Mondo Rock Posted February 19, 2006 Share Posted February 19, 2006 Hi Raiders Well, spent this weekend as I have spent many of the last five - chasing down my first beach Jewie. Location was the Eastern Suburbs (anyone whose read any of my previous reports will know which beach) and I was really pumped - thought maybe I could beat the Raiders at the Jew Social . Would have been great to rub it in show my soliarity with my boat-based brother and sister fishermen. Mission started at midnight on Friday night when I headed to one of the Harbour's Eastern Suburbs wharfs for the high-tide to see if I could rustle up some squid/yakkas for fresh bait for Saturday. Wasn't disappointed and I soon had four squid in the bucket and six or seven yakkas laid out. I've gotta say that my squid fishing has improved vastly since I gave in and bought an expensive Yo-Zuri jig. I watched others toss cheaper lures at the squid, which would completely ignore them before swimming straight over and wolfing mine down. Anyway, hit the beach at about 11 pm Saturday night aiming to fish up and over the 1am high. Two 12 ft beach rods, one fast action 8 wrap with 30lb braid and a butterflied yakka, and one softer action with 20lb mono and squid bait. Oh, and wind and rain too - but not so bad that I couldn't still fish. After about five minutes the yakka rod gets a good hit but then straightens again. Wind it in to find no bait - yakka stripped off the two 8/0s. Probably a Tailor says I, and I rig up again. Things went quiet for a while until I noticed a slight tap tap on the lighter rod with squid bait. Picked it up out of the sand-spike, waited for another tap-tap and then struck. Thought maybe it was weed after very little fight but turned out to be a 43cm flatty - gut hooked. That was dinner for Sunday sorted - but it wasn't why I was there. Eventually I ran out of yakkas - bloody pickers - and so retrieved the biggest piece of squid remaining (10cm whole hood) and hooked it to the 30lb rig. Cast out and put the rod in the sand spike, bent over to retrieve my torch when there is an almighty zzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZ!! I looked up and the 12 foot 8-wrap beach rod was bent over like I've never seen before - the bend was all the way down into the butt, the top 6 feet were basically parallel to the beach and the 30lb braid was screaming off against a reasonably tight drag. I got that minor heart attack feeling that you get and the blood pumping in my veins drowned out all sound except for the drag (y'all know the feeling) - I honestly stood there looking at the rod gobsmacked for a couple of seconds as my brain tried to register the size of the fish that must have been attached to the other end of my line. I finally leapt into action and grabbed for the rod but it was not to be, just as quickly as it struck it let go - DAMN, but what a shot of adrenaline! After I stopped shaking I noticed the other rod tip showing some interest, so I picked it up and struck - 56cm Tailor came up the beach, got a photo as it was one of the biggest that I've seen (will post shortly) and then let him go (too big for bait plus it was about 2am and I was ready for bed). Anyway that was it for Mondo's beach Jewie mission # 8 - still no luck but certainly the closest I've come. Next time I'm gonna try to get some tailor and mullet fillets instead of yakkas and see how they go. Will probably keep fishing with squid though!! Hope everyone else had a fun weekend. Mondo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macman Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 G'day, Sounds like you are having a great time, which is what its all about. I'm certainly not the gun beach jewie fisho, but one suggestion if you want to catch fish generally on the beach, leave the second rod at home, you would do better to hold your rod the entire time, this way you can keep better control over your line etc etc. Good luck hope you get the big one. Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Matt Yeah, when fishing for general beach species I absolutely agree with the one rod policy. The currents and wash, weed and pickers etc make fishing with a set-rod a bit of a waste of time - half the time when you pick it up and wind in you realise that it has been washed 100m down the beach. It's also not so exciting to catch fish because you don't feel the strike. However with Jewies I tend to think things are a bit different. Firstly I'll fish with a heavier sinker to anchor the bait, secondly I'll fish right in the middle of the gutter/hole so there is less wash, and finally it is my understanding that a jew bite is such that it is usually better to let them hook themselves rather than try to strike at them. I've chatted to a couple of jew fishermen who reckon that the bite can be quite tentative at first and that any strike/rod movement during this period will miss the fish. But I dunno about this for sure - any other opinions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingpig Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Matt Yeah, when fishing for general beach species I absolutely agree with the one rod policy. The currents and wash, weed and pickers etc make fishing with a set-rod a bit of a waste of time - half the time when you pick it up and wind in you realise that it has been washed 100m down the beach. It's also not so exciting to catch fish because you don't feel the strike. However with Jewies I tend to think things are a bit different. Firstly I'll fish with a heavier sinker to anchor the bait, secondly I'll fish right in the middle of the gutter/hole so there is less wash, and finally it is my understanding that a jew bite is such that it is usually better to let them hook themselves rather than try to strike at them. I've chatted to a couple of jew fishermen who reckon that the bite can be quite tentative at first and that any strike/rod movement during this period will miss the fish. But I dunno about this for sure - any other opinions? I have caught quite a few Jew from the beach. Many times you will get a slight movement of the bait or a light hit then after a minute if the fish wants what you have offered that big hit and swim away. If you are catching tailor take one and cut the fish in two. Make a cut form the vent to just behind the head so that you have got all the gut cavity some flesh and the head. Put this out for a bait. I have taken many fish from the beach doing this. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 Kingpin - I like the half-tailor idea. The best part as far as I can see is that I can take all the bottom halves home for fish cocktails!! Will definitely try your method next time I can get my hands on some tailor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest madsmc Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 That was a good read Mondo. Sounds like you're getting closer to landing the big one. At least this time around you didn't have any punters trying to pick up your second rod. I couldn't believe that someone would try that on. Shane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bung Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 i agree on one rod policy. not enough control o nthe strike if the rod goes off in the holder - i prefer to give the fish a metre or 2 with rod in hand then set the hook. hooked plenty with this method and lost plenty with the rod in holder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWZAT Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 G`day Fellas , Monds , I would had the Knife through that Tailor so Fast the noise would have broken the Sound Barrier. Nothing beats Fresh tailor fillets for Jews off the beach ( except Golf ball size Dollops of Worms ) . Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted February 20, 2006 Author Share Posted February 20, 2006 Hi Mick - Yeah, had I caught the Tailor earlier in the night he would have been in trouble, but it was 2am by the time I got him, an hour and a bit after high tide and I was in the mood for heading home. Next time mate - next time. Bung - the way I see it is that two rods in the water has GOT to give me better odds than just one. Until someone comes up with a decent method for holding both rods at once I'm gonna keep using sand spikes and alternate fishing with the different rods throughout the session. Either that or I'm going to snap one of my rods rod after I lose a big jewie when it gets tangled in the second rig!! And Shane - any session where I'm not pestered by that maniac rod-stealer is a good one! Of course it was 11pm when I started fishing so the beach traffic was pretty light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bung Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 Bung - the way I see it is that two rods in the water has GOT to give me better odds than just one. more chance of getting a hit, maybe (chances are if you got a decent bait on, any jew in the hole will find it) but i still reckon you lower your chance of getting a positive hookup by not actively setting the hook yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aron Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 great report. Interested in finding out where you caught the squid, going to pittwatter on saturday night to try and catch my first jew and would love to be able to use some fresh or live squid cant wait for your next report - they just keep getting better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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