luderick -angler

Dad would have been 76 this year. He used to haunt all those places. One long gone been Erskine St ferry wharf opposite the Northern Rivers Hotel. That wharf you refer to as the shark boat wharf was known as the Tuna Boats. I got my first fish at the chains in 1981 a luderick of 2 1/4 pound on a 6ft spin rod. Cause that’s all I could handle as a knee high grass hopper. Dad told me the story of why fishing got banned at the Zoo. Resulted in the local crown seargent attending. I was just lucky enough to be versed in the lore of Sydney Harbour luderick fishing and met some of the great anglers in their twilight years.

My old man regularly fished the zoo with Abby, now he was good but I reckon Russian Joe was better. The luderick fishers used to meet at Quay amd converse then disperse on the various ferry routes depending on spot of choice or just stay and fish the Quay. Dad fished with them all in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Rocky Nelson, Des, The Chinaman who was our neighbour in later years randomly, Bill the Hungarian. They all had a nick name.

I’ve chased blackfish for 40 years and the number of bream caught on weed as a bycatch is quite a few. I had one session in the Parra River where the first four fish, were bream, using weed. I would average 20 plus bream a year whilst solely targeting luderick with weed.

no malice intended but good luck on the Sportex every bugger wants one now!

The Sportex were one piece. Cut by the builder. Back in the day it was a storage and travel thing, also personal preference. Remember people took bus trams and trains. Does not overly affect the action bar a small flat spot as the action was parabolic. Hope that helps. I’m deep into a bottle of gin!

The 662 and 663 were both 12ft there is no difference in the blank wall thickness it was the taper. The 663 had a slightly thicker taper. If you put them side by side you can see it. The early ones were brown amd later varying shades of yellow. And yes Killer still have the 662 pride of the collection. It’s had a full refurb and epoxy wash.

Sportex 403, 404, 287, 662, 663, 3902 Butterworth 5144 in light medium and heavy, 3145GP, 4126, 4138, 4144MT, 3126, C108 Slazenger b5 b10 b15 b38 then there were Jarvis Walker, Fenwick, Conolon, Grizzly, Silaflex. That’s the most common used in the 1960’s amd 70’s a bit later you had rods from Shakespeare, Diawa and Snyderglas. You need any more info just ask.

Always a bonus when someone with experience takes you out. Your on a long journey now enjoy the highs lows, the successes and frustration that’s luderick. Well done

Sempii predator fibre, buck tail, h2o SF blend and h20 baitfish brush

Some tense moments near a few pylons and oyster covered rocks! Average fight time was 5-6 minutes. You actually subdue kings quicker on fly than spin gear. The fish is dragging that fly line with all the resistance and working against 9 foot of parabolic rod

Aggressive reactionary takes! Works sometimes but not all the time. My point is I prefer the whole package of fly over spin and with flies some fibres impart a very fishy swim with the way the fibres move.

There are times when kings are tuned in like trout on a particular bait and it is tiny, the only feasible way is to present that imitation on a fly rod, them there’s the times it don’t matter. But kings on fly are so much fun. To me it’s about the cast the presentation and finally the take. Job done landing the fish is a bonus. There’s a lot of feel in fly casting and the visual takes are spectacular.

Don’t post much these days but thought I’d share a few pics of topwater rats taken land based on the long wand around Sydney. Yep I’m still fishing!

Vision Fisu 7/8 outfit sub $400 rod reel and line casts like a higher end outfit