pmak
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Posts posted by pmak
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Great trip there Greg. You've got quite an addiction! Quite the opposite end of finesse bream fishing by the looks of it.
One question though - any idea why the area is called Bugatti Reef??
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Great detailed report - almost feel like you're there. Easy to say when you're at your desk feeling warm and comfortable but full credit to you for putting the time in, persevering and fishing smart as well. Those are awesome catches ...
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You moderators and addicted members do such a great job keeping the fishraider community going, giving it that personal touch.
A warm thank you for your greeting and may you have and excellent day yourselves!
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My son's biggest flattie fell to a 3" Slam minnow in pumpkinseed and I got a trevally on a fluoro green minnow the other day. To be honest, I've never given them a real good go as I'm currently using smallish Gulps for bream and trevally. Can't beat the Gulps for choice of sizes, colours and profiles though.
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Thanks for the reply guys. Slinky - didn't realise you were involved in the tackle industry. Must be a dream job.
Gave in to temptation and got one over the weekend and managed to find out some more info in the process.
I think the rods are being distributed by Viva tackle locally. Whether they're also the manufacturers, I can't tell for sure. I must admit I do not rate Viva tackle as highly as say Daiwa or Shimano but looking at the product in isolation, it got me excited - light as a feather and cool looking with a split cork grip design. Their warranty thing is also great.
They've been compared to Nitro rods, especially the Vapor which is ultra light. While I do not have the Vapor, I use the Powerbream Finesse so it will be interesting to make a comparison. I will pair the rod with a 2000 sized Sol to see how it goes ...
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Hi Guys - terrible weekend weather lately has forced me to indulge in my other pastime - tackle browsing. Came across a LOX brand graphite rod at some stores - looked quite exotic and costing over $200. Split grip cork handle with some chinese writing and also using fuji component. The 1-3kg stick was light as a feather. Would be an excellent light line flick stick.
Anyone heard of them before or had any experience using them?
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Wow! Great haul there Greg. Great to be able to spend time with Anja too and let her fish on her own terms, eh? I'm finding my own kids are similar too. You can take them to the fish but they will want to do things their own way ....
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Do your homework, persevere and success!!
Congrats on your catch! Some people try for months or years before they get one. Look forward to more reports of your captures in time to come ...
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That's a great catch for 3 hours work! Wish I could be as successful as that - must give the turtlebacks a try ...
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Wow! That's a great looking fish and on 6 pound too!
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Wow! That's a great fish to get on the new combo. Looks like you went in before the winds kicked in over the weekend. Pity about the lost kingy - better upgrade your gear for the next battle. What lure did the trick?
pmak
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Monch,
Not sure if your dilemma is legal sized fish or the Hacking.
The Hacking is tough on lure casters - found that out the hard way. Flathead on SPs at Bundeena and Grays Point or at the drop-off at the edge of the Maianbar sand flats at low tide are some of the only methods that have paid dividends for me though Warumbul has produced snapper and frigate mackerel for me once. Squid are the most consistent catch for me in the Hacking.
For bait fishing, the other replies from Raiders are your best bet.
If it's bream on lures you're after, try Botany Bay or the Georges or Parramatta Rivers. Iron Cove or Hen & Chicken Bay are excellent spots though I would'nt keep anything caught there. Cooks River is also a good spot to hone your skills but also avoid keeping fish from that system. All are landbased options that would keep you busy with SPs and HBs.
If it's a feed you're after, you can try Kogarah Bay (accessed from Carrs Bush Park) for bream and flathead and the odd whiting or trevally.
Hope this helps.
pmak
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Tan, is this for boat use of general outdoor use?
At 2 years old, your boy will outgrow the jacket in less than half a year. Would suggest multiple layers of clothing to keep warm and the smallest poncho you can find if it rains.
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That's a great flattie there BTK. Good luck with the Challenge! You clearly had a good game plan that took account of the weather ...
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Musty - you're right. It used to belong to Rizzo. Were you on your way to a fish as well?
Tan - I know how to solve the problem, leave the kids at home so that I can do more fishing! Actually, I do enjoy having the kids around even if I don't get to fish as aggressively. All catches are a 'team effort' be it controlling the electric motor or netting the fish.
Having a look at other member's posts, looks like the Georges has some nice sized lizards this year ...
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Hello Raiders,
Wasn't expecting to post another report for a while. Been hitting the Lower Georges every weekend lately with the kids.
Last week's highlight was a new flathead PB
at 43cm for my youngest son caught on a 2" minnow grub in pumpkinseed at the exact same spot he caught his bream a few weeks back. It was his first keeper fish which was duly prepared for dinner that night. He was very happy to have provided food for the table that night.
We had one of our best trips out yesterday when we stumbled on a patch of school whiting and bream at some sand flats just outside of Oatley Bay. However, the highlight was my eldest son's catch on another sand flat close to Tom Ugly's bridge some time earlier. He had just finished reading his book and wanted to get back into fishing. Action was a little slow - actually dead. Nothing was being caught at this spot which was new for us. Not catching anything on a blade and seeing me getting bites on SPs, he asked for a change. I handed him his younger brother's set-up consisting of a Shimano Sienna reel, 4lb crystal fireline with 6lb leader rigged with a Stimulate Slab 3" pumpkinseed grub. Second cast out, I hear the reel drag going. "I think it's snagged Dad", he says. We were moving with the electric motor but he notices the line moving out fast and head shakes. "It's a fish!" Based on the amount of line peeling from the reel, I knew it was a good fish. I tightened the drag slightly and told him to take it easy. He found out the hard way not to hold the line to slow down the fish, especially with braided line.
After some anxious moments moving around the boat to clear the electric motor, we saw her for the first time
. I was successful at the third attempt to get her in our bream sized net and hoisted her into the boat .She came in at 73cm and was too heavy for #1 son to lift properly for the photo. After some snaps on our camera, I put her in the water and pulled her alongside the boat to aerate her gills. When she started swiiming her tail #1son knew it was time to say goodbye and he released the lip grips.
Now, I am saddled with a problem
- #1 son claims that he fishes less than me but catches bigger fish!! -
That's a great catch there. Always look forward to your reports, always quality fish and congrats on your light line Jewie. What line/leader arrangement were you using by the way?
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Wow
Check out the girth of that monster. Hope the weather holds out for you guys today for the challenge ... -
What a great way to spend the morning with a catch to make it sweeter.
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Thanks for the encouragement and kind words - keeps my enthusiasm levels up for future trips.
Plastic Fantastic - I'm finding making the transition from LB to boat quite challenging, having to explore my local waterway, coming to terms with tidal flow, dealing with boat control with wind and current and working out where the fish are! Just have to clock the hours to gain more knowledge.
Rizzo - the boat is going great. Still learning how to use it more effectively. It's easy enough for me to manage by myself if required and easy to tow on my Camry. I always look out for your Quinnie whenever I'm out on the water. I'm sure we'll bump into each other one day ...
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Hi Raiders,
Been exploring the Lower Georges River lately in my new tinny (got off a fellow Raider in December last year). Launched at Oatley Bay at 7am with the sun just peeking over the horizon. Told two gentlemen launching their massive boat that I was a fishing guide for my kids today (actually feels like that whenever we're out). Also told them that I would'nt expect anything less than a marlin from their boat - looked like a bus next to my tinny!
Anyway, we used the electric to creep up to mangroves next to the ramp where we could see some fish feeding off the surface. My eldest son had the first catch of the day
and his first bream, just under legal size on SP though foul hooked under its cheek. You can see from the photo that we were'nt far from the ramp at all.This led to the usual complaint from my youngest son that he had'nt caught any yet. After many casts and some persistence, he too was rewarded - with his first legal Bream on SP and it came to 26cm
.It was tougher going for the kids as the sun got higher. I suspect longer casts were necessary as the day got brighter. We managed to find some chopper tailor around bridge pylons that gave them some entertainment though we lost some jigheads in the process. Today's outing was a success as we all had fun and a few new PBs were established.
Before you think that these two are the next generation gun lure fishos, I have to confess that I had to do a few things to make the whole outing possible. The chance of catching fish isn't necessarily enough to get a 6 or 8 year old out of bed at 5.30 in the morning especially if they've gone fishless many times before! I offered lunch at Hungry Jacks with ice cream and dropping by the local skateboard park on the way home to keep their motivation up. And did I mention that they were always keen to get home early so that they could get stuck into their computer games?
I worry sometimes what the future holds for the kids but when a big catch is in the net and they're holding it up for a photo, I look at their big smile and enjoy the moment .....
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Greg,
Thanks for the heads up. I was beginning to think my question was a little too cryptic to garner a response.
I know what you're getting at - suss out where the fish are at the point of the tide I am fishing at. Are they actively feeding? Are they holding at the bottom? Are they just cruising around?
I am mainly going after bream at the moment. I know they feed at the edges near the top of the tide when they can get access to oysters, etc. What happens at low tide, do they just hold and wait? Do you look for them in deeper water near structure and in holes?
Identifying patterns is a good way to look at it - will keep that in mind when I go out from now on ...
pmak
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Hey guys. I need some advice from the collective wealth of experience from Fishraiders to help boost my lure fishing success rate. I have just converted to lure fishing from a boat after getting a neat little tinny from a fellow Fishraider with an electric motor up the front. The boat has helped extend my fishing time beyond the 2-3 hour 'high tide' peak period from my landbased days. I fish typically 6 hours nowadays with an early morning launch and I'm done by lunch time.
I've had mixed success though I can usually catch fish on most days. Early morning high tides work well for me. I also find my catch rate tapering off as the sun gets higher. I also tend to fish bays close to shore and have not fished main river channels much. The fast current and deeper water puts me in unfamiliar territory. With the variables of location, time, tide and current, I can see the need for developing a 'game plan' to work with those variables to maximise my catch rate. To make it easier, I also tend to target bream at high tide and flathead at low tide. Am I on the right track or do I need to adopt different approaches?
Based on the following parameters, how would you plan your fishing time?
6 hours fishing time, launch just after dawn, target bream and flathead, launch from Oatley Bay ramp, 4m tinny with bow mounted electric
Scenario 1: Early morning high tide
Scenario 2: Early morning low tide
Hope to get some interesting answers ...
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Wayde,
Try the jetty to the north west and cast towards the boats in the marina. I've pulled bream down deep - heavier jig heads and vibe lures should work. Best early in the morning on a rising tide. The tide can go quite fast from the jetty on the south east - not ideal for SX-40 type lures.
The flats at Scylla Bay can also be productive but the water is quite shallow. Try the rising tide for bream and whiting and the outgoing tide for flathead. Fish along the walkway to the east and south of the Como Pleasure Grounds.
Also fish along Verona Range from the mangroves to the jetty and along the jetty. I have pulled flathead using an SX-40 type lure from there. Be careful not to snag the lure on the mangrove roots - higher tides better.
Have fun!
pmak
at 43cm for my youngest son caught on a 2" minnow grub in pumpkinseed at the exact same spot he caught his bream a few weeks back. 
. I was successful at the third attempt to get her in our bream sized net and hoisted her into the boat 
.
- #1 son claims that he fishes less than me but catches bigger fish!!
More Winter Lizards
in Saltwater Fishing Reports
Posted
Slightly late report from the past school holidays.
Took the family up to Lake Maquarie last week to relax and spend quality time with my wife and kids. Took the boat up but was not expecting to go out much due to the forecast high winds. It was hard being so close to water and not go for a fish so I ended up fishing everyday mainly in sheltered bays where we could get out of the wind.
Our second day was the most eventful where I picked up a 55cm flattie just to one side of Shingle Splitters Point after many hours of unrewarded casts. No. 1 son wakes up to check out the commotion (he can sleep anywhere) and decides to fish where he trumped me with a 67cm model
He's beaten my PB twice over now
Both flatties and another 60cm one the day before were taken on Stimulate Slam 3" grubs which I'm finding quite succesfull on flatties lately. Mixed in with 3" gulp grubs in the same area with the same action, the Slam baits seem to do better.
We fished in the afternoon on our last day for not a touch for many hours until No 2 son spotted a squid following one of our lures. Out go the squid jigs where No. 2 son was rewarded with his first squid ever. He was so happy as he's had so many unsuccesful attempts before.
Light was fading fast so we got back to the ramp and enjoyed the beautiful colours of the sunset on the lake.
Overall, fishing was hard but quality fish made up for the effort we had to put in. Might head back there in summer for more ....