LuckyFil

I learnt to fish with my old man using hand lines chasing snapper off the reefs from Broken Bay. I remember going to school the next day and proudly showing the line burns on my hands after a good day on the reds. Fil

If the lockdown goes much longer you’ll be fishing in the bathtub 😀

This is the sort of plastic I was talking about. I use a 1/8th or 1/6th jig head. You can't cast them very far unless you've got the wind behind you but they may work on the sambos. I use them in FNQ and the queenies luv 'em.

Great story well told and 43cm is a cracker bream on any tackle but especially a surface popper. I agree with Jiggy, I reckon the salmon were zeroed in on 'eyes' and when that happens they are very frustrating. Sometimes the fly guys will have success but not much else works, although small (4-5 cm) white or clear SPs may tempt them.

Well done Isaac, a win for you catching a few fish and a win for the neighbours! Trevs can't resist peeled prawn. Cheers Fil

I'm coming in a bit late on this so you may have already made your purchase. I have a Penn Prevail 9' heavy action and absolutely love it for rock spinning for tailor, salmon and bonito. I use a 4000 Daiwa Sol and 20lb line. You can throw a 60gm metal with this outfit all day with minimal effort and its got plenty of beef to handle the fish during the fight and lift them up the rocks. My son has the same rod (different reel) and has caught a few reasonable (legal) kings with it off the rocks . As another Raider said you won't find a single rod that is suited to both luderick and groper, but for rock spinning the Prevail is great. Cheers Fil

I'm looking for recommendations from fellow Raiders for a sounder for my little tinny (12 foot) that I use in Brisbane Water, so its essentially a shallow water area apart from the odd spot like Rip Bridge which has a few massive holes. I mainly target flathead which I'm not expecting to see on the sounder but do want to search for bait schools where the flatties may hang around. That's apart from wanting to know about the bottom features - water depth, holes, drop off's, any structure e.g. rocks, snags etc. I've been reading up on the Lowrance base model (I think it's a Hook 4) and the Humminbird Helix 5 which is a step above in screen size and has dual beams so is more expensive. Do any Raiders have experience with either of these or recommendations for others? Cheers Fil

One of my favourite ways to cook tailor is in a smoker if you have one. You need a few to make it worthwhile but the fillets come out super tender with a light tangy flavour. Got me thinking I must get down the beach and try to catch a few after dark! Fil

A great haul Pickles and at a time of year when many think the estuary flathead have gone into a winter slumber. Did you happen to notice the water temp? Did you try sp's or just bait - hard to justify a change when you're getting results with a technique. Cheers Fil

Can't say I've seen them consistently anywhere but I have noticed them at times around the wharf and boat ramp at Pretty Beach

After a very tough summer and autumn on the flathead in Brisbane Waters I had a blinder yesterday. I was flicking SPs and a soft vibe and it started off slow, actually dead, for the first hour and half. I began fishing the inlets around St Huberts Island on the last couple of hours of the run out. I figured I'd start up there and then follow the run out to other spots around Hardys Bay and Ettalong. After zero hits around the island I realised I better get moving to catch the last of the tide so moved downstream of The Rip to the edge of a weedbed that sometimes produces a fish or two. After a few casts I got hit by a medium sized flattie of about 42 cm - at last something to bring home! Long story short over the next hour I caught 11 more moving along that same stretch, many were either under sized or borderline - I don't keep anything under 40cm. So with 4 keepers I moved to another drop off and caught another 3 fish in 15 minutes all slightly better in the 45-50cm range. That made a total of 15 fish in an hour and a half. I've never had a session like it. They were hitting the same wriggler tail sp and the same soft vibe I've been using for ages - and which they ignored for the last 6 months. I always fish the last of the runout and pretty much the same 3 or 4 locations . Why they went off this time I don't know maybe the full moon and big tide? I've spread the fillets around the family and with some friends over tonight we'll be enjoying the results. Also good to know there were so many small flathead who will be that much bigger next year. Thanks also to the other Raider SWFisho who's recent report inspired me to have another go when he caught a few fatties in his local patch recently. Cheers Fil

Some great pics and a good story well told. Thanks for sharing Fil

As everyone has already said that's a trophy bream, especially on a lure! I was thinking of doing a quick EP/Bass outing before the closed season starts on Saturday - will have to pull the finger out now. Also interesting to see great fish being caught within the built up areas, just shows they're still around us if you look and put in the hours. Well done Fil

can be ok but when it changes its a nasty bar that "goes on forever" The ramp at Hat Head creek is usually ok but only in the top half of the time. Haven't seen it since the recent floods though. Glad you made it back without injury Fil

Great video and very encouraging to see so many Murray Cod - and to see them going back so fit and healthy! Cheers Fil

Wow now that's a story. Cant wait for the video. Congrats on the capture (50cm is a big red devil) and more for the release! I've caught a few average sized ones in Weipa but that's a cracker. There's been whispered stories over the years of them being in Queensie lagoon but I've never seen this verified, so great to hear there is at least one in Sydney 😲. Well done Fil

Yeah you typically hear of them in winter but I have caught odd ones in Pittwater in the warmer months when targeting other fish. They are strange fish and not much is known about them. Fil

that's a cracker Murray Cod !!

Yes you've had quite a year - congrats on becoming a grandad by the way - did get a measure on her? ha. Be assured your posts have made a crappy year much more bearable and unlike many successful fishermen you are happy to share your knowledge - a wonderful attribute and you deserve the notoriety. I also enjoyed your podcast which has led me to listening to many more of that series! Happy New Year to you and all Fishraiders! Fil

I was keen to get out of the house this arvo for a little exercise and change of scenery after another dull weather day (luckily fishing is allowed). So I grabbed the flick stick, a few SPs and headed to my side of the lake (south side). As another Raider said a couple of days ago (Whiting and more whiting) the lake is now open following the heavy rain we had a few nights back and the water looks like a strong cup of coffee, but as soon as I started wading out to knee deep water there were plenty of small mullet moving about ahead of me which I took as a good sign. After half a dozen casts I had a bump on the lure but he missed the hook. A couple of casts later as I lifted the plastic up near the surface only a couple of meters from the rod tip I saw a flash as a fish raced across and hit the lure almost on the surface. I thought it may be a flathead but it took off very fast pulling drag and broke the surface about 8 meters away and sure enough a good sized flattie shook his head wildly trying to throw the hook. It was an aggressive strike and the fight was the same racing around in the shallows often taking line. I took my time and kept the rod low but the fish thrashed the surface several times - funny how some flathead come in like a bag of sand and others turn it on. I eventually dragged him over the weeds onto the bank. He went 54cm, a nice start after only 5 minutes fishing. I kept wading the shoreline and lifted the lure after a few twitches to feel solid weight , I struck and set the hook and the fish took off again racing around the shallows into and out of weed clumps making it hard to retrieve much line with the light 8lb leader. I was very glad I'd retied my leader after the last fish left some abrasions as this was another good one taking plenty of runs and thrashing the surface - I've rarely seen flathead do that so many times. This one went 55cm so I had two good meals for the home table after just 20 minutes fishing. I got two much smaller but equally aggressive fish over the next few minutes and another one of about 38cm but was happy to see them all go back, having only expected to get some air and stretch my legs but ended up with two nice fish. Hopefully a good sign for 2021! Cheers Fil

Yep looks like the bride brought the good luck as well as the coffee. Congrats on the pb - all the sweeter when it was looking like a dud outing, fishwise at least. Interested in how you catch the poddies, I've had little or no success with a trap? Cheers Fil

An update to this post. Firstly thanks to all the Raiders for your responses and information. Interesting to hear that others thought the Knols Native were such a good lure. And unfortunately there seems to be no-one selling any these days. So plan B was to try to make my own copies based on the ones I had. I found a website that gives some guidance on making your own wooden lures and using those techniques and the size and scale of the existing ones I had a go. Given all the mucking around involved with carving the wood, making hook hangers, inserting a weight, painting and attaching hooks I figured I'd make a batch not just one. So here's the results. My artwork is pretty basic but hopefully the fish don't notice. The bottom one is the original Knols. I gave them all a test swim in the lake and was pleased (surprised!) to see they all swam quite well although I had to give the tow points a bit of tweaking with some to get them to swim straight. In the process I caught a small tailor on one of them so at least something likes them. Now all I have to do is get a bass on one. Interestingly every one of them swam slightly differently to the others, I guess 'cause they're hand made the exact shape, tow point, bib angle, weight location is slightly different in each one. Some had a more erratic shimmy, others dived a little deeper or faster etc. So I could see how lure making is quite an art. Now I'm back in lockdown I might make some more.. Cheers Fil

Great story well told. My uncle caught the biggest snapper of his life on a live pike many years ago in close to Lion Island at the mouth of the Hawkesbury. I recall it went 20lb. I've heard pike fillets are also good snapper bait - haven't tried it myself. Cheers Fil

Congrats on the pb a good looking fish. Sounds like a great trip with plenty of fish. The pics look like the stretch around Willawarin or Bellbrook. Were they taking surface lures yet? cheers Fil

The only problem with being retired is you never get a day off😬