Fishermen we are not. Last time we caught a fish was deep in the Amazon jungle. It was raining and our day trip was cancelled so the resort offered us some hand lines, baited with steak to fish for Piranha. We weren’t successful, although the staff were very accommodating, running to the kitchen for more steak. We threw allot of prime beef (a rare commodity in the Amazon) into the river before we caught a teeny tiny Piranha.
A couple of weekends ago, on a hot sunny Saturday; where some parts of the Northern Hemisphere were experiencing a polar vortex. We decided to try our luck again, this time with the kiddies for their first fishing trip off Redcliffe Jetty.
Redcliffe is a sleepy seaside suburb, 35 km north of Brisbane. On week-days the majority of the population are retired folk with a few mums here and there. However after school hours and on weekends it’s buzzing with happy kids swimming in the free lagoon by the sea. It’s a picturesque spot with a beautiful jetty not too far from Brisbane where you can spend a few hours or even a day hanging out.
People usually get to Redcliffe early on the weekends to reserve a gazebo complete with BBQ along the foreshore or one of the precious sheltered areas by the sea. I’m fascinated by these people. I’ve seen tables set nicely with table linens, arranged cutlery and plates, all sorts of food and drinks, extra chairs and shade umbrellas. One day I shall join this group. For now, managing to have all kids out the door with shoes on is a significant achievement. If you are less organised. A picnic rug under a tree and some fish and chips works nicely.
We had very little expectation of catching anything, as a result our gear consisted of a toddler tackle box and reel and Layla’s sand bucket “just in case” we caught a fish.
To our surprise we actually caught something with Liam’s beginner fishing rod – a crab! It happened almost immediately after throwing the line in. Followed by lots of screams of excitement as a bounty of fish followed. Ok, our fish bounty is not one that proper fishermen would even consider “fishing”. However, to out little family. This was a step up from a tiny piranha caught with three plates of steak.
A great day of amateur fishing fun. Next time we shall be better equipped to catch the big one.
TIP Bait, toilets and sunscreen
Bait can be purchased up from a newsagent (convenience store) in Scarborough – address 109 Tourist Drive, Scarborough. It’s about 2.2 km further north of Redcliffe Jetty. They have a pack of frozen prawns for $6 in the freezer.
The nearest toilets are located across the street and a few hundred meters from the jetty. Best to go beforehand as there are no toilets on the jetty.
Don’t fry – pack sunscreen and a hat. There is a sheltered gazebo area in the middle of the jetty. However the rest of the jetty is exposed.
Look at all those jellyfish–scary and amazing. You’re making me long for warmer days.
Thanks Nicole. Hopefully you’re feeling a little warmer still. Jellyfish suck! The one thing about our North Queensland beaches is the “stingers” the jellyfish and sting ray kind. xoxo
That looks like a lot of fun! Can’t wait for summer!
Thank you Myrah, sending you some sunshine. Stay warms over there. I love coupons. We need more in Oz. xo
There was a lot of jelly fish in that water for real. The water looks beautiful though. Thanks for sharing.
We get allot of them, especially the further you head up the North Coast of Queensland. Love your site. Thanks for stopping by.
Sounds like a wonderful day with quality family time! 🙂 Stopping from SitsGirls, love your blog.
Thank you 🙂 Love the SITS Girls xo
I am so happy to find your blog through Sits. I also have a family travel blog.
We love fishing with our kids, but we never seem to catch anything.
That looks like paradise. Especially right now while we are dealing with MORE snow here in NJ. My husband is an avid fisherman, so this would be heaven for him!
There are fishermen everywhere down here. I think your hubby would fit right int. Stay warm. Some of the photo’s I’ve seen of the huge dumps of fluffy snow is so pretty though. xo
This trip looks be amazing.
Thanks Nikki, it was a fun day out. We are quite lucky to be so close to such great spots around here. Appreciate your kind comment 🙂
What a wonderful adventure!!! (both fishing adventures) We live in a coastal town here and I love being close to nature and all the walkabouts we take together as a family. We haven’t caught a crab yet but we have been chased down the beach by a few…hehe
Happy SITS Comment Love Friday!!!
Thank you. The crab was a bit of a surprise! Thanks for visiting. I don’t think I can live too far from the ocean. The only thing about living in St Louis was the lack of any ocean. xo
Very cool! I love all those jelly fish.
Jellies…. my husband thinks they are a waste of space. LOL Thanks for popping by xo
After dealing with another snow storm how I wish I could transport myself into these pictures. I’ll take sunscreen over layers any day! Stopping by from SITS! Happy V-Day.
Happy Valentines Day to you as well. Thanks for popping by. I am no fan of Polar Vortex. Sending you some sun from Oz xo
Such great photos! How wonderful that you are exploring our beautiful world. I loved travelling with the kids when they were small. Now hubby and I do most of our travelling with friends. Wonderful blog!
I think travelling with friends is the best. I love it. Wish I could do more of it. These little ones are still quite attached at the moment 🙂
We aren’t much for finishing but we love the ocean. That picture with all the jellyfish is amazing! A couple years back we went to RI for a summer trip and the beach was loaded down there.
Can’t say we will be doing the fishing this on a regular basis, though it was fun. I’m with you with the ocean. We can’t get enough of it. xo
How fun! We keep saying we are going to take the kids fishing, we even bought rods and tackle. At some point we will make it happen, though I am so not into ice fishing!