Oscarthebeagle

Fished Port Hacking FAD on Thursday, see hookerbruce's report. Dolphin fish where there but not in big numbers and shut down by 9ish, small live bait were the key. Like Christb said I found the day almost spoilt by inconsiderate and foolish people. It is so simple. Start 100-200m up current and drift past about casting distance from the fad continue past out of the way and then motor back up around the outside of the drifting boats. If everyone does this the fad works and everyone gets a fish. On Thursday we had up to 15 boats trying to fish, with a charter boat holding on one side of the FAD, a 40-50ft game boat on the other side and numerous small boats trying to hold in the current, particularly with no one at the wheel. It was hectic at times and here's the thing, it doesn't seem to work, they definitely don't catch any more fish. They either use heavy sinkers to get baits down, which fish don't like or their baits where miles out the back in the current. We found we had to start our drift, get a hookup, then motor out to the side to avoid the boats. I wasn't all that concerned when the fish shut down and we left. Sorry for the rant but the FADS can be such a good fishery when everyone plays along. Thanks Ash

I usually fish on my own and can handle it single handed at the ramps. 2 people is good, 3 people is ok and 4 is crowded and no good serious fishing.

I have a Horizon 525 Scorpion. Bought it new 3 years ago and use it for everthing from family boating in the port hacking to fishing out wide to the fads and am happy with it. I have fished out of a 4.5m polycraft and found it a very capable tough little boat, also very wet. Ash

Had about 100 other things i should have been doing but with my eldest boy starting school next year the Friday was the last time will I have an RDO that lines up with him being at home, so we were going fishing. Left from Grays Point at kiddy friendly time of 8ish and started by catching a few poddy mullet before moving out to the river proper near Lilli Pilli. Saw Dad (Hookerbruce) in his boat so went over to say "Hi' but had to wait will he was landing a crab. After a quick chat we moved out to deeper water and found a lot of baitfish on the sounder, dropped over a bait jig but no takers. Rigged up some rods with lures and one with a livie and moved back up into position for another drift. Picked up a nice tailor and a rat King on the lure and Baxter got a good 56cm flathead on a livie, his biggest so far so we went back up to show Grandpa his fish. Another boat there (casting metal jigs i think) was getting a few fish as well. A fast retrieve was needed to get the fish interested. Next drift I got another rat King on a lure, this fish fought twice as hard as the first pulling heaps of line and taking a lot longer to get in holding down deep, thought for sure it was a better fish but was only mid 50's, guess i'm out of practice, amazing how different two similar sized fish can fight. After this it went quiet and the baitfish disappeared from the sounder, Baxter was getting tired from casting and had trouble winding the lure quick enough to interest the fish. Time to move on, came across surface fish but they would pop up for and disappear than pop up 100m away tried for half hour but couldn't get a hit so moved on. Headed back towards the ramp and fished a sand flat near the slow zone. First livie was eaten by a Long Tom, one of Baxter favorite fish. After that the burley attracted a school of small bream and Baxter had a blast catching them on a handline. After a dozen or so bream caught and released time was up (we had to be home before lunch) and we headed home. Not a great days fishing but we ended up with a feed of fish, a PB Flathead for Baxter and got one last day together fishing on a school/work day. Thanks for reading Ash

Nice fish and well done releasing one of Yowies pets.

Wow, they have gone up in price. Looks like there is now a 485 model which is the price i paid. I got mine from a dealer at Burleigh Heads as it was $5000 cheaper than buying it locally. Flew to brisbane for a day to go to the boat show than took a day and a half to drive up to collect it a few weeks later. I didn't get the bimmini, as i didn't like the dealer supplied option. I got the transom door, plumbed live bait tank and sounder upgrade. After using the boat i decided against a bimmini as i like the extra space. On hot summers days when the family is out i go with the very low tech option of using a beach umbrella in one of the rod holders for shade. I don't know if there is an actually 1/2 cab cuddy cab definition. For me a 1/2 cabin has a full size 1.8m bunk taking up more deck space and a cuddy has a shorter bunk (1.4m in the Horizon) leaving more deck space.

I have had the boat for nearly 3 years and it has 170hrs on it. I needed to upgrade as the family got bigger and found the second hand boats were too expensive for their age/hours and started looking at new. I wanted the cabin for a bit of protection in the ocean and to give the kids some shelter. The Horizon is a cuddy cab not a half cab so more fishing room and with a Yamaha 70hp 4 stroke was low 30's when i got it (and as far as my budget would stretch). I fish mainly out of Port Hacking, off the national park, 12mile, peak and out to the FADS/shelf. I been very comfortable with the boats ability in the ocean, it is a pressed ally hull and you have to drive to the conditions but have always felt safe. I also fish and boat in the Port Hacking with the family a bit and the boat does this well. The lighter hull won't ride in the ocean as well as a plate or glass boat but has advantages of a smaller engine using less fuel, easy to handle single handed at the ramp, good for going into the shallows and pulling up on a beach and can be towed by a smaller vehicle. For the money i am happy with my purchase and would recommend it.

I have a Horizon 525 Scorpion, which is similar to what you are looking at and might be an option to consider.

Hi It was nice to meet you the other day, sorry I couldn't get you a fish but you at least got see how addictive watching the float was and a few half downs kept you interested. You can use any rod, but you will find the longer rod helps with setting the hook and keeping the fish out of structure during the fight. The rod you were using the other day is my extra rod that i have for my kids (the 35ish cm fish in the keeper bag had been caught by my 8 year old daughter) and non fishy friends to use and why i let a stranger have a go for 20mins. It's a Jarvis Walker Aurora 8'6" Jimmy Crane Light Fishing Rod, cheap, nasty, tough, suitable for estuary Blackfishing and will get you started. A small threadline reel 1000-2500 size loaded with 3kg mono and 6lb fluro trace matches the rod. A store with big W in it's name has them on special for $23 at the moment. If you decide you like Blackfishing you will upgrade it and at that price it's no loss if you don't keep blackfishing. For your line, trace, floats, split shots, hooks and float stoppers go to a smaller tackle store to buy it and get them to help with the set up. Pleased you listened to my best piece of advice, which was to get on Fishraider. Unfortunately with 4 young kids my fishing trips are sporadic and normally spontaneous meaning i can't really organize to meet up for a fish. Good luck with the quest and any questions ask away. Ash

I drove a couple for work 10 years or so ago. Definitely more a cruising boat, fun to drive, handle well, gets up and goes however the bow is very low and would be susceptible to waves over the nose at low speed in chop, would be ok in the ocean on good days. Would not have the ocean ability of a similar size fishing boat. The interior is very comfortable but not designed for fishing and i think the blood and guts of fishing would be very hard to clean. Hope this helps Ash

Some good fish to start your trip. Did you take weed up or get it there? Much maintenance or painting getting done on the house?

The weather is starting to cool down, so it's time to start chasing estuary blackfish. Some nice fish there. I fished georges this morning from 630 till 800 for a similar result. Not many downs but most downs resulted in a solid fish, kept 5 fish low to mid 30's. Also managed a Flounder on weed which is a first for me.

This is what i was using. I don't particularly use this brand, it is probably just what was in the tackle store when i decided i needed bait jigs. Hope it helps. Ash

Happy Hookers Was started by Tony Filmer 40+ years ago. Had 30-40 members at it's biggest, now it just exists for the extended Robinson family so we can fish ANSA tournaments and records. Just a family club but we came a distant 3rd at the Sydney comp and are current champs for the Nowra comp. We fish Burrinjuck comp most years as well.

Some good fish caught. Even if me and baxter out fished you on the Friday night. Hi Houdini, I'm an uncle and son of these people. Not sure why Dad hasn't responded yet. The sydney sportsfishing tournament is an ANSA run event. Not sure what you know of ANSA but the line class is used in determining a point score for each fish. The boys would of been using shimano sienna 1000 loaded with Platypus pre-test line. The other reels would be shimano in the low to mid price range (Sedona to Stradic). Spider hitch for a double, locked blood knot to a swivel and same again for the trace and hook. With the drag at about 1/3 breaking strain. A bit of finger pressure on the spool at times as needed but the boys are not doing this yet. Like me as a child and my kids now, the boys have fished light line almost from the start. It is a great way to learn, as once you have a good technique and know the limits of each breaking strain you are set for whatever jumps on your line. Hope this helps Ash

I hear of the odd one being caught but have only seen one get caught in the Hacking and that was 25+ years ago. My dad, brother and me were fishing in the shallows off Mainbar, when we saw a large stingray cruising past. Dad actually made the comment "you know up in the tropics they cast at the rays to fish for cobia" with that he flicked his nipper in front of the ray and hooked up as it swam over. We laughed at him assuming he had hooked the ray on 1kg line and was in heaps of trouble. But after a few seconds the ray and fish changed directions, and he landed a small 1.2kg Cobia. Still one of the most arsy captures i have seen.

Fished in the Port Hacking on Friday with my dad in my boat. Plan was to chase surface fish early, pump some nippers, fish the shallows than head back to the ramp at 1030 and swap dad for my wife and 2 boys, aged 3 & 5. Launched from Grays Point at 600 and headed to lilli pilli. Just on sun rise the whole area was alive with Pilchard schools every direct had fish rippling on the surface and the sounder regularly blackout with the schools. I started casting a sluggo, which had worked on previous trips and dad fished live bait. After 15 minutes off no hits i swapped to my live bait rod, shimano baitrunner 6-8kg rod 15lb braid 30lb fluro trace, and hooked up almost straight away, with a good first run before hanging around down deep taking short runs everytime i gained some line. In the clear water you could see the fish very early in the fight, a kingfish (maybe legal) Out in the open water i was no chance off being reefed so could enjoy the fight, until he tried to use the only bit of structure around, our boat, 1/2 dozen times with the fish only a couple of metre out he darted under the boat and motor causing me to dunk the rod into the water to keep the line clear, great fun. After a few more minutes he was netted and in the boat, 68cm, and straight into the esky. In the last 3 similar trips the boat had caught 20+ kingfish but this was the first legal. We continued to fish and released another 4 undersize kings, the bites were very spread out. I think the problem was too much baitfish in the water meant the predators were not finding our baits. With a couple of wake board boats starting up we decided to move on. We kept a block or so worth of fresh caught pilchards and headed off to pump nippers while the tide was low and then had a look at the ocean, short sharp nasty old wind chop made the ocean messy. We had a look around the bombie, but nothing was happening so headed back into the shelter of the river. Came across some surface fish near mainbar and managed a Frigate Mackerel before they disappeared. Back to lilli pilli we fished the shallows, we caught a couple of low 40's Flathead, a 28cm bream, 1 male blue swimmer, 1 female blue swimmer (released), a flounder (released) and a few undersize fish before in was time to head back to the ramp and swap over. Picked up my wife and boys and headed back out. Coming past one of the bays near the church camps i noticed a few seagulls sitting on the surface so went to investigate, sounder lit up with bait fish, so dropped over the bait jig, caught some, hook through the nose and cast out and almost straight away hooked up. Let my 6 months pregnant wife have the rod, after a short tussle she had a rat king released. Cast out the next bait for the same result. Noticed my 3yr olds rod, (cheapest shimano reel, cheap Rogue blue rod, 3kg platypus pretest) had the perfect hook and thought, whats the worst that can happen. Hook up the next live bait and cast out. Once again it's taken almost straight away, after the initial run i give both boys a turn on the rod but both give it back after a minute or so, kingfish are too tough for them. I take back over and land the fish, 5 cm or so undersize, the boys are excited with what they caught and they call it "our" fish as we all helped. A quick photo and then happily released. We continued doing this for a while, jigging baitfish, cast out, instant hook up with a couple more caught, a couple of bust offs and a few missed bites. And then i hear the dreaded words "I'm bored" and thats it we move on leaving behind a hot bite of great hard fighting fish. It seems a constant bite of big fish and bait jigging is not enough to keep two little boys content. We move over to the shallows and anchor up where the boys have a blast trying to catch tiny trumpeter on a handline. The older boy manages a legal bream and then we head off for a swim at mainbar before heading home. A quick side note on just how spoilt we fisherman are. We went to Westfield on the Saturday and looked in the fish shop. Whole Kingfish $21.99 kg giving my 2.55kg fish a value of $56.07. The flathead i gave to my dad as they had dinner guests over, the guest loved it and they commented that they pay up to $54 a kg for flathead tails from the shop. On the Sunday we had a 3rd birthday party for our boy and served some of the kingfish as small bite size boneless crumbed pieces, it was meant for the kids but it was the adults who happily ate the plate of fish, all saying how nice it was. We really are lucky. Thanks for reading. Ash

Hi Neil That carp is what you are looking for to sight cast. He is actively feeding along the edge. Cast your fly or small unweighted soft plastic well past him and retrieve it to within 1/2 metre of his face, pause and twitch. If he wants it you will know, repeating the cast a few times can entice a strike if he ignores your lure. A visual hook up in shallow water followed by his first run on light line ( I use 2kg pre-test mono, 6lb fluro trace for this) is about as much fun as you can have fishing for carp. Hope this helps Good luck with the Cod Ash

Hi, I was out on Friday morning chasing Kings in Port Hacking. Caught a dozen fish, 50-60cm, saw but did not hook bigger fish, no bust offs. Rod that caught most of the fish was a 3-5kg 7 ft rod, 2500 stradic, 8lb braid and 30lb trace casting a white 6inch stickbait soft plastic. Letting it sink to the bottom then a fast straight retrieve worked best. Up your trace to 20-30lb fluro and stay away from the moorings and you should be fine on your tackle. Enjoy the fight, rat kings are great fun on lighter line. Ash

Had Monday off work to watch my middle childs preschool xmas concert. Plan was we would followed up the concert with a fishing trip. Baxter wanted his preschool friend to come along so i msged his dad last week with the offer to take them out in the boat, he initially said no he had to go back to work after the concert. A couple of days later he msg back saying he changed his mind, work can wait for another day and they would love to come fishing. Lanched about midday from Grays Point and started of pumping nippers, which is always a popular activity. First cast Baxters rod folded over in the rod holder and screamed out line, he pounced on it before I could offer it to his friend. A good 5min fight later he had it at the boat and in the net. A new PB whiting for Baxter and at 44cm it may beat his fathers too and pretty good for a 4 year old on 2kg line. This followed with a few throwback bream and whiting which we shared between the boys. Time for a swim after that in the shallows at lilli pilli, there were heaps of whiting cruising the shallows but with the sun high overhead and clear water they were very wary. One more stop before home resulted in a legal bream for each boy and a few more throwbacks, a female blue swimmer (released) to the friend and a visit from a big stingray. Time to head home after that with both boys having a turn driving the boat in the slow zone. A beautiful afternoon on the hacking and a much better way to spend our day than going back to work. PS. My wife took the fish in to preschool today for the boys to do a combined show and tell.

No ghosts in my boat, but i do have 2 & 4 year old boys that love to get in the boat and play. Moving things and claiming things as theirs, particularly soft plastics (safest thing). Nice report, sometimes just being out there is reward enough. Ash

I fish mainly out of Port hacking and would love a copy. Thanks.

Thanks for reading and thanks for the replies. Sorry for the delayed reply. Fish were caught on yellowtail, although pretty much anything live will do. It's a rare treat for my wife and I to get out for a fish without the 3 kids and I'm lucky to have a wife who's keen to fish, she took it up when we started dating and still enjoys it. It's great past time for ccouples to do together. Ash

Thanks for reading and thankyou for the replies. It was a great afternoon on the river. Lots of fun and challenge fishing with a 4 year old but will be worth it in the years to come when i have a little fishing buddy. Gives me some idea what me and my brother must of put my dad through.

Took Monday off work as it was my little boys Easter hat parade/concert at preschool. Day was off to a poor start with Baxter getting upset and distressed at the thought of the concert and not even making it to dropoff. We tried all sorts of encouragement and support to help him but he was having none it. Decided to offer up the biggest carrot we have, wife told him " if you go to preschool and just try, daddy will take you fishing ". He reluctantly agreed and off we went. Not only did he try, he went great and sung/dancedto all the songs. Now it was time for a fishing trip, with 20 knots of westerly and run in tide it was going to be challenging. Had to wait till his brother was asleep, 2 year old hates seeing the boat leave without him. Launched at Grays Point, only one trailer in the carpark. Started off pumping nippers, where he managed to trip and fall in the water moments after I put him down, always happens when you don't have a change of clothes. Dried his face and started pumping nippers and he soon forgot about being wet. Found a spot where tide and wind were kind of together and started to fish. First thing in the burly trail was a school of mullet, fishing unweighted bread at least the wind helped cast. First fish a legal mullet which he was excited about, he had caught heaps of poddies previously, but this was his first legal size one. Caught more mullet till he was bored of them, with just one more legal the rest going back. Also picked up a few bream, garfish and a mid 40's flathead in that spot, with alot undersize. He was tired of catching fish so swapped to just netting my fish, including the flathead which on 6lb trace tested my nerves. Also caught 2 big blue swimmers (60 & 62 cm claw tip to tip), which he was disappointed i wouldn't let him help. He asked why and i said it takes alot of practice to do, so he followed up with "then how did you learn" very astute for a 4 year old. I learned by my dad letting me practice on the female crabs, which we planned to release and smaller crabs. With the wind dropping we moved to another spot. Had a drift hoping for whiting but no bites, anchored up again and burley this spot produced a few more bream that went back, a good whiting and a 50cm flathead. Was nearly home time when Baxter confidently told me there was a crab on the handline. He was right, another blue swimmer, decided to let him have it. Told him to pull it in slowly at steady speed don't rush, he did it perfect stopping just below the surface where i could net it. Home time after that, pulled the boat out around 6ish and headed home with a very tired excited boy. Thanks for reading Ash