smuggler

That's got to be a record off Sydney or close to it.Congrats to the angler and crew.

Awsome fish!

G'day guys, I went out of Port Hacking today.There's no dollies at the Port Hacking Fad,but we did drop a striped about 70-80kg just south west of the southern canyons.One minute it is ripping of 500 meters of line, ten minutes later we lose weight and gas the boat to try to get some tension again with the call "it's gone".Winding the slack in the line had gone under the boat so hanging over the back and grabbing it and killing the motors thinking it was around the leg it turns out the fish was still on!Then the line rubbed on the anti foul and it was gone.Anyway that's my sooking for the arvo. Water was 21c-23c with good colour and the birds seem to be working bait between 50-70 fathoms. Cheers,Brad.

I Had a similar thing on my 140 suzuki fourstroke where it was hard to get the controls to move and was going to replace the cable.It turned out to be salt build up. Where the cable meets the motor we sprayed it with inox and exercised it in and out to free it up then greased it up and now it is like new and it was also cheaper. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the heads up mangonui,i was on the boat last week and heard the Broken Bay sked and they were getting 22.4 up there but it sounded pretty quiet overall.I went for a run before the southerly this morning and the warmest i got was 20.4 in 60 fathoms so hopefully in the next couple of weeks the water warms up because a couple of dollies would be nice on the BBQ for christmas. Jewhunter I agree with you.Generally you hear it here before the papers and normally he is a week and a half to two weeks behind maybe this time the journo is forecasting??? I normally read the other journalist's report first.If there is nothing going on he writes a well informed article about the sport,policies and anything else that is going on or affecting our fisheries and at the end a bit about what is really biting. Bring on the warm water and the fish. Cheers,Brad.

G'day people, All the reports seem a bit quiet,however reading today in one of Sydney's sunday papers there were reports of some blacks off sydney.Has anyone been out and has anything been caught? A while back this journo has reported one of my mates fishing and catching kings at Jibbon bombie in his boat when he was in another state so I'm a bit dubious (never let a false story get in the way of selling a paper). Hope to hear some positive news off you guys. Cheers,Brad.

G'day guys, I only saw it on the day by luck but was in Adelaide but have a few mates who would come down,Mainly shire boys who would be keen for a beer and a laugh with anyone who would turn up (even those strange people who aren't from the shire).If There's another one it would be good to get together. Cheers,Brad.

Yup,it would have to be a really big pan.I also had one of the old guys down the tackle shop tell me at the start of winter that he was waiting for the wattles to start flowering because that's when the snapper came on.The wattle in my front yard started flowering last week.I think it's time to head out for a snapper fish.

G'day guys,I only just read this post but I'm in Adelaide for the weekend.If you guys do it again I'd be keen to catch up for a beer. Cheers,Brad.

No fish but still good to be out there in boardies and t shirt with a cold beer.Bring on summer and the marlin.

G'day guys, You can't catch fish from the couch so with the good weather I headed out yesterday and trolled from the Hacking to the back of Browns and back in for one small stripie.Very quiet on the radio with only a couple of sharks i heard of.Heaps of whales,dolphins and a seal were spotted but no fin and very few birds working and even less bait seen. Hopefully it gets better soon. Cheers.

Not saying anything about what is in the picture,but i've fished for 23 years off Sydney.August 2010 I was running out to the southern canyons from Port Hacking I saw a pod of orcas for the first time.Off the side of the boat in a southerly ground swell I saw a pod of 4 or 5 cruizing down a wave,They looked like black and white busses with big dorsal fins.Impressive to see but in a 23 foot centre console I'm in no hurry to see it again.

G'day guys, I'm just looking at signing up with a SST Chart site.Does anyone have advice on which is best.I've seen Rip charts are $99.95 per year and Fishtrack.com are $79.95 per year.Both seem to be US based but on the free to look page Fishtrack shows marks for the 12mile,Browns and the fads etc. Does anyone know if there are some Oz specific ones or just the US ones.Any info would be appreciated. Cheers,Brad.

I remember some being caught years ago and it was supposed to be people buying them live from the markets to stop them being killed for a meal,so their idea was to let them go and be free.It won't work for the poor old barra especially in Sydney in the middle of winter.Honey and soy seems like a more favourable option to me.

Roberta, You're a legend.What a great fish it makes me want start fishing inside again.Good work and congratulations.

Maybe six months in the clink for the stolen motor might also give the "skipper" some time to think about his actions.

Someone said on the radio today the current was doing three and a half knots so I don't know if anyone could hit bottom.

I agree with wearing life jackets in certain situations not just a blanket rule of under 4.8 and on your own.I have been driving boats for 31 years,everything from starting in a 12ft tinny with a 6hp to driving game boats.I don't see the need to wear a life jacket while drifting or not under way and was recently pulled up by waterways while drifting in gymea bay,middle of the day with no wind and could not see the logic being that if I fell in the drink I could get myself in the boat,If I was unconscious and fell in the drink I couldn't activate the jacket anyway. In saying that 18 months ago while heading out for a early morning kingfish in the hacking with a mate I hit a channel marker right on the point of my tinnie throwing us both in the water and knocking both of us out.Luckily I came too first and flipped my mate over and holding him up(not easy with a 120kg bloke) until we were rescued.The first thing I bought us both when we got out of hospital was an inflatable vest and I always wear it now when under way.I consider myself fairly competent and not a cowboy or some body who takes stupid risks but things can and do go wrong so a jacket is a good investment.Also there was no alcohol involved in the accident just a high tide,alot of glare,and a big bloke sitting at the front of the boat when I was driving a tiller steer.This was a place I had fished and surfed for 20 plus years. So I think jackets are essential but not at all times,maybe they need to look at when and where you have to wear one. Cheers,Brad

G'day guys, Not sure if everyone is aware,I wasn't and none of my fellow fishing mates or the guys at the marina were but the pfd's that you wear are required to be in test or a servicing period.I was informed of this when pulled up by waterways in Gymea bay yesterday.Inside the jacket near the canister is a test date.My jacket was out of date 6 months before I bought it! So it was at least 18 months between manufacture and purchase.If you buy one open it first and make sure its in date. Also I was in my 4.5 meter Brooker seaman which I was made aware must have on board a paddle,bucket and lanyard,whistle and waterproof torch.It was middle of the day and i didn't have a torch or whistle.Just be aware of what you are required to carry on board.Hope this helps fellow raiders. Cheers.

G'day mate, The best advice would be make sure the boat is serviced and in good working order,have an epirb,life jackets and all the other safety gear.If you haven't fished offshore before try between the heads or in close for a while and get someone with a lot of experience in fishing out of a trailer boat to come with you.5 meters is pretty small so check the forecasts as the weather can and does turn ugly quickly. Hope this helps,safety is the best tip. Cheers,Brad.

G'day guys, Just want to add to the post I did in August.I fished yesterday for marlin for the first time this season with the strip teaser.We dropped a dolly and two stripes(more than we have raised in three seasons with the old teasers).This thing consistently gets fish up,they cost a lot more but are worth the $$$$. Cheers.

Thanks guys, Unfortunately due to not being quite ready to go and crew enjoying the festivities looks like friday is the go. Cheers

G'day guys, Has anyone been out off sydney lately.I'm thinking of heading out of Port Hacking tomorrow and pulling some lures.Any feedback would be great. Cheers. Ps Has anyone got any dollies yet?

Good work and congrats on your first marlin!

Thanks for all the input guys.It proves one thing...........we still haven't got a marlin on the boat yet.Bring on this season.