dirvin21

They definitely are, winter is a great time in the lakes as well

Unfortunately seasons closed in winter

95mm would be ok for bream probably a bit big for whiting, I've caught pelagics on small stick baits cranked fast can't remember the brand, as @JustJames said chrome slugs work better than anything on pelagics

I've got a couple of 70mm, funny same scenario bought with a gift card The splash prawns seem to work best at slow speeds with a blooping type retrieve like a traditional popper There would be better and cheaper options for pelagics

our trip was to Copeton dam, the fish are definitely they just happen to dislike me

if it makes you feel any better we drove towing the boat for 5 hours, fished 4 sessions for a double doughnut

Some nice fish there mate I'm loving those splashprawns as well

Big cod, I need to proof read 🤪

Happens a bit more common with sharks, but tte taxman comes in many forms, big cod are another culprit

Nice mate, love ticking off a new species

Being a shift worker it's always exciting to score 3 days off in a row, this week being a Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday arvo couldn't decide what I wanted to do in the end with the day running out decided on walking the flats at Lake Cathie to catch a whiting on surface more specifically on my new MMD splashprawn. The lake is closed at the moment with poor water quality which didn't stop people swimming 🤢. I spent the arvo casting and trying retrieves with the splashprawn a few swirls but nothing until I'd pretty much given up then A small whiting but my first on surface in years...plan 1 done Saturday was an early morning start heading up the Hastings to the brackish looking for surface bream and bass. The main river was a bit slow to start the bream were all over the splash prawn but just wouldn't hook up, did manage a few little fellas but then I realised I was following another fisho (very rarely see anyone else up there), the answer head up a small side creek Straight up a better bream No monster but an improvement, the creek looked good Working along the creek the action wasn't red hot a few small bream and hits, then the lure gets nailed, thinking big bream was happily surprised A nice bass from very shallow water gave a hell of a fight Worked my way as far up the creek as possible to the first rapid and actually got my best bream for the day in the running water Loving the splashprawn, ended the session early to escape the heat... day 2 plan done. Day 3 Sunday, Amy and I had a day off together, what to do but head up to the Nambucca and chase jacks, Amy had never scored a NSW jack and was keen to change said fact. It was a late start but we were into it, with the amount of boat activity we decided to head upriver beyond the influence of water skiers, Amy managed a nice flathead for the table but otherwise quiet on the jack front. We casted our favourite jack banks, it's funny how a switch flicks, literally out of know where jacks were smashing prawns up in the edges beyond reach, Then chaos, Amy's on... can't imagine my excitement when I see red, I have never been so nervous on the net, the yahoos were loud when it was in Amy's first NSW satan, she has worked hard for this fish, through many fishless sessions and lost fish Gotta love the fangs, despite the outstanding eating quality Amy's jack was released to make someone else's day The day couldn't possibly get better.... Until it did with a small jack for me I don't care how big or small they are, I love jacks they are such a challenge on lures in the mid north coast. Nothing else for tte session but who cares.... day 3 plan DONE!!! Love ot when plans come together hopefully it's the first of many for 2024 Cheers for reading Dave

You can grip them firmly right behind the spines that's how I hold eel tails, a firm grip without hesitation is the key, otherwise lip grips Otherwise if you're intending on keeping hold mouth with pliers, brain spike, bleed then cut the spines with pliers as they still stingvin the esky

Great write up mate and dome awesome fish

All fish and stingray stings hot water is the go, as hot as tolerable, Fish sting venom is actually the slime which is protein which the heat cooks like an egg white which inactvates it

I reckon bream would eat them

Bully Mullet

Episode is up on YouTube from my surface session on the Hastings

That's awesome, whiting are great fish to catch especially on surface Hopefully the first of many for you

Juvenile grassy emperor excellent eating at larger sizes

Just wanted to say thankyou all for being part of this community through 2023 It's been an interesting year for us, we've had some insane adventures, fulfilled lifelong dreams, It's also been a very tough year behind the scenes I enjoyed reading about everyones fishing and adventures and we hope you've enjoyed reading about ours, we have some exciting things happening in 2024 Look forward ti continuing in 2024 Cheers Dave and Amy

Yeah, mostly big eyes and GT's, starting to figure them out more in the Hastings Loads of them in the Nambucca and Kalang rivers

Got busted off by a solid tarpon up there yesterday 😱

Trebles

If we can score a free day in the next week or 2 I'll take you fir a run up there

I see what you mean, did think possibly estuary perch but had a good look over the fish, the colour of body, fins and body shape made confident it's a bass