helliconia

Interesting tip noodles. Cheap and has advantages for those that don't want to spend the money on an inflatable type 1. I'm not sure if drinking Chateau Le'Cardboard is an advantage though The whistle is a great idea, and I would add keeping it on a string around your neck with one of those small LED torches would be useful for safety. The torches are cheap, a few bucks at the discount stores, and would provide another signalling device. Being LED they'll last ages on a AA battery.

Nice job troutman, looks great! Do you have before pics? I've been thinking of a solution to this but have those metal pockets running along the side. Did you remove something like that? If so, how?

I'd also add there is probably more to safe rock fishing than just watching waves? What you guys with experience do if you did get washed off a rock? Or if your buddy was in the water? What about safety gear? Do you wear/carry PFDs? Do you wear cleats all the time or depending on conditions? What about clothing, what is safe to wear? What about personal beacons? GPS units? Radios? Phones? There obviously a limit to what is practical, but I'd be interested to know whats what

This was the part I was objecting to, but it wasn't just aimed at you. Every time someone dies there are posts expressing similiar opinions. I'm just suggesting we should consider the possible audience before shooting our mouths off. As for the "common sense" claim, I would argue there is nothing common about it. People who fish rocks for years have just as often come unstuck as amateurs. FR's often tell us how much time it took to learn the safe way of rock fishing. There isn't anything "common" about experience and knowledge. So my question is, as experienced fisho's, what can WE DO to help prevent tragedies like this in the future?

I agree Hawkesbass, some compassion for the family would be appropriate. This is clearly a case of lack of education. Here's a young guy, trying a new sport and he didn't have the right info and warnings when he needed them - namely when he decided to go. I'd be interested to hear from experienced rock fisho's how they started and what access they had to information? If a complete amateur wants to start rock fishing, where can they find the information they need to do it safely? Where can they get the advice they need? Surely there have been enough tragic accidents that can be used to drive home the safety message? Why don't we give some thought to how we can deliver it, rather than labeling the victims as "idiots" and callously writing off their loss as "evolution in action". Just on another note with regards to these posts. If a family member of the victim did enough hunting around I'm sure they could come across these posts. It might be worth considering the grief and pain you could cause someone with your comments.

If he takes risks like that I won't be signing up on his crew... Having nads of steel is impressive but you shouldn't use them in place of a brain...

Threw in my two bobs worth also.

I would check them every year on a date thats easy to remember. I'm thinking of using my birthday but then i run the risk of getting fire extinguishers and PDF checks as birthday presents. Might use the birthday instead haha

Welcome Tom, looking forward to seeing some reports from your expeditions

There's a ramp in Boat Harbour off Foreshore Rd according to the maritime map. It's at the southern end of the east breakwall. Large Map Insert 3 has the close view Small map Note all the no anchoring and no boats zones.

Great idea, just reminded me I should check the date on my inflatable Type 1's on my boat. Will also check the fire extinguisher too

In the corners of Yarra Bay will hold yakka's and squid. Keep the water cycling regularly in your livie tank and keep it out of the sun if you can and they should last all day easily. If you can't keep it shaded, throw a wet towel or something over it to keep it cool.

Guess I ASSumed and got what I deserved

Book a flight to Asia and ask a local These fish can't be found in Australia except maybe in an aquarium... The Featherfin Knifefish, also called the Bronze Featherback or Asiatic Knifefish, was described by Pallas in 1769. The are found in southern India, Myanmar and in most coastal river basins of Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra and Java. It inhabits many waterways; moving, sluggish, or standing water that can be either fresh or brackish.

I don't know about the rest of you but I own a rain coat - count me in

I don't want to put a downer on this, but your idea of "good weather" and mine seem a little different 80% chance of 10-20mm rain too

I have a hose coming in from the pump to the bottom of my tank, and an overflow out the top. Both use skin fittings from a marine shop as inlets/outlets. The inlet hose has a 2 way tap on it so I can hold water in, or open it to drain back out through the outlet or allow water in the through the pump or pressure pickup.

Yeah it can be hard to find the fish but I've done OK there in the past so I'll keep persisting. Thanks for the encouragement guys. Now to figure out squidding haha The learning curve just became a wall Waldo are you talking about the north shore of Jerusalem Bay or the point east of the entrance to Jerusalem Bay?

Hand the little tacker a rod as he/she is born... get them started early

Are there any reliable bait grounds for squid or yakkas in Cowan Creek or should I just stick to the West Head area?

Thanks for the tips and encouragement guys. Will be at the social next weekend but after that I'll be back on the hunt for a some jews. To keep the missus happy I might have to factor in some flattie bream spots to ensure we don't come empty handed

Another thing you might not have thought about is replacing your standards globes with LED's. They'll draw only a fraction of the current of filament globes and reduce your chances of flattening the battery. I have a SeaMaster (not sure of the model) and haven't had any battery problems on the water running two 1 metre LED strips, an anchor light, and the sounder for several hours. You can buy LED replacements for the anchor light globes that have the LED's mounted around a small can that fits inside the cover.

Been fishing this area for a while now and collecting great advice from fellow Raiders, so I figured I'd try putting it into practice. I'd optimistically bought myself a new Shimano TLD25 and matching 24kg rod a few weeks back vowing I'd find some fish worth the investment! Quietly vowing I should add since I doubted my ability to deliver Dropped the boat in at Appletree Bay and did the sprint up to Flint & Steel/West Head for some livies. Sprint cut short by the wind chop and cruiser wakes as the doesn't like getting slapped up and down at speed. Rest done at 12 knots and I am reminded why I want to re-balance boat as she rides with her nose high in the air (the boat not the missus). We stop at one of the little coves behind West Head and I start berleying with soggy mashed bread. Yakka's threaten to hijack my boat trying to follow berley trail to its source. Got 4 in no time, while the partner scored a 40cm pike bottom bashing. All end up in the livie tank. Up anchor and head to Juno Point. Tried to find the hole off the point with no luck and the tide was ripping out too fast for my partner to hold bottom. She's not happy so I relocate behind the point to try and get in the eddie where its a bit calmer. Stayed for an hour, nothing on the little rods and the livie seemed suspiciously happy and calm the whole time like he knew I was in the wrong spot. This was the time I realised a small net makes catching livies in tanks much easier - discovered by not having one. Felt like I was herding cats for 15 mins before I could grab one! Moved again, figured I'd give the north shore of Jerusalum Bay a go. Another hour and still nothing. Moved to the entrance to Pinta Bay (little bay on the south side of Jerusalem Bay) where I've sounded some nice ledges and drop offs in the past. 2 hours there produces nothing but pickers on the little rods. Finally moved to Waratah Bay for a bit for an hour, nothing again. Back to the ramp, reversed the trailer in and the drive-on routine wouldn't work. 6 attempts in front of a crowd and starting to get a bit pissy and irritated. Noticed trailer not level to the water. Reposition trailer and it goes on first go On the good side, the weather was beautiful - was nice to be on the water without thermals for a change! Last livie was still kicking enthusiastically in the bait tank so I guess I'm doing that right too Net result for the day was the realisation that the jewies in the Hawkesbury have nothing to fear from me

Glad you and the family are OK Andy. On the bright side, you won't have to buy a beer at the pub for a while with that story

Try some of the bays in Smiths Creek also. I think the scenery there is some of the best in Sydney and the fishing isn't bad either