Fish_More

Hi all Have a site booked at Lake Wallaga for 2 weeks in January. My wife will be there the whole time but I will only be there the second week. Will be bringing an offshore boat (if the weather forecast is good) and hopefully a still to be acquired kayak for the river or lake. Any guidance on places to give a go in the area, offshore, lake or river and also is the lake open to the ocean at the moment? Only other thing is not sure how much fishing will get done as there is a brewery at the caravan park! More importantly, does anybody know what their beers are like? Mark

After the first reply, I was just about ready to put an offer in on a tandem. Then the second reply has me in a quandary. Very much appreciate the replies, just confused what to do. Second hand singles maybe don’t seem to hold the value as well as tandems which might be due to there are more second hand singles rather than tandems? My guess is a tandem will be best for the next could of years and then 2 singles might be better? How do people go putting 2 singles on the roof racks?

Hi all Thinking of getting into kayak fishing with 9 year old son who loves his fishing. Have the option of a tandem kayak where we are together and if he has a problem I can help him or 2 single kayaks. Benefit of 2 singles is if I want to go out by myself I can easily. What would you do? Thanks Mark

Thanks Rob. I'm actually heading away for 2 weeks, first week at Wooli, therefore will most likely use the lagoon at Minnie that week. Second week, we are staying at Brooms Head which is a bit further north and probably about an hour and a half back to the lagoon at Minnie. Hence why looking for a way out further north.

If you had a choice between Sandon River bar, Brooms Head beach launch, Yamba bar or Evans Head bar, which would you choose as being the safest and easiest? Boat is a 6.5m plate if it makes a difference.

Thanks Hoods and Rick. We will be north side of the river at Sandon, therefore can't go down to Minnie. Have done the beach launch there and while a challenge with a decent size boat, it is easy accesss out from there. Worst case sceanrio, can go up to Yamba and og out there and run down south.

I would have loved to sit on the wall and watch it from an incoming tide then change to an outgoing tide to see how much difference it makes.

Forgot to mention, given did not have the boat, decided to go for a drive from Crowdy up to Sout West Rocks. Walked out along the breakwall and watched a few boats go in an out of the bar. It was an incoming tide, however, given everything I have read about the SWR bay, I was pleasantly surprised how calm it was and would have had no hesitation going across it. I don't know what the weather actually was, however the forecast was a bit average.

Hi all Have just booked a weeks leave and somewhere to stay at Brooms Head in November. Can't wait! My guess if the weather plays ball is to hit Sandon Shoal. Welcome to take any other suggestions and what will be going up there in November? Just have to think about if beach launch at Brooms Head or go down to Sandon River and take on the bar down there. Anybody with experience of the bar that would like to give any advise on crossing it? Thanks Mark

Thanks guys. Did not end up taking the boat. Put it in for a service in the week leading up to the trip. When they put the motor support bracket, which is only supposed to go on the port side trim ram, they put it on the starboard side. Did not notice until I got it home (an hour and half drive from the service centre) and it had knocked a grease nipple off the leg of the motor. Therefore left the boat at home and just had a good family weekend.

Hi all Appears to be a bit of a weather window for next weekend, so have booked a site at Harrington for next Thursday through to Sunday. Never fished Crowdy/Harrington in August. What should I expect? Don't really care if I come up donuts, just want to get out and give it a crack given everything that has happened recently! Cheers Mark

See PM sent

Trip cancelled! Hopefully get the opportunity later in the year to give it another crack. At least they are giving us a full refund for the accommodation.

Wow, that is very different from last time I was there! If the weather is up a bit, might drive up to Turkey Beach and head out to Rock Cod Shoals to avoid the bar.

Never been there, but have you thought about North West Island? Could set up camp out there and fish the surrounding reefs? Another place have never been, but Stanage?

Bit surprised with this, you always need to respect a bar, however my recollection of it is that it is one of the tamer bars around. Will go for a drive up on the headland and watch a few boats going in and out before heading out myself.

Thanks. If I take extra fuel it will only be 2 x gerrys that would go into the boat tank as soon as I got out there. It is probably a good idea to go see the VMR when I get there to find out the local knowledge and join at the same time in case of a worst case scenario.

I put it into google maps and got 13 hrs 12 mins. Sounds about right to me. We normally do Brisbane (via Newell) in about 10 hours. Brisbane to 1770 is generally about 5 hrs and you cut the corner off and normally go up through Kingaroy area.

Taking the other half and billy lids with me, so have a house at the Sunrise estate booked. That way if the weather is bad, still have something to do. My parents might come up for a while as well. Have not told the other half and Dad, but whoever is not coming with me fishing might be on boat trailer duty as not sure will get a park at the ramp if the weather is good. Hoping to head in the direction of Fitzroy to see what I can find. Boat has a 280 - 300L tank, so especially if throw some gerrys in, think should be pretty safe with range even if decide to do an overnigher. Motor is a 150hp Yamaha HPDI but have never really tested the range. Other thing to think about if do an overnighter is, what about a toilet, especially if the other half comes?

Hi all Any suggestions how to test a VHF marine radio and 27Mhz radio when you are 3 to 4 hours from the coast and not many other boats arounds? Heading to 1770 and want to make sure everything is sorted before I go. Cheers Mark

Hi all Heading to 1770 for Easter. Going to a long haul of about 13 hours to get there, but hope the weather gods are nice to me and it is worth it. Want to spend some time chasing macs up around Bustard Head and also some trout out around the reefs. Any suggestions of areas to try more than greatly appreciated. Also, if anybody else is heading up that way, feel free to give us a shout as there is safety in numbers when you are 80km offshore. Cheers Mark

From my experience, take plenty of terminal tackle and leader, as you go through a lot. Some days you do and some you don’t! Lead is also a challenge if not supplied, especially if you are flying up and back.

Hi all Wondering if there are any reports of what is happening with the fish up at Crowdy Head at the moment? Have an itch and it is time to scratch it with the boy next weekend. Mark

Hi all I have not had much luck lately with a few medical problems that means the boat has not moved for abour 6 months. I'm finally on the improve and was thinking of going fishing next weekend. So got the boat out to flush the motor. After I flushed it, noticed some oily fluid on the ground and followed it back to both the trim rams. See photos attached. I have gone back to where the boat was stored and there was nothing on the ground there. I'm guessing I have a problem with a seal in the trim hydraulics somewhere but interested in opinions as to what is wrong and what to do about it? Other alternative is it is due for a service in March, just take it for that service early and get them to have a look at it, however it is about 1.5 hours drive to take it for a service. I could take the hydraulic section out and just take that over rather than taking the whole boat. Cheers Mark

Hi all Has anybody set up their sounder so they can use it at home? For example for updating the software of the unit or putting waypoints into the unit ready for the next fishing trip. I could go out the shed and put them direct into the unit, just would be more comfortable to be sitting in the house doing it. Cheers Mark