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An Aussie Adventure, Part II

  • Updated: October 30, 2008
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Willis Island. A remote island with a weather station nearly 350 miles east of Cairns, Australia.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The 110-foot mother ship Boss at rest with the Wild Turkey moored alongside.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

With teeth that are just as nasty.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Then, it was time to look for the doggies…
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

And we found them. This 52-pounder ate a 12-inch swimming lure with three 3x treble hooks on it…
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Now…try to find that lure… That’s how violent and powerful the dogtooth tuna is.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

One of the best fish of my life, a 96-pound dogtooth tuna on 50.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

One of the best fish of my life, a 96-pound dogtooth tuna on 50.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Unfortunately, my fishing buddy RT Trosset caught a 172-pounder on 30 pound. It’s the current world record for that line class.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

We also managed to catch a number of narrowbarred mackerel, a Pacific version of the king mackerel.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Dogtooth tuna are slash and grab predators, as evidenced by this unlucky fusulier.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

And here’s what they do to artificials. Top is a brand new Moldcraft Chugger used to tease dogtooth tuna. Middle, is the same lure after one fish. On the bottom is the same lure after five fish.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Our idea of matching the hatch; big teasers mean you have to use big flies.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Although we had far better luck with streamers.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Waiting for the seaplane, I finally got to go ashore at Willis Island.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

One of the more common problems, the silver tip reef shark.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Sharks are a problem anywhere you fish in the Coral Sea, especially with light tackle.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

They caught the “mini-permit”, actualy snub-nosed darts, off the back of a 450-pound lemon shark, seen cruising in the background.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The snubnose dart.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

I had to leave before the rest of the group, and the day before I left, I had the chance to chase mini-versions of permit with John Donnell and his friend Mike. We set foot on an island that probably has only seen a dozen people ever.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Birds like this bluefooted booby, weren’t used to humans, so they showed no fear. You could actually walk right up to them.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Unless they had chicks, and this was the alert pose.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

We noticed these Sally Lightfoot crabs scurrying in the surf… but afraid to go in the water.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The island was also covered with orange hermit crabs.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Then we figured out why.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

This small lemon shark was trying to surf onto the beach and eat them.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

They were very protective of their young.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The hermits took any opportunity they could to seek out shade.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

On my last day, friend Buddy Sowers let me have the boat and jigged for a half-day, catching a bunch of dogtooths in this size class. Great fun!
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Buddy getting jiggy on a dogtooth, with me getting ready to gaff it.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The last fish of the trip for me.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Then, it was time to go. The seaplane brought out Buddy’s two sons, Casey and Christian.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Then we loaded my gear on board.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Had time for a quick beer with (l-r) RT Trosset, Casey, Christian and Buddy Sowers.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

Then, it was up and away for a three hour flight back to Cairns, where I’d board a 747 for a 22-hour flight home.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

But I knew this was the end of a trip of a lifetime… that i might not ever get to repeat.
An Aussie Adventure, Part II

An Aussie Adventure, Part II

The pilot seemed to enjoy the trip.
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