iamthecowgodmoo

Hi Mike89, It was a 65mm squidgy wriggler in "Avana".

Hit the lake this arvo for a quick flick with my partner and dog in tow. Plan was to just hang around for an hour and flick plastics and surface lures etc. Wind was too much for the little surface lures, so on went the small wriggler and a dozen casts produced a few tentative bites, but no hook-ups. My partner decides she wants to have a few casts. First cast, and she's on to something decent. Gives me the rod to pull it in. Some decent head shakes and a few runs has me thinking it was a good flattie. Was surprised to see a big flash of silver when it surfaces. Big bream? No, too long and slim....small jewie?....possible, but unlikely. Several runs later, I managed to beach it (I was using a 1-3kg rod, 1000 Ci4+ and 4lb braid). You could imagine my surprise when I see a mullet around 35-40cm (forgot the measuring tape). I've caught poddys before on bread dough. Never caught a decent size mullet, well ever... and on a soft plastic, that would be something I would never think would be possible. I know it's only a mullet after all....but getting one on a SP, I thought it was worth sharing.

Nice catch! I will be out there on my "Big Tuna" tomorrow morning chasing bream and flatties on SPs. If you're out there, pop over and say g'day.

I will be out there first thing in the morning. Will be sure to drop by and check it out.

Google "Warringah Anglers". Worth a look.

A few flatties around. The channel on the east side of Sanctuary Island usually holds a few. Drift along with half a pillie or flick a soft plastic around for best results. Good luck!

I've heard they are on the run around Collaroy and Dee Why, so you shouldn't find it too hard to get in on the action.

Great report. Tailor like to chop the tail off fish before coming back to take the rest. Rig your pillies up on gang hooks if they cover at least 3/4 of the pillie's length. Otherwise you could do what I do, which is a 'two hook rig' with one hook through the head and one right down near the tail. Rig them around a metre under a float and let them take it a couple of feet under before striking. Tight lines! Scott.

Brilliant stuff. I won't use anything else apart from the tournament exceed (orange). I use 4.5lb on my light rod, ~10lb on my mid size and 20lb on my large set-up.

I find the Gulp jerk shads in n/chicken or pearl white (5inch) go well on 1/4 and 1/8 jig heads. I'm not the best at rigging them, but I haven't had any dramas with them spinning at all. I've heard that both the curly and paddle tails don't do too bad, I'm guessing that it's more about the retrieve. As another option, it might be an idea to try soft vibes in the larger sizes a try. A bit pricier, but I think they would be worth looking at. I'm going to get a couple soon and use them to target jewies until the weather warms up enough for the kings again.

Using a small bit of dough/bread on a tiny regular hook, not a long shank, thrown out unweighted to sit on or around the surface using the lightest gear possible is a fun way to catch larger poddies (around 15cm). I do this in the lake sometimes when the bream or whiting are off the bite. Had some catch some air while hooked occasionally too.

You will find that they will be too long for kayaking. Kayak specific ones are easy to get a hold of, around the same price, and way more comfortable.

I find it's best to target them in the first few hours after dark. Aim for the shallow areas that are lit up. Usually around the edge of weed beds.

The first one is always the hardest to get. You should be able to get heaps more from now on!

Tuna oil can be very messy to handle, even if you are careful. Just a bit on your skin and you will be smelling it for a week. Spilling any in your car is the stuff nightmares are made of! Bread or soaked chicken pellets is great for smaller stuff, expired dog or cat food (wet) for kings, salmon, bonito etc. Any of the tuna or surprisingly, the lamb varieties work best.

I've had my kayak for nearly a year now and absolutely love it. I got a Jackson "Big Tuna" with a 55lb thrust Minn Kota on the back for $1,700. I got one with a motor mainly since I am due to have my shoulder reconstructed soon. Turns on a dime, get around at a decent speed very quietly. I find it easy to stand on and fish too. The best bit about having a kayak is that you will find so many new places to fish that won't be crowded with holiday makers. The only downside to my kayak is that it is quite heavy, around 50kg+ loaded (big battery+motor) and I don't have room for a trailer, but I get around that with a kayak loader with electric winch that I picked up for $1k off eBay. I can load up and be on my way in under 5min without breaking a sweat. If I didn't get the Jackson, I would get a Hobie for sure. As stable as mine, great storage, and the mirage drive is a great idea.

Any chance you would be keen to share....???

I've been chasing them in that area for ages on SP's and bait to no avail. Well done!

I'm NSW all the way! haha. The Spit at Mosman - I'm usually down around the bridge area or checking out the few sand flats in the area. I fish Narrabeen lake a lot - I've been mapping out all the holes and structure lying beneath the surface while out in the kayak. If you're down there - look for the Jackson "Big Tuna" motoring around....give us a shout out...that should be me!

I was using the 80mm in Bloodworm (old) and Avanana. I found now that it's cooling down that you need to slow the retrieve right down and even "dead stick" it for around 20sec every now and again. If I'm not getting any hits, I start by dropping the size of the SP and the jig head. Agreed. Same with the toadies. When they are around, I can lose a pack of wrigglers in ten minutes where the Z-mans will look untouched. The only thing is that all I've caught on them is the occasional flattie and I find they don't have the action anywhere as good as the squidgies have.

I've been concentrating on just using soft plastics lately to refine my skills in an effort to pick up some more fish. Started the other night down at the spit with my 1-3kg and 3-5kg set-ups looking for bream and jews. Not much of either, but as usual, there were tonnes of chopper tailor around, so had some fun and killed some time while trying a couple of new wriggler colours and at the same time hoping for a jewie. Managed to land a dozen tailor that all went back. Lost countless more. At one stage they would chew most of the plastic off, leaving just more than the head. I would chuck that in and still get hook-ups! Up at the lake this morning there was hardly anyone around and not a breath of wind (regretting that I left the kayak at home ), so I start trying some new techniques. The double flick, getting it a foot or two off the bottom and small, single, slow hops along the bottom, only moving it 20cm at a time. Concentrating on holes, submerged trees, drop-offs, weed bed edges, etc. Found this successful for a few bream and a flathead, so the girl gets a feed at least. Found that the new colour (Avanana) not too bad. Although I still find the classic bloodworm to be the most effective.

That's a sure fire way to get into some tailor. I usually use half a salted pillie on a single 3/0 or 4/0 hook (hook in the meaty part and half hitch around the top) works well too around the Spit.

I dream about having days as good as that. Top effort!

I would have to say my Leatherman "Wave" multitool.

Start a pillow fight.....?!?!?