bjneville

Thanks Paul. It's been a good one so far - maybe the Kingies can make it better for me tomorrow!

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'm itching to have a go at the Kingies on SPs. Going to get some now....

Hi guys, Just a quick question: what size Slug-gos would you use for Kingies around the Harbour, is white the best colour, and would you use them weighted or unweighted? Ta, Qwyj.

You've got me interested now McFusher - I'm going to give it a go to. Fished straight down (no DR) how would you rig them? One through the hood, or a snelled arrangement?

They draw 30 - 40 cm depending on your load, so you're left with 50 - 60 obove the water line. Transom is a little low for off shore work too. For the same reasons though, they're brilliant for lure casting in the estuary.

Standard sand whiting (or at that size AKA blue nose whiting or elbow slapper). Never seen a KG on the NSW coast in 35 years fishing.

I've got a 400 trophy. I'll take her out there on quieter days, but generally she's an estuary boat. Freeboard is a little low, and she has a tendency to dig her nose into big swells, depending on the seating config i've set up and whether I have water/fish in the front well. But you couldn't ask for a sweeter boat on the river Qwyj

Agreed - drop down to at least six lb. You lose the odd thumper flattie, but with patience and a light drag you'll be surprised at the big mummas you can land. Just take your time, and never, ever lift the flattie out of the water by the leader. Use a net, and never let her head break the surface.

I don't bother fishing the Hawkesbury anymore. It's just an exercise in frustration. Mind you, living near Tunks Park, why would I bother?? With the pros out north & south of the place, small wonder it's getting hammered so hard

Don't know about the commercial guys, but I used to do all right on the crays when I lived at Malua Bay (BB)around 15 years back. Reputation has it that the south coast fishes better than the north, but I'm told there is (was?) a commercial fishery around Port Macq as well. Biggest problem I always found was poaching. I'd never have pots out between November - Feb. At $20 - $30 a pop, it got to the point I might as well buy the bloody crays in the shop. Was out one day checking and re-baiting and actually watched these B%#$@% snorkellers raiding my pot at my feet! A couple of well placed rocks just in front of them and a few choice words had them swimming swiftly towards New Zealand, but they got their revenge. No pot the next day Qwyj

Looks like a Yellow and Blueback Fusilier: http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/cteres.htm Best guess......

I TOLD you garfish went off on SPs!!

Nice one Poddy. How were the flatiies biting up Worrell Ck?

Bloody great idea. Bring it on!

What a tool!

True - I have a 400 Hornet. Great in the estuary. Love it to death. But wouldn't dream of taking her outside. I'm even nervous about taking her over to north head on a calm day, just in case...........

Think you're right Rockyjack - A lot of the time they'll hold the lure in their mouths and spit it out close the the boat. In the last couple of years I've learned to hit my flatties hard early in the fight to set the hooks, but I still manage to drop the odd one that way. Thanks for the tip on the bar - I'll check it out next time I'm up. Did notice some nice drop offs around the edges there. Qwyjibo

I kid you not! More below...... Spent the long weekend fishing the Port Macq with my uncle for for an enormous range of species, but few of the flatties we were targetting. I caught whiting, bream, flounder, pike, tarwhine, garfish, blackfish, eel-tail catfish and tailor; all on SPs. Most on Berkley drop shot minnows. Most were undersized, with very few legal fish among catch. We were targetting flatties, but only managed 7 over three days. The takes were very slow, almost lazy. Seemed very half-hearted. Saw very few flatties fleeing the boat when we were on the drift, and not a whole lot of flathead lies on the flats. Whiting were conspicious by their absence, except one 35cm model nailed on SP. Poppering produced no results over 3 days, except for small bream providing an escort for each retrieve. No hits at all. And who'd have thought - garfish on SPs! I was casting into the edges of the weedbanks along the back channel. All's quiet, no hits, no nudges, nada. So I'm not paying much attention...... The next cast plops down, right on the edge of the weed and...... smack!! Fair dinkum, I thought I'd been hit by a Jack for a moment. Little structure, so a low drag means the little bugger actually took a short run against the reel. Then he jumps, twists and turns for another minute while I'm staring slack-jawed When I finally recover I skull drag the little warrior into the boat, admire him and set him free. He wasn't even foul-hooked - was actually pinned in the corner of his tiny little jaw. The water colour was very poor on the runout tide, and the Maria River was like the river in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Still putrid, and no hits at all on the lures, although there were a couple of dolphins up there and heaps of mullet. Give it a miss for the moment. Limeburners was a little cleaner, particularly on the run-in, and produced the big whiting and a couple of better flatties. The back-channel was clearer again, and produced a few lizards, but it was bloody hard fishing. I'm not sure why it was so tough at the moment but I suspect a combination of holiday crowds and the recent influx of fresh water. I suspect a lot of the bigger fish have left the system or shut down until the fresh cleared, and many are still to return. Certainly the water temp is good, sitting in the mid 20's and peaking around 26 higher up the creeks. It should come on again in the next couple of weeks, but I won't be there At least my uncle's going to have some fun. Qwyjibo

Thanks for the heads up fellas. Kind of committed 'Gaffer. Staying with my uncle who has a house on the canals (lucky B#%@%#!). Weather's looking clear in the leadup to the weekend - maybe it'll clear up a little. Otherwise I'll be whistling dixie Whatever the case, I'm going to go really light and try to stealth the buggers this weekend Might head down to Cathie and the Camden Haven to see if they're fareing any better. I'll put a report in early next week and let you know how it turned out. Regards, Qwyjibo

Afternoon all. Heading up to Port on the weekend for a flattie hunt. Any reports on how the river's fishing at the moment. Looks like we'll be targetting the Maria, Limeburners and the back channel behind Pelican Island. Any reports greatly appreciated. Regards, Qwyjibo

That's a really interesting link. It's amazing how the weight/length ratio really starts to take off after 50cm. They really pack it on after the magic 50cm mark.

Top report Robby. The dog's antics had me in stitches

I don't know what you guys are talking about! I had a ripper of a day with the kids on the Hacking on Wed 16th. Picked up a 39cm whiting and a 35cm bream, plus a few smaller fish. All in 3.5 hours. All the fish were taken on nippers. Tried surface popping the flats for nil. There's a very productive yabbie bed halfway up the channel into Maianbar - opposite side to the channel marker. There's some big mongrels in there at the mo' (doesn't my punctured thumb know it!) Anchored up on the southern edge of the main channel just above that little rock/oyster bar. That's where I took the biggies. That whiting sure gave me a fight too. Thought it was a soapie for the first couple of minutes . Both my biggest whiting have come from PH. My PB was a 40cm model taken on boxing day two years back, when every man and his boat was on the water. Like Pitt St. Like I said - don't know what you guys are talking about! Tight lines

Idiot

About a week ago I found a little fairy penguin balling up a school of glassies kust of Cammeray Marina. Was very cool to watch. He let us drift right past him without any fear. Even sounded under the boat a few times, coming straight back up the other side.