iMick

Well I'm a big believer in Bananas being bad luck, a slow day on the kings the other day and I managed to hook a solitary hoody, could have gone 100cm, all was going well with the fight managed to get it off the bottom, so was in the clear and then ping. Then my mate offers me a banana.... I thought he was kidding until he started to peel one. I won't even have them in sight in the fruit bowl or have a banana smoothy the night before. I am one step away from banning them from my house!

Good stuff, We were anchored up about 20 metres from you, great action for all, at one stage everywhere you looked there was a rob bent over and the sound of a screaming reel. We managed 1 in the boat to 88cm and got dusted by 5, some real bruisers around. Unstoppable on light gear (8kg). The larger yakkas worked a treat for us. Mick

Mate I always get a feed in the Hawkesbury, I'm not bragging but just stating the fact that you can catch some nice fish there if you know what you're doing in the right spots at the right time. You need to get a system going eg. Top of the tide for Bream, run out and low tide for Flathead and run out and in coming tide for Jews. You must keep moving eg with an electric motor, or being bothered to pull anchor and shift spots if there is no action. Silence is important too, but in saying that the last time I took my cousin out we caught about 15 fish between us, talking and making noise all day. Live bait or dead that day bait is a must. In saying that I have caught Jews on frozen squid in the past. Consider SPs and Blades and stick with it, that's all I use these days... You WILL work it out. I admit that some days I only catch a few keepers but some of those days are riddled with miss hook ups, or big flattie hitting my Bream gear and wearing the 5lb leader, it happens. I'm happy to show you a spot or two if I run into you at Parsley Bay ramp, PM me some day and give me some notice and we'll tee up a flick. It is a convenient excuse to say the netters are taking all the fish but the netters can't take them all, serious fishos flick around structure where the netters can't get to. That's my 2 cents worth. Mick

I'm doing the same with my Gulps but not because they stink... because the action bugs me, they're too stiff! I love the jelly like material of the Squidgys Mick

This has most probably been done before but peoples lure tastes change over time. This should be a good topic for people wanting to give SPs a go but aren't sure where to start... it also gives sticky beaks like me ideas on what to buy the next time I'm at the tackle shop. Mine are: For Bream: 80mm Squidgy Wriggler in Bloodworm For Flathead: 3" Gulp Minnow Grub in Mango Ripple Glow For Jewfish: 5" Gulp Jerk Shad in Curried Chicken Mick

C-Tek Chargers are a home use unit that you plug in after a days fishing and forget about it, they are a 7 stage fully auto charger, google them and research them, mine cost about $200 When you're serious about getting one PM me and I'll give you the model name to suit your needs. C-Tek are a Swedish company I think, the bollocks of all chargers IMO, your battery will last for years, consider a AGM battery as well, expensive but the nuts mate, military grade stuff. Mick Sorry for straying off topic!

I've got a 55lb Terova and let me tell you autopilot and co-pilot are a fishermans best friend. This may seem overkill but grab yourself a 150amp/hr battery and a c-tek auto charger and mate..... put it this way you'll get back to the ramp if your petrol motor packs it in! 55lb suits my weight fine (4.2m) loaded with gear + 3 ppl, I'm sure yours would be fine too Lot of money for 24v and an 80lb IMO The auto pilot will work like an anchor if you use it right, my anchor has never been in the water. Auto pilot is always on when I'm using the lecky. Mick

I'm no expert but I'll tell you that my current favourite all round lure right now is the Squidgy 80mm wriggler in Bloodworm... gee Bream smash 'em, no tap tap, just smash and grab, and flatty will certainly have a go too. One thing that works for me is to not strike too hard, just lift, keep the tension and then set the hook with a few short strikes, nothing worse that pulling hooks. Works for me Mick

Nice rig mate, forget about the Bream... that canopy setup looks cosy for an all night livebait sesh for the Jews. Enjoy... Mick

What I meant was run in VS run out. The 3 smalls Jews I got a couple weeks back we're caught on the full moon but that was the morning so I it's not really relevant, it would have been interesting to know if I could have caught any earlier that morning in the dark while the full moon was out. Don't know!

For me I don't pay any attention to Moon Fazes, a full moon and clear sky at night comes in handy and I think bait fish silhouette well against the moonlight, and so do SP's. Tides would be more of an influencing factor, as well as bait/lure presentation IMO

I usually eat the fish I catch that day...a couple weeks ago my had already prepared dinner so I filleted and skinned the lizard and put it in a snap lock bag to cook the next day. I've gotta say it was the nicest flattie fillets I've had in a while. Moist and flaky texture like Atlantic Salmon. I did brain spike the fish as soon as I caught it (something I don't usually do but will do from now on) Maybe Roberta is right leaving fish for 24hrs... it may work wonders for the eating quality. Mick

At least you had a day on the water. It's a really clean system but it can get frustrating at times when the action slows down. The way I fish there, if there is not action within 10-15 minutes, I'm off to try a different spot, no use wasting time when you're trying to get a feed on. Some of my Bream spots are tops one day and then quite the next.... you've gotta keep on the move. Some of my favourite Bream spots you only get a few cast before the fish wise up... so I creep up to them with the electric, flick a lure at rock (I mean literally at a rock, like a back board in basket ball) and hope I get nailed, a very effecting battle plan that usually gets me a decent feed, recently though it's been the Blackies surprising me hitting the small grubs. Years back my mate always caught nothing while out on the Hawkesbury, his Fiancée genuinely suspecting him of cheating or lying about where he's been because he never took any fish home. I gave him a flattie once to get him out of trouble. Mick

I do stacks of fishing in Chippo, and even as far up as Lake Moore in Summer for Bream on poppers. Look out for me too

I've got a 4.2 TSF Bass Tracker and I couldn't be happier, great bang for the buck. There may well be better brands out there but you pay more when dealing with the larger companies. A friend of mine is a very established metal fabricator that has contracts with Waterways building large barges, he checked over my boat and was very impressed with the overall constructions, some of the welding appeared a little rough but he mentioned that they appeared strong and well bonded. That same friend showed me a boat in his work shop from a very established boat company, the transom cracked while he was on the water and it started to take on water. My point being no company is immune from hull cracks. Mine and my friends opinion is that you are better off spending the money on a good motor, the boat is much easier to fix, should it ever crack. As far as re-sale value goes. I just don't know, I have no intention of selling mine and I sincerely mean that, it rides well, looks great and does everything I want it to do. The money i saved buying a Stessco allowed me to buy the other gear I needed like an electric motor and 150 amp/hr battery, not to mention a great 40hp motor. Cheaper does not always mean worse quality IMO. I love expensive stuff like the $54000 I spent on my R56 Mini Cooper S, but you aren't looking to buy a car. I ask many unbiased experts opinions before spending my money and for me Stessco ticked all the boxes. Sure mines not the prettiest girl at the dance but I love it so much, great boat mate. See my profile for a pic. See Huey for a package on a quality rig with an Etec, he knows his stuff and I'm sure he'd look after you being a Fishraider. Mick

Worth the money IMO if you've got the time to play with it, it's great for kids too they get a real buzz finding stuff. Gold Detecting though is a total different ball game, expensive detectors. I'm into Coin and Relict hunting, let me know if you're ever considering buying one and I'll tell ya what I know! That's happened to me before, you can do it with steel caps but you lose your scan range and you get a sore arm holding the detector away from your boots.

Hey Stephen, lovely system on week days, I didn't go out there today as I suspected the skiers would be out in force, there was even a few on Friday. The ramp behind Flower Power is a little sus, I had my eyes peeled for syringes while walking around. It's just so close to home. I hope to run in to ya some day, look out for me Blue 4.2 Bass Boat with a 40 Yammy and a bow mount Minn Kota. Mick

Worth checking out then

Good size mate!

Will do mate, the Milperra Ramp is closer to where I live but it's a little tricky launching solo there (no sandy shoreline), so maybe I might try Sandy Point oneday, I hope it's Sandy lame i know! Look out for me too. I'd be up for a Upper Georges River Fishraider Social, good idea for the admin. Plenty of species to target there, even a chance of a good jewie, if Musty hasn't caught all of them Mick

Unfortunately, your vibes are there to stay. You can get waterproof ones, your talking $5000 up. $12 a snag is harsh... SP's for me when in snag country, but sometimes I just can't resist and flick one anyway. Mick

Awesome catch and so close to home too... gotta love that! Mick

Thanks, The Flower Power ramp is only 10 minute drive from my work, I think I'm gonna start bringing my boat to work Look out for me Blue V Nose Punt (see avatar) Mick

Thanks. It'll take some time (maybe a year even) but I'll crack the system for the Jews. I know they're there, as you've proven on numerous occasions. Just a matter of time... (i hope) Mick

Sick of the travel time it takes to get to the Hawkesbury and the fuel cost, I decided to give the Georges a shot for a School Jew. Found some decent holes but didn't have any luck. I wasn't going home without a fight so out came the Bream gear, didn't take long to land this... then this... and then this... I didn't bring my esky as today was to just exploring the system, so all fish went back... not really sure if I would eat fish from the upper reaches of the Georges, defiantly not Bream as they eat lots of Oysters (filter feeders). Maybe a Jew or a Flattie. I'm really fussy like that, I'm sure they would taste fine and wouldn't harm ya but that's just me. Mick