bagga

Thanks for the info that’s a bit too far out in my 5.1 Cruiseabout. I’ve got a radio and epirb but wouldn’t attempt it. Reception even cuts out just going up the river haha?. Keep the reports coming guys great too see these fish off our shores.

Nice work. Great looking fish. How far offshore Botany Bay are the bluefin? Past the Peak? Some info where to head would be appreciated.

I dropped a witches hat in the same area yesterday. When i checked it a few hours later the net had 3 holes in it clearly cut by a knife. Obviously my catch had been stolen. Same scumbag probably.

Hi Al fella, I too am struggling to find whiting in Port Hacking. Can you tell me where you mean by the Basin? Which Bridge?

yeah mate i don't mind sharing information about spots, been getting them 1-2 k's out from Botany Bay in 35-50m depth. Plenty flathead out there, keep heading north from the bay in that depth until you find them, lots of small ones at times but changes in the tide brings on the better fish. Use a paternoster rig in 40lb fluoro, 4/0 baitkeeper hooks and enough lead to hold bottom. Most baits work well, pilly tails, squid, fish strips and prawns the go.

Fantastic fish mate. Do you use the anchovies for bait?

I think we should encourage all fishing reports, pics or no pics.

Yeah I agree, fishing pressure must be a big factor. I visit Nelson in NZ a fair bit, its located on a huge shallow bay called Tasman Bay that gets dredged for scallops. Despite that pressure the snapper still turn up every year, heaps of school size ones in summer but the big ones prefer the colder water around 15deg in spring. My brother in law has caught some beauties on rigs we wouldn't consider using here, rotten squid, heavy lines, big sinkers. I usually outfish him with lighter lines and fresh bait and he gets the sulks big time Anyway I was wondering whether the big ones prefer colder water here too. Maybe our harbour and inshore waters are too warm these days. Do you recall what the water temp was when you caught your fish?

yeah thanks for the info Wacko. Have you any thoughts on why the big snapper don;t come into our bays like they do in Melbourne or NZ? Like Broken Bay or Botany Bay?

Well said brettmann. Your point about "where else is there to go" is a good one. If there were more spots to fish and more info about other locations it would definitely assist newbies and parents who want to teach their kids to fish safely. I've fished in Sydney for 50 years and there hasn't been one wharf or platform constructed for recreational fishing to my knowledge. With all the development that has gone on in Botany Bay and all the money raised through fishing licences, why hasn't a bloody big pier been built just so people can have fun on. Even the new boat ramp at Port Botany has NO FISHING signs. It must be the only boat ramp in the world you can't fish at! The best fishing spot in the bay is the container wall out to Molineaux Pt but they've built the thing with all those interlocking blocks making it dangerous to fish off. People still do of course and they're crazy, one slip and you're history. Give us some safe platforms in good fishing zones and people won't need to risk their lives on the rocks.

Maybe we should ban people swimming at Bondi Beach too! People are always going to ignore advice and get into trouble, they made a television series out of people doing exactly that at Bondi. Do we stop promoting our beaches to tourists now? In todays paper there's a story about 4 people killed this year by buses because they had an ipod stuck in their ear. Do we stop marketing ipods now? Get it into context. People are still going to do stupid things on the rocks fishing or swimming at the beach regardless of what they're told, at least there's good advice here and its up to them if they heed that advice. Noone has a gun to their head.

Thanks mate that would be helpful. Are they boots the ones Stewy mentioned? I'll go check them out anyway. cheers Greg

Where did you get your shoes mate? I had a tumble on slippery rocks last week even tho I was wearing shoes with strong rubber spikes. Do any of the tackle shops sell ready-to-go rockfishing shoes these days? My local store still sells the same old rock plates that have been around for 50 years. They don't fit modern day running shoes as the soles these days are very thick and the bolts are consequently too short. Also the nuts used to always fall off. Is there anything else available these days apart form the old plates?

Those breakwalls have to be fished at night or first light I reckon Jenx. One day last summer I got there about 8am and saw a guy on the southern wall with a good bucket of bream and trevally. I approached him to tell him what a good feed he had and down in the water he had 3 kingies tethered on a rope swimming around. I couldn't believe it! They were all legal, he said he caught them on pillies. I tried for an hour thinking they might still be around but got nothing. He caught them at first light about half way along the wall. A few days later the Daily Telegraph reported the kingies were taking lures at the Cooks River breakwall. So I wouldn't give up on the spot just yet. Runout tide at first light using those paddletails should work I reckon. They get jew there too I've heard.

I didn't think of that, I thought it may have fallen off the back of their dive boat. At the time I was more amazed the bag had abalone in it. I thought abalone were only found in southern waters like Tassie or NZ. Has anyone heard of abalone in Sydney waters before? Greg