LRPC GIVEAWAYS!!!!

LRPC GIVEAWAY COMPETITION WILL BE DRAWN THIS COMING SUNDAY!!!!!! You'll have 3 chances to WIN some LRPC Clobberrrrrrrrragh!!!! 1. Answer a random qstn about this blog 2. Be the lucky drawn 'liker' on the competition Facebook post 3. Guess the weight of a specific fish species (pic will be displayed Sunday afternoon).....stay tuned for updates....yarrrrgh!! BLACKBEARD

Popeye Bonnici Pioneers BIG RED!!

Words by Blackbeard



Long Reef Pirate Mike 'Popeye' Bonnici and fellow buccaneers, Ant Judge, Andrew Scott and Jason Kaskanedies, set sail last Friday night.  They ventured up the Pacific Highway to Coffs Harbour in search of BIG RED!!!.....What did they find??? You bet ya gran's fucking jewellery they did!!...Yarrrrrgh!!!



The Antman with his MONSTER 10 keggerrrrrrrrr!



I won't bore you with all the bits in between (as the pictures will speak for themself). Basically, Popeye and the boys stumbled over a patch of fish on Sunday and nailed it, pulling 6 fish in one drift from 4 - 8kgs.....and a THUMPER 10keggerrrrrrrrgh on the second drift. A session they won't be forgetting anytime soon....yeeewarrrgh!!!



Check pics below...

Popeye Bonnici with a proper ugly bumpy...yaarrgh!!

Ant Judge and Jason Kaskanedies with a nice pair of Mid North Coast Reddy's

Andrew Scott with a nice little damaged snapperrrrrrrgh!!

Jason.......I miss you :-(. Come home to Blackbeard...haharrrgh!!

Jason releasing his well kept Snapperrrrgh!!

Popeye with another nice chunky Red

Back to the high seas little Reddy....yarrrgh!!

....and another one!!

Yarrrrrrrrrrgh!!! 10kg  MONSTERRRRRRGH!! Well done Mr Judge!!

Popeye Bonnici V Big Hoodlems in NZ...Yarrrgh!!

BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES!!!!! Must see video of Popeye Bonnici nailing some MONSTER Kings on a recent trip with Team Jigging Master to the Three kings in NZ.....crazy good!!...Yeeeeewarrrrgh!!!! Blackbeard

WHAT A KNOBHEAD!!

Words by Nick Clark

A 6kg cracking KnobHead from Arrawarra, NSW

I'm not talking about that bloke who just came hooning up your burley trail in his big ‘all the gear no idea’ rig….im talking about snapper!

I just love ugly Snapper. That’s right…the uglier the better in my opinion. Every time I hook a snapper I just hope as it surfaces up towards the waiting net that it’s a crusty old looking fish with a big bumpy head and nose. I don’t know what it is about them…I just reckon they look a lot more impressive than the cleaner looking, rounder headed fish. There is no other fish species I can think of that can have such variance in appearance.

Why are some snapper ugly & humpy, whilst others are more graceful, clean looking fish?? I guess its like humans… some of us are kind on the eye and others pretty bloody ugly!! hahaarghh

Much has been written about why some snapper have bumps on their heads and why others don’t – including research pieces by leading marine biologists, and there is very little conclusive evidence as to why.

Whatever the case classic ‘old man snapper’ are always impressive to look at, and here are a handful of my favourite LRPC knobheads!

Perhaps the all time most fugly snapper ive seen! Sonny Gordon got this mutant on a plastic off Coffs in May 2012. Hideous looking fish...

A snapper like this one taken by Adam Keogh makes the cold winter morning bearable!

boong humpy - Ben "boong' Petrovic with a chunky snapper from Longy.

The incredible Hailey Bonnici with her ugliest red to date.

Freak waterman and freediver Ant Judge with a freakishly knobby fish taken off Sydney.

Clarky with a very dark, crusty old man red on a floater. Long Reef.October 2004.

Pirates Rule The Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Comp!

Words by Blackbeard

'Freaks of Nature' Mike & Hayley Bonnici, along with good mate Timmy Forster, blitzed the field of 200 competitors in last weekend's 6th Annual Dave Irvine Memorial Snapper Comp held in Coffs Harbour. Team Evinrude took out every category apart from 'biggest fish'...... NOT GOOD ENOUGH GUYS....YOU SUCK!!!!! Bahahahaharrrrgh!!!

Team Evinrude - Tim Forster, Hayley & Mike Bonnici

They caught and released 30 Reds in total over the 2 day event (5 between 81 - 87cm, 5 between 70 - 77cm, 10 between 60 - 70cm and 10 between 40 - 60cm). LRPC Powerrrrrrrrrrrrgh!!!!

1st Place Men's - Michael Bonnici
2nd Place Men's - Tim Forster
1st Place Women's - Hayley Bonnici
Champion Team - Team Evinrude

See pics from the weekend below......yeeeewarrrrrgh!!!!

Mike with a thumper 82cm Knobby Snapper

Hayley with her cracking 87cm Reddy

Timmy with a well proportioned 84cm Pagrus Auratus

Mike aka Popeye with another ripper 85cm snaps

Hayley aka Olive Oyl with a healthly looking 70cm Red

Timmy Killing it with another nice Pinky

Its all just show now....haharrrrrrrgh!!! FREAK!!!

Winners are grinnerrrrrrrrrrrrrs! 1st, 2nd & 3rd Men's. (From left to right) Mike, Timmy & Mr Chris Cleaver

Hayley (left) showing off her 1st place trophy along side Runner Up Chloe Taylor (Middle)

Pirates Rule!! Yeah boys (and girls). Congratulations!!

Watch Blackbeard wrestle a 25kg Cobia on a snapper stick and Popeye Bonnici man-handle his buddy...yarrrgh!!!

Check out Vid below.....yeeewarrggh!! BB

Blackbeard and Popeye fisting a pair of nice Cobia

Awesome!!

WALK THE PLANK with Mike Bamforth...

Words by Nick Clark

Kings are high on Mikes List of Sydney Targets - he got this one with Clarky on 'gettin wet!'

Mike Bamforth is the newest LRPC recruit. He is definitely what youd call an obsessed fisho – not unlike all the lrpc boys!

Mike hails from Balgowlah on Sydneys Northern Beaches – right on his doorstep lies the entrance to Sydney Harbour – hence it’s absolutely no surprise that Mike, and his mad keen brother Tom, have this waterway well and truly figured out. Whilst Mike s fishing is often focused on stealthing around chasing jewies in North Harbour at night aboard his legendary dinghy ‘old mate ’ – Mikes major passion lies in LBG fishing. Mike has conquered some incredible fish off rock ledges both in Sydney and up & down the coast – including big kings, various species of tuna, and the ultimate rock based capture a 100kg black marlin.

Although Mike is an experienced hand at LBG, he is an extremely versatile fisherman, and certainly a favourite crew member on my boat. Working at Black Pete Marine has opened up a stack of game fishing opportunities for Mike and if i trust anyone to tie a rig, a bait or lure its Mike! He is also freakishly good at catching squid…and notoriously bad luck if we’re chasing Trags…

Mike and his bro are complete tackle nuts too…The first time i stepped foot in his house i thought Fishing Tackle Australia were about to open a second superstore in Balgowah – their stash of fishing gear is fucken mind blowing! Everything I need and own to catch fish fits in one single Shimano bag – yet the Bamforths collection would just about sink an ocean liner!

When he comes out for a days fishing he not only brings knowledge, skill, and quality fishing gear – but usually a big bag of great tasting food – including the best sandwitches you’ll ever lay your hands on!

Below are a few questions I fired at him recently for our blog…

Q - Mike when did u start fishing and howd u get started?

A - Mate, I would have been about 4.My old man taught us the basics of fishing down at Sussex Inlet. Catching poddy mullet on bread and bream on light handlines.

Marlin off the rocks represents the pinnacle of LBG - here's Mike with his  100kg Black Marlin

Q - Your fishing styles and different gear are pretty diverse ! Whats the one type of fishing and the one outfit that your’e really loving at the moment?

A - Im really into spinning off the stones at present – with both metals and poppers/stickbaits. My new fave setup is a custom 10ft spin stick my brother Tom made me(TBC Rod Co). With a 5000sw stella and 30lb braid it’s a sick setup for longtails, mackerel, etc…it’s a north coast LB special!

A cool northern bluefin taken just a fortnight ago up on a north coast ledge...

Q - For most fishing scenarios are u a Bait or Lure man?

A - I love fishing lures mostly – but theres situations where its hard to go past a good livey – you always feel confident soaking a live bait.

Mike's Infamous Dinghy 'Old Mate' strikes again! This time with a neat little nth Harbour Jewie!!

Q – You are regularly out on the bluewater these days…Say on a typical day off Sydney chasing Marlin do u prefer Switch and bait or dragging lures with hooks?

A -  Off Sydney id have to say dragging lures. Because the fish aren’t often concentrated like they are in other locations, you have to cover lots of water and for that you cant beat lures. Also we spend a lot of time out wider off Sydney looking for blue marlin and they crunch trolled lures!

Hapuka - Mike wrestled this Hapuka into the pirate ship 'Gettin wet' on the shelf off Sydney. It's hard work pressing the UP button on the Electric reel - but someone's gotta do it!! 

Q - Whats the one species you have always wanted to tangle with but haven’t crossed off the list yet?

A - Rooster Fish off the shore in Mexico….they look crazy!

The Rooster Fish

Q -  If you could have any fishing spot, anywhere, uncrowded, and going off, where would it be and what would you be catching?

A - Hahahaa shit?! Id say Greencape, off the rocks, spinning poppers, and theres big hungry yellowfin and kings all over the top! Keep Dreaming…!

Mike jumped aboard with Bonnici last year when the southern bluefin were going off  at Bermagui - This fish couldn't resist a big stickbait switched through a trail of cubes....yeeeeew!

Q – I know you enjoy a feed of fish – whats your top 3 species on the plate (in order)?

A - 1. John Dory, 2 .Jewfish , 3. Tossup between Blue Eye Trevalla and Yellowfin.


Thanks for your time moit!

Frothin' with Captain Frothin'...Aaarrrrgh!!!

Words and pic's By Josh Young aka Captain Frothin'

Captain Frothin'...frothin'!!! Yeeeew!

After closely watching the weather all week on Seabreeze and Willy Weather, I noticed that early Saturday morning was the perfect opportunity for Captain Frothin' and mates, Scotty and Cam, to tackle the mid north coast. We had heard that the spanish macs were on at Port Mac, so we drove up Friday arvo. It was going to be my debut bar crossing!




Nice Coffs Bumpy on SP's

 

We launched out of North Haven boat ramp early Saturday morning and crossed the bar on a small and glassy one metre swell, no problems at all! We started at the bait ground, filling the livey tank with pencil slimeys and the odd yacka. With spanish mackerel, kingfish and sambos on the "to-catch" list, we set off to chase our catch. We travelled 10 km east to what we thought was a good spot to catch spaniards. The  water temp was 24.9 degrees! Things were hot, and the fish were not!



Captain Frothin's PB 14kg King Nugget...arrgh!!



We decided to move south east to chase some kings. After arriving at the next spot we noticed we were battling a 4.5 knot south current and a 4 knot south east wind. Alas, no luck again!

 1st Place 2011 Warringah Anglers Annual Snapper Comp



We headed 8km west to another known kingy ground, where we finally saw a bait reading. After losing two baits, I managed to hook up to a solid 7kg sambo! A fish at last!

All in all, we travelled A LOT of kilometres for not a lot of fish! The things these crazy pirates do! But had a great weekend with the boys..tight lines!

Weekend Sambo braaaaaaaa!!!!

Coffs Harbour - Pirates Treasure

Words by Jay Bardon

Pics by Michael Bonnici

7.30pm Thursday night, I’m in the car with the wife, heading out for dinner, when my phone rings, it’s the Fish Yoda Mike Bonnici. I turn to Alison and quickly say before picking up the phone… “babe, don’t think I’ll be around this weekend” :-). There is one rule when you’re a pirate or any fisherman for that matter, when The Fish Yoda ask’s whether you'd like to go fishing, you go fishing. Sure enough Mike is heading up to Coffs and there’s room for one more….I’m in! Also coming for the ride is Jason “the bass king” and Vince Andreacchio. This was going to be an awesome weekend!!

After a 6-hour drive and a quick sleep, we were up at 4.20am and in the car heading to the Coffs Harbour boat ramp. It was not long before we were on the water heading out through the harbour. Reports had been floating round of good Wahoo being taken straight off Coffs, so we already had a plan in place. After an hour or so of motoring, we slowed to a trolling speed and chucked 3 Halco Laser Pro’s overboard. It wasn’t long before Jason’s White/Redhead Laser Pro got hit. A quick minute fight ended when the 60 pound wire trace snapped. No more than a minute passed and I got hit and 30 seconds later we had a small yellow fin tuna flapping around the deck. Back to trolling and Jason’s lure got smashed again, and after some blistering runs, “the bass king” had himself a nice 12kg Wahoo onboard. Back on the troll, and suddenly pandemonium broke out!...we had ourselves a triple hook up! Unfortunately hooks pulled on both Vince and Jason’s fish, so I was left to fight what felt like a Wahoo, which I could tell by its incredible speed. This time I would win the battle, and all was secured when Mike gaffed the 15kg Wahoo and pulled it over the gunwale. A few more bust offs and the Wahoo went off the chew, so it was time to move on.

A short run and we were at a little bait ground. The sounder lit up and we were pulling in full strings of Slimies, along with the occasional pesky tailor and less desirable yellow tail. With the bait tank full, we were off to chase the super tasty, Spanish Mackerel. Rigs already attached, we started a slow troll and not long into it, we got hit and Mike pulled in a nice Spotted Mackerel. The session continued like this, and we ended up with a couple of spotties, all around the 3-5kg mark.

With the Bait tank empty and a strong southerly getting closer and closer, we decided to head back in, still without the elusive Spanish Mackeral. The urge to stop at a little bait ground on the way, in search of the beast, got the better of us. We dropped anchor along with the bait jigs and straight away slimies started to come aboard thick and fast. Mike being “The Freak” he is, decided to rig up a slimie, attach it to a balloon, and throw it out the back. Sure enough 10 minutes later there was an explosion on the surface "BOOM!!"this time it was the Mackerel we’d been looking for, the almighty Spanish! Once it was landed, it was only a matter of minutes before all bait jigs were pulled up and 3 balloons set floating livies out the back. The 25 knot southerly had hit, and it started to prove too much to manage with all 3 sets, so one was retrieved leaving 2 out there to pick up any wandering pelagic. We managed to pick up another Spanish, along with 2 whalers. Spanish both ranged from 8-10kg.

Total fish count for the day was 2 Wahoo, 9 Spotties, 2 Spanish and 1 yellow fin tuna. With fish in the esky already on ice, we headed back to the boat ramp. The day ended with a feed and some cold beers at Woolgoolga pub.

Unfortunately the following day the southerly was up, preventing another Coffs harbour pirate mission. So we jumped into the car for the 6-hour drive back to Sydney.

Thanks Mike, Jason and Vince for a bloody awesome weekend, I can’t wait to do it again….arrrrrgh!!!!

See pics below...

Awwwww!!...Such a cute wittle wellowfin

Can't believe you shaved that beard off...arrrgh!! Jason with a nice Wahoo

Do you speak Spanish Vince??

I got ya!!!! Jay with a nice Wahoo.