jason baker

Great report, those things look like bullets with tails.

Nice, What's the big fella with the fillet off one side? Blue eye? How does the flathead go on the bbq, been making fish and chips with them, might try the bbq method, looks good. Think I'll go and light the bbq, if only I had some fish to put on it. Cheers, Hungry.

G'day Guys, Heading to Nelson Bay for the weekend with a couple of friends, taking the boat. Was wondering what's happening up there? Any reports? Cheers, Jason. PS. just been stimulated by Kev... could be trouble brewing.

Any fish I have managed to catch!

Having been stitched up by the tin snips the other day I am going to try and turn the tables on them. You know what they say 'If you can't beat 'em'... I haven't caught them since I was a kid. I think they are tasty buggers, what's the best rig? Wire trace and small strong hook? Or will just line do and take a lot of rigs? Cheers, Jason

Thats pretty loose...

That top photo is a cracker, Mo, Kingswood, stubbies, big fish, brilliant.

Adzzy, Thats around where I was, maybe a little further out. I just happened on the spot. Don't have any coordinates. I started around the light house and drifted south. Sounder is busted so I don't know what depth it was. I have a bit of trouble eyeballing distances over water, I was probably 4-500m off the rocks. Cogo44, I was dreaming of a snapper coming up. When you say Rosa wide thats off rosa gully, but how far out? I did have a drift a bit further out but I was moving a bit fast, all I managed was what I think was a Gurnard. I threw it back, I not to sure if they are good to eat, I vaguely recall they are good for stews? Are they any good to eat? Cheers, Jason

Hi Guys, Another great day on Saturday so I thought I would try and repeat the performance of earlier in the week and catch a few flatties. Feeling the pressure a bit this time as many enjoyed the fish and chips that resulted from the last trip. I also need to convince the that is wasn't a complete fluke, (my record thus far is less than good so she can be forgiven for thinking this). So arrived with high expectations, only to come crashing back down as I lost several rigs to the tin snips (LJ's). Moved around a bit for nix, just lost bait, rigs and patience. I haven't had experience with the LJ's before this, spitefull little buggers aren't they. So I decided that if I couldn't beat the tin snips I was at least going to get my revenge and take a few home for dinner. On with the small hooks and away we go. All that resulted in was catching little flatties. If there are little ones there there hopefully will be some bigger ones too. So back to flattie fishing The wind came up a little after that so I actually started to drift a little faster, and these guys started to appear. Size... it seemed to matter, with the bait anyway, bigger bait leading to bigger fish. They seemed pretty willing to take just about anything too, got some on pillies and some on sp's. Only the larger sp's accounted for any fish, as I only had a couple of large ones the sp fishing didn't last long, they got smashed. This isn't the best angle... never are, let the take the photos, I'll be taking them in future. Anyway 6 of the fish are 50cm, they looked very healthy to me, quite solid. So I have have some very happy friends who say they have had the best fish and chips of their lives. Had fish tacos for lunch, bloody good, and can't wait for several more meals of one of my favorite fish. Not to mention the suprise from everyone that I have actually caught some fish. One of the best moments of the trip was arriving home. Possibly the only thing bigger than the fish was 's eyes. It's funny the feelings just catching a few fish can stir up. It has certainly made me bloody happy. Took me a while to skin the buggers, wish I had read the post about skinning them before I started, not complaining though, loved every minute of it really. I 'd say we are pretty lucky to be able to have fish like this on our door steps. Anyway had an awesome time even a bit of cheering even though I was out there with Pat M. Cheers, Jason.

If only I had read this post yesterday... Would have saved me some time. Well a lot in fact. Oh well, I'll just have to go and try and catch some more to practice on.

Awesome trip and awesome fish. You could enter some of those puppies in the Melbourne Cup. Are they noahs in the last photo?

Hi Guys, Was a beautiful day on Tuesday so decided to drop everything and take the boat for a spin. I was going to take a spin up to Longreef or somewhere but it was a bit lumpy so decided to have a float around off south head. Now I say the mysterious spot X has struck again because I don't even know where I was as my sounder is busted! Maybe 1 km off the head? Dunno. So I pulled up in the mystery spot of mystery depth and had a go. To my suprise these fellas started coming in at regular intervals which made me very happy. It was pretty rolly out there with the wind and the swell bouncing off the cliffs, but it dosent soom to matter when you are catching fish. I was extremely relieved to be catching some fish, I estimate my last half dozen trips on the boat and on land have been for nix, this is not good for ones mental health, to say I was desperate would not be far from the truth. Caught eight in total put two back to fight another day, kept these for a few dinners. Fish and chips last night, does it get any better? Biggest was 48cm, one just smaller, the others around 40cm, all caught on pillies. So I'm looking foward to getting out there again, maybe travelling a bit further afield. I usually go by myself so at the moment not prepared to travel too far on my Pat Malone. Having trouble finding a partner in crime. Also don't really know where to go. Anyway I'm just stoked to get a few fish, was really starting to wonder. Actually looks like a reasonable day today... Cheers, Jas. PS. I boat from Putney and find it a little frustrating that the car park is full during the day but only two or three of the spaces are taken by boat trailers. I thought it was a fairly common practice to have a few spots set aside solely for boat trailers. This would be good, so you don't have to drive way up the street to park, especially when launching solo. Its a big car park a few designated boat spots would be good.

Thanks Mike, I'll give it a go.

G'day, My lowrance sounder has mysteriously stopped working. It won't give me any images on sonar mode and the depth only works sometimes which makes me think there may be a loose connection somewhere. GPS still works OK. I have made sure the pugs are in the back properly. Are there a few checks I can do myself to try and get it going again? Failing that anywhere I can take it? Sorry, this is a probably a regular question but the search dosen't seem to be working for me either, maybe I should stay away from electronics. Cheers, Jason

Def check out fly point, amazing number of bream there, take a bag of bread and you will get mobbed. Then when you swim around they follow you (may be a little chilly for this at the moment), you feel like the Pied Piper, its great fun. Can't fish there no, but most fisho's would probably give their left arm too. Duff's bait and tackle is a good shop, attached to the petrol station in Salamander shopping centre, next to the car wash. You can ask Duff what's happening, he probably won't gush with information but will give you a few tips. Have a great time, my old man lives up there, I love it.

Nice sambo. Good for fish cakes, nothing else really.

I wish a big breast would take my bait... Great pig.

Nice one, I've spent a bit of time on that beach lately for nix. I got smoked big time there a while ago too on some pretty heavy gear. I recon there must be a few monsters lurking around there. Its a beautiful stretch of beach. Sid, sambo's are good for fish cakes, thats about it. Great fish. Fly outfit.

I just got a leaflet with my 'Recreational fishing fee' renewal that says not to eat anything from west of the HB. They say you shouldn't eat more than 150g generally per month from east. Mind you it varies a lot and that is about the absolute minimum. Most raiders will be happy to to know that you can eat almost four kilos of leather jackets per month. So everyone can do their part on that one. You can have a coupe of kilos of kingy's and flattys. The food authority website has details. http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/consum...bour%2Dseafood/ Cheers, Jason

Ripper. Thanks.

Ha! I often look at the surfers and think they are mad. They obviously haven't seen the tropfest film... I tried a search for soft plastics it didn't come up with anything. There has to be a few threads out there... Damn thats a big pig he has too, probably felt like a GWS when he hooked it.

Hi guys, I recently raided my brothers stash of SP's and had my first throw. I really enjoyed it, was well excited when I hooked my first fish, wasn't so excited when my leader gave up. Anyway, I wanted to invest in some myself but there is such an avalanche of them out there I'm a bit bewildered. I wanted a bit of advice to get me started. A few good ones to cover a few bases. I am based in Sydney but my dad lives in Nelson Bay so I do a bit of fishing up there too, off the beach, in the bay and off shore when I can muster a crew mate. I am in love with Stockton and get onto it when ever I can. Despite the local paper reporting that it is regularly teaming with fish I haven't had much luck there. I have a boat and use that a bit, although not as much as I'd like, chase a few bream and flatties up there. would also like to get into some snapper around Broughton. So a few specifics to get me started would be great, I guess some to cover: Bream, flatties, snapper, anything off the beach and of course the elusive jew. Nuclear chicken and pumpkin seed are names I seem to keep hearing but thats about all I know. All tips appreciated. Cheers, Jason

Not something you see everyday... 9.30 am Wednesday I have just seen a school of a dozen LARGE kingfish. Maybe not so unusual you say, but I saw them while I was jogging. I estimate they were 80cm + and fat. They were in three feet of water in the blazing sunshine in the cove beyond the Mosman marina, on the side where the car park for Mosman Rowers. Cheeky buggers flopping about without a care in the world, I'm sure one of them stuck his tongue out at me... If I had had a stick it could have been sashimi for lunch. Its a bit of a grotty little cove and previously I have been suprised to even see the odd toad in there so was pretty shocked to see these kings cruising in there. They seemed to picking at the oysters on the rocks around the sides. Needless to say this has made my day. I've haven't seen a kingy in the 'wild' before (lookout it's pretty wild in Mosman), these ones were literally four feet away. Magnificent fish, amazing to see. Was quite excited, only slightly heart broken not to be able to try and catch one... have not caught a kingy yet, and to land one this size would have made my year. I don't know weather this will produce an avalanche of fishos down to Mosman, probably not, I'm tipping the boys are not regular visitors there. Might be worth a shot, I'd probably give my left one for a couple of fish that size. I'm about to head to Blackhead with my boat, can't wait to do do some fishing, if I even see another fish that size this Christmas I will be happy. Anyway a very cool thing to see and great to see fish like that just kicking around in our harbour. What have I learned? Screw jogging, go fishing. Have a great Christmas, happy fishing. Cheers, Jason

Thanks very much Roberta, Sounds like i will have to roam around a bit and see how i go. Looking foward to it. Cheers, Jason

G'day guys, I'm heading to Black Head with the outlaws for a week or so over christmas. I was wandering if anyone had any tips? I have a boat but I'm not sure if there are any ramps around there, would the nearest ramp be Forster? I am very happy to fish off the beach and stones, this will probably be where the majority of fishing takes place as the fam are not wild boaties and tend to get a little sea sick. Any tips greatly appreciated as I have not been in this area since I was a rugrat. Cheers, Jason