stormy

Got back on Sunday arvo from a few weeks in NZ and noticed the fridge was bare. Decided to go for a quick fish on Monday morning, as the seas were flat and the weather was glorious. It was a late start, arriving at the rocks around 10am. A couple of local mates had been there for an hour or two and only had 5 fish between them, so I wasn't too hopeful. Rigged up, cast in and was on within 30 seconds. Lucky me The fish were rolling on the bait and not feeding, but the downs were there if you knew what to look for. I shallowed right up to 1.5m and hooked a few. The locals were just shaking their heads as the fish kept coming. My mate Bob landed three, which is generally two more than usual, and the other boys got another four between them. A hairy marlin popped its head up a few feet from shore, but luckily no-one had a fish on so it didn't hang around and continued north. (seal) I got hit hard and busted off in short order, several times, as the pigs came out to play. Didn't land a single one and had to re-rig three times as they busted me off. They felt like better than average fish and one almost pulled the rod out of my hands as it hit. A great couple of hours and I ended up with 9 fish and dropped 11 as I was trying to land them. No swell meant a dead lift onto the shelf and most were lightly hooked due to their tentative takes, but it was fun. Total for the day between four of us was, 3, 4, 5 and 9. Got to be happy with a feed for the next few days.

I do know this. Almost 50 yrs of experience has taught me this

Good going boys. I went out last Tuesday and came home with a plain donut. Not one down. First time in a very, very long time. Loads of kelp and storm water debris, plus the swell was too big for outside. Oh well. I have found a flanno in one of the clothing bins, so I am halfway to managing the harbour dress code. One day.........

My version was more accurate.

Not for the past 12 months, there isn't. Had an early start this morning for a fish off the ocean rocks. Missed the sunrise, but arrived at the spot around 7am. Saw a 'ship' aground on Cronulla beach, and it apparently has a few Indonesian folk on it, who are helping Police with enquiries as to how the managed to get there. Hmmmm. Anyway, walking along the road, saw a Manfrotto camera tripod in a council cleanup heap outside someones house. It looked near new, and was, so I scored it. Found it is worth $455 new, so a good pickup. Walking along the beach, I found a nice bobby cork with cyalume stick attached, took that as well. Got out the front and tossed in a bait, for an immediate take and first fish within 30 seconds of wetting a line. Can it get any better? The ocean was glorious, flat and warm. There were baitfish on the surface, as far as I could see, in a narrow strip north and south, about 50m out from the rocks. No predators feeding though. Dropped a bunch of blackfish fish on the edge of the platform, when the surge only just failed to wash them over the lip and got smashed by a few pigs but had a great morning. We called it quits around 10am, as there were a few fish to fillet and skin. I ended up with 15, John had 9 and Rick with 3. Released a few but a couple of friends wanted some fillets so had a bit to do. The season will start soon, so fish should be coming on the bite. What a year - last season hasn't ended and appears that it will not. Couple of funny incidents today. John took off his backpack and put it on the rock. He commented that there was a lens off someone's glasses near his pack and that they would be missing it. He fished for about an hour and complained that the salt spray was making his vision blurry, so went to wipe the lenses. Nearly poked his eye out, as the lens he 'found' had dropped out of his bi-focals. One lens was very dark and the other wasn't there so he looked like a pirate. Rick arrived about 8am and John had lost his float to a fish, so he offered him a float he had found on the beach a week before. It was another one of Johns distinctive floats which he had lost a few weeks back. It had washed up after having been to who knows where. Only downside for today, was when I bent down to pick up the keeper net and now have a severe pain in the lower back. Pinched a nerve, I guess. Fished with the old Avon, which was spooled up with 12lb Dango Wax and 8lb Schneider flourocarbon leader. Bites were a bit different today, but I worked them out pretty quickly and you had to keep an eye on the float to 'visualise' what the fish were doing with the bait. They were full of brown stringy weed today, but wouldn't bite on green weed. Cabbage was the go, as it almost always is at this location.

Black Drummer, Pig, Rock Blackfish

Went for a few hours this morning, with the intention of hitting the coast. The morning was overcast but warm and the estuary spot was millpond flat with no swell surge at all. A 30 minute walk out to the coastal spot, saw a moderately strong southerly blasting the platform but low swell. Tried to fish it for 15 mins but it was hopeless in the wind. Float was skidding sideways, so a few handfuls of cabbage were collected and we trudged back to the estuary. The big seas and heavy rains of the past few weeks have denuded the rocks of cabbage, inside, so I didn't have any expectation of catching many fish. Tossed in a few handfuls of berley and waited. It was so still, that the floats hardly moved from where they landed. I had five downs in the next two hours and landed four fish. The last one was off the ledge just a single rod length out. It sunk the float slowly, but when I lifted the rod it powered off for the bottom. After a minute, not giving it a chance do much, I landed a 38cm pig, which will be dinner tonight. On another note, a school of big tailer and kingfish were smashing baitfish only a short cast out from the rocks. They kept it up for two hours. Naturally, I only had the blackfish gear and centrepin reel, so watched on in frustration. My poor mate Bob, didn't even get a single down. Oh well, that's fishing....

I'm with you Trevor. Do you share?

Went for a bit of a fish today, with the intention of getting a few blackfish for meals. The usual estuary ledge had been denuded of cabbage by the big seas of the previous week, but the swell had dropped dramatically, even since yesterday, so I hiked out to the coast. Met my mate at the start of the track and we got to the rocks about 8.30am, an early start in anyone's estimation. The cabbage on the ocean rocks had also copped a hammering, but the regrowth is amazingly fast and the deeper pools and channels had plenty. Cast in and had one within 60 seconds. Looking good. The fish were all small today, averaging between 32 and 36cm, but I like this size best of all for eating. Rick persists with a bobby cork and threadline reel, but he did check out my rig to see why he wasn't getting anything. He matched my depth, bait and even begged the same hook. We had a lot of fun today and there were loads of fish, but they were not ravenous - probably due to the huge amount of feed that has been washed off the rocks lately. I hooked plenty of blackfish today, feeling the weight and playing them for 10 or 20 seconds, before they dropped off the hook. I dropped around 10 fish in this manner and in the clear water, I could see what they were doing. Nudging the bait, mouthing it, but not swallowing. The swell got a bit wild with the dropping tide and the NE kicking in, so I cast out to a wash where I have caught scores of bigger fish on previous sessions. Snappy hits and much bigger fish out there. Put a real bend in the Pac. Comp. 3145G rod. Some of the fish 'did' me within seconds, but five of them I managed to bring in close enough to see. Trouble is, they spotted me as well and couldn't get into cover fast enough. The pigs had moved in and had me re-rigging more often than not. I managed to land a baby of 38cm, but the big ones figured I was more of an annoyance than a threat. When #5 took me under a ledge and kept my best float in the process, I decided to call it a day. A couple of other acquaintances had arrived and spent the last 2 hours fishing with us as well. Tally for the day was 9 for me, 2 for Rick, 1 for Ray and 0 for Casey. It's good to be lucky at something. My iphone battery went dead right after this photo, and two of the fish had flicked out of frame. They didn't like the hot rock, I suppose.

Good going again. My fishing partners are going tomorrow, while I am getting stuck at the Doctors - acupuncture!! Wednesday looks good for a solo trip.

Dartanium?? Wasn't he one of the three musketeers? Lots of anglers are replacing them with carbontex, due to pitting of the original washers.

Well, they have the same scientific name and genus details, so one can only assume that they are the same fish. Might see if I can spot one or two in a couple of months time.

Bail arm???? What's that? Oh I remember, that's the thing on a reel which isn't designed for blackfish haha.

Don't know how many times I have bent hooks trying to get them out of their 'soft mouths'

Forty years ago, we used to wipe vaseline or other waxes onto the first 30-50m of mono to ensure the line floated and there was as little as possible drag between the float and the rod. The reasons are self evident. If you saw a chicken wing lying on the buffet table and picked it up, only to find it was stuck to the plate and you were dragging that plate across the table, you would let it go and find a nicer one to eat, yes? You don't want drag and a floating line gives you that. If you are worried about the wind picking your line up, then it will be strong enough to pluck at your sinking line and drag that out of the water as well. I went from greased mono to braid (which is quite good) to a wax floating line (which is better). I am happy to be annoyed if the wind lifts the line off the water. Your heading stated blackfishing, so that is what this response is for. By all means try the 'semi floating' line and let us know how much your catch improves

I generally make my own floats. I have a small source of cane stems and virgin, unused champaign corks. Yes we often get a few wide mouth luderick in our catch. The flesh tends to be 'rubbery' at times, so when I select which ones to kill for a feed, the wide mouths usually get released. In saying that, I have also had wide mouths which have been moist and perfect when cooked. I have tried to find out if these are a sub species, with no luck.

Someone mentioned N.Z. I will keep a look out in March, as I will be there for a couple of weeks. Had a relatively early start this morning (for me anyway - Whispering Jack goes for a swim at 5am, nuts) getting away at 6am. Arrived out the coast about 7am, to find two boys already fishing there. They got up at 3.30am to go fishing. What's wrong with the youth of today??? The swell was forecast to be around 0.5m, but it was more than that and made the ledge a bit tricky. Found out that five men are too many for this possie when there is a bump on the water and no wind for a drift. Anyhow, we managed but a 6th arrival saw him turn around and fish a rock to the north. Bob cast out and hooked in almost right away, landing a nice fish of around 40cm. That was to be his one and only for the session. He had a strange day, losing two floats and a bit of gear. Standing too far back off the edge and letting his line drop onto the rocks was the problem. John got two fish and lost a float as well as some gear. Some of the larger swells hammered into the rocks and we all got thoroughly drenched several times. Steve and Sam, the bikkie boys, managed a dozen or so fish between them and went off to fish the blue hole, doing quite well up there too. I don't know how many they ended up with, but they always do good. I was fishing a rod length under the fixed float and getting baited consistently, with no indication of a take, so decided to fish only 1m under the float and started to get regular downs. Told the boys the fish were feeding high, but they didn't improve on their bags. I ended up with 11 fish and dropped a half dozen trying to land them in the tricky swell conditions. It was right on the cusp of deciding to fish inside waters or being very cautious in the current ones. It was a glorious day out there and the water was perfect, but the fish were being a bit coy. Overall though, when the catch was tallied, there were around 30 fish landed by the five anglers and more were added by the two boys from west of the black stump, when they moved over to the blue hole. A pic of my fish. I released one to grow a bit and fight another day. Promised a couple of friends some fillets, so kept the 10.

Good work boys. The mauve binding on that sportex looks familiar. Heck, you almost have half a footie team in that mob. Never all fit on my locations. Going out in the morning. Nice size surgeon.

Yeah, I apologise. It has gone off track. Sad to hear of Paul's mojo demise. He tried once to topple the master but he is still the grasshopper.

Heck I will just stay and fish here. The borders are secure so I don't have to share the spots with anyone else. Did get a haircut today but not enough left on top for a mohawk. Fifty nine hairs left on top and they just topple over. Oh well....

See, I continue to learn despite 40 yrs of fishing for them. Still trying to find a pair of stubbies and a flanno shirt for when I venture out of the Shire.

Very windy, almost Stormy Fished inside on millpond water, gin clear. Only landed four and dropped another four. Still, that is enough for a couple of meals. Whispering Jack got three and Bob the bus driver got zero. Hard fishing today, but a beaut day to be there.

Good report. Who is the bloke in the brown boots? Has he got short long uns or long short uns on? I am heading off in the morning for the spot Royce was thinking of taking you today. I must try and join you all one day soon.

Yes, out the front with cabbage. Tried flies as well but they weren't too interested. Garden bed is great - very productive.

Went out yesterday for a quick fish before it got too hot. On the platform by 6.30am (which is generally the time I get up for a 'normal' session)and had the first fish a few minutes later. It was a glorious morning and the water was just magic. The downs were constant, if a little on the timid side on most takes, but the fish kept coming for me. I noticed that the float would snap under and then pop back up before I could lift the rod, so decided that I knew what was happening. I shortened the depth to just 1m under the float and the hookups were solid. Got 14 fish (well, 13 fish, but the other guys were still fiddling around filleting theirs so when I had finished mine, I tossed in another bait for #14 which was displayed for them to see and then released.) A pelican glided in to land on the rocks beside us and he scored my 42cm fish, which went straight down his neck, still kicking madly. Don't know how he swallowed it. Not a bad few hours, with John scoring 7 fish, Ric 3 and Bob 3. Ric also landed a nice pig in his tally and John had one on which fought madly and unlike any blackfish I had seen. Powerful surges and no headshaking. Reason became clear when it was landed. John had hooked it in the powerplant (tail). I was using the wonderful Daiichi green #6 hooks, which are extremely sharp and result in fewer dropped fish. Kept a few and released the rest.