DaveTheBoy

A nice morning (a few days back now) spent catching flatties from my yak around Roseville. Got to the water around 7:15am - slow start produced no fish for the first hour or two - but once I found the right time & patch there were 9 fish landed (8 released + 1 kept for lunch). All the fish were healthy specimens 50cm+. With the landing net having been left in the car boot - I was fortunate that all fish hooked were landed. I found the most productive areas to be "upstream" from the bridge pylons - as far up as around the first big bend in the river. It may have been due to the very high tide (1.7m I think) - casting up at the shoreline was the way to go. Dont be afraid to cast your lure all the way on the shore/on the pylons. You may lose a few that way - but it's where the fish are. Smaller plastic lures like wrigglers + flickbaits (2.5-3inch) on light line (4lb braid 6lb leader) seemed to do the trick. Obviously for flathead - if you're not on the bottom you're wasting your time. Sounds obvious - but it's worth paying attention all the time by watching your braid. Flattenning the barb from your hook will help you release fish more easily - and I have found it no hinderance to landing fish (as there is no "slack" employed when spinning) Ran into another chap in a yak who was slow trolling small hard-body lures, he had some plate size tailor + trevally from the main channel. Cheers, Dave

you're a damn inspiration trung! love the posts! have been trying that area in my new yak without success yet but when it comes I will have you to thank! Shame about the dozens of "idiots-with-boats-who-are-a-danger-to-themselves-and-others" that this place seems to attract though... For those of us doing it in small vessels/yaks (and trying to play it safe/by the rules) - it makes it that much harder. Always have one eye on the water/rod - and one eye looking out for the next moron trying to kill you. Congrats on your great fishing & ethical releases!

Thanks for the comments - yes it was at Garie beach. Haven't fished here in a couple of seasons - the new carpark & facilities mean that this beach gets crowded a lot earlier than I remember.

fantastic catch mate!! well done - gives hope to those of us still chasing our first good jewie...

sounds like a great morning with some great catches! well done! If I may ask - what lures brought you luck?

With a few (dead) yakkas left over from last night's ever-fruitless endeavour to catch a jew - decided to head for a spot of beach fishig this morning. Tried fishing them whole on ganged hooks to no avail. With stocks running low - decided to stretch it out by cutting into pieces - this salmon was produced on the first cast! A great fight in the surf with a few small leaps in the whitewash! Landed a flathead of average size on the same rig shortly after - but alas the camera battery had run out so no pic there sorry. Dave

Couldn't be sure I'm sorry - I don't keep bass for the table. Wtaching them swim away is more than half the fun...

nice catch there kooks - as per my message I don't think I've got it down yet either. A remarkable amount of my strikes end up coming back looking like this: Anyhow - let me know if you want to go out & try sometime - happy to meet you at the wharf.

Great catches Trung! Very encouraging - I was fishing (land based) there too & reckon I saw you. I had no success myself - but did see you get swarmed by other boats about 3 fish into your morning! I could barely get my plastic out with so many drivers coming recklessly close to the breakwall - one guy actually left oyster shells in his wake!! If they had 1/2 an idea they'd still be dangerous! Well I will persist here (probably not on public holidays!) - if you see me give me a wave. I'm usually the only "lone ranger" stupid enough to hike down there - normally wearing my straw hat. You should be proud of the fish you kept - and more proud of the ones you let swim away!!

Similar idea to brickman I guess - I lay sawdust wet with seawater inside damp newspaper - and wrap it up loosely. They usually stay alive 2-3 days as long as you keep it wet, though I haven't tried 5 days. There is very little contamination if a few die when compared to a tank/bucket of water. Dead ones can be used as bait anyhow - or mixed into your berley. Also make sure the sawdust is untreated.

Decided to take a drive & try the fresh - as I can't buy a fish in the salt right now! Found a bend in the river near Camden - lots of bass seen coming to the top & feeding in the weeds. Couldn't get any interested in poppers - and being on land made it tough to get "just close enough" to the weeds without going in. May take the kayak next time as it would open up a lot more fishing ground. Changed tactic & went to a plastic which this fish was caught on (berkley 3" minnow) - goes without saying that he swam away happily following this quick photo. With nobody else fishing this pool - it was at least a place to get some peace & quiet - followed by a quick swim once the sun came up.

Not having much luck at all right now friends - despite many trips past fortnight. Have been livebaiting (land-based) for jews in the Harbour & rivers. Yesterday evening got a few yakkas in the bucket in no time - signs were good. Sent the first one out & had a small run almost right away - missed the hook though. Second cast out - and as my attention diverted to rigging another line - I failed to notice the approaching the Birchgrove ferry - and by the time I heard the reel scream & reached for the knife - she was all but spooled. So much new braid wasted!! Frustrated & with the wharf quickly filling with lots of new & slighty inconsiderate friends - a few yakkas were stripped & sent out. 3 bream & a leatherjacket salvaged what has otherwise been an unbelievably quiet few weeks for me.

Thanks - I'm hopeless with directions, I was a little further up from the carpark between the bridge & the first big bend in the river. Hope that helps!

This is my first post & a chance to share my biggest flathead taken on soft plastics to date. First one (65cm) caught on 6lb line with 8lb leader spinning for bream! Changed up to 12lb leader for the next one after dark - a fraction under 73cm! For those playing at home - the lure was Berkley 2" grub in camo colour - 1/12oz jighead. Both lip hooked in the corner of the mouth (lucky considering the light trace first time around). Both caught spinning from the shore - not far up from the Roseville Bridge in Sydney - last slack hour of the low tide.

I'm unsure about Botany Bay - but have been doing OK in the Harbour (for bait, not food) - of late there's been plenty around, if a little "hit'n'miss" - such is fishing I suupose. Try around Drummoyne (near the swimming pools), the flats at Iron Cove, and around Five Dock. Once the sun sets - put the waders on & do you best! All the best to you.