sydneyelvis

drummer are the most addictive fish to catch Well done!!!

thanks Rick bloody things are addictive!!!

Hi Mike... I don't fish Sydney harbour but I know they get them around Manly, Dee Why and any of the Eastern suburbs beaches.

Hi Dave Yes mate they are great eating but sometimes when I get one that big and the kids aren't around, I can't justify eating a quarter of a fish and saving the rest for later.

After suffering from severe withdrawals, off I went again looking for that bull of a drummer. Armed with a loaf of white bread, fresh prawns, a tin of cat food and alot of hope, I trudged along the rocks with a gale blowing and wondered if: a) I'm stupid b) I'm drunk, or c) I'm an addict. I went for c) and for the next 90 minutes battled everything including a rogue wave that washed away my prawns. At least I had burleyed the hell out of the water! Not to be defeated, I picked up one cunjee and used the famous words of all addicts... "just one more" Boy was I right! The float disappeared, the line was taut, the rod was bent and my heart was thumping. After what felt like an eternity, up came this fat pig. I didn't measure him but my foot is 30cm so I guess he was A BIT bigger than that. A few quick pics and I sent him back into an adjacent rock pool where he took off without hesitation. So after all the commotion, the walk home wasn't too bad and my mind was spinning about getting a bigger model. So my question to the experienced fishos here is "can you catch them in summer?"

Great pics! Mate I have become completely addicted to Drummer fishing They pull like a train and taste bloody good

Following my last post I was at it again last week on Friday and then a quick session on Sunday. Same system again... burley with white bread and prawn shells. Peeled prawn on a hook below a pea sinker and a bobby cork and hold on. Friday was great fun with 6 drummer between 32 and 40 cm and a cracker bream as a welcome by catch at 35cm. All in just over an hour. Kept the bream for dinner and sent the drummer back for another day. Saturday went out on to the rocks, saw the swell, decided I wanted to stay alive and ran home to a couple of whiskies. Sunday afternoon I went out for under an hour with my left over smelly prawns which I had kept with the left over bread in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wife was definitely not happy! But the burley by now was terrific! Swell had died down a fair bit and there was plenty of wash. First fish was this cracker at 46 cm! I kept him and bled him straight away. Three more smaller models were caught as well with the smallest being 32 cm. They all went back. As the sun set and the temperature dropped I called it a day. A quick fillet and the wife cooked up a basic fish and chips meal that was simply out of this world.

I found using a float does 3 things: 1) less snags 2) the bait moves around naturally in the water 3) it keeps me focussed on the water and incoming waves

So I've been messing around for the last couple of months trying to come up with a way of consistently catching drummer. And finally hours of planning, whilst drinking whisky have started to pay off. I have found that they bite well at any stage of the tide but better when there is cloud cover. For bait Im now using peeled prawns. I peel them at home before I go and keep the shells for burley. For burley, the prawn shells plus old bread and A hand full chucked in every three casts. So yesterday on a dropping tide (almost low) with cloud cover I ventured out. First 15 minutes, no action. For the next 30 minutes... mayhem!!! One drummer at 35cm... one drummer at 43cm (pictured).... busted off by something even bigger twice! These things pull like a train and i reckon the 40cm models pull harder than a 75cm king... maybe im just excited! I quit before dark and just kept the larger model.

CENTRAL COAST

Thanks Basil are they good eating?

With no swell I thought I’d try for some drummers off the rocks. Armed with bread and peeled prawns I was hopeful of some fun. well lots of fun but no drummer!!! i got smashed a couple of times before I pulled up this guy and hit 2 older brothers Great fight on light gear. I was unsure of the species or eating qualities all 3 went back All in all a great morning, beautiful sunrise and some fish! can anyone id this fish?

Hi all I went to baileys marine today to refuel and came across a massive school of mullet ranging in size from 30cm up to 50cm at least. Questions: Are they a decent kingfish bait? How do you catch them? Are they edible?

Dad, if we can use a little trap to catch poddy mullet, why cant we use the same trap to catch yakkas??? I could not come up with an answer that satisfied him!!!! Any suggestions are welcome!

will do! thanks for the tip

hi camel I wont be entering the comp and given recent successes (not!) and the constant jibes from the missus I might sit this weekend out!

Hi all, we started off at balmoral to grab some yakkas for a go at the kings. 2 hours and 4 million sweep later, we ended up with 2! We weren't deterred!!! Then off to middle harbour to a little spot that 2 weeks ago provided hook up after hook up with something that we simply couldn't hold on 8lb line. We were getting smashed on the yellowtail and sweep! Armed with all the gear necessary to do battle with a hoodlum we were quietly confident. 3 hours later all we had caught was 1 bream that was 32cm. It was taken on a yakka that had its tail bitten off as I was retrieving the bait. So, I caught yakka to catch kingies that was bitten in half by a tailor but still managed to hook a fat bream!!! Poor thing had such crappy luck I had to send it back. Disheartened and deflated we moved on to Grotto Point only to get smoked in the first five minutes then get bored for the next hour. A look up to the sky told us it was time to head home. Of course we headed straight in to the storm. Lightning, thunder were spectacular. Howling winds and driving rain were dreadful with most boats being tossed about. Finally we made it back, wet, tired and fishless. Still it beats the hell out of working!!!!!!!!

Wednesday without the mrs!!!!!!

Garyo you are absolutely right! I went for a run around goat island, saw a heap of birds, cast amongst them and picked up some tailor. Then was off to bantry so went under the harbour bridge and the fish finder went berserk! Of course I couldn't stop there so moved around the corner amongst the moorings. Unfortunately the wind was howling, the mrs was whinging, and my day was ending quickly! I will persevere! Next outing is Wednesday morning. Wish me luck!

Hi guys. I've been land based off wharves beaches etc my whole life and had some great success. 4 years ago I bought a boat for family outings and used it numerous times for fishing around Botany Bay and the George's river. Rarely come home with fish but always throw a line in back at the marina whilst cleaning the boat and pull in a feed! It's driving me crazy! I've now moved into Sydney harbour and four sessions off the boat has yielded donut! Of course a session off the wharf for half an hour an first got three bream on chicken breast between 32-40cm. I want to catch fish off the damn boat!!!!! I think I've read every post on fishraider but If I don't get a feed of fish soon off the boat, I'll be the butt of more jokes from the family. Any tips are appreciated. Will be trying bantry this week. But I really need to get some live bait. Please help!

Damn! I saw the title and thought dhype was going to start taking people out! I was going to sign up NOW!

Well done. I spent the day in the bay as well. Caught donut! For the second week in a row! I think it's my Xmas beard... Always brings me bad luck

haha there was no relaxing... im still pumped!!! ill be back out there this weekend

man you are killing me!!! it was a kingfish... lol

jewfish bay just passed como bridge