Scienceman

Also be aware that the term "channel" doesn't mean a straight line between two markers. If the channel bends then you cannot be in the deeper water even if it is between and well to the side of a chanel marker. I did and was asked to move, despite there being plenty of empty water for craft moving between the markers to travel.

I got an Applause 4000 for larger SP work in estury and inshore and found it a good workhourse for $120 which has copped plenty of abuse. Just dont drop it in the surf like I did as a tiny grain of sand in a bearing is impossible to remove.

Happens a lot. Just get an inner tube fitted and she'll be sweet.

I took fillets and marinated in olive oil, verjuice, lemon zest and thyme. Sometimes you can so something like fish and only a few guests try it, so I only did ~1kg. Silly me, it was all gone before the lamb chops and there were complaints that I didnt do enough. At least I have the last Kg in the freezer for another feed next week.

Hey Keflapod, I only had 2 rods out so it wasnt a hassle, but I usualy have 3 or 4. Bait was a bit limited this time. Couldnt get any squid from West Head. My main concern was when I had him boatside as I have had fish change direction and the hook pulls because the purchase angle changes. The circle hook was only just caught inside is mouth towards the back of the throat and came out easily when he was on the deck. The second stinger hook was bitten off which was a bit of a mystery. I find its important to tire them out during the fight to minimise any antics at the boatside which will result in a lost fish.

8.5 Kg of Hawksbury jewie. Took a butterflied yakka on the bottom of the tide change ~11am on Sunday. Gaffed him myself as I was out solo. A few small flatties but they were lucky as I didn't need the fish they got to swim away. Guess what we are having on the BBQ today

From what I understand you will still be able to buy 95 octane fuel. I also have a 2000 model 70hp 2 stroke yammi and have run 95 occasionally with no adverse effects of a single tank. However I do share your concerns that Yamaha only recommend 91 octane. As an aside, when I fill up I usually have 1/3 - 1/2 a tank of older fuel remaining, which would be up to 1 month old. Over this time it would have lost some volitiles and thus have a lower octane rating than when it was originally put in. Therefore if it was 91 at the beginning and I put in 1/2 - 2/3 a tank of 95 octane, I am guessing that the final average once it has mixed in will be lower probably in the 91 - 95 octane range - would anybody more qualified care to comment?

When I was there a couple of years ago I went with a guide for some beach fishing. Caught a few and was good fun and value. Take some bream gear and SP's and you can fish arouind the marina and surrounding rock walls etc.

I was thinking the same thing and bought a couple of the bigger sizes to try for tailor, salmon and jew. Only had one session so far in the surf and a good size tailor nailed a gold blade but got off doing some acrobatics. I'll definitely be testing further though.

I thought Australian soils were particularly low in phosphoros and nitrogen, which is why our native plants die when you use regular fertilizers, they have VERY active uptake mechanims for these nutrients becuase they are so deficient in the soil. We hardly have "nutrient rich" soils in central Australia where this dust came from. Becase the land is low in these I think our oceans are also comparatively deficient too.

Hey mate, small world, I'm heading up there at the end of October to spend a week on my dads 40ft crusing cat. Basically right now they are in the early transition from winter to spring so a few mackeral should be around and the reefies just beginning to stir. There are reefies in around the islands and then marks out further which tend to produce bigger fish. Good luck.

Baits for drummer & bream have been bread and vanemei prawns - cooked. These rock ledges are surrounded by cliffs so I doubt anybody has ever been able to fish them from the stones.

Please write a Fiji report when you get back as I am thinking of Castaway Is for a family holiday too

Hey HSM, I was more refering to the outing a few weeks ago when "wrasse-man" was your title for the day That salmon was pulled by HSM with a Raider from a school feeding on "eyes" which is a pretty good effort given the degree of difficulty when they are feeding like this.

Finally got the photos back from High-speed-metal. As well there were a couple of trevs and a pinkie. Just dont mention "wrasse" as that was all he could catch that day . They fight like a pinkie for the first 5 sec and then .....nothing. Squid was all they would take that day and I even got two fish on the one bait in succession When the fishing is slow on the reef we move in close to the shore and fish for pigs, but only if there is no swell and a westerly. We also keep the motor running and the boat pointed out to sea. These places are totally unreachable on foot and almost no-one else fishes them from a boat so the fishing is pretty good.

Thanks for the info Leigh. What tide do you find works best?

Probably a big bream going for a feed of the gut section which is where they commonly bite. Or maybe a reddie......

Thanks for the suggestion Anthony. I have picked up blackies in Narara creek up past West Gosford Bait and Tackle but only much later in winter and even then they dont always travel up that far. Most havent been that big either, usually <30cm.

Yes Ray it is a Browning. It performs flawlessly and I consider it an excellent "budget" SP reel. It is on a Starlo Stix rod and I use 4lb braid and 2m of 6lb flurocarbon leader. I plan to downsize to 4lb leader during winter to try and combat the clear water we get.

Beautiful day on the water except for the lack of fish. Near the Rip Bridge I caught a few small squid but nothing big and hungry was around to eat them. Later in the day I tried several locations for blackies. Lost a couple but didnt really find a congregated school. These fish school up so I am having a good go to unlock the "Brissie Water Blackie Code". There are a lot of small loner fish in the system but I really want to find where the travelling fish school up. If anybody knows more than I do I am happy to supply a boat and bait in return for a day on the water. Anyway, I did manage a 40cm blue-nose bream. Lovely winter colouration and the best I have caught in BW in many years. He took a Sqidgie worm whick looked a little too tasty to refuse. He got to swim away.

Beautiful day on the water except for the lack of fish. Near the Rip Bridge I caught a few small squid but nothing big and hungry was around to eat them. Later in the day I tried several locations for blackies. Lost a couple but didnt really find a congregated school. These fish school up so I am having a good go to unlock the "Brissie Water Blackie Code". There are a lot of small loner fish in the system but I really want to find where the travelling fish school up. If anybody knows more than I do I am happy to supply a boat and bait in return for a day on the water. Anyway, I did manage a 40cm blue-nose bream. Best I have caught in BW in many years. He took a Sqidgie worm whick looked a little too tasty to refuse. He got to swim away.

I'm a fan of the cuddy too. Great all-rounder. If the weather turns nasty, a cold wind comes up during a night fish, heading outside at 5am in the morning in winter - the protection of the cabin and standing drive position (the seat is good for flat water in the estury) are pretty hard to beat. It's a real compromise boat, it isnt specialsed for anything so you will find better rigs for specific fishing situations but nothing is as good an all-rounder in my opinion. Great family boat too.

Never thought of it myself but it is made from anchovies and salt so makes sense. Might get a bottle for the boat.

Thanks Mods (Hodgey?) for combining my multiple posts into one. First time with photos so will definitely check out how to resize next time. Going out for Reds again Sat morning. No special spot, just the Broken Bay reefs but really early, Brrrrrrrrrrr. A mate caught a couple in the 2kg - 4kg range recently, but only before sunrise.

We were probably ~20m from the rocks. I could easily cast a lightly weighted prawn into the wash. When we first arrived I did a trial drift further out and as it was a strong Westerly there was <0.5m swell and we were gently blown out from the rocks. Thereafter we started in closer for each drift, but not too close to cause any worry. Next time we plan for an in-close session I'll pick up some cunjie form the channel markers on the way out and have a go for grouper as well.