It’s not often that a just eleven-year-old lad from southern parts is invited on a three day fishing trip to a tropical paradise!
For Brayden Spencer, the first annual Gen Tag Mackerel Competition was an amazing three days. “I’ll remember this trip all my life” he said.” I’ve not only caught my first big mack, but I was allowed to tag the fish, record the data, and found out a whole lot about this new project.”
The Competition was organised by NT Fisheries scientist Paul DeLestang.(Pronounced d-late-en)
“Our mackerel Gene Tagging Programme is a world first, and every development is being carefully monitored by scientists around the world” he said. “The program gathers data from both commercial and recreational fishermen, using differing methods. Our target for this first year is to catch, tag, collect DNA samples, release and record the details of 200 Spanish Mackerel.”
“This weekend we have about 17 boats involved in the programme and they have all been trained in the procedures needed to capture the right data.”
When Paul called last week and invited me on a three day trip on the fisheries "MV John Hickman" it was a bit hard to knock back. I joined other sponsors of the program, Perth based swag manufacturer Darren Spencer of Aussie Outback Supplies, son Brayden, and John Harrison CEO of AFANT. Friday afternnon and our skipper, Quintin Allsop guided us out of Cullen Bay, and we had a pleasant hour and a half trip south to Roche Reef, where we fished for several hours before dark.
While we relaxed, Paul explained how the program worked and why it has been hailed as a breakthrough in fisheries management world wide. [Click here for details].
On arrival we trailed our mack lures, and waited. Not long! Within minutes we had our first hookup, and that screaming, distinctive first run of a good sized Spanish Mackerel.
Because we were tagging, and have the fish at the boat in as fresh a condition as possible, we were using fairly heavy gear. Terry Dunphy from Shimano had helped Charlie at Happy Mick's supply four Tekota 600 reels. We loaded these with 80lb Platypus Superbraid, supplied by Darwin based Arafura Tackle.
 "These outfits are awesome" said Paul."The one we are using would have easily accounted for 50 fish so far and the drag is smooth as silk. The reels are light, and the handle is substantial and very comfortable. Absolutely ideal for what we are doing."he said.
With the fish at the boat, Paul showed us how to insert the tag, simply by pressing the tag pole into the flesh above the lateral line and infront of the dorsal fin. It wasn't long before Brayden had it worked out and he became our gun "Tagger"
The tag pole is "double barreled", that is to say, it has a numbered tag that is placed into the fish, and it also captures a small slice of flesh, be means of a special designed tube. The fish is released, and the data recorded is:
- Length of fish
- Where hooked
- Any bleeding
- Condition on release
The flesh is washed in a special preservative, and the canister carefuly identified for DNA recognition. All in all a very smart and efficient system.
After catching and tagging a few fish we headed inshore to our camp spot on Bare Sand Island, set up camp for the next couple of nights, and enjoyed a few beers and a spot of fishing before a BBQ tea.
We shared the island that night with a large crew of young people who had arrived by yacht to study the numerous big female turtles that we coming in to lay eggs above the high water mark. More on this another day, but one of the highlights was when a couple of young backpackers, set up camp along the shoreline just above high tide mark. Although we have no photgraphic evidence, I'm told that during the night a particularly large and fertile turtle decided the tent was directly between her and her intended nest. The camp woke to the screams of the very frightened young ladies who were rudely aroused by an angry turtle tearing through there tent and out the other side!
Bacon and eggs before dawn, and we left with the other boats for a big day on the water. The breeze, due south in the early hours, had swung more easterly, and the "old salts" predicted a great day with light breezes. They were right.
We fished Roche for a couple, and then headed south west to one of my favourite areas, Sail City, which was 64 kilometres or about an hour and a half steaming.
On the way we managed to catch a nice sized tuna, that we later put to good use as bait.
Quintin has a "mark" that had been productive on previous trips, and with the Dowlings boat with Peter Fisher aboard being the only other feature on a very flat sea we settled down to a great day's fishing.
It wasn't long before the mack's turned up in numbers. Of course, we lost a good few, and some of them were very good fish, but mostly we were able to get them to the boat in good condition and without too much hook damage. Drag setting were a challenge: we had to compromise between pulling hooks and needing to get the fish in well before they were exhausted.
 Early on most of our fish we caught trolling. a Lively Lures Mack Bait and the superbly finished OZ Mack lures, both recommended by Charlie from Happy Micks. These Rapala look a likes are a budget solution, and although they often don't swim straight out of the pack, and need a lttle tuning, when swimming well they were dynamic!  You will need to replace the hooks first, but for a $14.95 lure they were great. I picked up a lot of fish early, because the Mack Bait swims a litle deeper and stronger than most.
When they went ff the troll, we anchored right over Quintin's spot. There was nothing extraordinary on the bottom, it was just one of those fish-holding areas that happen from time to time. It wasn't long before we pulled fish off the bottom.The best was a brilliant Coral Trout, that was Quintin's contibution to the evening meal, and a good sized Tricky Snapper.
We found THE METHOD almost by mistake. Darren half joking said "I'll just chuck a mulie (WA talk for pillie) out the back. We call it lunchtime trolling!"
He very quickly landed a quality fish. Before long we all had pillies out the back, mostly on lighter spin gear. I reckon we picked up about twenty fish like this, all good size with the biggest (by Brayden, would you believe) around 15kg! We were having great fun, and Paul was starting to look anxiously at the depleted tag supply. (We carried the tages for all fourteen boats for the three days. This wasn't supposed to happen!)
We were in the middle of a triple hook up when, you wouldn't read about it, this very nice but not so smart "Queen Mary" arrives on the scene. Not content to cut right through the fish  holding area off our stern, they proceeded to anchor about fifty hards away, right over the spot Brayden was struggling with his fish, and despite our protestations.
Nice going, guys! Good photo though. If you'd like a copy just drop me a line!
We packed up not long afterwards and prepared for the long haul home.
In all we had tagged an amazing 33 Spanish Mackerel in two days. We lost a few, and there were three that we damaged enough to put in the ice box for dinner.
Paul was a very happy chappie, and couldn'twait to share our success with good mate and champion angler Chris Erritity, back on Roche Reef.
That evening was very special. Everyone felt that we had made a significant contribution to the progam, and Paul was making excited calls to Darwin, babbling on about the near 100 tags we had in the bin. Good stuff.
Trained as they are, my crew left me at anchor to cook dinner while they went ashore to you know what. Geez I got thirsty!
The meal. which they described as adequate but scoffed so they get back for more, was something designed on the spot, and there is a link to the recipe here abouts. The Might Mack Meal!
 Great weekend. Top company, as good a fishing experience as you would want, with the benefit of contributing to our knowledge base of the mighty Spanish Mackerel, and extending the fishery well into the Brayden's lifetime, and hopefully that of his grand children.
Well done NT Fisheries!
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