kenmare

Fished Patonga Creek in my tinny with a mate on Tuesday. Conditions were perfect. It was fairly quiet mid-afternoon at the top of the tide. But when it started to fall, I managed a flattie of about 2kg casting close-in to the mangroves, over nipper beds in less than half a metre of water. Unfortunately, didn't think to measure the old lady in my haste to return her to the water. The fish took the smallest-size, red crawdad, fished on my light bream spinning combo. It made some line sizzling runs before I could bring her to the boat -- and some people believe flathead can't fight! Later, my mate picked-up a 1kg flattie further down the creek on a soft plastic jig. This one went in to the fish box. At dusk, down near the Patonga village, I managed a small flattie of about 30 cm which I returned to the water. Not a huge number of fish, but a very enjoyable outing all the same.

Hi Mick, Seems that casting distance isn't the problem then. A 63 lb jew on 9lb line and 3/0 hook baited with store bought worm ... just goes to show the key to catching jewies is getting on the beach at night -- and spending enough time with a bait in the water? But what is enough time? Regards, Bob

Hi Chris, I'm a pretty good caster with an overhead: started over 30 years ago with a surfmaster and then a seascape. If you're under age 40 that probably won't mean much to you, but in their day they were the overhead reels to own. I've been spoilt since then by using an ABU 7000, which has a centrifugal cast control system to help prevent over-runs (but cuts down distance). However, the reel I was using for jewie fishing was an old Diawa Sealine SL 250H (graphite frame model) that I've fished at night with, without drama. Its spool just runs on bushes -- I've found that type of reel's less likely to get away from you than one with the spool running on ball bearings. I don't understand why you reckon the distance casting methods I mentioned won't work with an MT 8132? Please explain further. Regards, Bob

Hi Muscle_17 I support what others have said on this board. Spinning the surf blind can be bloody hard work. It's much better if you see fish working baitfish close in and cast near the school. This happens on many beaches a couple of times in a good year, and if you happen to be there, you'll have a ball. Most times however, you'll find fishing unweighted or lightly weighted pilchards on a set of three ganged 3/0s a better proposition. Usual beach rod and reel combinations work best with 40gn to 60gn lures. You can cast lighter lures on threadline outfits but with overheads the extra weight of heavier lures helps. If the fish are really active, pretty much any chrome lure will do the trick, but raiders are close to the best. Up my way on the Central Coast, Kilcare, McMasters, Avoca, Terrigal, Wamberal, North Entrance and Pelican Beaches can all be good. The fish can turn up at any time, but I've found the Autumn months (March, April and May) most reliable and best, as there tends to be big migrations of fish northwards, and surf and weather conditions are often suitable at that time of the year. On higher tides fish the edges of sandbars, as the tide falls concentrate more on the holes. It's usually far more productive fishing early morning and evening, but if big schools of salmon and tailor are working baitfish schools close-in then time of day doesn't really matter. Hope this helps.

Hi fishraiders, I've fished the beach for years -- for tailor, salmon, bream and flathead -- but rarely for jew. Last summer I tried for jew by casting a four ounce sinker and large squid bait on 30 lb monofilament line, large overhead multiplier reel, and a rod built on a MT8132 blank. I could cast barely 20 metres -- felt like a real wimp. With the same outfit, and a lighter one like it, on a good day I can consistently throw a 2 or 3 oz metal lure over 70 metres (80 yards). Much of the difference might be because a large bait and sinker combination is less aerodynamic than a metal lure. But is there a special technique required for casting big bait/heavy sinker combinations? Is it better to use braid? Is that likely to help me gain more distance? I've searched the internet and found heaps of distance casting information: overhead uni-tech cast, off-the-ground cast and pendulum cast. Does anyone use these when casting for jews? Or is distance not so important. Is it enough to fish the bait just outside the shore break?

Hi fishos, I'm trying to find other spots to fish in Brisbane Water, near where I live. I've had reasonable results in Narara Creek and off Noonan Point. Caught bream and school jew. But there must be good spots around Paddy's Channel, Davistown, Woy Woy and the Rip? I mostly use squid and mullet for bait, but I've been told chicken breast is best. Is this true? Any tips or suggestions much appreciated

Hi fishos, I'm trying to find other spots to fish in Brisbane Water, near where I live. I've had reasonable results in Narara Creek and off Noonan Point. Caught bream and school jew. But there must be good spots around Paddy's Channel, Davistown, Woy Woy and the Rip? I mostly use squid and mullet for bait, but I've been told chicken breast is best. Is this true? Any tips or suggestions much appreciated.

Hi djmac, I'm trying to catch fish in Brisbane Water. like bisso, and picked-up your helpful tips. As you're a Woy Woy local, you've obviously a good knowledge of the best spots to fish. I can follow your Paddy's Channel and Etalong directions, but I'm unsure where you mean when you describe the Rip Bridge spots you've suggest. The holes on the Daley's Point side: you mean they're on the Woy Woy side of the bridge, towards St Hubert's Island? Or do you mean the seaward side of the bridge and on the Dailey's Point side of the Rip, but opposite the Booker Bay Marina? This is best on the run-in tide? The holes on the Booker Bay side: you mean the holes are on on the seaward side of the bridge and on the Etalong Beach side of the Rip, near to the Booker Bay Marina ? This fishes best on the run-out tide? Sorry for being slow on the uptake. But I value your advice.

Hi Joe, Here's another consideration when choosing fly reel size and capacity to hold the necessary backing: you don't have to use all the fly line, you can shorten the running line. Fly lines used for saltwater fly-fishing are almost always weight-forward in design. This means there's a forward taper, the belly of the line (length varies according to design), rear taper, and then a long length of level line -- referred to as the running line. Only the very best fly casters are able to cast the full line, including the running line; much of the time the rear of the running line never sees the light of day. You can therefore use a smaller, lighter fly reel with lesser line capacity, if you cut several metres (say 2 to 5) from the end of the running line. As the running line is much thicker than dacron backing, you can then wind on the reel a far greater length of backing than the length of running line removed. Another option to increase backing length would be to use braid, which has a finer diameter than dacron. Here's a method I've found useful to gauge how much backing to use. Wind the fly line on to the reel forward taper first (temporarily secure the end using light mono), then attach the backing using the loop-to-loop method, and wind-on sufficient backing to fill the reel spool to the correct level. Then just reverse the line and backing. I employ a large side-case reel and a centre-pin reel to do this. Loop-to-loop connections are the secret to angst-free saltwater fly-fishing. Just make loops at each end of your fly line, at the end of your backing, when constructing leaders, and also when attaching tippets. It's then possible to join and detach each of the components without tying or cutting-off knots. There are many fly fishing websites which show you how to make and use loop-to-loop connections. Hope some of this helps.

Thanks for the tips fishos, iain, I believe your concerns are unfounded: some people are indeed worried about using frozen farmed prawns imported from Asia, but my snap-frozen squid was caught in the sea off Californian, USA, so it's hardly the same. rodd, you've confirmed my hopes and expectations: it is possible to catch fish on frozen squid that's been in the freezer for at least half a year, provided it's in good condition. That's better than throwing it out. Regards, Bob

Hi fishos, Most of us prefer to use fresh bait, but sometimes it's unavailable or we don't have time to gather it, so we must fall back on preserved/frozen bait. In my freezer I've imported eating-quality squid, local snap-frozen squid, and local squid and octopus I obtained and immediately froze myself. It's all been there since last summer. Does frozen squid and occy have a "use by date", beyond which it ceases to attract and catch fish? If so, when is it? I've been salting and then freezing pilchards for years, and they seem to be good bait almost forever. But I haven't had much experience preserving or freezing other baits. I was recently told it's best to freeze bait in saltwater; I assume it's because the bait then freezes at a lower temperature and the salt helps preserve it. Is this true?

Hi Veck, After viewing some threads on this chat board (think I searched mullet traps or similar), I've just had some astounding success -- and I was in the same situation as you only two weeks ago. I bought a clear plastic storage container (probably for bread storage) with press-on lid, dimensions: length 35 cm, width 27 cm, height 13 cm. Cost me about $6 bucks in a budget shop. Then I cut a 9 cm diameter entry hole in the centre of the lid. A bit tricky -- you may have a drill bit to do this. As I didn't, I marked where I wanted the hole, using the top of a drinking glass as a template, then first drilled a small hole so I could insert the blade of my coping saw to cut the entry hole out, finally finishing with a rasp. I then drilled the bottom of the trap with about 2 dozen or so 5 mm holes to allow the trap to drain water when retrieved. As I later found, it's also a good idea to drill a dozen or so holes in the lid to let air out when submerging the trap, otherwise air caught under the lid will tend to make the trap float. To ensure the trap stays where it's supposed to, I also used short plastic-coated wire traces with snaps attached to secure two 4 oz snapper leads inside. When using the trap, this worked for me. I found a shallow area where there were large schools of mullet feeding and then positioned the trap on the bottom, so only about 5 cm to 10 cm of water covered the trap -- it's important to keep the trap in shallow water. Then I placed bread inside the trap, near the entry hole, and smaller quantities of bread at the hole and on top of the trap. Finally, I rolled small pellets of bread between my fingers and, by throwing these in the direction of the poddy mullet schools but close to the trap, used the pellets to get the little buggers into a feeding frenzy and encourage them to "discover" the banquet I'd placed in and on top of the trap. Once one or two enter the trap, then the others can't resist following. Worked a treat. Hope this helps.

It is a reference to a place, but not in Australia. The Kenmare I think of is on the other side of the world: a very beautiful part of County Kerry in southern Ireland. I visited there many years ago and the fond memories remain with me.

Hi Lawrie, Just saw your latest post. As someone who has yet to land a big jew -- I've only landed schoolies in the estuary when fishing for other species -- I found this post and your previous one on tackle and technique very interesting and useful. You said August to October are good months to target large jew off the beach near where you live. Is that north or south of Sydney?