michaelrdoyle@gmail.com

Hey Guys thanks for the congrats :-) In answer to questions - you don't want to know what bait we used - but it took 9 months preparing. Didn't use a gaff or net - and as it was a water birth (what better way to introduce him to fishing?), he was gently lifted out of the water. We have decided he's a "keeper". have fun all Mike

Caught a big one on Thursday - got up at about 4am thinking "this is my lucky day".... After a big hit at about 10:00am, we were on! Definitely had it hooked good! There were some fantastic runs - and it fought hard right until the end. In fact, the longer we had it on, the harder it fought! My wife (Linda) did all the hard work - I just gave encouraging words - and the odd bit of advice...she is a true champ and did fantastically well! Landed it at about 2pm.... 3.9kg, 53cm. What a fight! What a catch! Announcing Calvin Michael Doyle - born Thursday at 1:55pm - Mum and Baby doing well - Dad is chuffed - and looking forward to first father and Son fishing Trip! Cyas all. Mike

You guys are right about the mouth on Cale VS picture.... been busy in hospital the last few days - caught a big one! Mike

Other option is the Rock Cale. Other discussion is here Mike

So the options are: Rock Cale Black Cod Or possible even an Eastern Kelpfish I still have my money (about 5c worth) on the Cale - just because of how common they are, and if you look at the picture, I think the head of the fish in the picture is too fat to be a Black Cod. I go snorkeling all the time (and use to spear fish a bit) and the picture looks just like a Rock Cale to me - of course - I could be wrong! Mike

I'm pretty convinced that is a "Rock Cale" or "Shitfish" (common name). They're around everywhere - and the common name comes from the taste. Not endangered. Here's a link to a previous discussion and photo. Rock Cale More info on the "Black Cod" which is protected can be found here. It's rare, and a big fish - like 2m and 80kg. So I doubt that fish is one. An info pdf can be found here Mike

Be aware that legally, a boat under power has to avoid anchored boats. So what rights does a downrigger have over anchored or drifting boats? Legally - none. But as people have pointed out - common courtesy should rule. When you arrive at a spot: - Anchor away from people who are already anchored. - Anchor away from people who are downrigging. - Do not Anchor in the path of someone elses drift. - Don't downrig close to anchored or drifting boats. - Don't set your drift in the path of other boats (anchored, downrigging or drifting) - Don't drift, downrig or anchor in the way of a shore based fisherman. - Don't anchor in someone elses burley trail. - Don't drift down then motor back up someone elses burley trail. - If diving/spear fishing, use a friggin flag (yes - pet peave - very dangerous, and last thing I want to do is accidentally kill a diver) And when people stuff up (and they will) - no need to unleash a torrent of abuse. Assume it was accidental - and be polite about it. If you need to - point it out to them nicely. Personally - I've had several occasions being anchored with a dozen other boats and have a downrigger weave their way in and out of everyone - scaring fish, and chopping up lines. It ain't nice. Mike

Seabreeze currently says your looking at a 10-15k southerly, which depending on your boat size should make most of JB accessible. Check closer to the date - cause it will change. Otherwise - can't help you with any sure fire spots - but what you're suggesting sounds like it would be worth a shot. Mike

Pretty sure it's a slimey makeral well done! Mike

Been down there over Christmas, and last 2 weekends. Over Christmas was picking up heaps of Rat kingies at Middle Ground. But last 2 weekends I've struggled to raise a kingie - could be cause I'm fairly new fishing JB, or because they have moved. We did pick up one rat at Long Nose Point, but nothing at middle ground, or around Point Perpendicular. Talking to Culburra Talkle (great place), dude there says they have been harder to find. There are hundreds of squid around though - around Murrays Boat Ramp, as well as the beach next to Honeymoon bay (I think it's binjinji or something). Mike oh - and grab a map showing "no fishing" zones - don't get busted (also known as the "where the best fishing are" zones) If you draw a line east of Point Perp, that's a zone all the way up to Crock? head Mike

How big? The only thing that springs to mind is big fish, livebait, on the surface out in the blue - contending with swell and sea. Mike

Well Done! Little Slinky! Keep up the good work! Mike

Hi All Been spending a little bit of time down Culburra way over Christmas, and then last week. Last time I reported, I had just had a 40+ kingie day off Middle Ground in JB. Well, have been out a few more times since then. Four times I have been out in JB with the hope of repeating that magical morning - but no such luck. First time out, wind came up early, and ended up getting large pike off middle ground, with several seals keeping guard. No kingies. Next time out, struggled to get livies, again checked out middle ground, then long nose point, no such luck. Third time out I went evening, and once again, no luck. This time launched at Callalla Bay ramp, as couldn't be bothered driving around to Murrays Beach. I hate that ramp - at low tide it is a shocker. After not getting anything, we got back to the ramp and attempted for some squid - no luck - though people on the jetty were scoring! On Saturday we headed off Crookhaven Heads on a beatiful day out to the banks. Picked up a whole bunch of livies real quick just off the headland, and then headed to the banks. With me was Mum & Dad, and Guest. Arrived at the main hump early - grabbed a livie and - oops - no longer a livie. Stupid stupid stupidly put too many in the large bucket, that was being airated by a batery powered airrater. All livies were now dead. So moved back to squid, jigs, and good pillies. We drifted over the hump a few times. Hardly anything was moving, though a 4km current was hammering through - a very good sign. Over the next 45 minutes the banks filled up - and I mean busy! I'm sure you could have walked from one end to the other on boats! Yet it looked like no one was catching anything. So decided to try the NW hump - only 1 boat was there - but worth a go. And guess what? That's where the Kingies were! Lots of fun picking up kingies as we drifted over the top. Unlike JB, they wouldn't take jigs, but they would take squid and pillies. Over the next 2 hours we picked up about 17, unfortunately all undersized - perhaps 50-60cm. Mostly about 55. Never-the-less heaps of fun. I would have loved to have tried live bait. Guest picked up his first 4 kingies. Headed back in to chaos at the ramp - people blocking the ramp with their boats, people treating the double ramp as a single, and people genearlly being idiots. Oh well - it was one of those 4-5 days a year when the ramp goes nuts. That's life. The last 2 days almost headed out both morning again, but pulled the plug when hearing the weather report. Each call was a bad call - as the wind came up later. Oh well - can't win them all. Hope everyone else has had a great weekend. I think I may have 1 more fishing weekend left in me this season before baby comes - so hoping I pick up the "big one" next weekend! Mike

Thanks Huey Appreciate your thoughts - as always, very useful. In my dreaming - I'll add the stacer. And if I ever get round to turning dreams into reality - I'll follow your advice and get lots of on-water tests. At the moment - it would just waste the dealers time. thanks again Mike

Well done AutoCad! Not only did you redeem your masculinity in front of your son - you had an audiance to admire your great fishing skills, and even better - your fathering skills! You're a hero to your son - and isn't that awesome! Well done! I have a kid due soon (5 weeks!) - and I'm hoping to be bringing up my son/daughter in the art of fishing :-). I'm wondering what age I can start - I'm thinking of getting a front pouch thing (Baby Bjorn) to take the baby out in the boat - my wife has said it's OK so long as I don't go out to the banks! Mike

So were you in the era of "Apple Chapel"? just asking ;-) Mike

Hi Black I've seen the creek - and I would be very hesitant before launching a boat out to sea - but since I haven't actually tried it - I'll let some of the locals fill you in on possibilities. Other ramps to try are: 1) Crookhaven Heads - great ramp about 20mins from where you are - exit to sea through Crookhaven river, though be careful as in NE wind/swell and low tide it can get hairy. Good access to Shoalhaven Bite and banks etc. 2) For access to JB, you can try Callala Bay ramp - a bit shallow during low tide. 15 mins from where you are. 3) Or try Murrays - though this is on other headland of JB - maybe 50mins from where you are (take forest road to princes hwy, then take JB turn off - a few km up. have a blast - it's a great area. Mike

So I've been dreaming about big boats lately, and whilst buying one isn't remotely possible, and I'm dreaming with dream money - I figure it doesn't matter how many dream dollars I dream spend.... So I'm looking at the new Quintrex Offshore range, and the 670 offshore suggests a 150hp outboard ($70K), max 225 hp. But it also come with an inboard petrol 220hp engine (75K), and an inboard diesel 120HP (88K). So there's a $18,000 (dream dollars) difference between a 150hp outboard petrol, and 120hp inboard diesel.... Can anyone enlighten me? - why the price difference? - What's the difference in handling? (speed, pickup, etc) - what's the difference in layout of the boat? (does the inboard take up more room?) - servicing costs? - parts costs? - petrol costs? thanks - and happy dreams to you all Mike

Thanks Guys - yep, was a great day to finish the year (I credit it all to my wife - when she comes, so do the fish) Squid - Middle Ground is about in the middle of the two heads of Jervis Bay. It's prob about 4km from Murrays Beach boat ramp, and an easy trip from there. If in doubt - just go to where the other boats are. For GPS markings - just search in Google for them, cause it's a well known spot. In other news - I went out a few days later (I think the 3rd) and basically caught nothing. Wind came up early. Could only grab 1 small squid, and a few livies. Got to middle ground, and all our live bait got taken by large pike (boring), there was a seal around - and no kingies. But that's life! I'll be heading down again end of Jan - so hoping for a good time :-) Mike

Hey All Just a quick report from Crookhaven/JB region (and G'day Keeping Tabs - saw you at Culburra Boat ramp the other day) 5-10k wind this morning (been blowing 20-30k NE the last couple of days). Decided to hit Murrys Beach Boat Ramp (southern headland of Jervis Bay - 5km from "Middle Ground"). Good decision, as it turns out the Crookhaven bar was pretty much closed due to NE swell and wind.... anyway - went with my wife, mum and Dad (their boat - gotta let them use it every now and again)....and it went off! Heaps of fun! Headed out to Middle Ground (with about a million other boats joining us) We caught about 12 yakkas early, and a large squid. Hooked up about 10 kingies off the 12 yakkas, and perhaps 15-20 off the fresh squid....then went onto the old squid and jigging (and a heap more). Caught over 40 Kingies - all in about 3 hours! Most were about 60cm, 2 legal (65 and 66). It was awesome aweseome awesome fun. Still looking for my thumper though! Perhaps tomorrow! I am so sore! Murreys was going nuts - heaps of people (of course). We arrived early so it wasn't so bad dropping in - but bad picking up. The classic thing was on Middle Ground - we were catching heaps, whilst people around us were catching heaps less - and it's not like we had burley or anything! As the morning went on - they got closer and closer and closer! But everyone was catching! Unfortunately Murreys has no cleaning facilities, so cleaning our 2 kingies (from 40) whilst on the boat - and someone cut sick at us (I reckon they thought we had kept smaller ones - but we hadn't! We even kept the frames so fisheries could check if they wished!). Mind you - not many people SEEMED to be throwing them back! Anyway - I'm off for a shower and snooze - have a great New Years Eve! Mike PS Perhaps photos to follow - but 2 kings aren't really worth a photo.

Hi Andrew Thanks for the reply - and again - awesome fish. Mike

Did ya get a weight? WELL DONE! Mike

I'll just do a quick report for friday.... headed out 5am, weather was great - 5-10k predicted, 1m sea - but 2m swell. And somehow we realised the night before that the sea-sickness tablets had gone missing! Took a stemital (stops spewing) and headed out anyway - time to suck it in and be a man. Weather was great. 'cept for the swell, things were perfect. Headed out to the banks, first to the NE peak where there was a little action on the sounder - but not much, then to the NW peak, where a few boats were, and there was heaps of action. Started jigging, and fresh squid. Started sucking it in big time. Started staring hard at Beecroft Peninsular on the horizon. Started dry retching over the side. Decided it was time to start trolling - yeah - that would work better - yeah. My mate picked up 2 kingies about the 60cm mark - OK last year, too small this year. Both fought like there was no tomorrow (and if 5cm bigger - it would have been no tomorrow!). Huge schools of kingies - but all rats. But eventually - I understood the saying "the bad news about sea sickness is it won't kill you". I grew some man cans - and headed back in (listening to an exciting rescue by VMR shoalhaven on the radio). I can't believe it - beautiful day, and screwed it up because of lack of seasickness tablets. I'm still kicking myself. that's life. Next time out will be Christmas/New Years - have a good one everyone! Mike

Was down at Orient Point this week, and headed out twice. On Wednesday morning - the predicted weather of 5-10k winds had changed to 15-20k - not so nice. So at 4am we made a quick decision to forgo the banks - and just fish for flatties in front of the Shoalhaven Heads Surf club. We first went for livebait in front of the heads - burleyed up for nothing - very frustrating. Sometimes they're easy to find, sometimes not. The good that came out of going for livies is one in the boat got very badly sea-sick - so we were able to drop him off at the ramp at 5am - before heading further from the entrance. Headed out to the clubhouse, and started drifting for flatheads at the 20m mark. The weather didn't know what to do. At times, there was no wind, and it felt like it was going to flatten right out. But at other times, it was over 20k - with whitecaps - and you start thinking "umm - time to call it a day?". Never-the-less - started pulling in 20cm flattie after 20cm flattie. They just kept coming. And then livebait - heaps of it! Livies and Slimies everywhere - don't even know why we tried in front of the headland! We moved to the 30m mark, and started getting some decent sized ones. Biggest went to 52cm. And since we had livebait - we thought - why not? Dropped a yellowtail to the bottom, and a slimey on the surface. And just as we were falling asleep - ZZZZZZZZZZZ - the line started peeling off like no tomorrow! Jumped up - grabbed the rod - and tightened the drag as tight as I dared...yet the line kept peeling like I had no drag a all! Training hard, I had that worried panicked look in my eyes - what to do? Lukily my mate up front was yelling at me "Relax - let him run - you have plenty of line!". My senses kicked in - and I realised I had put on 300m of line on this rod for a reason! My mates pulling in the other lines - and the fun began. Finally the run slowed - then stopped - and the fight was on. I assumed a shark early - as I had heard there were some in the area (including a 5m thresher caught a few weeks ago). It circled the boat, and I narrowly missed getting the line caught on the boat - but kept it together. After an exhilarating fight - we got it to the boat - a large hammerhead! Then the discussion began on what to do with it. Cut it free? Or fill the freezer with shark flesh? No one was offering to pull the hook out. One of us had heard this size hammerhead was good eating - and a quick check of the fisheries sticker found it to be legal, we decided to keep it. What a way to learn how to use a gaff! We put on gloves, got the gaff, and a "priest" (a hard wood mini baseball bat for fish who misbehave!). But this stage it was 20mins since hooking it - and it was no longer kicking so hard. Still - we had heard warnings about certain sharks! We gaffed it, grabbed it, and priested it. Pulled it in, and put a knife in the gills - and priested it again just to make sure. and we had one shark - about 1.4m! Later, when pulling in another live bait, we saw another shark follow it in - but no go! Anyway - here's a picture of me and my shark :-) Good luck for the Christmas Fishing! Mike

Nice dolly. Crookhaven Heads would be about 20mins away from Callalla Bay - and a heaps better ramp. Mike