dicer

Well done!! It seems like a great day was had by all. These days make it all worth while. David

Hi Martin, The only time I've had any serious results at Flint & steel was on a Calmwater Charter this time last year. I marked the spot on my GPS but before I got to go back there I fried my GPS so I'm trying to work off some visual marks that I noted at the time but I'm yet to have any success. Aside from the charter, Sunday was actually the best return I've had from Flint & Steel.

A quick report of Sunday's trip, better late than never. Hit Mooney Mooney Ramp around 6.00am and headed out to Flint & Steel. Lots of nibbles, boated a mixed bag of Tailor, Bream, Snapper & Rock Cod (probably about 12-15 all up) between 6am-10am for 3 legal Bream. Had a drift out near Lion Island only picked up another Rock Cod. Tried a few other places on the way back to the ramp, no luck. Pulled the plug around 2.00pm.

Hi Gafmo, Try this link from the Waterways website: http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/docs/tidetable06-07.pdf It lists a few spots along the Hawkesbury Regards David

Put in at the refurbished ramp at Mooney Mooney, top marks for the pontoon down the middle. Headed over to Flint & Steel for no luck, had a hook bend and pull on something. Headed towards Lion Island, saw some birds working and a few boats showing some interest, put out a couple of lures. Picked up a strike on each, 2 salmon between 50-55cm each. The little bloke took a bang on the head from a swinging opening windscreen, so we headed in to calmer waters along the shoreline east of Patonga just after low tide, nothing biting. Headed upstream and anchored just off Peat Island, picked up 2 Blue Swimmers. Got out of the water just after noon as it started to look ugly and blow up a bit. Just finished eating one of the salmon (1.8kg gutted) too finish off the day, tasted alright too!!

Hi Laredo, I can't tell exactly but they look similar to a rod holder in an old Whitworths catalogue I've got from last year. Whitworths catalogue number 71967. The price last November was $39.95. Have a look at the link below. Regards David http://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdeta...tAbsolutePage=1

Put the boat in at Parsley Bay ramp just after 6.00am and headed out to Flint & Steel, Fished for a couple of hours for an undersized Snapper and an undersized Bream. There were plenty of pickers about, so we did our bit to feed the local marine life. Headed over to the shoreline between Patonga and Lion Island to try our luck for Flatties, none to be had. At around 10.00 we decided to try another spot but as soon as we started motoring, the warning horn on the motor started going off!! I didn't think it could have overheated in the minute or so we had been travelling, and there was plenty of water shooting from the water outlet and I had filled the oil resevoir on Friday night. Sat around for a while to let it cool down, but as soon as I started it up again the warning horn started blaring again. Limped back to the ramp and pulled the boat out just after 11.00am. There were a few blokes cleaning a heap of fish at the ramp, so some did alright on the day. Not a great day, and to top it off my son cuts his foot open on an oyster covered rock at the ramp. Got home and after investigating it looks like the low oil sensor is faulty, only $30 for the part, no need to sell the Kidney now to pay for the repairs. Hope others did better. David

Thanks Wayne, It was good to land a couple, I had read that many reports about people catching them over the past couple of weeks that I thought it was worth a go. There were plenty being pulled in on other boats as well. David

Sharky, The shock went right through me, the weirdest feeling!!! David

Hi Netic, Well done on the Kingies. The fisheries were around yesterday at the yellow marker near Quarantine station. From what I saw yesterday the guys fishing near the quarantine station seemd to be playing by the rules as far as size goes, but everyday brings new idiots I suppose. David

After picking uo my mate (Niko) at Darling Harbour, we headed out to try and catch the Kingy's we had been reading about. Stopped at the yellow marker at ear the Quarntine station at about 7 - 7.30am with a few other boats already there. Once we finally started fishing (had to have a coffee and get the rods set up) we had a double hook up. As I was getting mine near the boat I asked Niko topass me the net. This seemed to be the death knell for his attempt as he stopped concentrating on his fish wish proceeded to bust him off. Finally got mine to the boat. My first Kingfish went about 63cm. We stuck at it and not long later my second Kingfish at about 62 cm. By this stage the area around the marker started looking like a Westfield parking lot during the Christmas sales, there were boats everywhere. Things went quiet for a while at this point, with just some pickers annoying us. I finally got another hook-up that I was going to let Niko bring in, but while I was waiting for him to get his line out of the way, it took a heap of line from me and obviously took me down to some rocks and busted off befor I could hand off. No further action on the Kingy front. There was a visit form the Fisheries boys to a few boats and it looked like they handed out at least one fine. After a while we decided to do a bit of a troll along the shoreline and head over to the Spit. No luck on the troll and after dodging all the sail boats we basically did a u-turn at the Spit and headed back with a plan to try Sow & Pigs. With all the traffic on the Harbour I was after a more relaxed placed to fix, so anchored up out of the traffic along the shoreline between Georges head and Chowder Bay. Before I had my rod in the water, Niko had pulled in a 42cm Flattie. A few nibbles and almost got a crab in the boat, then Niko brings in what at first sight in th water, I thought was a flounder however when we got it in the boat we couldn't work out what it was. It looked like a Ray without a stinger. I went to get the hook out and got the shock of my life - literally. This thing sent an electric shock through me. I put on some leather gloves to try again and got another shock. The next attempt was made from a distance with pliers. Finally got the thing out of the boat and Niko finally stopped laughing at my reaction. I then picked up a 37cm Flattie and by this time had had enough. Called it a day and headed back to Darling Harbour. Saw he Water Police pull up a couple of boats around Darling Harbour, one looked overloaded and the other was hooting through the 8 knot zone. The 2 Kingies and one of the bust offs were on month old shop bought squid, the other bust off was on a Pilcvhard and the 2 Flatties were on white bait. All in all a good day out. David

Hi Guys, Any tips on a good ramp west of the Harbour Bridge for single handed launching? Preferably with a beach to pull up on. Any thoughts will be appreciated. David

Welcome to the site Sammy. Good result on the weekend, hopefully plenty more to come. David

Put in around 6.00am at Mooney Mooney with my son, a mate and his son. Tried around The Vines, no luck. Headed around for a drift between Patonga and Lion Island, but decided to beach the boat on a little beach along that shoreline. Fairly quickly, my little bloke pulled in a 40cm Flathead. The boat was copping a bounding on the beach, so we got back in and anchored up off shore and cast back towards the beach. Next my mates son brings in a 45cm Flattie. Kids 2 - Dads 0. A few undersize Bream were also pulled in. We motored around to Patonga and I let the other 3 off to pick up some lunch. While they were ashore I anchored up just off the beach and picked up another 45cm Flattie. No more keepers after this, just an undersize Flattie. Overall a good day (particularly compared to previous efforts) on the water. David

Well done Martin, anytime you go home with a feed, you've had a good day.