Rummers

G’day Raiders, Hit the water on a cloudy day today and went out front to cabbage tree island to get some bait, heaps around and there was this red algae hanging around which I’m sure is ultimately a good thing for the environment. after that I headed back to soldiers point to fish the high tide for some Jew. 3 hours and no bit. I think I saw them on the sounder but once again another donut - geez after 10+ attempts the first one will feel good! Then I went and tried to save the day chasing flatties, which was slow but still managed this one which will make a good dinner. Hopefully my luck (or lack of knowledge) with the Jew turns soon.

I had a very similar experience fishing the low in the same spot yesterday again. Now I don’t feel as bad 😂 It will happen for us! Haha. great flatties around at the moment, they seem to save the bacon more often than not. great report mate - I am looking forward to writing one with my own jewfish soon!

Thanks guys. I am well aware I’m not the first to have this journey. it’s what it’s all about, and I’m pretty determined to nail a good fish.

G’day Raiders, I have been hunting jewfish like a man possessed lately and spending a lot of time researching and then trying to put it into practice. Unfortunately I am still on the donut (about 3 months now 😳😩). Headed out about 5am this morning, as there was some swell out front I followed Scratchies advice and caught some good sized yakkas in shoal bay. Perfect - morning started off well. Headed back to middle island to fish an hour either side of low for Jew. As I was pretty early still I decided to chuck a plastic around for a flat head. No flatties but got a tailor at 32cm who lived to fight another day. Then sat at middle island just up off the hole for 2 hours for not even a touch. Bloody livies are probably still alive swimming around the bay 😂 Will have another crack through the week but the way I’m fishing I’ll be lucky to have a Jew by 2030 😂 Thanks for the bait spot Scratchie. Will be my go too when it’s rough out front I rekon.

Awesome. Thanks Scratchie. Hopefully can get onto some. I’ll put a report out

Am happy to travel anywhere in the bay. Was just trying to avoid the swells out front if I could really. might take some of the old bread and burley up somewhere, or even some arrow squid around shoal bay.. the failures of my Jew adventures have largely been because of the lack of bait I get 😂

Boat based. so you rekon If i burley up around sally shores jetty with bread etc the yakkas will come?

Thanks for the laugh fellahs 😂 was just one of those random thoughts. I have learnt from experience not to forget my Bungs. 3 types of boaters, ones who have put the boat in without the bungs, ones who will put the boat in without the bungs, and liars

Mate that’s more successful than my sessions lately! Thanks for the read

Hey Raiders, I have searched the forum and didn’t really find anything too conclusive. but does anybody have any spots inside the bay they are willing to share where they have got live bait before in port Stephens? looking to head out Sunday to try for a Jew (bane of my existence at the moment) if the conditions are favourable and want to avoid heading out the front in 2.5m swell if I can.

Fair points. I’m not about to modify my bung holes. Was just curious. I was thinking a simple plastic tap like on the bottom of water jugs etc. but makes sense. thanks guys.

Silly question, but when cleaning the boat this morning (after a session that only had 3 legal whiting ) I was looking at my bung hole and wondered… why don’t boat manufacturers install a tap there instead of a screw in plug? That would save the leaving the bungs at home/ruining the gasket/usual bung issues. Surely there is a logical explanation for this that I am missing. Haha. Cheers - please don’t smash me too hard with his one 😂😂

Thanks guys. Appreciate it

G’day all, i am just after some tech help/ideas/experience. I currently have a Lowrance HDS7 Carbon. my issue is that it is a small screen and when halved with maps it is hard to see the sounder well. Has anybody experience on linking a tablet or similar as a second screen for the sounder to use the hds7 as maps (or vice versa)? I know I can screen mirror through the Link app. or am I better off buying a second unit to use as a sounder? Cheers. Rummers

I got a donut today too! Thought I was a genius hitting the flats at Lemmo on low tide, turns out a lot more weed than I remember! 😂😂 always next time!!

G’day Raiders. When this lockdown is over and we can go for a fish, I am looking at targeting some kings around the islands out front of Port Stephens. am I wasting my time and should I just head out to Broughton? I have gear that will get me out of trouble. But techniques is where I struggle haha. My plan is just to catch some live bait and slow troll them around the islands and reefs, particularly little island. Is there any specific way I should be trolling them? I.e weighted down. Rig ideas? I was thinking of straight from leader to the hook with no weight but am worried the fish will swim too high. I have had a little read on here and found some good info, any and all advice is appreciated. cheers Rummers

Knots for speed as I feel it’s nautical 😂 Meters for depth as it’s easier to visualise in reference to football fields. KM for distance because it’s what I know LBS for weight as that’s what I use a lot at work.

Good report mate. What do you do with the rod in the holder? Drop it straight down and let it float with the drift?

I might as well be in lockdown with the amount of fish I’m catching! 😂 well done mate! Great fish

Thanks! I’ll have to find some of that structure and give it a go! shallow reefs or deep?

Sounds like I’m on the right track then! I’ll be getting plenty of practice in so hopefully can get the results as it warms up. Confidence out front in low light conditions is key for me I think. Can move to different (less accessible) grounds as that builds

Cheers mate. I’m pretty motivated and lucky I live so close to a boat ramp to head out quickly on a whim! Geez kings sound like the final frontier for me 😂😂

Hey Guys, First report in a little bit. Have headed out front of Port Stephens 3 times in the last week chasing snapper at a close in easily accessible reef. Won’t share it out of respect for the guy who showed it to me! Soft Plastics is what I am really trying to use at the moment and have had relative success with 1 day of zero fish and 3 fish spread over the other 2 sessions. love the blue pepper neon gulps! I am just casting ahead of my drift and slow retrieving the lure. have really struggled getting a drift going and unsure if it is my boat or just conditions not allowing it, but I’m sure once I figure it out my results will improve. Here is the smallest snapper of the few, tonight’s catch, not the best quality but you get the idea!

Thanks guys! I rekon I’ll go with the acetone as I can get bulk easily to clean it with! Appreciate the help! I’ll make sure I post pictures of the new floor once it’s complete!

Hey Raiders, currently in the process of removing my old floor and preparing the area for the new stuff going down (Deck Armour). as I pulled the floor up there is heaps of adhesive residue left behind and wondering if anybody has any super secret tricks to remove it easily? otherwise it’s just going to be metho and elbow grease 😂 thanks in advance!!