rickster

OK Raiders, looks like we're getting enough interest to make it a fun day. Now the date, I've had a good look at the "long range" forecast (actually I had a quick look out my window) how's everyone suited for either the 16th or 23rd May? Lets get some feedback and make a decision. Rick

Hi, best thing to use for the shock absorber if you can get it is small rubber tubing that can be found on some electrical wire. I've run out of it myself so if you get your hands on some, let me know. Another tip, you'll find your rig will work best if you have two swivels under your float. The top one, nothing between it and the float. then have your running sinker DOWN to the bottom swivel. Have about 350-400mm between the two swivels using your main line. Then your trace (unweighted). You'll also notice you have less tangles and with the running sinker down lower, when you cast, the sinker heads out first and generally lands more neatly. Rick

No date set as yet as far as i know. Have you had a chance to try out the floats yet and if you like them, where's my 6 bucks?

Hi someguy, Where have you got the beads and more importantly WHY? I would only recommend that the only place you may need a bead is if you're using a running float and to stop your stopper going though the float runners. Other than that I don't see any reason for one. Cheers, Rick

Beautiful conditions so couldn't resist another go at the harbour blackfish. Now in FULL training for the upcoming blackfish "sledge-athon" so Greg and Stewie, it's not too late to back out. Met up with Steve and "Net Boy"(Daniel) on Sunday around Hunters Hill. Fishing was a little slow early but that was to be expected. I mean how was any fish supposed to see in that fog??? Fog cleared and fish started to find us. Steve was having an unusually unlucky day. Had half a dozen or so in the bag but dropped at least that many as well. On top of that get a phone call and bang, needs to drop fishing gear, pick up tools and do an emergency service job. Not a happy chappy . Anyway, Daniel and I braved on and carried the team. This was only Daniels third trip into the harbour and he continues to pick up the finesse required. Still a bloody good net boy but bugga is forcing me to return the favour. End of the day, we ended up with 25 nice fish, would have got more except for Steves departure. Gave a few to a guy and his son and the rest were put back to hopefully fight another day. Ready to go back in the water and Net Boy onto a nice fish

Not sure about 15 guys fishing one spot. Remember we wouldn't be the only ones there and could get mighty crowded plus if we get south winds it would be very hard to fish. I'd be more into fishing individual spots but in that sort of vicinity, mobile phones going crazy to check others progress and then happy to meet up at somewhere like Clarks Point to see how we all went. Then the friendly sledging can start. Maybe have a "lines up" at 1.00 pm to meet at 1.30pm etc. While the fish are about maybe we should look at in the next two to three sundays. Lets get organised. your suggestions please. Rick

Now that's sounding like a bit of a challenge. Be great if we can a dozen or so fishos involved, I can hear the sledging already, AND THAT'S JUST COMING FROM ME!

Also you missed one tiny detail. ya gotta win first.

Talking to a fellow raider the other day and with the increase of both blackies and blackie fisherman in the harbour at the moment, maybe it's about time to have a very friendly competition. Suggesting possibly a sunday so those of us that actually work for a living, can use saturday chasing bait. Could fish individually or in pairs etc, have a close off around 1.00 to 1.30 to all meet at a central point (Glebe, Balmain or the like) for a chance put faces to names and have a yak and compare catches etc. Just a idea, those interested put in some thoughts. Cheers, Rickster

Thanks Daniel, you're the one who called himself "Net Boy". Biggest thing to remember is bait presentation. Don't ever give the fish a reason NOT to bite, and as I said, we're not gonna run short on weed.

Hey Royce, It's a fair way from where we actually throw in but pretty close to where the surgeon we hook take us before busting!!!!!!

Hi Paul, Sometimes the fresh water weed can be too strong if it's growing in a canal where the water runs. This weed is usually very silky and not many "strands" to it. Only way to possible get the fish to take it better is thinner and shorter baits. Driving past a couple of creeks in the west I've seen weed but not sure of the quality etc. Ring or PM if you want to know the locations. BTW, we fished that Hunters Hill spot on Saturday for 9 fish each but they were never really "on". We did let all the fish go and i reckon that sometimes it can spook the area for a couple of days. Rick

Hi, after communicating through the site, Daniel (woodchop) and I organised a get together to chase some nigs in the harbour. Daniel has fished the rocks for them but the harbour was a first for him. I did promise some fish for dinner and Daniel replied that if we don't get fish then it's my shout at the markets. Got to first spot around Pyrmont earlier that Daniel so thought I'd get a couple in the bag before he showed up. Half an hour later hadn't looked like getting a down and started worrying about the promise I'd made. Have I got time to do a runner, giving some excuse about an emergency at home. Too late, Daniel's arrived. Soon after so did the fish. Within an hour or two, Daniel's broken his harbour virginity and we've got 8 good fish in the bag. As can happen the fish disappeared. Time to do a bit of exploring so we headed to a spot at Balmain that I haven't fished in years. Fish straight away, even hooked two surgeon,one for the good guys(landed) and one for the bad guys(busted) . Gave it away about two, ended with another seven fish at this spot giving us 15 in total. Thoroughly enjoyed the day, Daniel is a very keen fisho and willing to keep learning. As far as weed goes, there's still plenty to be found if you do a bit of exploring. PM me and I as to where to look but forgive me if i don't tell you exact spots etc. Rick

I'll do my bit to help clean up that beach. I can forward my address, pick a heap of the freshest nicest weed and you can send it to my place. I'll then head in the harbour and "feed" the blackies!!!! Least i can do. As far as the flatties in that pond, i posted som pics a few months ago, but have a look again at the size and quantity of these beautiful fish.

Headed over Hunters Hill way yesterday with Paul (Scrubby) to chase a few more blackies. Started about 6.30am and fish were biting straight away. We dropped a couple early but soon had 5 in the bag including a couple just shy of the kilo mark. Another mate Steve showed up (a bit late) but as he says, likes to give us a bit of a start. Fish went hot and cold from then on, no downs for 1/2 hour or so then bang, bang, bang, then quite again. In the end, Paul and I ended up with 13 good solid fish between us, while poor old Steve could "only" manage 11 on his own. No-one likes a smart-ar**. Hopefully next time he can show up even later so we can make it a bit more competitive. (only joking). All in all another good enjoyable day in the harbour with more good signs of being a top winter for them.

Hit the harbour again on saturday with mates Steve and Ken. Tried a couple of new spots, one in particular had "catch me!" written all over it. Couldn't believe how good it looked, I know a blackfish spot when I see one. Anyway, after leaving both these spots without even look like losing a bait, we headed to a couple of spots that we actually knew. First spot only got 4, released one, but the snext spot was a bit more like it, producing 11 fish in about 3 hours including 3 "horses" at a kilo plus. Took a couple of pics, put the camera away when Steve decides it'd be a good idea to land another one. 15 fish in all, good day and good company. Headed out again sunday on my own just for a few hours and found them straight away. Ended up with 10, must have dropped at least that many again, but nothing as big as saturdays. Another couple of pics and back in the water they go.

Hi Donna, great to see that you're back on the road to recovery. The doctors may not agree but i firmly believe the real reason this happened would have been caused by the excitement of nailing your first harbour blackfish. Ease back gradually, maybe just be the net person for a while, now you appreciate the adrenalin rush from a much maligned form of fishing. Cheers, Rick

I've fished harbour wharves for years for blackfish. We don't make or leave a mess. But i don't blame councils for banning fishing on wharves when you see some of the mess that ignorant, lazy axxxholes leave. We went to Valentia Street Wharf for a bit of a fish last saturday and was disgusted with what we saw. Not on the wharf itself but in the parking circle theres a wooden rail that goes around at the waters edge. On the top rail were about 20 pilchard heads that were obviously cut off so the remainder could be used as bait, plus the empty pilly wrapper. Too lazy to even throw the heads in the water, or put the bag in the garbage bin that was no more than 20metres away.

Hi Roberta, I think you're mistaken about blackfishing being addictive! I took it up about 40 years ago, haven't stopped since, but could give it up anytime i want. (I THINK)

Seems the harbour blackfishing is getting its popularity back. I went out with mate Steve on saturday up around Hunters Hill area, tried 3 spots, fairly slow, only managed 11 fish in about 5 hours. Headed out for a couple of hours again sunday, Abbotsford on the run-up should be ideal. Water was a bit low and discoloured when i got there about 9.00am but thought it will improve as the tide rises. Wasn't looking too good, didn't look like getting a down then finally found one, smallish around 450gm. Next drift another, much nicer fish. Quite again for about 20 minutes then bang, another fish better than the last one. Starting to look promising. Next drift, down again and on. This thing took off straight out and at a rate of knots, first thought was this is no luderick, guess at a bream. As i was playing it a getting it back to somewhere near the shore I felt something give. I always use two traces and assumed that both hooks were in him and one just busted. Fish continued longish runs straight out but when I finally got him in close and up on near the top, the first thing I saw was TAIL. Thought the line must be wrapped around him but when i finally netted him (with the help of a spectator), the busted trace was hanging out of his mouth and my other size 8 sneck was firmly embedded in his tail. Biggest of the morning, probably just over a kilo. Fish definetely don't like coming in backwards and one of the best fights that I've had. That was it, fished another hour, conditions got better but fish had disappeared. Again there's always next week.

Sorry, I obviosly have trouble posting two pics in the one report. I'm open to any help i can get. This is the big bugga i got fishing with Paul yesterday.

Hi, Hooked up with Scrubby(Paul) again for another crack at the blackfish. Ist spot Balmain area, looked ideal, rising tide but fish not too co-operative. We managed only one smallish fish and were deciding on our plan B options when i finally got another down and was on. Knew he was a good fish straight away but were pleasantly surprised when we finally got him into the net. Went around the 43-44cm mark and would have weighed between 1.2and1.3kg. Very nice fish. That was the last of the action there so headed to a sneaky spot at Hunters Hill. We got four fish almost immediately, slow a little so we pumped the burley into them. As will generally happen, as I unfortunately couldn't stay too long, on the fish came. Ended up with 9 nice fish here (10 altogether) and i reckon total weight at around 7kg. Packed up, took a couple of pics and left them biting. Water was still a bit discoloured up this far but promises to only get better as the winter approaches. Another good day and again good company.

After communicating through the "novice" site, organised to have a fish with Paul (SCRUBBY)for blackfish in the harbour. Paul's quite good and hardly a novice, but as with most forms of fishing, needed a bit of help with the presentation side. We soon had on one of my floats, rigged correctly and away we went. Started at Walsh Bay and within about 45 min. had 4 in the bag. How good's this, we're gonna need another keeper bag at this rate. left there about 2 hours later with..................4 fish although Paul did manage to hook his first surgeon, excitement for about 1 1/2 seconds. Probably was due to put a new trace and hook on anyway. Headed over to the Balmain area, where 1st spot encounted a couple of smallish fish, still Paul managed to add 1 more nice fish to the bag. Tried one more spot in that area, was slow and it seemed everytime we looked like calling it a day, another fish was landed. End up with 2 more each there including Pauls fish of the day, around the 700gm mark which unfortunately isn't shown in the photo as pics were already taken and cameras put away. Not a bad day, 9 keepers in all and the company was enjoyable. Will be heading out with Paul again very soon as the blacky winter season is only just beginning. Just one more thing, please no more serious rain!

As far as the fish being caught in certain areas, i still work on the theory that only fish that are territorial should come into this category. Remember, most bread and butter fish "migrate" to some extent. The bream or blackfish that you may catch next month or so in the, say, Balmain area, may well have been the fish you nearly hooked off the rocks at Manly in November. They quite often move into the estuaries in the cooler months to spawn, then back out again. This is why certain fish are found in certain places at certain times of the year. Not saying that you can't for instance get blackfish off the rocks in Autumn/Winter but it's a lot harder work. Mate and I fished a well known spot on Sunday off the rocks, ideal conditions, 3 hours - 3 fish.

Hi Victor, Don't worry about spots that you think may be too deep. i've fished some very deep spots and i know LA has too. As long as there is weed/cabbage growing at your feet that can get washed in then you'll find fish. As a bit of a guide, if you can fish about 12-14ft deep(even if it's 25ft deep) and there's growth on the rocks around you, you're likely to be in a good spot. If you fish in water that's a bit shallow, you're asking to catch cockies or get busted by pigs. We've seen fish schooling off the rocks just a few feet below the surface, there not always sitting inches from the bottom. Rick