humesy

G'day , Anyone tried them as livies? I have been reading that they are common fare for Jews. Are they hardy enough to last with a 6/0 through the back? Maybe another trailing behind. Would you fish them close to the top where they are found generally? Maybe even butterflied if big enough. Cheers

In my experience, flatties will wolf down the whole lure in one go, even small ones. There isn't generally a need to strike. Missing tails are generally the result of chopper tailor (hence the name); they attack and imobilise their prey by biting off their tails. If you want to land a jew and are in the right place, strike and strike often. I have landed 4 on plastics so far and these have all hit the lure hard and run and I haven't needed to strike. I dropped a good fish this week because I didn't set the hook. The lure stopped as if I had snagged up. The lure started moving and I needed to strike there and then to set the hook. I caught sight of the fish as it shook the lure free 5 seconds later. Hook was not as sharp as it could have been either.

Outstanding fish mate. It was good to meet you the other day. Would love to hook up for a fish at some stage as Santa bought me a little something that might be capable of turning one of these brutes. I only say might though. Great stuff

Great fish Ishhifay and great story. Congrats

It would be a cracking recreational fishery without them. The other side of the coin is that the majority of the population who like a piece of fish, need it caught for them by a trawler. They have got to get them from somewhere. I just hope some actual science went on when the pros were asked to leave the harbour and were allocated licences in the Hawkesbury. That might well be wishful thinking aye?

+1 for the sea anchor but you could also be sitting on a nice jewie eddie. Were you on a river bend or a deep hole?

Great stuff Greg, You are smashing them. The river has looked great the last few days. Would love to catch up on the water some day. Cheers, Humesy

There seems to be two types of fishing trips for me. The trips I plan in advance with friends and the spur of the moment trips when a window of opportunity presents itself. I have had 2 weeks of holiday and done one of each. Being a new dad, this is about all that seems likely at this stage but tonight was successful enough to restock the freezer with jewie cutlets. My spur of the minute trips are infinitely more successful than my planned trips. So much so, that the friends who come on my boat have begun to accuse me of shopping for my fish at DeCostis. Last Friday fishraider Geoff and I set out on a trip that had been postponed once, hoping to hit the hawkesbury. I had it all planned. Seabreeze was showing calm conditions 4 days in advance, there was a nice big high tide at about 10; I had 3 spots in mind for a big jew. The forecast was out by a day and our day on the water began in a screaming Sou-westerly. We headed out from Brisbane waters and were greated by whitecaps. We tucked in behind Lion Island where there were schools of salmon at play, berleyed up and pulled in a few horse sized yakkas. One salmon also hoovered a bait jig for a bit of excitement. By 9 o'clock, the whitecaps had become bigger and more furious and a trip up the Hawkesbury was plainly going to be too much punishment for any hope of a fish. We went back into brisbane waters where frustrations continued as tide and wind were opposed and holding anchor over the chosen spots was almost impossible. The last throw of the dice was to the back of one of the bays for some flattie drifts and lure casting. It was very pleasant by comparison but totally fishless. Tonight looked good on all fronts with conditions I favour. I love a calm evening with low light due to cloud cover, nice high barometer reading and a high tide at about 6.30 (due to tidal lag), close to dusk. Having returned from a romantic aniversary getaway, I did the good hubby thing and cooked up dinner and did the grocery shopping. Then I legged it down to the boat ramp to allow 1 and a 1/2 hours to gather bait and 2 hours of fishing either side of high tide. Livies were a little hard to come by but I managed 5. I had some freshish frozen squid as well. Managed 3 nice jewies from 60-70cm, all within 1/2 an hour; 2 on the squid, 1 on a livie. Beautiful evening on the water. Thanks Geoff for your company last friday. Apologies if my frustrations with the conditions spoiled the enjoyment of the day. It was a precious leave pass spent on that day and it just doesn't always pan out the way you want it of course. I really do enjoy good company of course when I am fishing, its just that I never seem to catch a damn thing.

I got 2 exemptions from my employers but it only delayed the inevitable. I fronted up and didn't get chosen for the panel. You go into court with about 40 potentials then they literally pull numbers out of a barrel. The defense or prosecution can have you rejected for any reason they see fit and the judge might allow for chosen jurors to request dismissal on the grounds of the nature of the trial (this was a date rape trial). My number never came up so the judge said thanks very much for fronting up for your civic duty, have a nice day. was told it would be 10 years before the next call up.

G'day. I lived right on narrabeen beach for 3 years and pulled some nice fish from there in that time. Being a tradie, I would suggest afternoons/evenings are your prime times. You will get tailor, salmon and Jew into the night especially on a rising tide. Come summer, you will need to stake out your spot early as competition for prime gutters is fierce. Don't be scared to chuck out a livie either. Grab some yakkas in an aerated bucket from Roseville, lob one out and hang on. Even dead fresh yakkas are a gun bait. Don't limit yourself to narrabeen though. Plenty of beaches that fish equally well both north and south of there with less people. Take a drive and search for the best gutter, Good luck

Well done on the jew. That was typical for winter-time beach fishing in my experience. 5 PJs for any keeper fish. It is a massive tease when time after time you see the rod buckle only to haul in a big brown ooglie.

Understood completely Rich, I wasn't actually asking to see the lure though, maybe others have been. Apologies Greg, if it came across that way. I am experiencing a bit of success (and huge satisfaction) myself at the moment, in much the same way. By getting out and experimenting.

Fair call Greg. I wasn't having a go, you have been very generous in providing information on how and where to get jewies on lures. It sounds like the jews will be safer if the lure is kept under wraps. Cheers

Excellent effort. I am getting a taste for jews on plastics, its a top way to fish. Very curious as to why you'd hide the lure. I can understand being cagey about spots in the background but this lure must be hot stuff if you need to hide it. Anyway, good going!

Just got off the water with this beauty in the hull of the yak. Had been couped up all day so was great to get out onto glassy water again, close to low tide. Felt a big thump on about my 4th cast which I wasn't ready for. Thought they might be around after that and sure enough, this guy smashed the lure and towed me around again, a bit faster this time. My boat is in danger of becoming obsolete if this keeps up. Happy days! The jew went 75cm, lure was 6 inch Gulp white jerkshad. The cat was on the case quick smart!

That's great news, He's waited a long time for the op and been to hell and back while he waited. Hope you are recovering well by the time you read this Byron.

Get down to Global Tackle. I am not sucking arse in recommending a sponsor of the site; Wahyu has a wealth of knowledge, especially about the eastern suburbs spots. The shop is on Anzac Drive in Maroubra. Go the big 12 inch plastic sluggos or stick baits as they are sometimes called. You don't use a jig head; just rip them along the surface and they resemble a wounded garfish. Used to get the salmon swarming all over them and it is very exciting watching them hit it on the surface. You may get kings to do the same if they are turned on. As for your knots, they could be wind knots, usually caused by using lures that are too light for the line/rod/reel (as far as I understand). Watch the weather tomorrow. The wind is meant to be attrocious and I reckon the swell will be on the rise in a day or two. PS, best to post this type of question in the "Fishing Chat" section

G'day, You could try Shark Point off the northern end of Clovelly Pool. Head as far out as you can on the rocks. Plenty of Salmon there and kings too at times. Try casting big sluggos out and ripping them in. It's a popular dive spot so that can ruin the bite when a couple of divers swim through. All part of fishing in a big city (especially the eastern suburbs). I do hate it though when a snorkeller goes right past your line when you have been fishing there already. Usual word of warning on watching the swell. I wouldn't fish it in a southerly. N/E wind works well as can help with casting. Wear cleats/rock shoes. There is (or was when I used to live in Coogee 5 years ago) a big Korean contingent who fish there. They wear inflatable pfds and fish for kings with long whippy rods and tiny squid strips. Some of them wear their golf shoes too!

Thanks heaps everyone, Anthony, by the Woy Woy T-wharf, do you mean the one beside the co-op or the wharf on the other side of the raliway in Woy Woy inlet? Cheers

G'day, The question is in the title. I am wondering where I can catch yakkas without having to head over to West Head. I have heard that Booker Bay by the mariner is one option. There are mullet up in the local bays and I have once caught yakkas (in summer) off the back jetty. I have tried a few jetties but much of the water here is heavily tidal so burley trails seem to be a waste of burley and I haven't managed to find yakkas. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. PM is fine if you are secretive but willing help out. Many thanks

happy birthday Byron. Hope you have a great day mate.

Cheers all, Roberta, it is a Sea Wasp 17 foot sea kayak. It is about 12 years old and had been gathering dust. It's not really a fishing kayak but should be good for trolling lures. Thanks for the tips regarding the rod holders. Now just need some boga grips.

first tip, get out there. Time on the water is essential to build up a picture of where they will be. I have only caught 3 on plastics and they have all been in spots I have caught jews on bait previously. While it sounds obvious, you need to be casting where fish are likely to be. Baits and livies can sit around waiting, a lure needs to be in the right spot at the right time. I would also be on the lookout for high concentrations of baitfish. Be on the lookout for frightened baitfish as well. This often happens around this time of year in the upper reaches of the harbour and indicates predators below. You want a nice slow retrieve. Cast out, allow to sink and as soon as the lure hits the bottom, whip it up with a couple of bounces then wind in the slack line waiting for the lure to drop to the bottom. Be at the ready at all times and I am told you should strike at everything, even what might feel like a bite from a picker such as chopper tailor. There was a great video of a fish caught by Musty which will show you the technique. The rest I'd say is common jewie tactics. Fish a tide change, prferably in the evening or early morning. Good luck, its a great way to fish. You tend to be much more alert to your surroundings than when you sit around with baits in the water. This helps build up a picture of what is happening on and more importantly, under the water.

I was donated an unused sea kayak by a mate a few months back, having just moved up to a spectacular part of the world on the central coast (where we are spoiled with waterfront access). I spent yesterday putting two rod holders behind the seat and this evening was a perfect night for a paddle. After 15 minutes paddling and 2 dozen casts, this little beauty struck. I giggled like a schoolgirl as he towed me around for a bit then nervously gill lifted him into the hull. He went 64cm and the lure was a white gulp jerkshad. Doesn't get much better in my books. 1 hr on the water, mirror conditions, beautiful scenery, a bit of exercise and a tidy little jewy. Interestingly, having caught around 50 jewies (at a rough guess), this was the first one I have come across that had food in its stomach. There was a smallish squid, a chopper tailor of about 10 cm and maybe a decayed yakka. He was a hungry wee fella.

Not a bad read at all with some interesting theories. Surprised to hear he uses baitrunners for the first run. His thoughts on daytime vs night are also interesting. Those chasing their first might be best to save long trips until the water heats up. You will recognise the magazine by the picture of a jewie on the cover. I reckon it must boost sales to have a big jewie on the front. I am sure all us tragics buy a copy for that very reason.