Gday all, i have read all the reports you have all posted on these fish an let me spill some beans on my experiences with these fish as i have caught heaps of them over the years an can only now decribe them now as a pest....!
i live only a few kilometers from appletree bay an fish the cowan creek system constantly an over the years have caught heaps of em an fished for the hairtail purpously, freazing my arse off...!! I have read one other report that sums these fish up exactly...! These fish roam this whole system an travel slowly with the tide (which is very slow as this system is sooo deep in most parts that you dont really get much current flow as compared to any other parts of the hawksburry....!!!! for those that have never been down any parts of this system the tide flows very noticeably slow!!!) I have found that ancoring any where in the main river particually in the deeper sections and slightly off the main channels between cottage point and apple tree bay to be the best.... The main name of the game is burly.....! but not to much... slow an must be steady all nite....! you will have your rods out for hours without a nibble then all of a sudden they will attack....! they come on hard an strong with no respect for tackle or bait an will demollish anything that even looks or smells like fish...! these fish fish float rather than swim with the current in a vertical direction rather than swim like an eel an definatly hunt in packs as you will be sitting for hours without a touch an all of a sudden you will have caught 4 or 5 within 10 to 15 mins they will smash anything an most of mine have come from pillies or whole taylor,taylor fillets or any big smelly fillets you can rig up on wire traces an gang hooks.....An let me tell you as soon as they come on they dissapear in 10 to 15 mins....!!!!
I have caught them them late in the arvo in day lite but find that darkness is the best... but it is just a case of being in the right place at right time and you reaaly have to wiat for em to float past you with the tide....! Burly definatly helps and will 9 times out of 10 get you a good side catch of shouvel nose sharks or sometyhing to put on the table...! Orr by the way i set baits at different levels but the best is mostly towards the bottom and 5 to 10 meteres up... all in all paitence is the key here and hope i have given some usefull info on these buggers.... I personally think they are the worst tasting fish i ever eaten and got no usefull info on how to cook em other than throw em back....! but am open to any suggestions...! Good luck raiders and if you got any other questions dont hesitate to ask........!!!!!!!
