Noodles

Sounds like a good day out. I took my Father in Law out on Thursday as he hadn't fished since selling his boat nearly 12 months ago. Now my own father is jealous so I have to organise a trip for him too. Flatties will eat anything that even nearly fits in their mouth. I've seen a flattie about 50 mm long caught on a 3/0 long shank hook. I once had a dutch friend catch a 450 mm flattie but he didn't realise it until a metre plus model ate it head first. Both incidents around Coffs Harbour.

Forgot to mention single bluefin tuna jumping a couple of times right in front of the boat on the way out. A big fat barrel, probably 10kg plus easy and it was only 20 metres away from us. We had lures out but nothing touched them.

Reports are that they haven't been there. I've heard that nobody has been doing well at this FAD but I got a big girl 2 weeks ago a small one last week and probably could have caught more had I persisted. BUT yesterday went off. Me and the FIL got there at about 9.30 towing a lure spread for the 2 stripies and then did a couple of laps and passes for nothing. Decided to do a drift with floaters and we could see a couple of dollies but they were'nt interested at first. Then my line was hit so hard it free-spooled (drag too light) and birds-nested me just enough to let this fish pop the hook. A big fish. 2 minutes later my FIL is hit and this thing just charged straight back to the Bouy, unstopable. Burnt the skin off his thumb trying to thumb the spool. GONE again. We got nothing for a couple of drifts and I was worried we'd spooked them losing the first 2. Decided on one more drift and this time we let our pillies go down a bit deeper and there they were. From about 11.00am till 1.00pm we didn't stop. Double hookups were common resulting in a few of our lost fish and a couple wrapped us around the FAD rope. Every fish we brought up was followed by his mates all colored up. The water out there was great. Glassy smooth, no current, and hardly any breeze which made for nice slow drifts, although not that warm at 22.7 C. We are glad we stayed as when we tried a Bottom Bash on the way in the close water was unfishable, sloppy, raging current from the north etc. So they are there. Just be patient. They were hungry and we could have stayed longer having only used half a block of pillies (pretty crook ones too at that). Sorry I didn't do photos but we were just interested in getting cleaned up and the FIL had a 1 hour drive to get home.

Just pillies mate. Drifting right on top of the FAD. Fishing lightly weighted to keep the birds off the bait and at about 10 - 15 metres. Correct. Swansea FAD.

I'm glad we only bought home half of what we hooked up, otherwise I'd still be out cleaning and filleting fish. 8 dollies to 3 kg and lost / smoked by at least 12 more. Only 1 throwback. One bull (6 kg) lost at the gunwhale after miss hit with gaff. Also 1 king and 2 striped tuna. No photos, just fillet and skin. Frames for crab bait tomorrow.

I paid a trailer business over $800.00 to rebuild mine and so far I've had to redo nearly everything they did. I've had to re-weld the mud guard rails to the bogie. They had welded (if you could call it that) one to the bogie and one to the trailer body which meant you couldn't move the bogie. Dumb or what? I also had to take the "Waterproof" LED lights back after 3 dips in at the ramp. On Saturday I put in and steam came from the drivers side bearing / hub which had disintegrated after only 6 months of use. Lucky it was drivers side otherwise I may not have noticed. I had to replace the whole hub. Checked the other side as well and the outer bearing cone (with races) was broken and hub had water ingress so I replaced the bearings and grease on that side. I know what your thinking. Why not take it back and demand satisfaction? I had the work done over 2 years ago but only started using the boat 6 months ago as it was a rebuild project. I was very busy at the time and couldn't do the work myself and required it done quickly as we were moving. They didn't want to swap the lights but I could show them the boat rego renewal to prove it had only been a couple of weeks in use. Check your bearings regularly. I'd do it every trip over those distances.

Well done there on that one. Makes mine look a little underwhelming. They are about.

Could have been anything. I don't think it was bitten off, just snappo. The 7 P's of education (and fishing), Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Down at the ramp this arvo and there are reports of all sorts. Plenty of big black lady lizards in Lake Macquarie as well. I saw 6 from 3 boats all over 80cm. 1 per fisherman which is cool for all the C&R fanatics.

Thanks, 4.2 Kg of boneless Mahi Mahi chunks is very nice. Tried again yesterday for only stripies and a large Salmon in close on the way home. I took the son out this time for a bit of sporting fun but it was very sloppy from early. We were up before dawn and on the water as the sun came up but the Nor-Easter was already up too. As we were approaching the FAD with about 500 metres to go, the same little green Pakula lure was absolutely smashed but the rod justed buckled and jumped in the holder and fish plus lure parted company. All my son could say was "Dad, Dad. Something big just broke the line". I dont know whether the line had wrapped the rod tip or perhaps it had a knick in it from the dollie the other day but the drag didn't even click. So whatever it is, it now has my little Pakula with a 2 hook rig and 2 metres of Momoi attached. I then put a cheapy white redhead deep diver on the same line only to have it smashed and stolen as well. I can't explain why as the drag was set soft both times. I stopped using that rod until I can check the line out. Then put a new Halco Laser Pro 160 in White Redhead on for my son. He hooks up a couple of Stripies and then something more substantial which immediately took him deep. This is something different I'm thinking. Then gone. He winds up to find the front trebles straightened. I would expect better quality for new out of the packet or maybe it was just a big fish. I boated everything I hooked the other day and yesterday lost more than half including gear. Very odd. Still a good day on the water, even though a bit pricey, and back before the heat set in.

Here's a pic.

Went for a troll off Swansea late yesterday. Started out with a couple of decent stripies then on my way back in I went straight past the FAD and the little green Pakula was smashed. 1.2m and 7kg Mahi Mahi. Yumm. Got a Mack Tuna and a Bonito in close to the Island. Bit bumpy but good to watch the storms over land from 20 odd k's out.

Years ago we got a box of dehydrated cattle blood from the Gosford Abattoir and used it for berley in Broken bay. What it did do was bring in the Noah's Arks. At least it kept them away from the guys surfing The Box.

From the description of your trip I would say you were at the hot water outlet at Eraring. Yes there are some big sharks there as well as many different unlikely species. I've seen Bulls, Hammers and the biggest Shovelnose I've ever seen. Some big rays that occasionally launch out of the water too. There are several confirmed reports of guys being bitten off through 200kg stainless wire, or the same report twice. Last August I witnessed guy hook up to a large Bull Shark on land based game gear and a livey and he was taken right out to the point and had not landed it when we left an hour later. I believe he did get it to shore for release. Someone killed a 7-8 ft Hammer there earlier this year and left it on the rocks with hook and trace still attached. No comment. I fished it by boat yesterday and there was one big boil right next to us about 150-200 meters out from the outlet. Youtube had some good footage if you enter Eraring and Shark for a search. One showed a hammer cruising up the channel in clear water and another showed a boat being towed around by another one. I have also seen Hammers cruising around Pulbah Island and one very large shark in the distance, species unknown. A local butcher told me of a guy who goes to him for burley scraps who has caught a Tiger Shark in the lake. He doesn't let his kids ski or tube around anymore. Apparently there has only been one fatality in the lake and that was at the WWII Seaplane base in Rathmines. Not sure when though. There are several resident turtles, one of which I have hooked on a pilly and gang hooks. Obviously he busted me off after coming up to look at me. I've seen a couple of Threadfin Trevally caught and heard of species including cobia, giant herring, queenfish although they are not common.

I made a heap of them. Bought some glittery stuff and tied it to some Black Magic KL hooks and also some plain suicides. No way I'd pay $10.00 for one if the jackets are about in any numbers. I didn't notice any difference in productivity. I fished them one side and the FIL fished plain pilly baits on the other side with no noticable difference.

Instruction manual for my 70HP Johnson says to keep it down.

I searched for a solution a few years back and one I found works pretty well. It is disposeable since I can't find Stainless Alligator clips so they will rust out. I use it in the boat but it will work off rocks which is where it was used in the forum I found. In Western Aus' it was used to fish high cliffs for big kings but I can't find the site again. Go to Dick Smith / Tandy and purchase some cheapo electrical Alligator clips. Put a short piece of PVC Tubing (fishtank pump style) on each side of the jaws. This will protect your line. Drill a little hole in the finger pad end and attach a snap with a small split ring. At your fishing site attach balloon to clip with a small cable tie. The snap is placed over the line which runs free and is then clamped in the PVC lined jaws of the clip. It is like a small outrigger / downrigger release clip. A hit will release the line but the whole thing remains freely attached and running along your main line. You don't leave balloons floating out to sea. I use "metallic" coloured helium balloons. The beauty of this device in a boat is that you can put the balloon at whatever depth you want. Drop your bait over and let out required line then attach the balloon rig. I will draw a pic and scan it to show construction. As for boats running over your belly, I bet they're not happy about having 100m or so of line wrapped around their prop shaft.

Keep close to your nets. Plenty of thieves only too happy to lift them for you and remove your catch by cutting the net up.

East Reef is 4.9 - 5.0 km due East of Box Head (Bearing 270) it is 2.4 km out from Gerrin Point (Bearing 137). Water rises from 26mm up to 16m. (Garmin Mapsource Bluechart Pacific Version 7.0) The geographical feature East Reef is within the Marine Sanctuary and water rises to only several meters as seen in attached document. East Reef36.doc

Batteries are not made the same way as they used to be and there is little pure lead in them. It is very messy and time consuming to dismantle them and not worth the effort. You also end up with a large pile of plastic and other rubbish from the plate frames and broken down seperators. I've done it and strongly advise against it. Only if your desperate. Another useful tip is to pour slowly but continuously, keeping a close watch on when each sinker fills. Overpour is dangerous. A very important safety issue is to ensure that no water comes into contact with molten metal. It explodes violently and will cause injury.

I make heaps of Snappers in 1,2,3,4,6 & 8 ounce, Bombs, Balls and Beans of all different sizes and surf pyramids / stars. I've also used teaspoons with a punch mark for spoon leads and special hand made hardwood molds for small run jig inserts. Essential items are:- * a vice with wooden jaws, (either a carpenters vice or a metal vice with wood jaw guards), * good leather gloves or welders gloves, (you'll still burn your fingers) * bicycle wheel spokes or round skewers (to put through your ball and bean moulds) * gas bottle and burner (I use a cast iron LPG ring burner available from camping stores) * melting pot or crucible. The simplest cheapest way is to take a pineapple tin or beetroot tin and use pliers to form a spout for pouring, attach a strong handle with rivets or screws. Heat the molds initially as you are melting the lead. Once you start pouring they stay hot. You can split the molds pretty quick and use snips to trim the still hot excess back into the tin, (saves energy). You cannot pour into cold molds, hence the wooden jawed vice. Old house flashings are the mainstay but a good spot to obtain lead is from the local tyre yard. The used wheel balance weights are usually thrown into a big bucket and sold for scrap value. Make them an offer. The steel clips will just stay in the tin when the lead pours off and you can just tip them out every so often. Don't try to use old lead acid batteries. It's not worth the effort and makes heaps of mess. Get set up and make heaps. It doesn't take long to churn them out once your going and have established a rhythm. Good luck.