broken wave with low brace
• ​Steer off unbroken waves
• ​Turn around in surf zone
• ​Capsize and remount yak in surf zone
• ​Swim with yak in surf zone
• ​​Practice

Participants to wear surf sport helmets and suitable CORRECT fitting PFD at all times. No more than 3-4 kayaks in the water at one time. Leader/instructor should be water safety qualified, bring rescue boards/tubes, first aid kit, tow rope, knife, duct tape, spare paddle, communication equipment. Ideally two water safety (on board/kayak) in the water near participants, 1 water safety on beach/shallow water to assist with runaway kayaks

Dave



Hi Noosa Yakkers

Eyetag has done it again with 2 significant captures -

firstly with his "eyepopping" Mangrove Jack on the 9th of September…

…and followed that on the 22nd with his burster of a Barramundi at 87 cm on 8 lb line -- well done Ian.

I would note that at least one other capture during the month would have made it into the record list if measured and claimed and was afloat in his kayak from hookup to boating - beejay's Diamond Trevally would have filled a vacant slot on the list for which there is no minimum size.

The take home message is: measure photograph and claim your record.

Cheers,

tight lines

Doctor Dog

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The Committee (in callsign order)







From top left, daveyG, doctor dog, eyetag, gemini, jaro, jimbo, pedro, sunshiner, turtleboy.