Please Help, I'm A Virgin!

[Pitty82]

We'll kind of anyway (my post # 1)

Gday Raiders, nice to meet you all!

I recently bought a little stacer (with circulating live bait tank/sounder etc) and am looking to put in the long yards like so many on this site, and become a proficient jewy angler.

Now I've got some pretty impressive catches knotched up from the rock and beach, and would consider myself pretty cluey in that department, but as the title suggests, when it comes to fishing from a boat in the Cowan/Hawkesbury I am a complete VIRGIN

Reading back over some past posts I've been pretty amazed at the level of experience that some Raiders have in the Hawkesbury system, and I was hoping to get a couple of pointers to start me off in the right direction.

I'm not necessarily asking for any secret spots, just a gentle nudge or any advice that you reckon could help me get on the money.

A few questions I have (Given I will almost always put out at Appletree/Bobin Head and fish in Cowan):

1. Should I focus on fishing a couple of boat lengths from the shoreline, or try and sound out some deeper holes nearer the middle of the channel?

2. Is the Cowan more a run out or run in producer (or both)

3. Would I be better off making the journey to the Hawkesbury proper?

I know this is a long first post, and apologise, any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Pitty

[kevvie]

Hi Pitty, first of all to the site mate,

When i read your post it made me laugh a bit. Your first post was very similar to mine when i first started. I think i posted the topic 'where are all the big jewies in the bay'. And got next to no response. Jewie fisherman are a funny breed of people and to be honest i cant see why really. I dont find em that hard to catch and i certainly dont rever them as much as others on this site.

I have fished the hbury for a number of years and what advice i can offer is this. If jews are your quarry then get into current. The cowan system does hold jews, and certainly big ones at that, but there is too much effort for the return. Too many fishless trips and undersize soaps to be a viable jew mecca. You need to source out spots that are flowing with current. Jew are a lazy creature and prefer food to come to them by day so it stands to reason that current shall provide that for them. They also dont like to swim against strong current as it takes too much vital energy so the deeper holes will give some respite from this flow of water but still sweep food toward them. Jew will venture out under the cloak of darkness and hunt thier pray so cowan will fish better of an evening but rays and sharks love this area as well. I reckon that jew are easier to catch by day when they are holed up in current. They are predictable to find and lower a bait down to and will stil attack a struggling livie if presented in thier face.

You need live herring or tailor for best results and i personally prefer an outgoing tide... hope this helps.

[OWZAT]

G`day Fellas ,

Pitty , Buy a copy of The DVD ......"Jewfish Secrets " Vol I by Greg Joyes .

This video is strictly for Boaters fishing the Hawkesburry River , and I found it to be right on the mark , although I frown on having 8 rods in the water for 2 Blokes fishing .

For a beginner , this video not only shows you what bait to use , but where and how to Catch it .

It demonstrates in great detail ,how to prepare your Bait , the rig to Use , especially using live and slab baits .

But most of all , it shows in great detail , all the best spots in the area , and how to line up and anchor up on them.

It also shows you the sounder markings and how to anchor on the dropoffs , etc, etc.

In all , I found the DVD most informative , but overpriced at $34.00 , for a 55 minute video.

Needless to say , my young fella bought it recently , and I oddly enough ,only watched it last night .

Mick

[BottomBasher]

Hi Pitty, to the site mate.

[Guest wayneo]

gday mate

i love getting the jews to mate but in time you will know where to go and get a big jew.but i dont think they are easy as kevvie says they are to catch.and that dvd i wouldnt waste your money mate they dont catch anything over about 10kg and they make it look like they catch 30 jews in 2 days but i heard they filmed and fished for 2 months to get the footage.and in the bonus feature they get a good jew about 30kg but no footage of catching it and i heard they bought the fish off someone they seen catch it and they pretend they got it.and most fish are between 5-10 kg.mate good luck with the jews and do some research and wait till the warmer months and you get one then for sure

cheers wayneo

[Flattieman]

Come on Wayne fess up mate you sold em the Jew ?????RIGHT

Cheers Stewy

.

Flattieman.

[Pitty82]

Thanks Kevvie, Owzat & Haraka for all the advice so far, and thanks to everone else for the warm welcome!

I'm planning my next foray and I'll no doubt work some of the tips and pointers into my next session. I'll try and pick up a copy of the Jewy secret DVD too, even if you only learn one thing its still worth it in the long run I guess hey!

Wayneo your obviously a bit of a jewy tragic! (and I do meant that in the nicest possible way) I'd be pretty stoked catching 5-10kg fish, and it's pretty funny for me to hear people dismissing "small" fish like that, but then again, it's a good sign cos it means I'm definately talking to the right ppl

This Saturday has a nice evening high, so I might get myself a couple of livies and see how I go.

Not sure if anyone can help me out but I am curious as to peoples thoughts on a big fresh bump. Obviously it gives most species a bit of rev up and will especially get jew on the chew, but do you reckon the jew get put off and forced lower in the system by the low salinity conditions when theres a big fresh? I guess the reason why Im asking is to work out whether to concentrate my efforts in the upper reaches (heaps of food but fresher water) or the lower reaches (saltier water).

Once again, thanks to everyone who's already passed on some knowledge, I really appreciate it, hopefully I can convert into something big and silver.

Cheers

Pitty