fran1mat

Hello Raiders, Hit Botany Bay this morning for a few hours of soft plastics in the deeper water between Towra Point and Dolls Point. We got a few small Flathead early (two about 25cm) and then everything went quite for the next 3 hours with barely a bite registered. We moved around, over to the jetty at Kurnell and drifting the Groins along the front of Kurnell for nothing. We returned to the first spot drifting the deeper water again. By then the wind had calmed somewhat and the tide had reached somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4's making and we spent the next hour getting hit after hit. All dusky flathead ranging from 25cm to 52cm, with two over the 36cm legal limit. All up, 8 fish landed. Dissapointingly we had to cut the session short due to another family commitment but I think the run of duskies would have kept going, for a while anyway. We finished up at 10am. I will attach a photograph of the 52cm model with a 25cm model in the background, they came onboard at the same time. All fish released. catch'n'release

Hello Raiders, We went out yesterday for a flick in Botany Bay for a couple of hours. The results were not stunning, and normally would not warrant a post, but I just had to tell someone about the sighting of a flying flathead. It really isn't as funky as it sounds, but I must admit it isn't something I have seen before and would be keen to hear if anyone else has seen it happen. We were just having a jig and I was bringing my 4' softy back up to the boat, jigging the whole way as Fishraider Belly has taught us. Something had a nibble of the plastic when it was on the bottom under the boat, so I bring it up through the 3 or so meters of water and as I get the softy beside the boat this little flattie, only about as big as the 4' lure comes tearing through the water, I stop the lure dead on the surface and the little fella in all his zealous endevours overshoots the lure and launches out of the water, over the lure and back into the water, clearing about 30 or 40cm. I think he scared himself and took-off, he didn't bother having another look at the softie. The whole scene reminded me of that whale landing on the yatch in South Africa a few days ago, but on a much, much smaller scale. Anyway, we scored about 8 flatties all between 30cm and 45cm which were all let go. We did head over to the oil wharf at Kernell and there was half a dozen boats in that area so we had a flick around there, and remember we are but novices with this type of fishing softies on real light gear, I hooked a 30cm Trevally. I thought I had hooked a passing submarine, it pulled like a steam train. Eventually landed him and got a quick pic then cut him loose. Heaps of fun. Bit of fun on the water for a Saturday morning. catch'n'release

Really good stuff Yak. Well done.

Hi Jason. I have just sent you a PM on basic fishing on the Georges River. Hope it helps you mate and I look forward to reading all about it on the forums. c'n'r

How are you going to explain that much gear to Customs? You will look like a walking tackle shop LH!

I'd say the offending poster is a fully qualified buffoon.

Great read mate. That bought back some great memories. I spent a few years growing up in Hervey Bay and have fished form there up to Stanage Bay, about 100 odd k's North of Rockhampton. 1770 is just a beautiful place.

No arguement here mate, they are all pretty bloody big.

Nice one mate. Good read. Great dark colours on the one you landed. Matt

Well done Buster. I am intending on heading to the Bay this coming weekend all things going to plan. I am armed with all master Belly has taught me, so with any luck, I will have a day on the water not too dissimilar to yours. Regards, Matt

Fantastic stuff Ray. You look like a pair of Cheshire Cats, grins from ear to ear. Matt

Good stuff Ray.

Boats and choppers, doesn't Hutcho get enough of that during the week? Good on you guys, that sounds like the trip of a lifetime. Matt

Well done guys. It is hard enough catching a fish without having to deal with clowns as well. c'n'r

Would that earn her the Barracuda Record?

Terrific story. Well done. No one better than Ray R for help and guidance. c'n'r

what a great fish. Well done

One up on me champ, I am still searching for my first elusive jewie. That said, I have claimed anything hooked but not sighted, before spitting the hook was most likely a gigantic jew fish. Well done.

Great read Chris. Well done fella's, sounds like a good time was had by all. We were up in that area last Monday. Fishraider Belly hooked something decent but whatever it was spat out his SP before making any appearance. Regards, C'n'R

G'day Ray, Yeah, I have finally gome to grips with this fandangled computey, uploading pic's ect. We had as good day Ray, but the week before we scored more consistently - about 8 flatties between 40 to 56 in an hour and a half . The southerly blew up a bit so we snuck back up the Georges River. We got some good hits up past the Como Bridge, but couldn't boat any of them. I have been telling everyone it was the elusive Jew Fish we have been chasing. Belly has been terrific with his lessons, he has taken being outfished by novices very well. Heading out again tomorrow morning (on night shifts presently), so hopefully there will be another post tomorrow arvo. I have my fingers crossed for our mutual mate and his recent endevours. All the best Ray. Matt

G'day Chris, Water clarity today was good. Dark over the weed beds, and a nice light torquise over the shallow sand flats. Regards, Matt

Hello Raiders, Spent a few hours in Botany Bay this morning with Fishraider Belly and another mate. The other mate, who I will refer to form here-on-in as ol' Mate, and I were receiving our second Soft Plastic Masterclass from Belly on our newly acquired entry level spin rods and reels. We went out last week and were using some stock standard rods and reels but decided after seeing Belly in action, a cheap spin set-up was the go. Anyway, on his third cast ol' Mate caught this gem of a flattie. Measured 69cm. I had spent yesterday tying the braid to the leader and getting both the rods/reels set-up, so I had my fingers crossed as I saw ol' Mate struggling to get her up to the surface. Released back into the wild. A few other good size flatties (up to mid-50's) were landed and released. We also got a couple of small pink bream and a trevelly. I hope the photo works as I am a long time raider, first time poster. All the best. catch'n'release

Well done

Well done Kosta. It sounds like you and your family had a ball. Glad my limited knowledge helped a bit. That spread of the cooked fish looks terrific. All the best mate, Matt

Hi mate. Definately. Fished there over three mornings last week. I fished first light until about 9am. Drifted and used both baits and soft plastics. It was my first real go on the softies so if you are skilled in the art, you may do much better than what I did. Caught some nice flatties all on soft plastics, spooked some real big ones in the shallows before I could cast to them. Caught an absolute thumper bream drifting a whole whitebait and some trevelly on the soft plastics as well. There are some houses on the water up past Myola if you check the map they are at the end of Willowford Road. I start way up (about 1km) East of that and drift up to the houses and then go back and start again. There is a tiny little timber boat in the bushes, that is where I start my drift. That said, where you start and finish will depend on wind and tide. I have caught some noce flatties over they years on prawns up there and a 1M + shovel nose shark. I have heard if you get right up the creek near the fish sanctuary (marker boys to indicate the location of the sanctuary) then there is some good fishing there as well, but I didn't get that far up. If you are up for something different and the weather is alright, I also hit St Georges Basin one morning and caught a stack of fish. Let me know if you want any tips for that area as well. Good luck and please let me know how you go. Matt