big Neil

You need a shorter Fishraider name or somebody needs to tell me how to do that @ thingo that everybody else uses. You have a very eloquent style of report writing, that I enjoyed reading. "casting an ethereal glow upon its surface"... poetic. Good luck with yours and Brenden's fishing mate. Please continue with the unique writing style that you use, it's excellent in creating a mental image of you guys enjoying your fishing. Cheers, bn

WOW! What a top report mate. A massive Bream that is probably older than you are. Brilliantly described in detail... as you say a fish you won't forget in a long time. Keep up the good work, no telling what's around the corner. Cheers, bn

Sydney Harbour is a big place and there would be lots of areas where you would be ok with your tinnie. However, the further you go from the boat ramp the more risk of being stranded should you have something go wrong. I would suggest heading out with a companion and investing in a pair of paddles as an absolute minimum. Hopefully, some other Fishraiders will offer their opinion. Good luck and welcome to the forum. bn

Sounds more like an account of a month's fishing than a day's fishing. I wish I had 10% of the energy that you guys have. I would have needed a nap after chucking the boomerangs around...although I most likely would have headed straight to the hospital for shoulder surgery (lol). Your account of the days' proceedings was an excellent read, accompanied by related photos. Keep up the good work and we will all look forward to reading some more of your fishing experiences down the track. Well done Derek too. Just shows how much expertise you have that you can pre-plan a day like that and have a successful outcome. bn

Hi spraka and welcome to Fishraider. You have made a good selection by joining this forum. Lots of very knowledgeable anglers on here. I will throw my answers to some of your questions in for fun. Australian Salmon are (at best) okay to eat, as are Tailor (Bluefish). Tailor migrate North each year from the South Eastern states up to Fraser Island to breed. This happens between May and July/August. They can be caught from the rocks or beaches during this period. Similar to Australian Salmon, Tailor are average to eat. Lots of information in the articles section re fishing for these 2 species. Plenty of fishing tackle outlets in and around Sydney so you won't be stuck for locations, no matter where you live. You will love being in Australia, as an angler, so many species to chase, so many methods and so many people on here willing to help you achieve your goals. Good luck with your move and enjoy your new life down under. Cheers, bn

Looks like a Tiger snake to me. You did alright catching a few fish anyway. Possibly the dead fish succumbed to the water temperature or low oxygen level, if the water had little flow in it. bn

I know that you would have loved to have completed all the project work yourself Frank. Things change out of necessity and I know that you will be happy to see the project finished. I am full of admiration for the things that you have taught yourself to do. You are a true "Jack of all Trades". I have my pottery studio sign, that you made for me, proudly affixed to the door "BIG NEIL'S POTTERY". It will remain there till I cark it. I will probably be headed to Sydney in April so will look forward to catching up with you and Val then. Keep well, my friend. bn

Good thread this one. Lots of questions, good answers and some honest commentary re the difficulties encountered float fishing with a cetrepin reel. Good suggestion from Waza regarding the use of the swivel if circumstances permit. Well done XD351 for your generosity. Never heard of the "Wallis cast", guess I will have to look that one up to broaden my knowledge regarding Luderick fishing. Cheers, bn

Many thanks Henry for the enlightening article re the tongue parasite. Good to know that their host is still edible once the parasite is removed. In the wonderful world of animal life you have to wonder why some creatures exist...I guess we mere humans will never know. bn

Ouch, the cost of your fishing is always substantially higher than most other peoples. Can't blame you for getting ADDITIONAL lures...did you find a wee space in the back of your car that had to be filled? You're quite the comedian too Derek. Fancy trying to shame the other 3 for not being able to get a pass to go fishing. At least it pushed you forward to getting a result that should have embarrassed them. No way were you going to embarrass them though. You have taught them too well and they must now be able to go out fishing, when time permits, and get a result. OK enough kidding. You caught some very nice Bream there by using your knowledge and skill...well done. Keep up the good work mate, bn

YEP but necessarily so. bn

Many thanks for your report Linewetter. I enjoyed reading it. Good. relevant photos used too...adding to the presentation. When I was in school a few hundred years ago we were taught how to construct a report. Set the scene...describe the events...summarise the conclusions. You did all of that with your report and I really enjoyed reading it. Moreso because it created a visual image of Master and Apprentice(s) interacting to achieve the desired results. I wish you well in your pursuit of the Luderick and no doubt the Australian Bass as they are both very exciting species to chase down. Good luck with your angling journey. Well done Derek for launching another couple of keen anglers into this amazing sport/hobby that we all share. bn

A good post you put up Henry and in true Raider fashion others have joined the thread with very helpful tips on location, time, and tackle suggestions. That's what it's all about...sharing information and experiences. I would be interested in seeing the response to the question about the "tongue parasite" if there's anybody able to fill in the dots for me. The larger sized Jackall Chubby is a great lure for Murray Cod and Yellowbelly, and has a great swimming action. Cheers, bn

What a fantastic video showing the raw passion the Luderick angler had for his chosen fishing experience. Great filming, accompanied by great music selections, clearly defines the danger involved in the pursuit of the humble Luderick... WOW. Many thanks for posting this, bn

Hi Aussie fisher. Your report wasn't all that long...you should read some of Waza's (LOL). How rewarding to see you filled with enough confidence to encourage your friend and both of your Dads to head off for a trip. Your enthusiasm, whilst daunted at first, remained resolute and you persisted. That is the first essential toward becoming a good angler. Your friend catching fish too, should provide you with the companionship to keep you both going with the ventures into the world of fishing. So now you see what Fishraider is all about. People helping each other to succeed in the world of fishing. You then carried on paying it forward and even more people become involved in this great time that we all share. Good luck with your future assaults in the search for fishing experience. Don't forget to take pictures of your next outing and good luck. bn

A good report of back to basics fishing. Amazing the variety of baits that Bream will take. Well done. bn

A very detailed and enjoyable post LF and some beautiful photos in your post Mike Sydney. I fully understand your excitement regarding your " FTT Popper". What better buzz than to make your own unlikely looking lure and have it catch fish. Very well done LF. I will look forward to seeing how things develop in the future. Cheers, bn

Yeh, far too hot for this old fart to be out on the water with little to no shade Donna. I'll bide my time and go fishing when it cools down a bit, assuming there's enough water in the river. Look forward to your reports. bn

Thanks for your feedback. Been hard going on the Cod down here too. I'll be glad when it cools down a bit and I feel more like going fishing. Good luck on the weekend. bn

Sorry to hear that you're struggling a bit Frank, but great to see that you are still keen to pass on some of your hard earned expertise to some newbies. This is probably the first time that the heat and humidity has got to me. I'll be glad when the cooler weather arrives and I will feel more like fishing again. Keep in touch mate. bn

YKS.....................understand? You seem to do alright Dave without the knowledge. bn

So, apart from the flash flooding and the strong winds affecting the opportunities for you city dwellers to wet a line, has anybody noticed how quiet the site has been recently? I, of course, have a totally different reason for not going fishing. It's too flaming hot. I can't afford to get any more heat affected. Been drinking so much water the river has dropped another foot this week. Anyway, I thought I'd pass on my observation... anybody been doing anything interesting during the fishing doldrums? Here's a question for somebody to answer. Why do we need to have the change to PE for rods and line? Wasn't it easy enough for us to understand either lbs breaking strain or 4-8kg one piece rod? Where did this come from and why was it necessary...or was it? bn

Well what a great post Henry. The fact that Derek knows his stuff and can teach it effectively is emphasised in your report. You have listened, learned, and put it into practice... and a great result. I hope that you manage to get out fishing more often and you can learn even more technique as you go. The journey of the angler is never finished, there is always something else to learn, to practice and to perfect. Good luck, I will look forward to reading about your adventures. bn

Solid specimen jaybez. Bet your mate was stoked with that. bn

Obviously your tackle needs to be in good shape cos these fish are strong and smart. If there's structure around they will try to use it to their advantage. They seem to react to what you do, so moderate control for a longer period is usually best. They possess stamina and often take a while to tire out. In summary, I would say "take your time". Don't be too discouraged if you hook and lose a few, everybody does. Make sure your line is sound and the reel drag is set where you want it. Good luck, bn