fragmeister
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Posts posted by fragmeister
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Thanks Donna.
Yes, it’s a real shock to the system being so immobilised.
My wife picked it though. She was always more concerned about how it would effect my mood being stuck in the house for months.
I have crutches ( dangerous bloody things they are) an I-Walk 2 which is like a peg leg thing that straps to your bent leg (you are probably aware of those) it’s pretty handy for getting around and freeing up your hands - even managed to make dinner last night. My knee scooter arrives today... I think that will work the best and should get me up and about.
One of the most surprising things was when they told me I would have to self inject anticoagulants for 6 weeks. I don’t like needles much but I have rapidly become desensitised to giving myself the jab every day.
Anyway.. it’s all good...
cheers
jim
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7 hours ago, GoingFishing said:
Wishing you a speedy recovery Jim.
Thanks mate.
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Thanks Waza,
It,s actually only a ligament tear but they screw the bones together the to keep it all in place while the ligament repair heals.
The screws come out in 6 months.
Cheers
Jim
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48 minutes ago, noelm said:
Looks like it was fixed with a nail gun.
Looks fairly brutal doesn’t it.
I think the surgeon ducked into Bunnings on the way to theatre.
I hope he used stainless screws and some Tefgel.
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Hi Raiders,
Have been AWOL for a while so I haven’t posted any thing.
Those who know me also know that things get a bit hectic at work sometimes so I often go missing for weeks so thanks to those Raiders who sent a PM to see where I was.
Well, fact of the matter is I have some new hardware in my foot after a soccer injury and I am looking down the barrel of 6 months before I am out plaster and a moon boot. No fishing fo me for a while I guess.
I look forward to reading all your posts until I am back on my feet.
Cheers
Jim
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Great effort Sam.
Well done on the Dollies too (I always expect you to bag out on the flatties though so that is no surprise!)
cheers
Jim
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This has ended up a very informative thread.
Thanks to all for the contributions to date.
Cheers
Jim
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Come to think of it I always flip the bail back manually regardless of the reel but it’s more about making sure theslack line doesn’t get caught aroundthe bail arm roller - particularly in the wind and fishing light braid.
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18 hours ago, Hateanchors said:
Where did you see that Jim? Just picturing how it works, I can’t see how it would put any extra twist. It won’t be any different to closing manually.
Can't remember but come to think of it ... I can't' picture it either!
I have to say I didn't give that a great deal of thought when I posted it.
My apologies boys... It does sound like a silly suggestion in retrospect.
In thinking about it , If any line twist is introduced by the line changing direction as it passes over the bail arm then really the only difference with a manual bail arm is one less turn in hundreds as most of the rotations are in reeling in the line.
hmm... I must have had one too many I think!
BTW - Hateanchors... a very respectful way to bring this to my attention. Much appreciated.
Cheers
Jim
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Yep... same here on my 10000
there is a school of thought that auto bail arms put a twist in your line each time and with those reels typically used for repeated drops like when jigging it can all add up ... at least that’s the suggestion.
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3 hours ago, Berleyguts said:
Instead of a snapper lead on the bottom, I use a Shimano Bottom Ship Jig (or similar) in weights from about 40g up to 120g, depending on the depth and the drift speed. I general drift for blue spot flathead in 35-45m or so. About 45cm above that, I run my first dropper and 30-45 above that, I run my second dropper. My droppers are usually 30-40cm long. I tie single strand droppers at home (I still have to go to YouTube to remember how to do it!) but if I have to rerig at sea, I usually just tie a standard dropper loop. However, sometimes I cut the loop so it’s single strand. I use 30lb or 40lb Vanish fluorocarbon leader and droppers and 20 or 30lb J Braid mainline. I frequently get triple hookups or if I feel I’ve been baited, I often get a hit on the jig on the way up. I generally use strips of slimy mackerel on both hooks but sometimes I mix up the baits and sometimes I use a plastic squid on the top hook.
Great suggestion. I have often used a jig in place of the lower hook on the paternoster but I haven't thought of replacing the snapper lead with a weighty jig.
Cheers
Jim
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On 3/1/2019 at 12:25 PM, rozza_b said:
i fish for Flathead using a micro jig with some bait on the hook, works a absolute treat and is simple with no tangles or anything, of course would only do this on sand bottom where i know i'm not going to get snagged, otherwise i just run a patternosta, i tie mine so i have no double up line to connect hooks to, have a look at how long liners set theres up to understand what i mean
Interestingly, flathead are my most common bycatch when I am doing a bit of prospecting with micro jigs for kings around the artificial reef.
My only question would be, have you tried this in say 30-50 meters of water? I am wondering whether you could get a micro jig close to the bottom in any sort of drift.
Cheers
Jim
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Just now, Plethora said:
The best way to catch eels is using a steel coat hanger - straighten it out, make a handle at one end a loop at the other end with a bit of 150lb wire trace with a hook on it. (using this you can just yank them out of the rocks) you go down to Heathcote creek with a bit of smelly fish on it and wave it around the rocks down there - it wont take you long to get their attention
Now there's one I have never heard before!
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I think the boys have it right (I would put money on it)
Looks like a great day out!
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That gets my vote!
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...and here's me hooked up on a rat King in Bantry Bay...
(I have pretty much worn this T-shirt nonstop for about 12 months so I am about due for a new one)
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On my last two trips out about a month apart I didn't see any boils off North Head. Last season and quite a few before that they were the size of football fields
I did spin up a few small bonnies about 1 k offshore when I saw birds working a school but I struck out in and around the washes.
Last week Long reef was dead but Sydney harbour has more bait in it than I have seen for years.
Not sure what that all means but it is certainly very different to last year.
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I walk past the fish shop in Parramatta Westfield most days and I see some of the same fish there so many days in a row that we are on a first name basis!
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4 minutes ago, big Neil said:
Hi Jim. An interesting thread which you've started here. Most of you would know that my fishing is predominantly in freshwater where the target species are Yellowbelly and Murray Cod. I seldom take any fish from the waters I use, much preferring to release them for another day. Occasionally though, when numerous folks are gathering for some occasion or other, I will catch a nice 60cm Cod for the table.
I have a friend who runs the local fish and chip shop who lightly batters the Cod pieces and deep fries them for me. I buy a heap of chips and people are amazed at how good the Cod tastes. Of course, we all know it's because it's fresh. I wouldn't dream of buying fish which may have been caught many days prior...it's just not the same.
So Jim, here's my advice. Stop working so hard, go fishing more often. Catch, prepare and eat your own fresh fish. Utilise the skills and capabilities which you have. We only have one shot at the life we live, work will still be there tomorrow. LOL.
Cheers mate, bn
"Stop working so hard"
I'm working on that ! LOL
Cheers Buddy... not long now.
Give it 12 months and you will be sick of how many times I post the latest fishing trip!
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On 11/5/2018 at 8:29 AM, seasponge said:
I used to do my flathead fillets in beer batter, but lately have moved to panko bread crumbs. I think they give a better result for smaller fillets.
The key to a crispy batter is to cook it long enough to get all the moisture out of it (the batter, not the fish), so if the fillets are small, either the fish will be overcooked, or the batter will be soggy by the time you eat it. Ideally, you want to be able to cook them until the bubbles coming off them (that's the water cooking out of the batter) have died down. Not easy on smaller fillets.
So for smaller fillets, I dust em in flour, dip them in beaten egg, then roll in panko breadcrumbs. They don't take as long in the fryer to crisp up so you get a good result without overcooking the fish. Panko breadcrumbs are a Japanese style, available in any supermarket, but give a better result than standard breadcrumbs.
For larger fillets, a good beer batter made out of flour, salt, and Cooper's Pale Ale (nothing but the best ?). I've tried self raising flour, which can give a good crunch, but it balloons up and give a smooth coating, not a nice rough coating. The 50/50 flour/cornflour is a good option. I'll fry 2 pieces at a time in rice bran oil, then at the end, I toss them all back in for a second fry for about 30 sec to really crisp up the batter.
And I'll always drain my fried fish on a wire rack, not on paper towel. I find draining on a paper towel only makes the batter soggy on the bottom.
If you're looking for a quick sauce to go with it, here's my recipe - https://www.fishraider.com.au/topic/88014-easy-make-sauce-for-your-flathead-fillets/
Only just noticed this... thanks for the heads up on the Panko bread crumbs and yes , the wire rack is a great tip.
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Just now, savit said:
Do you use Mono for jigging?
Yes , I use for jigging but not for beach fishing as I find it too easy to tangle and knot as it washes around in the surf.
I also don't use it when using a for centrepin reel for blackfish fishing.
And I don't like it on a handline that I might use for catching live bait.
Somehow I feel that it can get a bit hard to manage when there is some reason not to have continuous tension on the line.
Could just be a personal thing though.
Cheers
Jim
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Just now, connico said:
For doing all my reels i use the Busted fishing Bee's knees reel spooler and the ripper stripper!
I have something similar but your one is much better... might have to invest in that one.
Thanks for the info.
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Just now, GoingFishing said:
Success factors (in order of precedence) for bottom bashing based on my experience (others will have different experiences i am sure) are:
1. Location
2. Drift Speed
3. Drift Direction ( in relation to seabed structure)
4. Bait Type/Bait Presentation
5. Hook Size
6. Rig Type or Setup
Thats all from me !
Edited 2 hours ago by GoingFishing
Thank for the well-considered and detailed post.
I note that you certainly come up with the goods in the bottom bashing department and I know I m not the only Raider you have shared excellent resources within this forum.
Cheers and thanks again.
Jim
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Just now, Yowie said:
Fish similar to you Jim.
Snapper sinker on the bottom, size dependant of drift rate. 2 droppers above with 2/0 red long shank hooks. About 50cm between hooks and 50cm to the sinker. Amount of line out depends on the drift. Some days I don't jig the bait as the flatties will grab the moving bait as it drifts past their noses.
Quite often I will catch a fish on the top bait, nothing on the bottom bait. The flatties will swim up to a bait, and on 2 occasions I have had a flattie swim up the 30 to 40 metres chasing a hooked fish, then grab the other bait and hook up. Not all flatties sit on the bottom and wait for food, some are more active than others (includes the duskies up river)
Mostly catch flatties outside - Blue Spots, occasional Tigers and very occasional Marbled. Also many small Spiky or Long Spined flatties. Other fish include Flounder, occasional Kingfish, Tailor, Slimy Mackerel, Bonito from the bottom and various reef species.
I use a fish strip for bait, and when I catch a Spiky, I use fillets from those, 2 baits from a larger Spiky fillet and the fillets are fairly tough. Free bait that I don't have to buy.
Dave.
Thanks Dave... Yes, I agree that flathead for flathead is a great bait.
Cheers Jim
Just in case you were wondering where I had gone...
in The Bar
Posted
Lol,
Yep, no faking this time!
Didn’t even get a free kick for it,