James Clain

Update (almost 2 years on) Sydney is as far south as I have encountered GT with my eyes. Have not had any proof of any any further south than Sydney. Ps- One busted up that had to be 8kg+

Thank you!

Yeah, almost always through e first or second ring on the tail. Some fish which I assume were bream were going for the heads so I tried going just under the carapace in the head. The prawns survived but the bream didn't hit it.

They were bought at Guildford Extreme fishing Australia for 50 cents each. Not an unreasonable price considering how deadly they are as baits. I spent 15 Dollars in them for 30 Prawns.

Awesome!

Hey guys, I went for a short session with live prawns at Walsh bay yesterday. Fishing the top of the tide and the first 2 .5 hours of the runout tide. Prawns were fished on both 20 and 8lb setups. Rigged on a size 1 gamakatzu worm hooks through the tails. Plenty of our prawns got destroyed by jackets and bream around the pylons so keeping them out and free drifting towards the pylons was essential. Suddenly my 8lb setup buckled hard in the rod holder with screaming drag, (last time this happened to me on 12lb and a live prawn I got spooled). I picked up the rod and the small king that I originally called for didn't wake up and take me down into the structure. After a short fight I raised a stonker Silver Trevally and my first fish of 2021.

Great report and interesting read!

Thanks I sure have!

Here is a compilation of my best catches from 2020, hopefully 2021 is an even better year for fishing. Special thanks to @Pickles and @dirvin21 for helping me get onto some of these fish. I have also edited a video compilation featuring some of these fish and other great catches.

What ripper highlight photographs glad to be featured. You have had some great fish this year, I think I need to do some highlight shots as well! I don't know if it will beat this set though.

Hey Aaron, Brunswick River is a good system just north of lennox and you also have the Richmond river system to the south both produce flatties, bream, Gts, kings. Brunswick marina breakwall is a great spot for the previously mentioned fish. Broken head rocks, Cape Byron rocks and Ballina breakwall are great spots to fish for bigger fish. I haven't caught anything here personally and only fished at these places twice but I have heard especially this time of year that bigger GT 15kg+ and reasonable kings plus mackerel are available when the tide is pumping. Using bigger plastics, stickbaits and poppers.

I designed my own variation of the FG knot which solved all my problems similar to your problems. My variation has won against all the other variations of the FG knot you can find on the internet. The method goes as follows: 1, wrap braid around legs or use rod holder and teeth and apply maximum pressure to the braid (while still being able to maintain a straight wrap in the leader) 2, Complete approx 30 alternating wraps (more on lighter lines) under as much tension as possible 3, tie 2 alternating half hitches on top of the leader tag end and sinch hard 4, tie 2 alternating half hitches on top of leader tag end and braid mainline together, sinch hard 5, use gloves or pulling dowel to apply as much tension on the main leader and braid mainline keeping in mind the breaking strength of your lines. 6, cut leader tag and burn a small mushroom onto the leader 7, use the braid tag and tie multiple alternating half hitches on the braid mainline. Do as many as necessary to create a barrier between the braid mainline and the burnt mushroom. (the purpose of these half hitches are to help seal the knot better, protect against abrasion from the burnt mushroom on the braid mainline and to anchor the braid tag end to protect from fray) 8, cut the braid tag with about half a centimetre to spare and test the knot to check for inconsistencies during your method. This knot variation if done correctly will break after the braid mainline or after the hook knot. It's a Freaking Good knot Edit: I also use this knot on any breaking strain line 4lb - 400lb

I have noticed better fishing in those areas just before and just after the trout closed season.

Nice one @pickles. Great photos and report!

Unusual for mullet to jump on lures. I have had it only happen once and I think the only reason they did was due to such high numbers. When schooled up the competition increases and their strive for food causes them to try and grab anything that moves. Great catch on a popper though and your description of the takes sound amazing, great report!

Nice one @Pickles some good bass there and a great report.

Nice one Neil. Great photos and action!

Nice report and video @FishyMcFishFace

Shimano Terez are good rods. I have a white, super good rod. They aren't available really anymore which is a shame since I prefer the action to the terez blacks. That being said the black rods are super good rods for the price. Terez GT 80lb has a lot of grunt but you mention some lighter stuff as well. The terez black 65lb to 200lb is a good rod. One of my mates who fishes with me uses it and manages to work smaller lures however still throw really big stuff and lockup really hard on PE 8. THat being said there is a massive range of Terez rods so its worth checking them out.

Great write up Neil, I am happy to hear you got your legal kingfish! I guess its onto the metre kingfish or even a metre muzza! It was a great time fishing with you! Cheers

Sounds about right but also on the light side of right if you get what I mean.

Awesome day thanks @Pickles and @big Neil. Hopefully the Kingies are hungrier tomorrow!

Nice one Dave. Great to see another Jack!

It's just about feel, If you have the drag done up too tight the fish could turn hard and run with the drag too tight and snap you off. If you are gaining line and using the 'grab the spool' method you can get more power and leverage and then still use your feel to let go of the reel when the fish takes a hard turn. In similar situations when the fish is literally about to finish you into a snag grabbing the spool is necessary because you may loose it anyways, I have landed fish that were about to brick my by grabbing the spool. I have also lost fish while grabbing the spool and breaking the line, however I was not going to get that fish anyways due to the conditions that lead me to grabbing the spool in the first place.