December 2007

http://www.murchisonboathire.com.au/

MURCHISON BOAT HIRE DECEMBER 2007 ELETTER

At last we had some rain in Kalbarri, 35mm, the most we have had over night for 9 years!

The crays have come fairly slowly compared to last year and the run of the whites started on the 16th when we
started to get a few. We have been getting an average of 6-7 most days. We started off well, declined and
then picked up as follows. First day Tuesday 4th December was our first pot pull, we got 12 size legal crays,
then 7, 3, 4, 4, 3, 3, 4, 11, 7, 3, 3, 16, 9, 11, 10, 0, 5, 3 and we then pulled the pots out.

(I just don’t have any boats to go out in, they are all booked)

At the beginning of the season there were quite a few crays in “Berry” meaning they had eggs as shown
in the pic above. You can also see the “Tar Spot” which means it is in breeding condition & has to be returned.
Crays that have “Seatose” also have to be returned, that is when they are starting to come into breeding condition if they
have the fine hairy filaments on their bellies.

Bruno and Jared pull the pots. The river mouth is in the background.
So you don’t have to go far, 20 metres deep seemed to work for us.


Six or seven crays per pot. This was the average, not all of them are size either.
Sometimes a big one gets in, this one was well over size.
I fish with a mate, Bruno; we have two licences on my boat which is the max so we are permitted to pull
4 pots thus allowing us to catch 16 crays per day max. We share the crays, bait and fuel
Amateur cray licences are available on line at http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/.
You may have 2 pots and catch 8 crays per day.

First Mackerel for the season
The first mackerel of the season have already been caught! As far as I know
the first one was caught by a tourist boat on the 17th December and they got 2 more on the 18th.
The determining factor is low swell, (equates to the clarity of the water). Water temperature,
(Needs to be above 21.5 degrees). And finally under 12 knots wind speed (They don’t like the choppy stuff).
We had a troll after pulling the pots this morning the20th; the day wasn’t too bad so shot up to the Sand Patch.

Got a hit and dropped a nice mac at the boat before the Sand Patch, continued,
got a double hook-up caught one, dropped the other. Back over the area again got a hit, missed it, continued
got another double hook up, dropped another and landed the other.
6 hits 2 fish, not a good hook-up ratio, but sometimes they just don’t hit with gusto!

Brand new motor!

The 6.1m boat has been repowered with a brand new 115hp 4-stroke Yamaha!
The old one, 4 years old, had done 2450 hours, (Equivalent to 300,000 k’s in a motor vehicle), was getting a
bit sluggish and before I had any troubles, traded it for the 2008 model.
I am impressed with the new gauges that come with the motor.






The Speedo & Fuel gauge, Tacho with trim, motor temp, battery levels & oil pressure.

Best of all, fuel management, It will tell you how much fuel you use on the trip, how many
kilometres/litre you are using & litres/hour. By varying your speed you can find the most
economical speed to travel.
First day out I was surprised that it had a lot more grunt, the old one was getting tired!
Now you have a real nice new reliable 4-stroke to go out and get fish with!

Late evening tailor fishing

Incoming tide, big swell, late evening, perfect for tailor!
Chinamans firing up for a good session if you don’t get swept away!

7.8m Thunderbolt Walkaround
The 7.8m walkaround is at the paint shop so no more progress pics I am afraid.
It will be powered by twin 115hp 4-strokeYamahas, giving you 10nm offshore.
This will be a very popular Gnaraloo boat, not to mention all the other places it will be very
handy like Exmouth, Mackerel Islands and Karratha.

On the way to the paint shop
It should be ready around the middle of January.
Built with a beam of 2.5m, which still allows towing at night and without oversize signs.
Built by Kevin and son Greg of Preston Craft
Check them out at http://www.prestoncraft.com.au/
I have worked out some rates and they can be viewed on my “Hire Rates “ page

A bogged Haulpac, front wheel right down, can’t see it from this pic.
They had to bring the dozer down with a low loader, and with help from a front end loader,

a grader and the dozer they got it out.

Photos with compliments from my wife who drives a Haulpac in her spare time.
Another bogged Haulpac

Kalbarri Offshore & Angling Club, Local comp 17th November.
No comp this month, just too busy with Christmas!

Gnaraloo Station
I will be up at Gnaraloo Station for 10 days or so in June trying out my new 7.8m boat.
I take over the boat from Brett & Roger Simm who will have it the week before me.
If anyone wants to take the boat after me, I will finish with it on Sunday 8th June.
It will save you the tow all the way up.
The 6.1m boat will also be up there and the hire finishes on the 28th May if you want it after then.
It will save you the tow up as well.
Gnaraloo contacts:
Barbara: 9315 4809
Email: bookings@gnaraloo.com.au
Website: Gnaraloo.com.au


Thevenard Island
This year the 6.1m boat spent a lot of time up at Thevenard Island in the Mackerel Islands group off Onslow.
Helen will take your booking if you would like to visit. Phone her on 9184 6444
bookings@mackerelislands.com.au
Check out the website: http://www.mackerelislands.com.au/


These links will take you to Youtube showing some great action video clips taken from
my boats and also a very good mulloway from the beach.
Triple tuna hook-up
Dhuie and snapper
Beach mulloway

Or go to the Adventure Bound website and view them there. Click this link.
http://www.adventurebound.com.au/news/latest/youtube_kalbarri_wa_offshore_episode.html
After a lot of effort on my part, you can now view all my past newsletters in my Blog.
I have made three blogs; you can view all of my 2005 newsletters with photos at

http://www.murchisonboathirefishing2005.blogspot.com/

And from January 2006 to December 2006 with photos at

http://www.murchisonboathirefishing2006.blogspot.com/

And from January 2007 to present with photos at

http://www.murchisonboathirefishing2007.blogspot.com/

They are quite long URL’s so add them to your favourites for later.

The caravan park at Port Gregory is under new management and a booking agent for my boats.
You can now book a boat and pick it up in Port Gregory.

Remember if you rent our accommodation you get big discounts on our boats.
Have a look on my website for the details, and check out the savings.


5-day weather forecasts, http://www.buoyweather.com/ go to virtual buoys, pick the location you want.
This is the one I go by!


Big bait – big fish
Laurie