SgtBundy

Dad was blackfishing the Entrance today from a kayak - he said there were a lot of downs but only got two on the hook.

Yeah - he was thrashing about and not happy, and I know they can turn on themselves so I wasn't about to get to personal with him, especially at that size.

Saw one caught at Cliftons today, plus a few swimming around. Dad got a few up at the Entrance as well today. Timid as well, he said lots of downs but only 2 caught

Had no plans to fish this weekend as I had booked monday for a day off to have a go in the harbour, but with no plans for anything else I got the green light to go out. Picked Palm beach because I wanted to try the north end of it. Setup around 4:30pm with the Sun going down. Had some frozen yakkas and squid I caught a few weeks back and some salted pillies as backup. Not long in I had a flurry of activity just before sunset. My heavier rod had a hit but on checking I was mistaken, but as I set that back my small rod with a tiny squid strip washing in close was going off. A short fight with something with a bit of go resulted in a nice chromed up bream. Didnt measure but around 30cm - kept for the table. It was quiet for a while then a slab of a big squid got snatched by a salmon - not huge but about 45cm - another of those fights where they race at you and you have to scramble to pick up line. I had a few more hits on the squid which I guess were salmon because of a similar fight but lost in the fight - including one that really gave me some stick. Turned quiet again until a bit after the turn of the tide. Hoping for a chance of a jewie I opted to try some fresher bait and took a fillet off the salmon and set that out. There was a steady stream of picker hits but no takes. The next fillet sat a while until I felt an odd take and nothing - as I picked up line I felt weight and set the hook. Dragging it in I could tell I had something but it was sedate and heavy so I suspected a ray. As I got it in it didnt like the shore and took some big shakes and a run, repeat a few times until out of the wash I hauled in a big solid wobbegong - I guess about 1.4m. As I tried to snap some photos he chomped through the 50lb leader (thankfully - I didnt want to handle him as it was in a foul mood) and waddled back out. I tried a last fillet but with no activity I called it a night to get back for an early start on the mornings tide. Pleasant night out with a clear view of the milkyway and a half dozen shooting stars, with a couple of fillets for a feed.

I use the better quality squid egg snaps - cheaper ones bend too easily and I have had them come undone, but the better quality ones are strong and stay locked. I have not had anything yet that would come down to the snap being an issue - solid flatties don't bother them, and I just like being able to change jig heads or switch to hardbodies. I use a loop knot on my non-SP rod when I am doing metals or bigger lures, but I don't like consuming my FC leader everytime I cut one off, so my SP rig stays with a snap.

I have only got them before in the surf and had no sight of them until landed, so it was pretty awesome to see the jumps and headshakes. Dad was using one of my waxwings which had a dual upturned hook which might have held on more but nothing hit that. In hindsight I could have applied more hurt to set the hook but with 6lb braid at the front of my mind I was just focusing on not pulling too hard. All what ifs I guess.

Stayed up at my parents over the weekend with the plan to get out for a fish at some point with Dad. Didnt get up there until late saturday and with the wind sunday arvo forecast it was set for a morning session. Dad really wanted to hit blackfish at the entrance but unable to source some weed we got prawns and squid and headed up to the breakwall at Swansea. My twin boys were with us and we set them up first but with still a heavy run out current and very dirty water it was only snags and nibbles and they soon lost interest. There were swarms of baitfish and Dad tried a blackfish rig to try and get some livebait but instead got a blue banded type of wrasse. As the high tide approached the current slowed and stopped and you could see the clear water pushing in from the mouth. As that started boats across the water from us were getting stuck into a lot of salmon and there was a lot of jumps but way out of reach. As the bait was not working I had changed to a paddletail plastic and was bouncing that around. As it was obvious salmon were about I changed up to do a slow roll. That did it - my 6lb SP rig got smacked by the fattest longest salmon I have seen - guessing 70cm plus. He got airborne, ran and being a light rig I was probably too careful not to put too much pressure on. Next thing he came up to the surface with a big headshake and the plastic came flying back to me and he was gone. Awesome visual fight - I wasnt even that bummed I lost him I enjoyed it that much. After that we got nothing more - Dad tried using a opening night SP, I was using mullettron but no more hits. Nothing touching the bait either. With the wind picking up and all of us hungry for lunch we called it a day about 12:30. Good to have a session with Dad and the kids - looking to give the area another go once the water gets back to normal.

I find thigh fillet is a bit tougher and does not get stolen off the hook as easy

Keeping an eye on the harbour when I could through the week its still pretty filthy. But between family birthdays and mothers day I am likely to be up at the Entrance so I might see if Dad wants to do a run in his kayaks. Otherwise I am going to find somewhere to try some SPs and save the bait I have for a jewie attempt the week after.

There is a tackle shop at manly vale and another bait/tackle place at Narrabeen - google them because I am not sure about naming places, but easy to find. Alternatives are also to go to the fish market at Dee Why and grab a mullet or something.

The Entrance either around the mouth of the lake is good for flatties, or off the beach on north Entrance for pretty much anything.

Concur - bleed them, remove red meat, batter or crumb the fillets. Family all like it the last few times I have done it which is surprising because they usually are picky. You get a lot of usable fillets off a big model too

Maybe a bit far out of your way but Hat Head is a nice spot.

I have only been able to get a spot on the main wharf once when I had a weekday off, even then coming up to evening I got crowded out by people who setup literally 2ft either side of me. I usually hit the end of the back of the netted area and go for squid off the weed beds towards the rocks on the right hand side and fish straight out in front. Last time I was there I was walking back to the car and off that beach area to the left there were big trevally just cruising around, of course after I had packed everything up.

Overnighters I think. A number packed up around 9

And as usual it was already packed when I got there at 5:50am

I am guessing that main pier is out into some deeper water than the end I was on but thats fishing

Picked the morning window based on the wind forecasts and early high tide. Left at 5am and got to Cliftons just before 6 armed with salted pillies and left over squid from the last trip there. Water was pretty poor, two weeks ago was clear to the bottom where as today it was hard to see yakkas one foot down. Set out a squid/pilchard combo under a float and tried for some squid. To my surprise in two casts I had two little 15cm lollipop squids to try live. I set one out ut it didnt last long so I switched them and rigged this one lighter but on a later retrieve it fell off as I cast it back out. The yakkas were thick but quite small - perfect live bait size around 12cm. I had trouble getting them on a hook but collected a few over a few hours while soaking the rods. The guy next to me got his first king when he pulled a yakka and had a rat come up and take it. I think he got another later in a similar manner. On the main peir there seemed to be the odd trevally, rat king and salmon. No such luck for me. I tried some whip baits, I tried weighted and unweighted squid strips and the entire session I either had a live or fresh squid, or a live yakka, out under a float. No touches. I settled in to just try collecting more fresh bait for the next session picking up another tiny squid and a few yakkas. All the live bait yakkas that came back tired I killed for fillets next time. Weather held up good enough for the session so at least there was that. Packed up at midday as I was under orders for the afternoon.

Keen to have a go but the wind forecasts are putting me off mostly. I might try and work an early morning go tomorrow while the wind is down a little.

Legal king or any jewie - they start at 60lb right? Actually a land based snapper would be something on my list - have caught a near legal one but mostly just the bait stealer toddler ones. Would be good to pull a decent sized one somehow.

Nice flatty - be some good fillets off that

The garlic/parmesan gets on everything though, rod handle, fishing gear, clothing. I have a rain jacket that still smells of it from a year ago. I rate it slightly under mullet in terms of pervasive bait stink. But hey, I guess that is why the work

No, Australian Salmon - a different family but the first settlers called them Salmon because they schooled like european salmon

I don't think you need to go heavier - 6lb FC will do the job for most flathead, or 15lb if you want to go up a bit depending on any rough ground. Save the wire for tailor or sharks.

Going over spit bridge today it was coffee brown water, same up at roseville bridge.