Berleyguts

Thank you all for your kind comments. I tried to be generic in the lyrics and hope I was successful in creating "pictures for your ears", to pinch a phrase from one of my favourite songwriters. I still remember the day I wrote it - it was Monday 10th January 1994. The fires had ravaged the outer suburbs of Sydney all weekend. My son was about 18 months old and I drove him from my home in Macquarie Fields to his grandparents at Seven Hills, where he was looked after while my wife and I worked in the city. I pulled into the driveway at about 7-7.30am. The sky was black, the sun was red and there were scores of choppers overhead, some were TV choppers, others were carting water from Prospect Reservoir. Seven Hills was not in a fire zone at all but, still, the smoke choked us, cinders rained down us as I carried my son into the house. One or two cinders fell on my arm and gave me very slight burns. I listened to the stories on the radio and watched the footage on TV. I wrote the lyrics that day.... every bushfire season, I see images of people fighting the same battles... but the fires in Victoria this time round have generated the most horrible scenes and stories I have seen. Still, the people find strength to fight and go on and the community support that has been offered is just amazing. Thanks for listening. Baz

My song, Summer Weekend Terror, about the horror of bushfires experienced by so many Australians each summer. My heart goes out to all those so heavily impacted by the recent horrific fires in Victoria. It's good to see so many Aussies digging deep! I recorded this in 1994 about the Sydney bushfires that January but never really did anything with it. Now, with the wonders of technology, I can publish it on the web for anyone to hear/see, if they're interested! Hope you like it: Cheers, Baz

Thanks guys. Good to know. I was going to buy 5 traps! So, I think I can get heavier mesh for the witches hats(?). I'll use those when I'm ducking out for a fish and back in a few hours. And I'll use the trap if I'm feeling lazy and want to leave it in lobegr or overnight and enjoy a few Baz

What are the best traps for mud crabs? I have a couple of witches hat traps, which I've used successfully for blue swimmers. However, I have recently bought into an onsite van at Wisemans Ferry, so thought I might try for muddies (I'm not so much into waterskiiing, yet) and the mesh in the witches hats, is a little thin, I guess. Are those orange collapsible traps that you can buy for about $10 any good? Thanks, Baz

I was lucky, I got it at half-price. I have a friend who works on reception at a clinic and they needed a couple of patients to train some staff (reception staff - not the surgeons!) at a new clinic they were opening, so we got a 2 for 1 deal. I've already made up for the money I spent by not having to buys specs or contacts. If you've got a good accountant, you can probably swing a tax deduction. My accountant said, "No", so we didn't get it. We went elsewhere, next time. The same accountant didn't inform us we were eligible for the family allowance for the past 2 years, either! Baz

I had Lasik eye surgery. Best thing I ever did! I find I'm a bit more sensitive to glare and so wear my polarised sunnies whenever I'm outside, sunny or cloudy. I think I'm getting to the stage where I will need to wear reading glasses occasionally - for reading very fine print or tying knots in fine line but I'm getting by at the moment and rarely struggle. With Lasik, you can have one eye set for distacne vision and one for reading, if you're so inclined. I'm not so sure - I think it would feel weird but lenty of people do it. Baz

I don't know about the rods but Hank Newman was a big name in fishing in the 60's & 70's. I'm trying to remember if he had his own tackle store or if he worked at Mitchell's Sports (?) in Hurstville, possibly with Dick Lewers(?). Baz

I recommend ANSA clubs (Australian National sportfishing Club). Google "ANSA", go to the NSW Branch site, click on "Contacts", click on "State Clubs" and you will get a pdf listing of all the clubs and contacts. I let my membership with St George sportfishing Club lapse (just slack mainly) but I have always enjoyed ANSA events and support the ethics/goals of ANSA. If you're on the Northern Beaches, Barrenjoey sportfishing Club was always pretty good, when I was active in ANSA. Baz

I'd fit a new tip and then adjust the other runner spacings. It's a pretty simple job once you've done one. That reminds me - I have two rods I have to repair myself. I've been saving them for a wet winter's day. Baz

I used to fish 6kg or 10kg line, depending on what I was targeting. I think it could handle 15kg but I never found the need to go any heavier than 10. I always used to fish ANSA/IGFA line classes. 6kg line is on the spool at the moment and it's probably been there for way too many years! This rod is one of the few I didn't build myself from a blank, so maybe the recommended line classes are written on it. I'll climb under the house one day and have a look. Baz

I have the same rod (well Butterworth MT8144, which is the same blank) mated with an Alvey 650C also. I bought it when I was living at Noosa about 25 years ago. I haven't used the outfit for years (yes it is a bit heavy) but I jsut can't bear to part with it! Baz

I'm right handed but wind with my left when single hand casting with threadline outfits. I wind right-handed with overheads, Alveys and double-handed spin rods! Baz

My votes in but I agree with Billfisher in a way. I'm not against marine parks per se but they should be managed effectively for all users, not totally excluding recreational anglers from key areas. Baz

If you buy the his boat with 5hp motor with intentions of getting a bigger motor, I might be interested in the 5hp motor for my 10ft punt, as long as it's a short shaft motor. Baz

If you have a boat and can duck just offshore from the entrance, if you anchor up in close on the western side of Cabbage Tree Island, you can berley with bread and use bread for bait and catch stud bream on the surface. Used to get plenty of bream there. It's not part of the marine park now, is it? Inside the Port, at the Corlette wreck; up in the Karuah River; up Lemon Tree Passage etc. - plenty of oyster leases. Land based: off the breakwall near the marina and off the co-op wharf. And if you want to see good-sized bream (but not fish for them as it's an aquatic reserve), walk into the water at Fly Point around the top of the tide with some bread and they will take bread out of your hand - grab a snorkel and mask and swim with the fish (bream, flathead, whiting, blackfish, mullet...) It's amazing and I thoroughly recommend it - I make sure I do this whenever I go to Nelson Bay. Tight lines. Baz

Unfortunately, it looks like I now can't come today, either. Some family stuff. Have a good day,everyone. Baz

Please put me down as attending (I think I was missed). I'm landbased at the moment and I'm a learner re SPs. I'm just a bit worried that I won't have the right gear for the day... My graphite rod, which would have been perfect, is on the bottom of Port Stephens. I think my glass FMT72L may be a bit sloppy, and I don't know if I'll get any braid organised in time on the light outfit. I do have a small selecton of SPs though. Is it still OK to attend? I'm sure I can learn a lot by wathcing. Thanks, Baz

refrigerator repair I think it's cruel to put seals in fridges. It's bad enough with all that clubbing in Canada. Baz

7 December and gentlemen's hours too! Count me in. I'm land-based at the moment (the motor for my punt is in pieces and I don't currently have a tow-bar anyway!) . I'm looking forward to learning about fishing SPs, as I haven't had much confidence in them in the past. I s'pose I should study up on the right gear to have. Baz

It's on the Parramatta River, near Cabarita, Abbotsford, Canada Bay, Concord etc. I'd be keen to learn a thing or two about fishing soft plastics. Baz

Nice effort. I'll be up at Wiseman's the weekend after next with some friends from the soccer club at a ski park. I'm not particulalry into water skiing but I will have to have an evening and an early morning session from the shore. Baz

I was thinking more of you casting better with a full spool. Baz

Nice blurter. Well done! I'm thinking that you might need to top up the line on that spool, though. Baz

I lived at Sunshine Beach for a year in c. 1984. I can't tell you how the area fishes now but I used to fish Sunshine Beach and the rocks to the north regularly for good whiting, bream, dart and tailor (I didn't really target jew then). I was an unemployed beach bum at the time, so the regular feeds of fresh fish helped me manage my budget considerably. Check out Google Earth and when you get up there, check from a high vantage point to find the gutters and holes. The next beach to the north of those rocks used to be a nude beach (I can't remember it's name). It's a quiet beach and I reckon soft plastics would pull in a few bream and whiting, plus some sand flathead and probably dart. If you feel like hiking into the national park, there are some very fishy looking spots. Hell's Gate is one such spot from memory. I remember seeing a hohoho (hmmm. doesn't like that word!... one of those non-line fishermen who points sharp things at fish and impales them) take a solid coral trout out of there. Along Main Beach at dusk and into the night is worth a flick, when it's quiet. In the river you can get the usual southern estuary species plus dart and there is also the chance of golden trevally, jacks and even the odd barra. Upstream, you can get bass. However, as I haven't been there for so long, I can't help with landbased spots. It's probably all changed. I used to fish in Noosa Sound from vacant lots! If you like beach fishing and have access to a 4WD, it's worth heading over to the North Shore. Even if you don't want to fish, the drive up to Rainbow Beach and Double Island Point is a great day in itself. Good luck. Baz

Hi Glenn, I live near you, at Acacia Gardens. If you're heading up there again and want some company let me know. I love bass fishing. Baz