W4z

Nice one mate. The SP day last week is definitely paying off. Sounds like a good size flatty

Hey mate, It sounds like your first trip out was at night? From what I've read and heard its harder to catch with plastics at night, although not impossible. I myself haven't tried much at night, once the sun sets I generally pack up or switch over to bait. You have the right idea by using scented Berkley Gulp though, this will help at night.

Went for a flick this morning in the same spot I was last weekend. Had been dying to get out but been held back by a bit of the manflu this week haha. Same ammunition this weekend, Squidgy Wrigglers with Fuze size 4, 1/16oz jigheads. First cast and I was on! Turned out to be just a small flatty coming in at 32cm. Still managed to swallow the plastic... It was quiet for a bit, then i noticed a tap in the same spot a couple of times. Up till this point I hadn't used any of the scent that came in the pack of Squidgys but decided to try it. Cast again into the same spot and on the drop it got smashed. Pulled in a good sized bream. First one on plastics (and lures in general). I was very happy, been wishing for one. He measured in at 27cm. After that I just landed a couple of pinkies. Biggest pinkies that I've caught in Port Hacking so far, around the 22cm mark. Not the type of area I would have expected them but I'm still learning a lot. At first when I hooked them up I called them for a bigger fish but soon into the fight I realised they weren't what I thought. A great morning out and can't wait to flick some more plastics. Really enjoying this type of fishing. Cheers Waz

Here's a few of the things that stuck with me When trying leader to braid cut the mono tag as close to the knot as possible, this is what will catch when casting. If in doubt retie. Baitfish generally swim with the current, not against it. So work the plastic along with the current, not against it. (Although in my experience either way will work, I will now be more aware of this) What Ryder said about depth - shallow then small movements, deeper means bigger movements. Different species different techniques. Flatties, normal retrives. Bream very very slow. Snapper, while anchored or drifting drop plastic to the bottom then raise about a metre and let the rise and fall of the boat work the plastic. Kingys and game fish hard and fast jigging. I also learnt a lot about the art of fly fishing from Swordfisherman. I really appreciate that and am hoping to get the fly rod out next weekend and break it in with a trout.

Nice work on the plastics mate and that's a good whiting. I watched a video recently of guys catching jewies in the cooks near where you said you were on plastics. Keep it up and I'm sure you'll get on to em!

That's awesome, good stuff fellas! The kids would have been stoked

Thanks to the organisers and mentors! I had a great time and learnt a lot. It was great to hear from some experienced fishermen and learn from them

Thanks guys. I would have loved to have a picture of the flattie too. I noticed in the water that it looked a lighter colour than normal and then looked for the blue spot and found it. That got me very excited. Because I got in a bit of a rush to land it before it chewed through the line I didn't stop to think to much about the best way to bring it in. It was a very rocky and oyster covered area. Thanks for the advice yowie, not sure if I'm game enough to try that yet, but will give it a go with a dead one next chance I get.

Hey guys, Went for a fish this arvo after work. My last few sessions have been for doughnuts so this time I had some new gear, new techniques to try and a new spot. Target was bream. I haven't really seriously tried for bream with lures or plastics before. Started out good with a little tailor in the first 5 minutes. Another tailor soon after, a PB for me (27cm haha almost legal). Next thing I was on again. Thinking probably a tailor I was surprised by a golden colour in the water. A first of species for me, an EP! Just 20cm but still pretty cool. A quick pic with the phone and he was off swimming again. It went slow for a bit so I moved along the rocks a way. Flicking around again and this time I hook something heavy that takes some line. I think to myself, let it tire, no need to rush. 6lb braid with 6lb FC leader. I get the fish to the surface and see its a good sized flattie and change my mind quickly thinking get it in before it chews through the thin leader. I manage to pull it up on to the oyster covered rocks just before the line snaps. Grab hold of it without thinking about the spikes, luckily they don't get me. But now I've realised and am wary of them. I put my rod down and go to change my grip. The flattie slips around and down into the water... I was devastated. It was a Blue Spotted Flathead and a first of species for me. I estimate it was about 55cm. Just one other small tailor after that before it got to dark. Overall a fun and action packed session. It's a great feeling when you feel or see a bite on the plastics and manage to set the hook. Plastics I was using were Squidgies in a white/transparnt colour. I need to check the pack to see what shape they're called. Cheers, Waz

Hi I would love to come along if it's not to late to sign up. I'm interested in both soft plastics and fly casting. I have fly rods that I've practiced with but still have a lot to learn

Nice one mate sounds like fun. Do you use an indicator float? I'm assuming that the weed fly is a wet fly?

It was a good weekend mate. If you'd spent more time trying to catch fish and less time catching trees you would have caught more! Here's a few more pics from the weekend

Yeah Matt it was pretty dirty, the water you see in the picture was probably the cleanest looking spot I went to. It had been raining on and off for 3 days leading up to this. Can't wait to get out again. Looking like blue mountains direction for the Easter break

Hi luderick, I was on the otherside of the mountains, south of tumut. I didn't see any cormorants but it was the first time I'd been down there for a year

Thanks TC, I've heard that about other fish like mahi mahi but haven't thought about it while handling flathead. Will give it a go next time

Ok thanks for the info guys. As you can see I'm still learning a lot. Because I had heard to rub your hand on the belly if you were spiked that just reinforced that there must be some toxin or poison to me. Good to hear what you guys think

Cheers guys and yeah they were healthy fish. I opened up the belly of the rainbow and it was full of those pumpkin beetles. Didn't have any flys with me this trip but it was interesting to see anyway. Haven't looked in their stomachs before

I had been told that dusky flatheads have a toxin on the spikes that causes more than usual pain. Maybe this isn't true? It was this toxin that I was referring to, but maybe it's just a myth...

A couple of weekends ago I spent a long weekend down in the Snowys. It presented me with a great opportunity to squeeze in some trout fishing so I was super keen. My love for fishing in general all started back when a mate took me trout fishing in a little out of the way damn a couple of years ago. Now I cannot miss a chance to chase trout. The first chance I had came and I headed to a spot I had not fished before just under a bridge of a main road. Thinking there wouldn't be a lot of fish in there as it might be fished a lot I thought I'd give it a go anyway. Soon I had a hit and not long after a hook up, followed closely by another. Both undersized, but its a good feeling when you can find trout in a spot that you think should hold them. The river was pretty choked up with blackberry and scrub so I decided to try a small creek on a property that I have access to. Turned out it was a lot shallower than I expected, but very soon I was seeing fish. I had a lot of hits and dropped a lot of fish but just couldn't manage to bring one in. They were all small from what I could tell but it was still a bit frustrating. I was just about ready to turn back but I kept thinking just one more hole, just one more. Unexpectedly I hooked up and it turned out to be a good little brown, 28cm. Dinner sorted The next day I took one of my mates down to a spot where I'd had some success before. He started casting away in the first deep pool while I was stuffing around with something. He hadn't caught a trout before so I was hoping he could get one. Anyway I got my gear sorted and picked the spot where I thought would have the best chance to hold trout. I cast to get a feel for how hard to throw the lure and it landed short. I brang it in like normal. Second cast landed half on the rock on the otherside then slid down it and right into the sweet spot. Almost instantly I was on. Its such a good feeling to pick the spot where the trout would be and be right about it. The rainbow jumped a few times as I brought it in. I'm not sure why but I just find this type of fishing so rewarding. 32cm Rainbow. You can see in the picture behind me there are two big rocks with some water inbetween them. The water in there was calmer and just beside the more turbulent water and thats where I aimed. Unfortunately it was raining and had been all weekend so it was way to slippery to walk the rocks along the river. We tried another spot but didn't have any luck there. I was pretty dissappointed that I couldn't get my mate onto a fish, but that's fishing sometimes. Overall a great weekend. First trout I've caught in about a year so very happy. Cheers Waz

Cheers guys. Some thing I've been meaning to ask - after the flathead is dead can you still get a nasty sting from their barbs? Like at home when filleting it.

Left wondering whether I just got lucky the other day I decided to try again and flick a few plastics around. I had about an hour and a half before dark and high tide fell right in the middle. First up I had a squid attack my zman grub but the hook didn't set. Shame because I got a look at it and it would have been a pb for me. Didn't have any squid jigs on me so just moved on. It was a bit slower today but after about 40 minutes I hooked something up. Turned out to be a 38cm flatty. No monster but just reassures me that I'm doing something right. Continued fishing til a bit after dark then headed home. The water was so calm it was a very peaceful evening.

Oh and scratchie where abouts will the social on plastics be held?

Thanks for the replys. I wonder if I should try a smaller hook to try to stop the tail snagging. For now I'll just use what's working and keep checking he tail before each cast. Scratchie I've been reading as much as possible lately to learn what I can. Also trying different locations and different techniques at varying times. It's been a lot of fun if sometimes a little disappointing. Well worth it in the end. Good luck kiro with the zmans hope you get some monsters

Hi guys I've been reading the forums for a little while now and thought I'd put up a report of my afternoon. I've only gotten really into fishing over this summer so still learning a lot and trying new things all the time. GI decided to try flicking some plastics along a beach in the Port Hacking this arvo and was pleasantly surprised. After seeing Zman grubs mentioned a lot by other members I bought a pack on the weekend in motor oil and decided to give em a go. Got down to the water about 5pm and after about 15 minutes I was on. With a mainline of 8lb braid and 10lb FC leader I like to have my drag pretty light but this fish wouldn't come near the shore so I had to tighten the drag a little. I haven't experienced that 'dead weight' feel that people always talk about with flatties and this one wasn't an exeption. He went 58cm. My first flatty on plastic and also the first fish I've caught inside on plastics (Which felt like a good achievement for me). Thinking the first fish was just a fluke I was surprised when I hooked up again about 20 minutes later. A nice 42cm Flathead. And then just as dusk was falling and I was thinking that this should be the perfect time to hook up another the lure was taken. Reeling it in I found myself catching my first legal Whiting. I was pretty stoked about that. I've fished for them a few times but haven't had any luck and now I had caught one when i least expected it. Sorry the photo quality is not great I'm having trouble with my phone. A couple of questions Are soft plastics effective after nightfall? Or is it a waste of time? And also I found that the long tail on the grub would get caught on the hook fairly often. Is this normal? I've only used Berkley gulp plastics before and have not found this problem. Cheers Waz