Ryder

Well played Sarge. Big fish often run straight back at you off the beach. I guess it's the path of least resistance. You did the right thing, wind like crazy and hope. I'm glad the trip paid off, smashing fat sambo!

Hi Raiders. Trevor and I hit the harbour again today, this time northside. We started around 6:30 and planned to fish the tide change and the run in. There was heaps of bait swimming around the wharf, alot of cormorants too, which isnt great. They can spook the fish. The blackfish were around for a while, but seemed to shut down wben the tide changed. We managed 3 fish, a couple of drops and 1 that busted me off. Trevor also got a small Tarwine on weed and believe it or not, he hooked onto a Kingie. The fish followed bis weed bait in , it's profile must have looked like a baitfish. It came right up to the wharf, just looking at the bait in front of it's nose. Trevor twiched it and BANG he's on. The fish took off around the pylon at the back of the wharf, then PING he was gone. He would have been legal, but there was only a slim chance of landing it on blackfish gear. A floppy 2 wrap rod, a reel with no drag, tiny no.6 hook and 6lb leader. If he went for open water mmmmmaybe. With the wind coming up we moved over to tbe south side of the harbour. We got a few downs and pulled out one more fish becore the wind got the better of us. Cheers.

And he was a man of good and subtle humour.https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=R148pbWpA3Q

RIP My good man. Ritchie Benaud was an inspiration to all young cricketers of my generation. He was the first person I saw on colour TV. 1977. We couldn't afford it before. Sadly missed

Nice job. You produce some very useful items.

That's a great Tailor for the harbour. I like the innovative measuring system. Well done.

Great fish, WOW and great report. Some interesting information coming thru too. Tailor is a top bait for many species, including tailor. I just watched rigga's video link, whole mussels in the shell as bait, so natural. I wonder if the same would work with pipis on the beach, or would they bury themselves? Congratulations on the PB.

Well done mate, those Bass keep greeting bigger as you refine you technique. That carp Jordan got is a monster, 40 minutes to land, a test of patience and skill.

Did anyone get a spotted Mackeral. That could be the culprit. There are also whispers of bigger bitier cousins Spanish making a show.

I found this from 2003.

Frigate Mackeral

Nice work on the first kingie. Too bad about the size, but it's always great to catch a new species. As for the catch and release cuttlefish, sorry. Maybe consider getting one of those small nets people use for fish tanks. It will work for squid and yakkas.

You did well. It's great when fish turn on like that. Fresh flathead MMMMM, hard to beat.

G'day Raiders, Hope everyone had a great Easter. I headed out with Trevor again today chasing Blackfish, at a sneaky little spot in Balmain. It was a place neither of us had fished before, so it was pretty much speculating. It was a slow start, but after an hour or so I got the first touch, and managed to pull the hook on a small fish. A short time later I'm on again, to a decent fish, that was soon in the keeper net. From high tide the bite came more consistently, at least they did for me. I pulled the hook on another, Busted off on 2 at the net in the rocky shoreline, and landed 2 more. Trevor was having an issue with his reel when his float went under. He tried to bring it in by hand, but the fish got in under the rocks and that was that. Things this time weren't going his way, but I'm happy to say he came good and landed a nice fish before we packed it in. Although we didnt get heaps they were quality fish, and the ones that busted off at the net were bigger.

It's a great part of the world. I hope you get some bigger fish. Fishing Yamba years ago we were using white pillies on a 2 hook 1/0 gang. When in Rome.

In that case you could claim 2nd place in the Fishraider records.

Now that's a big flathead. Great work. And you did the right thing releasing it. A fish to remember. Did you get him on bait or lure

Well done mate. Great catch. Last Thursday there were a suspiciously large number of birds in IronCove

Whitworths are still around. Bias went under.

That's a good bag of squid.. I love the green eyes. Did your dad eat them all before you could use them as bait?

I would say closer to 10 cm

Mate that's a great report.. Apart from the bities, we have stingies and zappers.

I've only been down there once. We stayed on the south side I think it was Lakeside van park, We fished The Step, where the entrance drops off into lake proper. Mullet livies were easy to catch with bread and berley on the flats. Sent down the step for flathead.

Nice catches there mate. You timed your run perfectly. I bet they'll get a hiding over the next few days, as the crowds descend on the place. Well done.

Taylor's bay would be closer to Newport. Make sure you have your tomtom or same. The streets on that side are like a labyrinth. Heaps of dead ends, and loops.