kenmare

Hi Fishraiders, Can anybody explain this to me? http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22293...?from=public_js Regards, Bob

Hi loco dave, I'm heading down to Jindabyne for a week on Saturday. My pre-trip research indicates that conditions are looking good. Lake Jindabyne is around 47% and rising; more rain predicted for Friday and again early next week should see it rise further. Spawn run browns have already started running up the Thredbo River. They are taking globugs, nymphs (black or brown, weighted or bead head) fished deep, and also lures. Early morning is best. Minimum size limit for the river is 50 cm and only one fish per day may be kept, till the river closes to fishing on the June long weekend. Note, only flies and lures allowed -- no bait fishing. In the lake, early morning and evening fishing has been good, with some big browns being taken by those willing to endure the conditions and fish into the night. Hatchery Bay, Sids Bay and Waste Point are supposed to be best spots. Fish are mostly feeding on yabbies and shrimp, so woolly bugger, weighted yabby, Bushy's horror, large fuzzy wuzzy, zonker and yeti are best flies to try. Good fish have also been taken trolling lures, particularly by anglers downrigging. Spinning lures at the river mouth is also worth a try. Best lures: Bennet deep and ultra deep minnow and tassie devils. Barbie grubs, power bait and scrub worms have been the best baits. Can't vouch for the accuracy of this info, that I found on another website, but conditions do look promising. Hope this helps. Tight lines, Bob

Hi Bream Mad, I fished TCD at the end of April. It wasn't a pretty sight -- and the water levels were still falling as Delta Power was drawing water off for the power stations. Word was Wallerwang Power Station was about to close down and cease power production, so the water level might now stabilise. Few fish were being caught in Thomsons. Best fishing was in Lake Wallace (near Wallerawang), where big rainbows were being caught, and Lake Lyall (should be less alga now the weather is cooler) for smaller browns and rainbows. Don't even think about Oberon Dam: Huge mud flats have trapped quite a few unwary anglers of late. Fears were that Oberon would be empty by August if there isn't substantial rain before then. All a bit sad really. Regards, Bob

Hi Robeebee, Agree about sharp hooks. Why spend a small fortune on tackle, boats and so on, and hours trying to get connected, only to drop a fish because the hook didn't penetrate? IMHO everyone ought to have one of those small hook files in their bag: easier and quicker than using a stone, which is best for quick touch-ups. Hook files cost around 7 bucks -- I've got several, one for each bag. It always amazes me that people pay mega-bucks for chemically sharpened hooks that are blunted upon first contact with hard objects, such as rocks. Although understandable when the tackle trade often also says they can't be sharpened (not true). I snap-up "old stock" conventional and lazer sharpened hooks at bargain prices when they're on special: couple of strokes with the file and they are needle sharp. If they become blunted, another lick or two with the file and they're sharp again. Even use non-chemically sharpened hooks for fly tying -- it's best to touch them up with a file before putting them in the vice and tying in the materials. Regards, Bob

Hi Bream Mad, What you thought were bass taking hatching caddis were probably not bass, but more likely freshwater herring or grayling. Go big for bass. Most trout size flies tied to imitate may flies, caddis flies and midges are too small to interest bass on a regular basis, which are looking for beetle, grass hopper, cricket and cicada sized food items. So you need something that will make a good "plop" on splash down, and then plenty of noise and bubbles during the retrieve. A 7 weight to 9 weight fly outfit is more suitable for casting the larger and heavier bugs and poppers. I'm a fan of the Dalberg diver and deer hair popper, but various poppers and bloopers tied with foam or cork also work well, provided they are tied on the correct hooks. "Stinger" style wide-gape hooks are good -- in sizes 10 to 6. It's also a good idea to tie in hard mono weed guards: makes the flies pretty much snag proof, so you're able to cast them right into the fish-holding cover. Regards, Bob

Hi Roberta, There's usually plenty of cabbage on the luderick ledges in that part of the world. When I lived in Sydney, I used to fish the Rocks at Harbord, to the North of the Diggers Club. Never had problems finding enough cabbage for bait at this time of the year. Be careful bait gathering though, there's more than 2 meters of swell forecast for today. Best to fish inside the Harbour. Regards, Bob

Hi vitsyk, Closest good spot for you to go carp fishing might be Manly Dam. Used to be heaps of big ones in there. Perhaps some Northern Beaches Raiders can confirm? As an added bonus, the dam has been stocked on a number of occasions with one of our premier native fish, the Australian bass. And many, many years ago, with trout. But in view of the long, hot, drought of the last 10 years or so, I doubt whether there are many of those left. It's a very nice spot for some freshwater fishing from the bank. Although it does become crowded at weekends, particularly during the summer. So best to fish during the week, if you can manage it. Regards, Bob

Hi vitsyk, Why not do a search of this site and see what you can find out about catching (say) bream? There should be plenty of those around over the next month or two where you fish. Then do a search of other Australian fishing websites to see what else you can find out about bream and how to catch them. Bream are a scavenger as well as a hunter, so they will take a wide range of baits, and also small hard-bodied and soft plastic lures. But they can be difficult to catch unless you fish as light as the conditions and currents will allow: light rod and reel, light line, and little or no lead sinker (most important). If you use bait, try to choose a tough one that will survive attack by pickers (little nuisance fish) until the bream turn up -- salted pilchards, squid, chunks of garfish and mullet, crab pieces, pieces of chicken breast in parmesan cheese or cheap cuts of steak marinated in tuna oil, and fish or chicken gut can all be good. The best way to ensure you have good quality bait is to catch and prepare your own. You can do this doing office hours and then go fishing at dawn or dusk when the bream are feeding most actively. You might even do some snorkeling while the water is still warm, so you can see which areas the bream prefer. They are usually in schools close to sandy bottoms around the edges of rocks and structures, such as wharfs and jetties. This is where you need to cast your bait or lure. Regards, Bob

Hi vitsyk, Try not to go fishing during office hours. Short trips of two or three hours at sun-up and at dusk are the go for many species. Target a particular species of fish, rather than just "going fishing". Bream, flathead or blackfish are good species to start with if you're shore fishing: they are plentiful for much of the year and can be caught close to shore in shallow water, so there's no need to cast very far and basic tackle is all you need. Then learn all you can about that species and how to catch it by reading books and magazines and talking to others, particularly local anglers who are catching fish. A friendly smile and a few sensible questions, and you will receive useful tips about how to catch that species. There's no substitute for good local knowledge. Time of year, weather conditions, state of the tide, bait or lure to use, how you rig up, and where you cast can all be critical. Be observant and think about what's going on around you. You will learn much that will move you closer to catching a fish, even if you're not successful on that occasion. When you do become good at catching one species and need a new challenge, move on to the next species and follow the same approach. And then the next. Eventually, you'll be able to target a range of species, depending on what's around, and improve your chances of a good bag. However, even when you do all the right things you can still come up empty. We all do from time-to-time. That's the nature of fishing. But if we could be assured of catching something every time we went fishing, where would the challenge be? Hope this helps. Bob

Hi Fishraiders, Food for thought? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml...07/nangle07.xml Regards, Bob

Hi Fishraiders, Sorry, I'm going to have to pull out of this. Just noticed it clashes with a long-standing annual trout fishing gathering -- the NSW CFA Interclub Flyfishing Meet -- that I attend each year at Wallerawang, near Lithgow. Hope you catch plenty of fish. Perhaps next year. Regards, Bob

Hi FishHard, Most knots that you use to join mono will work, except you need to keep in mind that braid is smaller diameter and more slippery than mono. So you need to at least double the turns you would use in mono when tying braid. I use the double albright myself (winding the braid both up and down), and find about seven or eight turns each way about right for the lines you're joining. I believe there is an article on this site which shows how it's tied. http://www.fishraider.com.au/articles/softplastics2/ Regards, Bob

Hi guys, Count me in. Regards, Bob

Hi bblayne, The best fly for bass is the one that works on the day. If the bass are taking insects (cicadas, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and so forth) off the top, however, the best fly by far IMHO is the Dalberg diver. Use the biggest size you can cast on your fly gear, and cast into the thick cover. If you tie, or buy, Dalbergs with mono weed guards they are pretty much snag proof. I tie my Dalbergs out of deer hair and with long rabbit fur tails. They float well and make a nice "plop" when they land on the water. An occasional twitch will set the rabbit fur in motion. So don't be in too much of a hurry to start retrieving -- you may get a strike while the Dalberg's in the cover. After a couple of minutes, if nothing happens, start a stripping retrieve, so your Dalberg "bloops" and creates a bubble trail. Keep working the good snags well before moving on. You'll soon have the kinks stretched out of your fly line! Regards, Bob

My preference: 1. Flathead in batter -- just over legal size, or a tad bigger. 2. Bream -- cooked any way. 3. Tailor, caught off the beach that evening and then grilled. Regards, Bob

Hi Billfisher, You're correct. I'm not across all the ABU range, but I believe there's 7500C with a silver finish which has about a 5 to 1 ratio. Don't know about the gold reels, however, I have a smaller 6500C CT tournament casting reel (without level wind) in my collection which also has a silver finish and a ratio of about 5 to 1. Years ago, if my memory serves me correctly, there were 9000 and 10000 models with both high speed and low speed retrieve, which changed down under pressure when fighting a fish. Don't recall seeing them for sale in recent years, so might have been discontinued. Perhaps other Fishraiders can help? Regards, Bob

Hi Bas, The original red ABU 7000 only has bushes, upon which the spool shafts run. In the "C" series ABUs, which cost more, the spool runs on ball bearing races. Theoretically, ball bearing reels should run smother, wear less and need less oiling. There are, however, countless red 7000s around and they have a legendary reputation as casting and heavy-duty fishing reels (some people do choose to replace the drag washers). The only draw-back with an ABU 7000 for you, as I see it, are: # Relatively slow 4 to 1 retrieve ratio -- not so good for spinning for tuna, kings etc. # Has a level-wind mechanism, so you need to be careful to keep sand out of it when on the beach. I've also heard some people say that 7000s are no longer assembled in Sweden and the build quality has fallen away as a consequence. But that's only hearsay, and Fishraiders who have recently bought a 7000 might dispute or confirm this. I agree with Billfisher about the Shimano Speedmaster: It's now a dated design that lacks an effective casting-control mechanism. If you're new to overheads (and even if you're not) you can expect over-run and backlash problems unless you keep the bearings lubricated with heavy oil or grease and quickly develop a "well educated" thumb. Still reckon you should investigate the Penn 535 or Penn 545: faster 6 to 1 gear ratio and no level wind to cause problems. Regards, Bob

Hi bas, Hop on the internet and do a search on the Penn 535 or 545 series of overhead reels. Tough, 6 to 1 gear ratio, good line capacity, 4 ball bearings, strong drag, plus choice of centrifugal or mag cast control. And good supply of spare parts. What else do you need? Not sure if you can buy them in Australia. But then with credit cards and the internet, does that matter? I bought my 535 from the UK. Cost less than $200 AUD delivered to my door. Another option would be the ABU 7000. Regards, Bob

Hi Domza, Salmon and tailer are part of the marine food chain, which means they go where their food goes. So if there's baitfish in the area, salmon and tailer probably will be to. They're also pelagic (roam long distances up and down the coast), and mostly feed on smaller fish and squid. In my experience here on the Central Coast, salmon and tailer can be encountered most times of the year, but they are around in numbers just before Christmas, when the whitebait run. And again in March through May (the best time for larger fish) when the sea mullet are running up the coast. This can be good time to try for a jew: they feed on the mullet, tailer and salmon. An occasional whaler shark hook-up can add to the excitement. It's probably a similar situation south of Sydney. Regards, Bob

Hi guys, I can wind the reel with either hand. Does that make me ambidextrous? Actually, I'm right handed for most purpose. So which side I have my reel handle on, and which hand I wind with, depends entirely on the outfit I'm using at the time. For one-handed rods (light spin rods) I always hold the rod in my right hand (my strongest), use a reel with the handle on the left side, and wind with my left hand. I find this way I don't have to keep switching the rod from hand-to-hand, after casting and retrieving line, before I can make another cast. I also wind my fly reels with my left hand. But when I use heavier two-handed outfits (for beach, rock and luderick fishing), I hold the rod in my left hand, use a reel with the handle on the right side, and wind with my right hand. As I have to move my hands around on the rod before and after making the cast anyway, I find there is no advantage doing it any other way. Plus, when fishing with heavy lures and rigs, and fighting solid fish from the rocks and the beaches on heavy tackle, it's easier to wind with your strongest hand. Make sense? Regards, Bob

Hi Cavanova, You'll find many people are reluctant to divulge their "secret spots". Quite unreasonable really, as both bass and rainbow trout move up and down streams as the seasons change, to breed or in response to changes in food supply. You'll also find that property owners who've had bad experiences with fishos who've camped and behaved irresponsibly, by leaving a mess, can be less than welcoming. But don't let that deter you. The reality is, however, you have to find your own spots and make your own contacts. I fished the Namoi River west of Tamworth for cod and yellow belly with a mate last week and we did some exploring of the upper Manning River on our way back. The upper Manning is running very low and choked with weed, so if I were you, I'd look for bass further downstream. Get yourself a good road map, and also a 1: 25 000 topographical map (BUNDOOK 9334-3-S) if you can afford it, and drive through Gloucester to Bundook. There's very nice river fishing from the bank all the way down to Charity Creek. You might even find somewhere good to camp. After you've caught a few bass, you could drive up to Walcha via Nowendoc (it's a steep but good sealed road). The Cobrabald River (which you'll cross) is running well, although the McDonald River is a bit low. Both are noted trout streams. A friendly approach to the local property owners could provide access. It's basically up to you, but I hope this helps. Regards, Bob

Hi Milts, Poddy mullet stand to be eaten if they stray into deeper water as the tide falls, particularly along the edge of deep drop-offs. So look for sheltered shallow areas, towards the top of a rising tide -- that's where you'll find them. Place the trap in the shallow water (less than 30 centimetres deep), so it's barely covered. Then burley the area with crumbed bread to attract the poddies to the trap. Once one or two go in trap, and start to stir up the bread inside, the others in the school will race to join in the action. Getting the first one or two to go in is the hardest part. Regards, Bob

Hi SiNH, Here's your fish mate: It's a kelp fish: http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfact...cmarmoratus.htm Initially, Like Gibbofisho, I thought it might have been a rock cale: http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfact...h/alophodon.htm luderick fisherman sometimes catch these, but on on sea cabbage bait fished under a float, if they fish too deep and close to the bottom. So far as eating qualities go, the kelp fish is probably on a par with the wirrah. A much better idea than eating any of them is to learn how to catch quality fish, by reading what people post on the Fishraider Forums. Regards, Bob

Hi Peking duck, Geoff's original query was what fees he should be paying. I asked about services he would receive and whether he needed a financial planner at all. To approach financial planning any other way is "putting the cart before the horse." Focus on the overall returns, not just on the fees and costs? Upon closer examination two things become obvious: 1. Promised returns may never eventuate if the investments are inappropriate to the investors circumstances or just plain bad. 2. Fees most certainly will be incurred; usually layers and layers of them, when the investments are made and often at every possible point along the way. The vast majority of retirees have a superannuation lump sum to invest. And the financial planning/managed funds industries have largely been built on the backs of retirees with lump sums and little or no investment experience. The vast majority of retirees also have modest retirement savings, simple financial affairs, and do the sensible things: invest in managed funds which spread their retirement money across shares, property and cash investments, then go fishing, play bowls, tow a caravan around Australian and so on. Others, not necessarily the most wealthy, believe they're smarter than the market professionals and do their own investing, usually with the assistance of other "helpful" market professionals. I agree overall financial returns (income and growth from investments less all fees and charges) should be the focus. But the most important questions really are: 1. How do I best earn an adequate investment return, but still sleep at night? The investment reality is "the higher the return, the higher the risk." 2. How can I keep the costs as low as possible when earning that investment return? Regards, Bob

Hi Geoff, This takes us back to my first question: Do you need a financial planner? If you're not going to follow the advice you pay for, then why seek out and pay for advice in the first place? Regards, Bob