[Outstanding “standby” bait for live bait - Gulp pieces.]

1 hour ago, faker said:

Is that the worms marinated in scent?

Hey @faker, Gulp is actually a bait (flour based compound soaked in a scent). As such it is not actually a “soft plastic”. This being the case, any gulp product will probably work.

[Musings of a squidding newbie]

9 hours ago, R E G I C Y C L E said:

Thanks for the tips @Pickles. So squid won't necessarily hang around in one spot, or are they just on the bite some days and not others?

The more time I spend targeting a species, the more I see patterns of behaviour, but the more diversity I experience in that behaviour. I do know that squid like specific habitats at different times of year and I quess this is due to life cycle, which if the current info is correct, suggests they hatch, grow, reproduce and die, all n 12-14 months, cuttlefish a bit longer (upto 2 years). To do this they have a voracious appetites and move around to find it. It makes sense that if there is food and cover (from predators) in a particular area they will hang around that area. 
SO, once you find where they are, there has to be a reason that they move from that area - food supply deteriorates, predation, change in physical conditions, change in environment. 
When I’m squidding I do what I do to find kingfish - go to where I got them “yesterday” and if they are not there, go to other spots I’ve got them before. Usually I’ll only spend 20 minutes in one location before I move on.

 

[Magic Mullet - Round 3]

Way to go mate 👏👏

[Flatties]

Nice work, nothing better than fresh flattie fillets. It’s amazing how small flathead will take a lure as big as themselves.

[Musings of a squidding newbie]

Great post @R E G I C Y C L E, the product you are looking for does exist and I have used them in the past, (don’t remember where I purchased them on line, but made in Japan - like mot egi specific tackle)  I dont bother any more as, once you find squid, they are not that hard to entice to take a lure. My experience is that the real trick is to keep moving till you find them. They DONOT like fresh water, so when it’s been raining an incoming tide near the heads (brings saltwater in) works and and outgoing tide doesn’t. Having the correct size is important also, but as a general rule a 2.5 is often the “go to” size. I like yellow, white and green colours, but the “pilchard” in Yamashita works well.

[Kicking holiday goals]

Hey @R E G I C Y C L E, you certainly did kick some holiday goals. Well done mate. I loved reading your reports (following you now). A 52cm yellow belly and 78 Cod are 2 meritorious catches. The Redfin was a solid fish at 42 and that rainbow looks like it could be a  big buck salmon well done. The miles you covered were well rewarded. Dave and Neil  (@dirvin21 and @big Neil) are certainly highly experienced, helpful raiders willing to share their knowledge and info.

 (Being an inexperienced inland fisho & having a son living at Bathurst now, I might have to hit you up for some input on freshwater fishing the dams around the area). 
Any time you want to target Bass In Derrubbin (Hawkesbury) feel free to get intouch - I don’t know much about other freshwater species, but usually do OK on Bass and E.P’s).

[Mosman bay lesson]

Well done @Aussie_fisher, @DerekD is a great mentor and good on you for recognising his input.

[Flatty release and a catch off the flats]

Way to go Rob a good feed of quality fish and that Flatty is a real beauty - free to breed another league of fishes.👏👏

[Outstanding “standby” bait for live bait - Gulp pieces.]

After reading a post by @sashkello, relating to leftover power bait,  I thought I’d share a “tip” that I experimented with a few years back. I’d forgotten to put any bait in 😞 and had some bread for burley, but did have  some GULP “plastics” and power bait. I cut it up into tiny pieces and the Yakkas took them. This converted to some Kingies and a successful trip that would otherwise been a washout.

[Powerbait Trout Nuggets - will they catch other fish?]

Hey @sashkello, I know from personal experience that it definitely works on yellowtail - but this using burley to attract them and I know when the Yakkas are around the burley trap, they’ll take just about anything - then you’ve got a great live bait for Kingies.

[Catfish sting]

Hey @squidjigga, from personal experience, I’ve gotta agree with @willpethh, that hot, hot water (in conjunction with swallowing a few Panadol - not in the hot water).

I carry a thermos in the boat now as only way I know of to get really hot water.

[Fewer Cod but very healthy specimens]

Hey BN, sound like you’re giving the Cod season a darn good shake - onya mate. The garlic infused chicken breast sounds tasty (must be hard to use it for bait and not dinner). 
Do you have a theory on why there are few juvenile fish (mind you, I’d rather catch one big fish than 20 small ones.)

[Trout and about in 2023 - year review.]

Great report @R E G I C Y C L E. One of the great things about our sport is the environment we get to enjoy in the process and your pics show some stunning territory (and some lovely fish). More reports please.

[A month of fishing]

Greatfeedback @jaybez, 30 is solid Redfin (and good eating) and that is a solid looking Bass - well done. Keep the reports coming.

[First Fish for 2024 more summer hairtail and a crab]

Awesome job Whisky - they are massive Hairtail - well done my friend.

[Kingfish top baits produce the goods, but be careful of banned areas in Sydney Harbour]

3 hours ago, Steve0 said:

 

You believe you weren't checked!  

Around Eden I was fishing a beach and saw two inspectors as I was leaving. I went out of my way, volunteered my license. They didn't want to see it.  We had a friendly chat about nothing in particular. They didn't check gear or backpack content. They said they were targeting a particular offense. I was the only person on about 5km of beach walked, so it wouldn't have been too much of a chore to check. I gained a strong impression they'd been watching me catch & release Salmon and probably correctly assume I was a responsible fisho who sticks withing the rules.

Another day, another location, I had a chat another. They were targeting rock lobster and had caught someone the day before watching from a distance then apprehending the person in the car park... or was that occasion abalone???

Sometime or other I read DPI use cameras. In particular to police fishing inside sanctuary boundaries.

 

2 hours ago, JustJames said:

Geez you must look suspicious as! 

 

That said, so must I, because if I see a maritime vessel, they WILL come and check me.  So much so, that I have seen them approach me, key in my boat rego and then realise "oh we've checked him the last 3 weekends" - I assume - and then turn around.

A fisho (not a Raider), sent me a pic of him with a $500 fine for fishing within the 200m “prohibited zone” at Green Island at South West Rocks. the pic was taken from a drone that was apparently several hundred feet in the air, but the shot was clear. He received the fine notice and pic several weeks after he got back to Sydney and was given the right to appeal. 
He knew he was doing the wrong thing and knew “one day I’ll caught”, but a young guy with several kids and a wife who doesn’t work -$500 must have hurt. But you make decisions, then have to be prepared to accept the consequences.

[Kingfish top baits produce the goods, but be careful of banned areas in Sydney Harbour]

8 hours ago, nal said:

Correct me if I’m wrong, but where you took that pic of you holding the squid is that not in the reserve area? Or just outside of it? Also how often are you checked by fisheries? I’m out a good couple times each week and have never been checked nor even seen a fisheries boat on the harbour 

Correct, it’s in the middle of the harbour heads (there’s a reef there),  - I’m anal about keeping to bag limits, Nav rules and fishing zones. (It’d be pretty unwise to publicly post a pic holding a squid in a prohibited area😳 

[A “Royal” way to start 2024 - Harbour Kings are finally getting bigger.]

23 hours ago, Raymar said:

Hi everyone, long time reader of fish raider and first tine posting. Unfortunately not a fishing report as motivation has not been my best friend lately to go out fishing as often as I would like to go work and so on... looking forward to this year with my retirement on the horizon. I have had the pleasure of going out with on a hunt for kingfish. Not as successful of a day but was a great learning curve. After reading Bobs latest report on kingfish the excitement is coming back. Well done Bob on a good catch. Hope too arrange for a kingfish hunt again soon.

Cheers

Hey Raymar - I’m always happy to take folks out -  any time you want to head out, I’m happy to take you (only issue for me is you’d need to pick me up (Nth Richmond), pull the boat (5m Tinnie) and drop me home - I’ve had a few “adventures” and don’t drive, although I do have a licence. I can’t guarantee we’ll get Kingies, but usually do. The BIG reason most people don’t find them is they don’t get the right bait, or don’t look in the right place (“Seek and you will find, Ask and you will receive, knock and the door will be opened”) 

Bob

[Kingfish top baits produce the goods, but be careful of banned areas in Sydney Harbour]

1 hour ago, JustJames said:

For clarity, the reservation area is no-go for invertebrates and spear fishing, but line fishing for fin fish there is a-ok.

Yep, absolutely correct 

[Sussex Inlet]

Well done Isaac- 56 is a really good flathead. Must have been frustrating for your mate only getting the puffer 😆

[Bate Bay]

Another nice feed Dave 👏👏👏

[Kingfish top baits produce the goods, but be careful of banned areas in Sydney Harbour]

In a recent conversation with @whiskey299, I referred to the no1 bait for Kingies being live squid or cuttlefish (even better). HOWEVER Raiders need to be aware that North Harbour, from Grotto point to North Head is an aquatic reserve and squid may NOT be caught here. I’ve been checked by fisheries (happens often given the fact I’m out 3-4 times a week) and the noticed my rods with jigs attached and instructed me that it is actually an offence to have a jig attached to a line in the area.

I think this “sucks” big time, but as a stickler for doing the right thing - I comply.

map attached for reference. 
 

[First Whiting on a Lure]

Way to go @Robbo from Sydney, a meritorious catch - well done.. Now you’ve achieved your first, you’ll be hooked on top water “flicking”. Looking forward to your future reports.

[A “Royal” way to start 2024 - Harbour Kings are finally getting bigger.]

8 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Congrats Bob

amazing how you just keep finding cracking fish for you friends…. Great start to the year🙏🏻

It’s a joy to see folks hook up to a big Kingies and feel the arm wrenching drive of a solid Kingie and they’re not that hard to find - a whole different story to bring them to the boat.

[A “Royal” way to start 2024 - Harbour Kings are finally getting bigger.]

8 hours ago, Robbo from Sydney said:

What a great morning out you had.  You catch more in one session than some of us are likely to see in lifetime!! I read your posts and wonder just how many people you have got hooked on fishing over the years. I think it is wonderful to see such generosity in sharing your time and knowledge 

Cheers Robbo, I reckon there’s something special about fishing, given Jesus 4 closest mates started out as fishermen and he used them to change the world - I’m always happy to take folks out if they’re happy to drive and pull my boat.