Mullatt

Have always reversed my trailer hard up against a barrier or the like in dodgy areas. Its as good a security system as you probably can have!

There's nothing special in the way I prepare and smoke my fish @Yon. I'm certainly no expert, but just have developed a basic way to do it over the years that suits me and is simple. I just have a portable smoke box that uses metho to burn the chips. I tend to prefer to use fillets as opposed to whole fish as I find they cook more evenly. Make up a brine of equal parts of salt and brown sugar, then leave them in it for for an hour or so, then dry them as much as possible. Place them in the smoker skin side down and off you go. depending on the size of the fillets, takes anywhere from 15 to 30 mins. I use generally hickory chips, but sometimes apple wood or spotted gum. There are lots of choices though. I also like to rub a little oil on the smoke tray before placing the fish on it to stop it sticking too badly. As I said, no big deal & simple

As @Yon said Salmon are very edible either smoked or eaten fresh after thoroughly bleeding and cutting out the red blood meat. They go great on the barbie, and are also nice in curries and fish cakes. They do not however freeze well, so need to be consumed fresh. I have been smoking my fresh salmon (ha ha that probably sounds funny) for over 40 years and can testify they come up a treat.

I think we did think what we were was completely normal and it would never have crossed our minds when young that there was danger involved...probably considered it a challenge. I am sure however that our parents (as we are now as parents and grandparents) were the ones that were concerned about what we did...thats if they knew what it was we did!

Lighten up mate, some people take life too seriously......if I offended you, apologies, but these are pics I took in 2010 and to my knowledge nobody drowned on the bowls green or the footy oval 🙄

It was crazy hey. These two pics made me chuckle.....aqua footy and water bowls 😀

This may be a silly or obvious question Jon, but why is it left to local volunteers to open the estuary, why not the local council? Don't know if you were around there in 2010, but my wife and I were on holidays there when the big downpour (300 mm in 24 hours) and subsequent floods occurred. We were staying in the Big 4 park and had to move up the hill to other accommodation, as both North & South highways were blocked. I remember all the young kids "surfing" the water channels rushing down down the fairways at the Golf Club. Pic attached is the water pouring out of Mummaga Lake at Dalmeny.

That's crazy @Jocler. We've certainly had a pasting unfortunately this year from mother nature and others hey. As you said, good rains though and hopefully it has flushed out some of the local rivers and lakes and given them a new lease of life. Wallaga Lake I know could do with a flush out...and hopefully the rains actually reopened it to the ocean.

Mate, a couple of places I would give a try in the kayak. Firstly, out from where Cullendulla Creek comes out into the Bay up to Square head. (have a squizz at google maps and you will see where I mean). Its only fairly shallow, and also be careful cos there is a point as the creek goes in that is a No Fishing zone, but anywhere from where the sanctuary ends out to square head and around the area will be a good shot at some flatties! May also be worth trying in the kayak along the beach (Corrigans Beach) just as you turn South from the end of the southern breakwall at the Bay. Good luck

Name and shame mate!

Great pics as usual @JonD. Lets hope you guys get plenty of rain that is able to open up those local lakes (Mummaga, Wallaga, Tilba, Corunna, Cuttagee etc) and give them a good flush out.

Such great advice @Green Hornet. Getting rid of the trebles is the best tip anyone can give a lure fisherman. I have fished fresh and saltwater for longer than I can remember, and have always put a single hook on my lures. When trolling for trout i do use two trailing hooks. Trebles seem to allow the fish some leverage to throw the hooks, but worse still if they swallow them, which salmon often do, that will usually be curtains for them as its very difficult to remove them without them dying. I generally only keep one or two for the table, so its better to release the others alive. Actually spent a few days at a beach just south of Bermagui last week, there were some fantastic gutters and we caught good size salmon every day. Some were so fat, they looked like a torpedo.

Have some fishing mates who live in Queensland and apparently up there its dynamite if you don't have your load (trailer, ute, boat) covered and secured. It is the law and they will and do issue fines regularly, even for things like gum boots in the back of a ute, rods on the floor of the boat etc etc. Can't remember what the fines are exactly, but quite substantial and it makes most people take notice and secure their load after one fine. I'm not completely sure if its a law in NSW, but believe so, as it can be very dangerous and life threatening potentially if stuff flys out of your boat or trailer. Remember when I bought my last boat 5 years ago from Wagga. It's a Stacer 399 Proline Angler and has those removable seats on a centre shaft that you can reposition in a couple of spots in the boat (same as Quinnie's). The day I picked it up I asked the guys at the dealer did the seats need to be secured for travelling, they said nah, they stay in their place well and have never heard of one coming free. Well...on the trip home to Canberra guess what, one came out and as I watched in the rear view mirror of my car, it bounced off the road narrowly missing the car travelling behind me and coming to rest on the side of the road. If it have gone through the windscreen of the vehicle behind, could well have impaled the driver. Ever since I have devised a system to secure them to the boat.

I too love Alvey reels and also have a few of them (which I might add will outlast any other reel and probably outlast the owner...they are virtually indestructable). I generally use mine off the beach and also often with a Snyder Glass rod. As others have said, definitely not for braid use and also they do take a little time and practice to master, but once you do you will love it.

I have used carp as bait for snapper/flatties etc some years ago with success. I wouldn't say that it was the best bait I have ever used, but certainly caught its share of fish. I used to freeze it in fillets as I had to travel 2 hours to the coast. As you would no doubt know, it is a very boney fish, but stayed on the hook reasonably well. Never used it as burley, but wouldn't see why it wouldn't be ok mashed up in the burley bucket/pot. I have no reason to think that you couldn't legally use it as bait for salt water, but will stand corrected! Never did it, but maybe soaking in tuna oil or the like maybe be worth trying too.

Great report & result mate. Looks like Narrawallee Creek?

Not sure that some women will agree with that @motiondave 😉

Don't think you're the odd one out @noelm, just blessed. All my married life, which is now almost 40 years (and many years well before we were married as well) my wife has been my boating & fishing mate and still continues to be. This spans quite a number of boats over the years and even included taking our daughters with us when they were in nappies. They still love boating and fishing to this day. I think we are both very lucky mate 😁

As Manuel from Fawlty towers would say ......crazy 😁

Fair enough, respect your opinion but don't necessarily agree 😀

Could it have anything to do with the fact that less people are fishing at the moment😉

Great work mate, obviously the fish aren't in lockdown 😉

As mentioned, I was thinking too that possibly one was a female in spawning mode ?? Did they taste any different?

Like the majority that are adhering to the rules/lockdowns/requirements I am staying at home other than buying essentials like groceries etc. but there are some, as others have mentioned also, that are flaunting the "rules". The boat is having a nice little holiday in the garage at the moment. Unfortunately, in my opinion, I think the rules or whatever we like to call them, can be at times quite vague and ambiguous. I just wish the powers that be, be clearer in what everyone can and cant do/ should and shouldn't be doing. And I understand that different rules apply in different states! Just my take on it all.

There's probably more difficult ways to go fishing, but can't think of any off the top of my head. Looked like an old boot that he caught around the 9 minute mark?