Stu-SP

Rapala x-rap sinking 120mm in ghost

Cheers for the info Bruce. I'll definitely throw a block of pillies in next time. You could have asked for a better day and I'll try and get out there again in the coming weeks!! Just quietly great family records!! ? Cheers fisho my first one, so stoked with it. Keen for a bigger model!!

Good report mate. The soft plastics take time, watch plenty of YouTube clips but you can’t beat time in/on the water. A good place to hone your skills is out at Kurnell. Either off the rock groynes or off the beach. You can fish it in all types of winds and I guarantee you’ll pick up a flatty or two. Fish as light a jig head as possible to still be able to cast some distance (1/12th or 1/8th) and work it back, squidgy wriggler 100mm in bloodworm will work out there. Good luck and I second the charter in NZ!!!

In all the excitement I didn’t get the water temp, I think around 23* but don’t hold me to it. There were at least 6 boats out there when we arrived and one JetSki. From port hacking it’s 21km. There is a lap a closer one out from botany heads. I can’t wait to get into a bigger model!! Such good fun!!

Hi all, I went out Friday morning with the aim of catching my first dolphinfish as I’ve heard there are a few around the Fad at the moment. I’ve never been to the fad before and as I have a 460 Coastrunner I wanted to follow some mates out in a bigger boat. Unfortunately they pulled the pin at the 11th hour, but the conditions looked perfect and the morning of we decided to head out. We picked up some live squid of the way out of the hacking, only managed 2 lollipops. We found a heap of yakkas but they weren’t taking the sabiki jigs. So we decided to head out with 2 squid and flick plastics if all else fails. Well to say I was impressed with how the boat travelled out and back was an understatement! We got out to the port hacking fad in about 35mins, I thought it would have been longer. Had the two squid out and they both got hit in the first 10mins! A double hook up, not to massive bulls, but they put on a good display. Our very first dollies!! One went 68cm and the other 64cm, so in the esky they went for a feed. With no more livies I turned to throwing a stickbait, I had one follow in about 20mins. Then my mate was jigging hooked a rope (must have been an old anchor line or something as it was 60m down. While he fought that back for his jig (and won) I hooked a Dollie on stickbait on my 4000 reel. Great fun on light gear and was just on 60cm so I returned it to the deep blue. After about another 30mins we called it quits and headed home. Trolled a few skirts on the way back just in case but nothing. All up it was a ripping day on the water and it’s always good when a plan comes together!! Most pics are on my camera but I’ll put up what’s on my phone. Cheers, Stu

Cheers mate! Tight lines

Great work Yowie! Yet again another productive session in the hacking for you. When you say you fish the deep near lilli pilli do you mean in amongst the moored boats or out in the channel on the edge of the flats/drop off?

What a beast and off cronulla beach! Well done!! Time to get the beach rod out... that’s a trophy fish!!

What a productive little session! A solid feed of fish!

Thanks guys, yeah definitely loved having him on the water. He loved his life jacket he got for Chrissy, now I just need to convince the wife he needs a stella for a first reel hahaha. Yeah I’ve already changed to heavier leader and replaced the exact same lure! Also hopefully going out Friday to try my luck again, I’ll keep you all posted and hopefully get a few photos!

Hi raiders, I was on the water before sun up at 4:45am to target some squid on the way out from the hacking. I got one on the first cast and another in about 6 casts so I decided two were enough as I was to be back at the wharf by 9am. I was out rounding jibbon at about 5:15am and headed south to Marley. Got to Marley and I put out one squid and I was flicking a sinking stick bait. I was sounding some kings but had no hits on first 3 passes. Then my stick bait got hammered. A first it felt like a Bonnie with the tail vibrations and then it took some good runs like a king. I was unsure as to what was on the line! The livie then has a run but dropped!!(bugger) I got it boat side and noticed I had hooked a bonito and a king on the one lure. Only a rat about 50-60. It popped the leader as it wrapping around both fish and I was trying to play them and get the net. Then I realised I still had 10lb leader on from my last little session (Rookie error) I followed them for the next 15mins as they kept surfacing and going back down when I got the boat near, I wanted my lure back! So if anyone hooks a king with a rapala stick bait hanging out I would greatly appreciate it back. I persisted with the 10lb and soft plastics and had multiple hook ups but either got reefed or spat the lure at the boat as I didn’t want to play then too hard. The second squid was beheaded and not really touched. I had enough and tied on 20lb(my usual leader for kings) but I started to feel unwell, probably because I had lost so many fish!! So 8am I headed for home and picked up the wife and child for a day on the hacking!! All in all hooked a few, lost them all. But my son had his first day on the boat and absolutely loved it! Next time I’ll pack him a fishing rod!!

Nothing better than seeing the line peel off your reel. Hopefully there are a few kings around tomorrow!! Great report!!

That's what dreams are made of, well done!!!

At least you got out on the water. Persistence paid off!! Well done Yowie.

Congratulations! That is an absolute beast!!

How good!! Absolute gold!

They do take lures, soft plastics, dead bait and live bait. If you ask most fishos live squid is your best bet for a King.

A 1.4m King was speared off Bondi recently! I have only caught rat kings or just legal specimens, hanging to get into a decent one this season. I can locate the bait and have livies down, but no luck as yet. Still trying to find some good deeper reefs where the hoodlums hold! All the best.

I fish salmon haul from the boat and use 2.5 or 3 weight squid jigs. Haven't tried Lilli pilli baths for squid.

Unlucky mate, some days the fish just don't read the script!! I worked a half day and decided to throw the boat in at midday. Headed out from the port hacking and picked up some slimies and yakkas. I slow trolled from jibbon along the cliffs to Marley for zero touches. Sounded up some good bait schools but no takers. Sun was out and it beats working! Back in by 330pm after the wind picked up!

Great report and a fantastic Snapper!! Well done.

Well done mate! Good specimen!

Were you out wide? Looking forward to getting into the Kings again!!

Sensational report, well done!!