baldjamie

I hear that Manly Dam is good for carp? Does anyone know if this is true? Would be very keen fo a bash at some decent carp. Or at there better venues for big carp around? Cheers James

Do you know the name of the Charter guy that specialises in Jiggin? there was a good local Jiggin site that go taken down recently that had his details? Cheer James

I am in T gardern for 4 days over easter and I'm very keen to get out and chase some fast things off the rocks and maybe Jews, shark off of the beaches. Can anyone offer some advice on Rock or beach options or even charters from Forster?? Many thanks James

Netic - I take your point on an 11 foot rod, whist not conventional, what I have found is with a quality graphite blank, light weight, probably 5-7KGish its superb at getting tiny lures out 50M odd gives a massive advantage when chasing surface activity or lure fishing from the shore. As “lets go fishing” says. it give loads of control you just cant get from a smaller rod and has helped landing Tuna and all sorts up to a 13KG Jew. But point taken, its not a huge glass broomstick with a dirt great Alvey nailed on the bottom and its certainly not used to drag fish off the bottom. D&G – thanks for that let us know how you get on, both fishing and dragging! Thanks Dicko - The tide was rushing out so probably nearer Hobart that Sydney by now though Also have shotos of the two undersize kings and the Frigate from Saturday but even at 198KB they are too big. I have followed the instructions with no luck again. The snaps are the last three here if you are interested http://baldjamies.spaces.live.com/photos/?_c02_owner=1

Saturday on Sydney harbour was a game of two halves, on the positive half, 3 Squid Two King fish and one Frigate Mackerel between me and my mate. (thanks for the advice Dan) On the down side $400+ worth of tackle stolen by an angry thieving kingfish! Whist fishing the yellow Nav marker in the middle of the main harbour I decided to flick a lure at the marker as the Squid strips had been quite for half an hour or so. 3 or 4 winds into my first lure retrieve the squid rod takes a hit, I dropped the lure rod picked up the squid rod and struck but missed. At that second the lure rod (which was right next to my foot) gets smashed as the lure was fluttering down unworked. In a split second the rod arches over goes flying off collects another rod on its way past and both rods disappear to the bottom of the harbour before I even had time to put the squid rod down! Stunned we sat there for 10 mins laughing and tring to work out how it actually happend. Still, very amusing day. So if anyone finds an 11 foot Diawa Carp rod with almost new Shimano Baitrunner 4500 loaded with 14lbs fireline with what will be now a very tired or dead kingfish on it a cash reward awaits you. Happy days! James

Traveled from Sydney to Hervey bay with the intent of hitting the open sea and tangling with the sorts of sports fish not available in Sydney like, Longtail Tuna, Queenfish, Giant Trev’s etc with a local Fly or lure only guide Paul Dolan at fraser coast sports fishing. Unfortunately the wind was a 15n+ NW, pretty much the only wind that Frazer Island didn’t shelter the bay from so Salt water was canceled but Intent on giving us a fish Paul suggested we hit the dam in search or Barra and Bass. I have to say I certainly wouldn’t have traveled to the bay if I thought I was going Barra fishing on a dam, just focused on the salt. But keen for a fish of any sort we agreed and had an absolute ball boating 12 barra and 5 bass. It was much more fun than I thought it would be we both had a blinding time and Paul put us on the fish from the second we hit the water and learnt loads about Barra and how to get lures and fish out of snags! Have a look at the photos on Paul's site. http://www.frasercoast#####ing.com/art...ticle_213.shtml Well worth a go if you find yourself in Hervey bay Also, how are the northerly beaches fishing at the moment, any Whalers of Jews? Cheers James

Thanks Phil and Dave'o thats a great help. I'll have a chase round and see what spots produce and give the blokes in the tackle shop a bell. Anyone ealse know any good charters in the area I could get on? Cheers JT

Out in the harbour tomorrow evening. Is it still worth a look fishing that spot where is used to be? Also, any hints on where I too may find some bite size squid? Cheers JT

Hi, I have a week down on the south Coast over xmas and staying on Narrawalle beach which is just north of Mollymook/Ulladulla area. Does anyone have any good pointers on all types of fishing in the area. 1) Any beaches fish well for Salmon, Tailor, Jews and sharks? 2) Any (safe) rock platforms worth chucking some lures off (that doesn’t involve a north side of Everest style climb) 3) Also any charters that may be worth a look, Tuna/Marlin (not great time of the year I know) or Kings style? just not bottom bashing. Thanks in advance for any help and advise. Cheers JT

Great story! Keep'em coming Was this Stockton? if so any advice other than "lock up and legit"? Its my first Stockton session this weekend and I would appreciate some guidance.

The tides and the mood look spot on for the beaches tonight so I’m up there this weekend for some 4x4 and fishing action What is the secret to Stockton? I’m planning to use pipys, worms and Pillies to go for some tailor and Salmon for bait for the Jews. Are there a lot of sharks there? Worth sticking one rod out with some wire? Anyone know any regular spots? I hear the Wreck is good and reading the beach is not a strong point of mine…………

The other saturday morning three of us ventured out in the harbour for an “early start” with some very clear goals, me to catch a personal best king, the other two to catch their first Kings. There was a real sense of urgency about us all knowing that soon Kingies will became two thin on the ground to target and the lure of wearing stupid trousers to chase little white balls although snake infested bush overwhelms us and lads golfing weekends push fishing into and even smaller window of opportunity. With that in mind Hamish turns up at the marina totally unprepared one hour late only then to realise we don’t have the keys for the boat (never trust the Scotts). After a blizzard of four letter words and ironic laughter we finally hit the water at 8.30! By 8.30 the early bird may well have got the worm but as a result of boredom whilst waiting for the keys to arrive and a huge degree of luck we have 5 of the biggest squid I have ever seen swimming around and esky. Result!!!! Squid = Kings guaranteed, right? After having our precious squid baits torn to shreds at the wedding cakes and other navigating markers by ravenous leather jackets hope off kings started to fade and talk of the evening’s activities started creeping in to conversation. In a last desperate bid for kings we hit Sow and pigs and burlied hard with all the bait we bought and hadn’t used due to our chunky squid. Very soon I had boated Trevs, Bream and lost a couple of suspected rats in the trail whilst Hamish had been smashed on the top of the reef on Squid. Things were certainly looking up until phones started ringing with inpatient ladies on the other end applying unreasonable time pressures on our fun. With last cast called Hamish having cast a squid head to one of the markers screams he’s in. It was a slow and powerful straight run over the top of the reef with no sign of wanting to do 8 laps of the maker. It wasn’t a king then it must be a ray, or maybe a jew? who knows? After 5 mins of fair fighting we have colour, but still inconclusive, it’s a fish we know that, it was a “fish shaped” fish like you used to draw as a kid and certainly not small. With King, ray and Jew out of the equation I was stumped, you don’t get 10K bream, and it wasn’t red enough to be a snapper. As I grabbed the net and Hamish muscled the fish it up into full view I finally clocked on what it was, obvious when you think about it, what the most common big fish you see when you are snorkelling? With more luck that better judgement we some how managed to squeeze the huge blue/grey body into my inadequate (now ruined) landing net first time to reveal to the now elated captor his personal best fish at 10K plus groper! After a couple of snaps back he went to the sound of a smug Jock practicing his heroic story of "how he bust his personal best by a mile" ready to deliver to the pub audience later in the evening. Once again cant get the photo up and if someone can help I have plenty.

Through a couple of mates of mine I fortunate enough to have access to a proper outsider for the first time on Saturday and based on these reports I’m very keen to try and mix it with the fads and chase a few dollies. However, firstly I have no idea where they are? And I’m also told the GPS marks of a month ago have all changed due to the big swell the other week? Does anyone have any information like GPS marks on how I can find a "real" FADS, trapped buoys or any potential dolly hiding device? Or even any offshore Kingy reefs to have a bash at? I’m keen to get out and not waste a potential and extremely rare opportunity to leave the heads proper Any help is very gretefully received James

Does anywhere know where you can go to catch big carp. Manly dam has been mentioned nut i know nothing about the place

In answer to the questions: Yes it was on the pilchard rod, nothing clever to report, I’d love to tell you about a piece of sublime angling genius but to be honest it was a pilchard on a pattenoster rig flicked out over the back of a sand bar at low tide. Nothing clever. As for size, unfortunately I didn’t measure or weigh her at all, I just wanted to get a photo, minimise the stress and get her back ASAP. Although I’ve just spoken to my mate who was there and he recons it is “bigger than the flattie in the fishraider records section” and that 92cm so I wouldn’t like to guess really. However everyone else is free to have a punt. To give potential punters an idea of scale I’m 6 foot 2 or 1m 88cm depending on your preference. Keen to hear your thoughts? What is the fish of the month thing?

Thanks very much for getting the photos up!! Much appreciated! I was fishing a couple of hundred yards down from the chip shop entrance to the beach. By the way – No fish were eaten during the making of this story. If I want sport I go fishing, if I want food I go to Coles. Simple.

A 60g ish metal slug.

After my two little tuna from Kirribilli the other week I have been very keen on chucking slices around and seeing what chases them and this new found enthusiasm ended up producing a very pleasant surprise at Narrabeen. On arrival at the beach last night I quickly flicked out the obligatory pilchard rod in the hope of snaring a Tailor or Salmon to kindly put their body on the line to provide me with some Jewie bait. I then looked at my other rod which was set up for presenting lures and wondered if I could be bothered standing tackle deep in the drink looking stupid throwing lures into the surf, after all its only the Starlo type angling royalty fishing some remote beach in WA that catch fish on lures from the surf? But with a couple of hours to go before the sun went down and the tide came in I decided to have a few casts. After two casts I had already come to the conclusion that standing in the sea now half submerged was indeed stupid idea and I should stop immediately wade in a resume normal service. However, immediately stopping angling has never been a strength of mine, from my parents telling me to pack up as a kid and the realisation that’s fishing over for another week I have never mastered the stop bit. So to me immediately stop means “just one more” or “lucky last cast”. With that in mind I duly flicked my slice out once more but this time with a little less conviction. Halfway back the lure was hit not hard but something was hooked, the fish and I both had that 5 second of mutual confusion before we both clicked into gear. The moment when I am still not convinced it’s a fish still sure fish in surf don’t eat lures and the fish is not sure why the bait fish he has successfully captured is so sharp and how it seems to be restricting his movement. With 5 seconds up we both know what is going on and the battle begins in earnest, no battle to be had really with 10lbs fireline and no rocks or snags for miles I’m confident with most things from the sand. As the battle continued there were no electric bursts of speed and no air show so tuna and Salmon was immediately discounted and I was sure I was doing battle with a nice Tailor. Great news I thought, my bait issue was temporary solved well at least until the other two turned up and I had a good story for the boys. However as my ‘tailor” got onto the shallower water I noticed that he had a very yellowish tail? T that point I realised what was on the end of my line, the fish caught a glimpse of me and its was for young and old. After a couple of minutes of runs and reels in shallow water I had landed my first lure caught fish from the surf and surprise surprise a small kingfish!!!!! Proof at this time of the year where every you go it’s always worth chucking a lure about before you tie bait on start the usual routine. Incidentally, didn’t catch any Tailor, salmon and therefore no Jewies but did land a personal best flathead. Please excuses the length of this report I just stared writing and got a bit carried away. EDIT: photos added and WHAT A FLATTIE!!!! Cheers JT

Thanks for all your advice. I'll see what I can do Saturday. Is long reef worth a crack off the rocks? Just thinking it does seem to poke out a fair old way out???? I have no idea of the terrain just played golf there and got me thinking. As for lure I'm no expert on luring Pelagics but I have found the smallest lure you have (10 grams in this case). Retrieved as fast as you can on the lightest line you dare gets results.

Just a quick couple of stories to encourage land based anglers. Two weeks ago after a successful Saturday hiring a boat from Rose bay and nailing two kings. I decided to chuck a lure about at North Sydney/Kirribilli for a couple of hours in the morning. Nothing on the fast lures, nothing on the soft plastics and then nailed a squid on a squid jig after I has spotted it following back a SP. Long story short, back out the squid went whole and live, 20 minutes later a kingey just shy of 80 cm was being released by a very happy angler. Also This Sunday at a BBQ at a mates in Kirribilli notices some very close in surface action which we could all see was some kind of little tuna things darting about. I sat there for two hours watching these things bust up for 10 seconds tops and then disappear all out of range behind boats etc. Eventually they bust up in range the right side on the boats and I nailed my first two Frigate Mackerel. Proof you don’t need a boat to catch hard fighting pelagics in Sydney (have tuna photos but cant get the things on) On the subject of which can anyone suggest a good rock platform in or around Sydney to throw some lures about safely that you don’t need previous mountaineering experience to get to? I.E. not north head. Word is the Royal National park has some crackers?