Goanna54

You can get very small ones on eBay, but if you have access to old computer hard drives, pull them apart and retrieve the magnets. Watch your fingers!

Yes, I'm a mover too. I fish with lures and fan an area which looks the goods. No interest then I'll move to another location, or I might swap lures and have another couple of casts and then move on. I figure they'll either bite or ignore, not go away and think about it and then come back for a chew.

:)

Thanks Witha, yeah I was thinking for a while there my lure fishing days were over.

It's been weeks since I've been able to have a flick, (arthritis and sinovitis in my casting wrist). Had a steroid injection on friday and felt OK this morning so I headed down to Banjos with my 1-2kg Daiwa and an Atomic crank. 10 minutes in and off we go! After a couple of runs in comes this 37cm Luderick. I knew they were in the area but didn't expect to land one on HBs. Back to the river with him and next retrieve a little 30cm bream. Quite happy after a 30 minute session and no pain.

I live in Hunters Hill, i.e. Gladesville/Ryde area Cheers.

I will need a boating licence shortly and was wondering if any raiders have had a recent good experience with a service provider. I have done many accreditation courses in the past and some trainers take the rubber stamp approach and just get you through the basic requirements while others provide useful and relevant training. I'm after the latter as I've only had limited on-water experience. Also I'm tossing up between a Stacer 449 Seaway or Quintrex 450 Fishabout. These are very similar boats and I would appreciate any comments on either. I'm thinking estuary use only and there's the possibility of grandkids down the track. Cheers, Tim

I'm always looking for knots which my boofy fingers can tie relatively easily and this one works well. Great accent too! I think I'll call it the Lancashire Knot (youtube link):

Can't fault that reel, but I'm around his age and prefer the sustain 1000 because it's light and easier on the arthritic wrist, coupled with a Daiwa wild weasel. That'll flick 1/2 ounce all day. Exactly $400 for the combo!

I thought I'd throw my inexperienced 2 bobs worth in. I've literally only been fishing since last winter when my son in law gave me a department store combo and since I had no idea I went looking for an active and informative site which was relevant to where I live. Fish raider fitted the bill perfectly. Inspired by the exploits of the likes of Gianni, Seamus,Witha, Ryder and others who fish my estuaries and the info I've gleaned from numerous other posters, past and present, I can now go fishing with decent gear in the knowledge that I now have a better than even chance of catching and releasing something respectable. If I post it's usually because it's either a milestone for me or new bit of gear which has excited me. If someone takes the trouble to reply then that's a bonus, not an expectation. Far from stagnating, this seems a vibrant and active forum. Maybe members of long standing don't post or reply very much, but judging by the hits most posts receive there are heaps of interested readers out there. Cheers, Tim

Great work at the end of the holidays!! Some of those fish look big enough to have dragged you guys in with them. It's a pity they don't have angling as a subject at school

Same spot, another good result! It's good to see the Lane Cove producing good sized fish. Sometimes (often) it's doughnuts for me. Lovely spots for a flick even on a bad day.

Hi Calvin, I just give a couple of quick winds to crank the lure to the right depth, then a slow roll, varying the speed a bit as you go. I guess the lure is travelling about a slow walking pace. You'll feel the lure "wobbling" if you've got it right. Another thing I find useful is don't stop the retrieve if you feel interest, the fish tend to get spooked if you stop. Bream are very skittish, but if they want it they'll smash it and you won't be left wondering! Find some clear shallow water to practice in so you can see what's happening. I'm no expert but I hope that helps. Cheers, Tim

Thanks Witha, fishing with good gear is a pleasure.

Land based on the Lane Cove River at my new bream spot. I tried here earlier in the week at a similar tide time (mid run-out) for a few 25cm bream, a 25cm whiting and a respectable flattie, so I knew they were around. This morning after a few casts I thought things had gone cold, when as I was retrieving past some pylons, Ziiiiing!! Isn't that a great sound? The result was the fish without the gloved hand. Back in the water with him and the adrenalin is calming. 2 more casts and away we go again! Even better ziiiiiing and a bit of a tussle later this beautiful fish at 35cm! Unfortunately the back treble was pretty much cactus after that but time had run out anyway. Great fun!! Gear: 2 drunkenmonkies rod Sustain 1000 reel 6lb braid, 8lb fluoro leader Atomic crank 38 mid Muddy Prawn

While fishing the flats in Canada Bay this arvo I was watching a dad and his 5 year old struggling to get lines in the water. Went over for a chat and discovered it was their first time out. Rigs from a department store, really heavy mono, and heaps of lead. Couldn't do much about the line but I gave the guy some jig heads and a couple of plastics to get him going and suggested he check out this web site. I'm only a novice but it felt good to impart some of the valuable knowledge I've gained from here. The little fellow wanted to see the fish I'd caught and struggled to understand why I'd returned them to the water!

I've never tried hard bodies before so I thought I'd give it a go. I was always turned off by the thought of expensive snags, but this little lure is only shallow diving and very controllable. Only had a half hour window this morning so I headed off to a local rock wall on the run-in, 2 legal bream just smashed it! I only fish light so it was great fun. This arvo had a bit more time so I fished some flats on the Parra river on the run-out for an hour. 3 legal flatties and 2 more bream! This has opened up a whole new world for me and I'd be interested to hear others' thoughts on HBs. Cheers, Tim

Well done, so you guys were firing after all!!

I've no historical perspective as I've only recently taken up the hobby, but I've noticed the past couple of weeks have been very unproductive. My usual spots (shore based) on the lane cove and parramatta rivers have been extremely quiet. I've also noticed the forum reports from the Sydney estuaries have been quiet. Even the two lads who fish the canal at Iron Cove don't seem to be firing lately, so maybe it's not just my ineptitude at work! Merry Xmas to all.

Hi Adamski, I've had a bit of success of late with +50cm lizards and fish with 6lb braid, 8 pound fluoro leader with 1/4oz TT jig heads size 2/0 hook. If you have the drag set right you won't get broken off if you keep the pressure on. You'll need a landing net or they'll chew you off for sure. Retrieve is the old "burn and pause" - 3 or 4 cranks, let sink and pause etc. alternate with slowish flicks or just a slow roll retrieve. Mix it up a bit and it makes the fishing more interesting and keeps you from getting into a rut. Good luck! Goanna

I have 2 drunken monkies with shimano sustain 1000, 6lb braid. I'm loving it for bream along rock walls etc with 1/24 oz and a wriggler or something, but I reckon I only get maybe 20m out of it (I'm not the worlds best caster 'tho). Re the chap who busted a rod casting, this rod's rated to 4gm max, so anything much over 1/8oz is asking for trouble. Enjoy the daiwa Cheers goanna

Caught on 4lb braid, 2m 6lb fluro leader, 1/4oz TT jig head size 2 hook, 3" Zman minnowz in New Penny. They also love minnowz in motor oil.

Thanks guys. For those who are interested in this much loved fish, I've posted a link in the fishing chat forum. Cheers, Tim

Here is a link to a NSW DPI study into the length of the most frequently caught dusky flathead. It appears that by quite a large margin, flathead are caught by recreational fishers and the most common length is around 40cm. The numbers steadily drop after 50+cm and these fish are most likely to be breeding females. It occurs to me (and this is probably a bit of self-interest) that if more fishos practised catch and careful release of fish above 45-50cm then in years to come there will be an increase in the number of larger breeding females and therefore an increase in the number of plate sized fish around 40cm or so for those who like to keep a proportion of their catch for a feed. In my opinion Fisheries should consider increasing the legal length to something above 40cm and no fish above 70cm (I have read this suggestion in another study). This would effectively remove males from the legal catch and leave more breeding females, therefore increasing the breeding rate and more fish for all!! Cheers Tim http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/375878/Dusky-Flathead.pdf

Went to my new spot again this arvo on the run in and jagged another at 50cm. She went back in and happily swam off. I'm loving the soft plastics - no mess no fuss. I'm reading other posts where guys are getting multiples of fish (off boats I'm guessing), but if I can land only one this size every outing I'll be a happy camper!