Pickles

Been a bit bored with the veggie patch so hit the harbour 5 days in a row - Kingies over 70cm each time and 2 over 80. Sunday, only on live Yakkas (ignored live and stripped squid), also took slimy mackerel and Bonito strips. Monday, one on squid strips, none on live squid and 2 on yakkas Tuesday, only on squid Wednesday squid again Thursday - cuttlefish only - ignored fresh squid and Yakkas. CONCLUSION = Cuttlefish is No 1 bait on Thursdays, Yakkas on a Sunday, Yakkas and squid on.a Monday, Squid on a Tuesday.

Thought I’d post my latest efforts - kingfish guts and heads from past 6 months producing some great spinach and veggies during the lockdown - if no fishing, it’s next best thing.

Nice work - there are a few big tailor starting to turn up, so mullet run not far away and Jew to follow.

Well done Rob - some good Kingie baits there mate (don’t waste them by eating them - 🙃)

Decided I’d get a feed for the mob and hit the harbour on Wednesday. Prediction was pretty good on Monday, but stupidly, didn’t check on Tuesday night. The weather was shocking - 15kn SW, wind chop and rainy (You don’t melt in the rain, so this wasn’t a deterrent). Bait was pretty easy and so was the fishing🙂 only a very few boat out (understandably) and Kingies were a good size - nothing under 80cm. Only kept the one. - mostly were caught on live Yakkas and strip baits.

Ouch

Encouraged by Scratchie’s “biggest fish ever”, I thought it might be faun to share our “dumbest mistake fishing” I’ll start. I forgot to tell my fishing buddy Adrian (no one else knows you here mate), that when you hold a tag end in your teeth to tighten the newly tied knot, not to jerk the mainline to tighten it. Result = hook through tongue. I discovered this when his son tapped me and pointed to his dad who appeared to be sucking the line held between his left and right hand whilst mumbling Ob, Ob, hi.. glott huh ook icky i my ung” I tried hard not to laugh at his discomfort.

Hey Raiders, when this is over, let’s have a big “Fish in” and BBQ, no competition, just a fun day out. We shouldn’t loose any hookups as all knots, tackle, rigs and gear should be in tip top condition and fully maintained.

Hey Derek, I also have Rotheries Tide and Fish Master (must be 30 years old by now) and had Neil Rotherham come to talk at a fishing clinic I used to run back in the 80’ “ Be an angler not a dangler”. it was a great bit of gear that helped my fishing greatly and used my percentages. Neil repaired it several times when the program needed tweaking. do you still use yours?

Yep, first Australian (Koori)

Hi Raiders, I’m usually out 2 or 3 times a week, mostly chasing Kingies. But keeping the boat in the shed till this Corona ( or has it mutates to Camry or Corolla yet) thing is over. I’ve cancelled my yearly fortnight to South West Rocks chasing kings, Jews and spotties (posted a pic from last year, so not current. Been practice casting in my dam (blessed to have 30 acres in the Hawkesbury) and planting out my veggie garden, but REALLY, REALLY missing being out on the water. Being a Gundungurra man, this is my country and my heritage, but trying to be responsive and responsible. It’ll give the Kingies a chance to put on a few more cm.

Lord Howe is my next off shore destination - might be a while though

Great to return to these days

Nice report dlvbw, was heading out tomorrow after your great report, but working now 😞 (not sure if work is closing down in a few days, so grab it whilst I can). Very Nice Kingies @REELCRAZY has his customary exuberant grin. brilliant work you two.

Nice mornings (non) work. I know what you mean about weekends.

He Steve, how about a post / pic of your fish turned into dinner - it looked spectacular

Took fellow raider Steve (Fishy Mcfishface) out on Tuesday to hunt down his first Kingie. God was good and we caught half a dozen squid in half an hour. We did try several headlands (unproductively) until cracked them. Yakkas were plentiful and perfect size. Steve’s first Kingie smocked him on its second run - straight to the bottom and Gooorn. He quickly learnt that drag has to be wound up tight and no “finesse” techniques on these bad boys. We also bagged a nice 53cm snapper. The southerly did make things choppy and unpleasant, but always somewhere out of the wind in our magnificent harbour. Fisheries came aboard (second time this month) to inspect the catch (no undersized fish of course) and interested in what was under the floor and any hidden compartments and very keen to see fishing licences. Steve’s licence had one day till expiry - keep an eye on your licences Raiders - the fine is $200. These folks were pleasant and courteous as always and do a great job. If we do the right thing, why be dubious of them.

Hi Raiders, I recently purchased a Penn Slammer 111 850 HS for the 50lb drag rating (specifically for an upcoming trip to South a West Rocks - BIG kings, Wahoo etc). I spooled it with 65lb braid, but very disappointed in how stiff the drag is. I have 3 big Saragossa and 2 Stellas, so know the beauty of silky smooth drag on big reels. DINGA where I bought it said that “it’s normal”, in one sense I don’t mind as I will be trolling and have drag activated, in another send, disappointed as the drag will not back off to less than about 10lb, what are others experiences with this reel please. Pickles

Another brilliant Sydney Harbour “Zippa dee do dah” day on Saturday. Squid were a bit slow, but Kingies around - but mostly rats . There were heaps of boats out after such a wet spell. ive had a few issues with my Minkota Ulterra i-Pilot and have had to go back to the dark ages and use an anchor - forgot what hard work it is.

Well done Crusher - good on you picking up the rubbish “Keep Australia beautiful”

Well done Bryant, you deserved that big bream for braving the conditions - were the seas big?

Good fish Longy for inside. The Port is an area I’d like to know a lot better - always some great reports of snapper.

Ha ha, Noooo, don’t do charters, but keen about sharing the passion of fishing with others and always willing to take blokes out and share the magnificence of Gods creation. My only hiccup is, although I have a licence and drive I need someone to pull my 5 m tinny, but there’s always someone happy to tangle with Kingies, dolphin fish or Jewies, which I tend to target, who will pull the boat.

Cheers Dunc