With BIF1 having been out of the water for ten days, for sign writing, engine service and some other bits and pieces, it was a great relief to hear from the marina that she was back in the water. The best news is, the fault in the engine fuel delivery was identified by our mechanic, and rectified. A physical fault, which I think put Captain Bruce's mind at rest.

So, with just a single days weather window, I invited my good friend John Parsons out, to join Bruce and I on a little test outing. The night before, I had to move "Scooby" off BIF1's dry dock, where she had been since coming out for a blast off, back to her mooring. I did it via the manners reef, where my fly was intercepted by four spirited bass and a scad, in an hours fishing before darkness spoiled my fun.

Leaving John to baby sit the fishing gear, Bruce and I went to BIF1 to bring her out of the inner marina, through the lock system. As we boarded her, we noticed a shoal of at least a thousand small schoolies. Future stocks, safe from mishap in their summer residence.

BIF1 performed impeccably. The wind was not as forecast, becoming a stiff SW with fair short chop building in the afternoon. Simply not a problem though. Fishing was harder than it should have been however. We found the flood shoals in the places where we were expecting them. But getting them to feed was quite tough. I missed a couple on the fly rod early on, but abandoned this as the tide got deeper and the current stronger, plus being pushed along on the current with a stiff offshore wind, making getting the fly down to the fish very difficult. Picking up the lure rod, I was rewarded with a fish in the 5lb region, which turned out to be the biggest of the day.

Her new livery...

Bruce and John picked away, and the tally slowly made it to double figures. But the wind was increasing yet further, and we were looking at an early bath. Bruce and John kindly dropped feathers in the last hour, to give me some good mackerel for shore based ventures in the week ahead. Which is where this story turns sour, as with plenty of bookings, the current autumnal weather is going to mean plenty of disappointed customers afloat. Meanwhile, the shore fishing should show some promise....

I myself will be out of the country 1st to 10th August. Capt Bruce will be on the helm from 6th August onwards. And by the time I return, we shall begin hunting cod on the reefs. They are a completely different beast when hooked on 30gm outfits, and we look forward to showing you this very soon indeed... :)

An inshore reef codling from last season...