SgtBundy

For me, the opportunities are limited enough so unless its torrential I give it a crack anyway. I always thought "what do the fish care, they are wet anyway" but I am sure there is more to it than that

Still weighing it all up (such a long wait for payday) but at the moment leaning towards a Pflueger Salt S70 reel on a 10ft Ugly stick gold. I might go 12ft seeing as I think even the 10ft might be too big for the boot and need to ride in the front anyway.

Does burley help much with time of day say when they might be more off the bite, or just bringing them in if they are about? Have never really burleyed much, but maybe that explains my results

Ok, didn't seem like mullet and have not seen yakkas before so it must have been that. Probably explains why the bite was so slow then. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Decided I could deal with sleep another time and headed out last night to try around the high tide at spit bridge. Started at the reserve side around 10pm for no hits and around midnight tried around the bridge at first on the east side until the west side was freed up. Water was constantly being busted by surface action as the tide started running out. The main channel where the bridge lifts was nearly boiling and did so up until around 3am but I couldn't cast to there with my setup. Was sending out pillie chunks hoping for a bream but then got a large hit and bitten off. Rerigged with a wire trace and pretty quickly took an undersize tailor. A friendly guy chasing some squid have me one to try live but had no takers. It got snagged but seemed to do so very weirdly, could have sworn I had a small run before it got stuck. The constant activity kept me hopeful I could get a hit and eventually took a just legal tailor and another undersize. Fun, but with the way the water was being torn up I was hoping for more. Packed it in around 3:20am. Happy to have a take home for once but wishing I could have got amongst whatever was stirring them up on the opposite bank! On the cool side, I did get to see bioluminescence for the first time, plus a lot of squid activity. One of those peaceful things about a quiet night of fishing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Can you suggest some brands or models to look at? The original one I had in mind was the ugly stik gold surf - either 10' or 12'. So a 2-piece in that $100-$150 range. The Rovex combo above was quite a good offer with the reel (which seems to have great reviews) which is why I was looking at that particular rod, but can't find any specific reviews or opinions on the rod itself other than some marketing spank talk.

Dad and I were fishing at Patonga yesterday and watched some kayakers go out - one paddle, one a Hobie with pedal drive. Dad has a Hobie himself so was taking an interest. Without being too judgemental, I dare say the guy on the paddle kayak was somewhat oversize for it (to the degree he was spilling over the sides). Anyway, we see them come back about an hour later, the hobie was towing the other guy back in - we guessed he had run out of puff because he didn't seem the fittest specimen (not that I can say much in that regard). The Hobie guy lets the paddle one go and he starts paddling the rest of the way in from about 50m out, but is sitting awful low in the water with the rear sinking. Next thing he is in the water, the kayak is overturned, and the hobie is furiously coming back to rescue him. Dad reckoned there were at least three rods that disappeared from the kayak after that, not to mention whatever other gear was in there. Once the paddle guy was back on shore the Hobie came back out and went diving for the gear but seemed to come back empty. Not sure whose gear it was, but the mood seemed tense between the two of them after that...

Ok. Thanks for the info. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ok - keep away from ceiling fans, got it Thanks.

Tagging onto this thread if I may. I am looking for a surf/rock setup at the moment. My main limitation is I have to be able to transport it in the car, as I lack roof racks and I don't trust any of those suction devices which seem to be the only option now days for car attachment. Hence I was looking for something like a 10ft 2 piece rod that can break down and go in the car easily. I would like to gear up so I can maybe have a crack at jewies down the track. I have been steered to an on sale combo thats going for what seems a decent price ($140) based on what I can find the individual parts elsewhere: Fin Nor Biscayne 60 reel Rovex Air Surf Prime 10ft 6-15Kg graphite rod I have been warned about the graphite being susceptible to damage from hitting rocks, improper use etc. How much of an issue is this? Can anyone comment on the above kit? I am not looking to go too high end, but I don't want to buy rubbish either and as above would like to target kings and jewfish when I can get a chance.

Three years old and he has hooked more kings than I have seen

Just curious - a bit of googling suggests that plastics and lures still work at night, and that even using darker or "non bright" colours work fairly well. The curiosity is if this is as effective as using baits at night, or do the problems of being unable to see the lure and line at night just make it too much of a hassle to use lures or soft plastics at night? Question is because I was considering heading out tonight but didn't want to spend the night feeding pickers with servo prawns (I only have a light rig at the moment). Last time I was out after dark I had a go with a SP but it was just impossible to tell what was going on, so other than a slow troll I couldn't do much with it. I also thought that while a lure might be ok once spotted, it might not be as effective at attracting fish as some bait wafting in the water would be.

At that time I was fishing up to the bottom of the tide with some Gulp pumpkinseed minnows, the choppers loved them at least. I bought this setup for Bream/Flathead but I am now looking for something heavier to setup to see if I can have a go at some kingfish. True

It would have been fun while it lasted

I tried putting the plastic ahead of the king the second time I saw it but he was cruising past pretty quick so I might have missed it. Only ever fished for bream and flathead before though, but seeing all the stuff about kings on here I was keen to have a go. Even if it was only with 6lb mono and a very light rod setup!

The groper definitely made me do a double take - always thought of them as a tropical species and certainly would not have thought of them just cruising around the shore that far in the harbor, but there you go.

Managed to fit in a few goes on the weekend. First was Saturday afternoon up at North Entrance again. Wandered along the outgoing channel trolling a small hardbody lure as I made my way over to the surf. Moved around between a couple of people who seemed like they had been trying for a while and right between them got a just shy of keepable flathead - I think I copped a couple of annoyed looks for that. Sent him back. Moved up to the channel exit near the surf and kept going with the lure. After about 3 minutes there got a 43cm sandy flathead that I took home for mum. At this point a guy who had been sitting with his gear waiting for the current to slow down jumped up and had a go - I think I gave him some hope. Kept going up until dusk with only another undersize flathead but nothing else, however the other guy picked up an ok bream and flathead. Then on Sunday after completing the home chores I ducked out for a few hours around the Spit bridge. Spent the time bouncing some soft plastics but only got them destroyed by choppers, nothing serious seemed to be about. Not sure if it was the storms rolling through had put them off but it was pretty quiet out - not many fishing. There seemed to be plenty of activity in the water though with small schools of tailor and some bream/tarwhine milling about, and plenty of mullet schooling around the marina. I am not sure, but I think I saw something that resembled a 60cm kingfish swim straight along the rocks in front of me, twice. Teasing bastard. Then over around the bridge footings I could have sworn I saw what looked like a Blue Groper swimming around the reef like area. Very distinct blue colour and about the shape of one, do they inhabit the harbour in that area?

Original plan was to head out with Dad for a go at North Entrance the next morning, but a long work day for him ruled that out. With the kids tucked up in bed at my parents I decided to duck out myself for a few hours around the tide change on Saturday night. Had been out earlier in the day with some soft plastics and had seen a reasonable flathead taken in the same spot, so I thought I would have a try in the same area. Only had light gear with me so was hoping for a flattie or a nice bream. Seems like it was the right place because the pelicans were patrolling up and down the channel out from the lake and were snapping at a things plenty. Quite pleasant out with a thunderstorm off the coast putting on a show. Only managed a few undersized bream but some guys nearby took a couple of jewies from the surf - at a guess 80cm+. As soon as the tide changed it all went quiet. Trolled around a little while longer but had nothing take any interest. Changed locations to the wharf on the north side of the bridge to have a go with my left over bait - plenty of small bream but nothing else showed up, despite a fair amount of activity from things breaking the surface. The other thread about rubbish left behind applied here too - there was half cut up pilchards, bait wrappers and bourbon cans all along the wharf - even though bins were only meters from the wharf. So not successful, but enjoyable and next time I will prep the surf gear and maybe have my first go at some jewfish as well.

There was a thread I found with a google map of some land based spots around Sydney. I have been trying a few of them to figure out the area. I am finding the various spots on the inner harbour tend to all have paid parking. I am beginning to think it might be more cost effective to buy a boat. Something I wasn't aware of though is that if you try out the spots listed near middle head, the only thing you are likely to catch is an eyeful of trouser snake, as I discovered today while trying to find my way to the rock ledges there. I guess that goes with not being up to date on the gay nude scene.

Chicken, Garlic and Parmesan - they seem to love it, as do flatties. Unfortunately so do baby snapper and everything else you have to throw back Any tips on good shore spots? I tried hiring a boat from Brooklyn once but it was a waste of time as the gutless motor could barely move me against the current.

I started up in earnest this year (last few years was the odd spot a few times a year with Dad) and have been making a few trips to the harbour. Limited to shore fishing so the opportunities are limited I suppose. Of the maybe 15 times I have been out this year, I have so far got one legal flathead Just before that my wife was giving me stick asking "what is it they say about people who keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result?".

Had a few trips out now for nothing more little snapper and the odd undersize bream. However on Sunday arvo I got this nice flattie near spit bridge on a prawn - he must have sat on it because I didn't feel anything until I just went to wind in to check the bait and it took off. Not a great shot of it but measured 44cm - made up for a bit of frustration on the last few attempts. Sent him back as well as we were not likely to be eating him soon. Tried a few lure attempts as well but nothing had a go at them. Next attempts might be further up the harbour as I think the tolls and parking are adding up a bit too much for my current results

Ok - I was told originally a Goby and found lots of close references, but this looks a lot more on the money especially with some other hits in google images. Thanks guys.

Fishing near Spit Bridge today I pulled in something that was really odd. First thought was bigger than normal baby snapper, then I realised it was an odd long shape. Out of the water It looked like a cross betwen a baby snapper in colour (red, blue dots) and some sort of catfish or eel with a massive mouth on it. I have since found out it is a Goby of some sort, but nothing I can find on the DPI site or most other scientific sites seem to confirm the exact species. This was roughly 25cm long but most Gobies seem to be much smaller than that. The larger ones are all much duller colours and tend to be brown - this was nearly exacly like a snapper. Anyone seem something like this before?

Thanks for that - having a go last night at Balmoral I can see how the bait just tended to bring on the pickers but nothing substantial was having a go, although there was something disturbing the surface occasionally as the tide started to go out. I did get my first squid though (with chicken), by surprise as I was going for bream around the jetty structure. Will have a look around for alternate jig heads - the current ones I have were bought for shallow weed beds, but I have already seen I need some heavier ones in deeper and faster water.