AGP

Hey Tom, 100% Big Tailor with the clean cut, Happens all the time when using Yakkas and where youre fishing nothing else would be doing that to a Yakka of that size. The Crushed Yakka is definitely a Soapy/School Jew and thats a common bite mark for Middle harbour and using Livies that size. Over summer I was lucky enough to witness a school of Jews ball up a massive School of 30cm+ Bull Mullet up in the Middle Harbour area, It was an awesome sight just on first light! The Mullet were busting up everywhere trying to escape and there were hundres of them. Got a small Jew of 65 cm's on Plastics just after witnessing this which confirmed the shadows hunting the Mullet were Jew.

Thanks for the feedback guys. It's awesome when you pick a certain day, do your research and get a result like this. I know fish like this don't come easy and the effort I have put in all paid off at the perfect time. Stoked! Hey Butch, I'm very interested in a session mate, I'll pm you my number. Cheers mate.

Hi Raiders, I spent many sessions this summer focused on getting a Jew on plastics plus using Live bait at times too. Switching between the Harbour and Hawkesbury system. The end result from hours of casting was 3 fish in 3 different sessions, With many fishless sessions and too many Flathead to count as bycatch. All Jew were small fish with the biggest going 65cm's. I did also lose a monster on live squid despite having 50lb braid and 70lb leader but you have to expect that when targeting the big fella's. Only 3 weeks ago I purchased a new Tinnie and after spending the last couple weeks installing electrics and live bait tank it was ready for its first trip last weekend. I decided to head out to the Hawkesbury after getting some Livies and try around the Cowan system. After only 1 hour and a few Bonito and Tailor taking the Livie's this Big guy struck, I had only just cast out and put the reel into gear as it hit like a freight train with the rod still in my hands. It had me running around the boat as it changed direction multiple times and to be honest I thought it was going to do me more than a couple of times especially as it had picked up my lighter rod. A nervous 15 minutes later and my mate was able net him for me. My biggest Jew and he came in at 122cm's and was a very solid fish! Not bad for the boats first trip out. Cheers

Thanks for that mate. Would Whitworths have these brackets?

Hi Raiders, I just bought a new Tinny and am in the process of getting it set up with Livie tank, Sounder, Lights etc. i plan on attempting to install the sounder and Live bait system this weekend and have some questions I hope someone can help me with. In my previous boat the guy I bought it off had welded two aluminium brackets at the rear of the boat. 1 to screw the sounders transducer to and 1 on the other side to screw the live tanks bilge pump to. These brackets avoided the need of drilling holes in the boat. My question is do I need to go to the trouble of having these brackets welded on to hold the bilge and transducer or can i just drill into the rear of the boat and fix them this way?? In that case would I need to bolt them on and use sikaflex? Any input would be appreciated as im not sure where to go with this. Cheers.

100% big Jew as there is a real potential for fish over 30kg even in Sydney. Hook one over 20kg and the last thing you'll call the fight is lazy.. Kings fight harder that's for sure but you're not going to catch kings in the mammoth sizes you can get big Jew if following moon/tide/right bait. Kings are also far easier to deceive.. The mighty Mulloway doesn't come easy.

I was given a response in regards to Hawkesbury netting below.. Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries NSW Port Stephens Fisheries Institute Locked Bag 1, NELSON BAY NSW 2315 Tel: 024982-1232 Fax: 02 4982 1107 ABN 72 189 919 072 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au Thank you for your letter of 7 November 2012 to the Minister for Primary Industries, regarding your concerns about fish stocks and commercial fishing within the Hawkesbury River. The Minister has asked that I respond on her behalf. The fisheries resources of NSW are closely monitored, including an annual assessment of all available scientific studies and catch and effort data for the primary species (see below for useful internet links to relevant information about the resource assessment process and species status reports). The vast majority of the key species commercially harvested in the Hawkesbury River estuary, such as prawns, sea mullet, yellowfin bream, blue swimmer crab, sand whiting, dusky flathead, and Australian salmon are scientifically assessed as being fully (i.e. sustainably) fished. • A Framework for the Assessment of Harvested Fish Resources in NSW: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0015/140307/part1-frameworkfor- the-assessment-of-harvested-fish-resources.pdf • Status of Fisheries Resources in NSW report: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/research/areas/fisheries-and-ecosystems/wildfisheries/ outputs/2010/1797 Commercial fishing operations in and around the Hawkesbury River are subject to a range of restrictions to manage its impacts on fish stocks and the surrounding environment. Some of the controls include restrictions on the number of operators, the amount of different fishing gears used, specifications on the gear and the way it is used, species size limits, and areas and times closed to fishing, among other things. The Estuary General Fishery and Estuary Prawn Trawl fisheries in NSW have approved Fishery Management Strategies in place, and have been the subject of comprehensive Environmental Impact Statements and Commonwealth approvals under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Further details can be found at: • www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/commercial/ea • www.environment.gov.au/coasts/fisheries/nsw/prawntrawl/index.html …/2 Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries NSW Port Stephens Fisheries Institute Locked Bag 1, NELSON BAY NSW 2315 Tel: 024982-1232 Fax: 02 4982 1107 ABN 72 189 919 072 www.dpi.nsw.gov.au - 2 - Despite the stock status and management controls outlined above, I can inform you about a major commercial fisheries review and reform process that has been underway and was recently announced by the Minister for Primary Industries. The Commercial Fisheries Reform Program will fundamentally change the structure and way we manage commercial fisheries over the coming years, including the setting of Total Allowable Catch or Total Allowable Effort levels across every available share class. This program will address many community concerns relating to the number of commercial fishing licences issued in NSW. For further information about that process, including a full copy of the Review Report and the NSW Government’s response to all 22 key recommendations, please see: • www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/commercial/reform I hope the information provided above gives you the relevant background information and an appreciation for the future management program. Please do not hesitate to contact Carly Hulme, Fisheries Manager, on (02) 9527 8593 if you wish to discuss this matter further. Yours sincerely Dr Geoff Allan Executive Director,NSW Fisheries

I may be interested mate and have plenty of experience fishing for them although most of it in the Hawkesbury and middle harbour. PM me if you want someone to come along for some tips. Cheers.

Emailing them is Exactly what needs to be done.. If they were harassed enough over it something would have to be done. The problem is apart from reccreational anglers, The general public probably doesnt care too much if some river gets a net pulled through it all day every day. People need to be educated as to what really is happening and these so called experts need to be continually contacted over the matter until atleast some of the pressure is reduced.

Yep, same lack of response over and over again from mr Gay. It honestly seems that this joke will continue until the system is completely devastated. So frustrating when a small few do all the damage and give nothing back to the wider community. WTF are Hawksbury rec fisherman paying license fees for??

What point does the over harvesting have to reach before its finally restricted?? The river and Broken bay used to be guaranteed big fish spots if a little effort was put in yet now is basically a waste of time. All I hear from pro commercial people is that it's fine and still full of fish..... But I personally have had to turn my back on my old favourite Jew spots after literally seeing them vanish over the last few years. You still get a couple but its completely stuffed compared to even 5 years ago. The river is so precious and such a large unique waterway and would easily be Sydney's greatest fishing haven if the nets were banned. It would bounce back in a couple years and urgently needs a break from the raping. To me it's pretty obvious that recreational fishers of Sydney are pumping more money into the economy than these trawlers yet our largest and potentially greatest waterway is fished to the point we have to all use other systems.. NSW fisheries needs to do what it takes to fix this nightmare situation. It really doesn't take an 'expert' to look at what's happened after the pros all had to hit the HR after being banned from the harbour. Hopefully new Mulloway size limits will make the non stop trawling un-viable and give the place some relief to rebuild stocks.

It's 30 feet on average.

Thanks, It took a live yakka fished off the bottom. I just bought some lip grips so will take your advice and support the fish for a photo. I am only just getting into plastics and Vibe's and am keen to try at this spot. It's only 30 feet in depth so might chuck some 4 inch Z-man minnows next time and reckon the Jew and flatties will have a go. Do you reckon jew would still take a plastic when it's completely dark? Iv'e tried this spot many times in the day but it only turns on as the sun goes down. Even early morning is nothing compared to late arvo/night at this spot. There is also no artificial light any where near here so once it gets dark it's pretty much pitch black. Oh and didnt weigh or measure mate...Just wanted to get it back quickly. I got another there recently that my mate measured and it was 98cm.

Hi Guys, New to this site and thought id share a nice flattie i got on Saturday. At this spot while livebaiting for Jews I picked up this guy.. Thats the 4th one that size so must be a hotspot for the adult fish. I have let everyone of them go as have no interest in killing a big breeder like that. Cheers

Tough fishing in Narra creeks these days. Iv'e consistently fished all of the creeks that feed the lake and have caught some real oddities in them over the years. Massive rays used to ball up mullet in sth creek and the place was alive with fish until quite recently. Dont know if polution and sediment has ended them or what but the creeks are not the same. In saying that there is EP's in Deep creek and middle creek but you gotta work for em. There is not a big population so im sad to say i have seen a bloke in a kayak take an EP home that was barely 30cm. Must have been bloody hungry? See the photo attached of an EP i got recently in Deep creek.. Had nothing to measure him with so wacked the old size 13 foot next to him!