SgtBundy

The ferry wharf thing might be a recent warning from fisheries that poor behaviour, mess and damage might cause a loss of access to ferry wharves for fishing in the harbour. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

As per my recent report I got Salmon off newport. Lots of bites too so there was plenty about I just couldnt seem to get a hook into them Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

I was not doing huge casts - probably only 25-30m out. If I got another salmon I might have tried using it for bait. I did consider it but with my catch rate I do like to have something to take home to show for it Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Thanks to a small rock caught at 110kmh on the M1 I had a windscreen replacement to do, and so worked from home wednesday. After finishing up early and with no commute to worry about, we had an early dinner which permitted me to sneak out for the 9pm high tide. Got to newport around 8:20 and found the conditions quite flat with a stiff NW wind coming from behind me on the beach. The hope was always for a jewie but with only some frozen pillies, a not so fresh anymore squid and some prawns it was going to be just seeing what shows up. No real activity until well after the tide change when I got a hit, some quick shakes and then slack line. The paternoster was bitten off above the top hook. Figuring tailor I switched to the only gang hooks I had which were some cheap kmart ones - oddly shallow hooks for 5/0 which made getting the pillies on them annoying but not impossible. Following that I got the odd bite but could not get a hook up. Not convinced the hooks were worth persisting with but with some bites I didnt want to waste time switching rigs so persisted. Right as I was considering saving my remaining bait and calling it a night I finally got a hookup. It pulled, ran and shook for all it was worth. As I got it in closer I caught sight of it jumping out of waves which confirmed it for a salmon. A wave or two later I had a decent 50cm odd salmon to take home. I persisted through more bites but again no hookups. Last resort after the pillies were gone I put the arrow squid out whole. It got hammered but they kept missing the hooks. Around 11:30 I packed up and called it a night with my salmon fillets to feed the kids tonight. Time to rebuild some more beach rigs without crappy kmart hooks. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Good to see everyone having a good time of it Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Thanks - would have been nicer to get more than an about an hours fishing in for 3 hours in traffic, but its the way the day played out. That fight and a small increase to the PB was a good result regardless.

Rose bay, Walker2795 Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

With the chores and lunch done and nothing else on the agenda I was given leave to go for a session. I was aware of the storm forecast but with nothing on the radar yet I took my chances. I headed to the hacking simply because I had no luck in the harbour of late. Got to Salmon haul beach around 3:45 and in the car the reports of storms at Camden had me regreting the long drive but I was going to get in what I could. I had some left over squid and a few banana prawns and pillies. I set some squid out on my 12ft rod out far and used some prawn in close. No activity for about 45 minutes - the squid had been shredded by pickers so I replaced it with a pillie but it didnt get touched. I prospected with the prawn and eventually got some taps but just managled bait. I switched to a small squid strip that happened to fall off the first big bait and set that out. Right around 5pm with the storm now threatening I got a solid hit on my squid strip and the drag started screaming off. I had 10lb braid so I did the drag up a little but it was still giving me curry. The runs it gave me and the weight I thought I had a salmon on or maybe a small king. It was not keen to come in. In front of me I had about 5m of barnacle and weed covered rocks before a drop to sand and my braid was going straight into the rocks - I managed to lift it and bring it in some more and as it cleared the drop off I saw I had a good flathead. I got it up and over the weeds and landed it on the rock I was standing on just as he wore through the leader (I think 15lb FC, dont think it was my 6lb). After a few escape attempts and desparate grabs to hang on I had it on the brag mat. At 54cm it was my new PB. I kept it for the table. I had time enough for another cast before thunder and my 12ft lightening magnet dictated it was time to go. I considered waiting out the storm and having another go but between the size of the cells and the time I opted to head home so I could have the catch back home for dinner. Done in beer batter for my wife and I. Needed a little flavouring but was a good feed none the less. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Sounds very similar to IT support, which is maybe why I want to get a jewie so bad

I was land based off middle head and mosman bay. Started at 6am with fresh squid strip from local caught squid - no touches for 4 hours. At Mosman bay I got some nibbles from small snapper and one cheeky bloody little king followed my squid strip in when I had to wind in for a ferry but turned off near the surface - that was it. Packed up at 2pm. Oh yeah - I also managed to accidentally step on and break my favourite SP rod, so that was a great day topper.

I like the sound of that Jamie Oliver reciepe Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Good on you for using that gun fishing skill and contributing to fishing knowledge with tagging. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

I got a bit experimental with the batter trying to take a short cut and it just became thick lumps that wouldnt stick. Normally just dip in flour, then egg them crumbs but this time I tried mixing it. Will try the above suggestions next time Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

I usually do like a soft plastic hop across the bottom for squid - but seeing as I could see they had no problem on the surface I figured to keep it around there. There was the odd splash on the surface which I figured might be squid chasing yakkas or something so I didnt bother trying the whole depth. Even when I dropped it in front of the wharf straight down I was only going down 2-3 ft where they were hitting it. Usually when I try I go back towards the beach over the weed beds there but this was straight out towards the moorings. Thanks - my best squid haul so far. I did consider staying through till dawn to set out some baits then but my daughter had swimming lessons in the morning. I think next time I might try them as straight out strips not rings and see if I can manage salt and pepper.

Went out late to try on high tide overnight at balmoral wharf, getting there around 10:30. As I only had some old salted pillies my plan was to try and get some live bait and set that out for a jewie. No touches despite heavy burley and generally just quiet. Around 11:30 I noticed something in the water and spotted multiple squid free swimming. As I went to get a jig I realised I swapped that tray out of my bag last week and it was back in the car. Quick trot to the car and back and ready to go. As the squid were on the surface I used a slow roll with the odd pause across the top and a few casts in had my first arrow squid. I kept prospecting and found them again in close. Another two jumped on when I was just standing there with the jig dangling below the wharf while I looked for activity. In total I got 6 over a few hours. I tried to set one out live but the rig was for my 12ft rod so was cumbersome on the 7ft rod I brought so it was only throwing distance out. It wasn't touched anyway. It was a probably a bit big for a live bait anyway and was recovered to take home. After midnight a family arrived pulling lots of yakkas out but as I was out of burley I couldnt entice them to where I was. Good to see they are about again though. I tried cooking 3 of the squid tonight for calamari rings but it was a bit of a disaster and a bit bland, more because of my batter I think - needed a little spicing up and I should have tried soaking the rings in kiwi fruit as I have seen suggested. The other 3 will go towards bait for the next session. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk *edit to fix typos on phone

Last few times I have been there in the last few months the yakkas have not been around, but can't say thats all the time. Some trevally around but I have been getting them on prawns.

Good stuff - mixed bag of sashimi there

With the last few days before heading back to the work routine I wanted to get another session in. I wanted to target the high tide on dark off the beach so the plan was to try and get live bait and explore some new areas. I got to Taylors Point wharf around 11 and spotted some small baitfish, maybe poddy mullet but could not get them on a jig or a plastic trap I had. I prospected around for squid with no success. I had some prawns out as well and got a few small snapper. I headed up to palm beach wharf around 1 and got some lunch and tried off the beach for squid but again no luck. Could not see any activity off the wharf either. Headed up to palm beach and once I got around all the home and away film crew vehicles I had a go on the pittwater side. Some whiting were about but I couldnt tempt them, even having a go with poppers but no luck. Having no livies I went on to Newport beach anyway around 4 with some salted pillies I had. The hope was to get a tailor or salmon to use for fresh bait or maybe a livie to set out on the high tide. Alas it was same as earlier - around 6 I got a hit from a small flathead and that was it. Packed up at 7:40 with only sun burn to show for my efforts. Disappointing but thats fishing. Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Thats a good arvo Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Yup - most of my sessions in the last few months I have not seen yakkas save a few horse ones that pop up out of the blue, but no schools.

Agreed - I think I am a spoiled now - not sure dangling a prawn for small snapper will cut it any more

I have been enjoying targeting trevally for their better fight and the one today was a PB (forgot to mention that). I should try exploring some new locations while I have the time, just to broaden my options. My last few harbour trips have been fairly limited.

I was careful enough with booking time off to ensure I had a week off after our holiday, so when the kids were back in school I would have some time for a few sessions on my own. I was going to hit some of the harbour spots that are usually no go zones on holidays, seeing as it was a weekday. However with the temps today and after a lazy morning we opted instead to wait for the kids to finish school so they could have a swim while I fished. Got into Cliftons a bit after 4 and was pleased to find it quiet - just two guys on the end of the pier and a few people having a swim. The water was still that green colour from a few weeks back so I wasn't optimistic. The other fishos said it was quiet and had not seen any baitfish either. I setup a pilly under a float hoping for kings but it was not touched the entire time, while my lighter rod was aiming for trevally using prawns. All quiet for a while then got a few taps - possibly small snapper, then quiet again. Out of nowhere the rod goes over and whatever hit it starts taking drag and giving the rod a workout - I was on 10lb braid but the drag was light, so I notched it up and after some effort to get it out of the structure I had a fat 38cm trevally that was kindly netted by the other guys there. He was kept for sashimi. The rest of the afternoon was intermittent taps and every now and then an under size trevally, about 3 in all. No other activity there aside from some later arrivals getting similar small trevs. No bird or bait activity on the harbour either. With the light fading and the kids over swimming I packed up around 6:30. My wife was not keen on the idea of sashimi so the fillets became crumbed instead and divided up among the family for dinner. Didn't get any photos of the catch, sorry.

Yeah - the harbour was just one of those places that looked like "fish here". The operator told me they got a solid GT inside there on a 2-5kg rod while flicking some prawn plastics, they had to chase it for 3km out to open water before they were able to land it. Those islands are a great spot - the beaches and caves on them would just be a great place to take kids exploring, let alone the fishing. Moving between some of the tuna schools he did run some trolled lures hoping for spanish mackerel which he said were regulars there too - but no takes, just the one we saw go airborne.

I havent really done much boat fishing down here but chasing the schools of tuna and having them scream off when hooked was great fun. There were probably heaps of bait and other options we didnt even get to. Feel spoilt now because it was a whole different world to my previous land based sessions with the odd nibble... Cant wait to head back - Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk