Chetwode Islands
September 2004
We met at six o’clock at Big Blue and with the weather forecast looking pretty favourable for an outer sounds trip, Brian, Nigel, Allan and myself headed off to Duncan Bay. A comfortable trip over the hill we met a glorious view of “flat as glass” water. With flat calm conditions we were on our way heading out to the Chetwode Islands around 08:15am. After a bit of a look around for any favorable spots it was decided to dive along the east side of the top island; then at slack water hit the reef at the top. Nigel and Allan were in first, leaving Brian and me as boatman and fisherman. It was easy to follow these two divers as the occasional breaking of water by their fins indicated that if there were any bugs then they were shallow. After a couple of cod were landed I hooked a nice 41cm specimen. Good luck for my new rod with plenty of cod about. Next Nigel and Allan were up, so we motored to them with expectations of full catch bags. Sadly the opposite……..nothing. They had seen numerous females in berry, and a few smaller males, but no takers. So now it was Brian and my turn. Again it was a very shallow dive, 12 meters being about the deepest. We followed the rock and weed line south, working our way in and around the weed. I spotted a couple of littlies just out from a rock formation. A closer inspection revealed larger bugs under a flat rock, good size and male. Strike one resulted in a miss, but strike two secured about a 3 lb buck. This was to be my only sighting of bugs all day. A bit more searching through the weed and rocks and it was time to resurface. Nigel and Allan then got dropped on the east side of the reef at the top. As there was little current Brian and I continued fishing to complete our quota of cod. Nigel and Allan followed the reef south, and resurfaced with empty catch bags once more. A most enjoyable days diving and fishing and a great day had by those who ventured out.