Lake Macquarie

[mottyman]

Hi all,

Took the family up to Lake Macquarie for 3 days. Friday saw us arrive to a nice day but the N/E'er got up just as we were planning on heading out for an afternoon fish. Decided to go out and see how we went. A million small whiting and bream but nothing to write home about.

Saturday so Andy and I on the water around 5.30am and headed strait over to Pulbah Island to fish some drop offs. Found a nice area that went from approx 1m to around 7m. Drift around the massive schools of baitfish that were just happily swimming around with nothing bothering them at all. They were all around the boat - not a single preditor harassing them.

Then, a few bigger splashes and the birds move in. Tailor galore. Problem was they were on the surface for a split second then gone. So... I decided a troll along the drop off was in order, tied on a Berkley Frenzy that looked remarkably the same as the bait fish and motored to the spot I wanted to start the troll. Turned the boat around and the water just erupted all around me. I cast the diver out into it, half a turn of the reel and a tailor smashed the lure. The boil disappeared immediately. Got a 35cm tailor to the boat and set the lure for a troll. Given the fish weren't on the surface for long I thought the Berkley Frenzy being a diving minnow would find them. Na, not a sausage. Trolled around for about 1/2 an hour without a touch all the while the bait fish were back swimming happily without any further harrassement from anything.

Gave that away and decided to give some gulps and bass minnows a run.

Again, the small whiting and bream were in plague proportions on the Camo worms so decided to try a 2inch Gulp Baby Shrimp. First time using these fellas and they really did the trick.

I got a nice flatty and a better than average flounder in quick succession. Both fished spewed up heaps of the small bait fish so at least something was filling it's guts on all these small fry!!!!!

Soon after that things went very quiet, hardly a touch on anything so moved around the island sounding around looking for some fish - very quite on that front as well.

Tried a few more spots on our way back to the house but not much doing.

That afternoon took the out and she outfished my 7 - 2 in a quick session before the wind became too much - great!!!

Saturday night was a nice feed of fresh fish - flounder, flathead, whiting and tailor - everyone very happy with that!

Sunday saw no fishing - just a luisurely breakfast, pack and head for home.

In all - the whole family had a fantastic weekend - warm enough for the kids to swim and enough fish to keep me a little interested but without setting the place on fire - that'll be my next trip!!

Cheers

David.

[Flattieman]

Flounder add a nice bit of variety to a session. Sounds like fun, Dave. I think Wittmann has had some good success on the 2" shrimp too.

Flattieman.

[mottyman]

Hey Flattieman,

Mate, I love the 2 inch shrimp after this weekend. The tiny pickers attack them like nothing else but they can't get them off and I'm sure all that activity when the pickers are going nuts must attract the bigger fish.

That's my theory anyway and I'm sticking to it!!

I fished them on a jig head with no action, just let it drag along the bottom like you would a normal prawn bait.

Hi Stewy, yeah, it was a really nice feed I must say. Didn't measure it I'm afraid but it was certainly a PB flounder on a lure for me!!

Cheers

David.

[Luringbream]

Nice catch mate!

I should be up that way around January, ill mainly be fishing the entrance but probably will pop up to have a quick fish. The lake been fishing any good lately apart from this report?

DAN

[Bream Mad]

Nice Catch Dave,

What does a flounder taste like? can't remember the last time i ate one. Caught a solid one in LCR but sensibly put it back.

These 2" shrimp you talk about, who makes them and what colours do they come in ?

I have gone off gulp worms because of the low hook up rates, and are looking for a small SP for shallow flat work.

Cheers

BM

[mrmoshe]

Nice catch Dave. Mmmmm flounder, my favourite eating fish, in fact just about the only fish I eat

nowadays. I managed one last week and it went down a treat.

Might have to give those shrimp a go myself. Whaaaat! me using plastics!! What am I saying LOL.

They sure seem to work.

Cheers,

Pete.

[Guest rzep]

I caught a 32cm flounder yesterday in Brocken Bay and as I didn't know how to cook it I put it back in the water.

I would of loved to tasted it but as I didn't know what to do with it I figured that I would let it survive another day rather then destroy it in the kitchen.

[Wastin Time]

I caught a 32cm flounder yesterday in Brocken Bay and as I didn't know how to cook it I put it back in the water.

I would of loved to tasted it but as I didn't know what to do with it I figured that I would let it survive another day rather then destroy it in the kitchen.

Just have a go ya big girl!!!

[crystalliser]

Great job on that flounder there David! It sure looks bigger than average.

Deep-fried flounder in salt and pepper is a pretty common dish in chinese restaurants. If there is a recipe to cook up the whole fish it should be alright, as it is pretty tricky to fillet them.

Cheers

Ronald

[mottyman]

Hi Guys,

Flounder are a bloody great eating fish - just lightly fried, bit of lemon, salt, pepper - fantastic.

The 2 inch shrimp are of course made by Berkley and come in the Gulp range. They also make a prawn/shrimp lure in the power bait range as well but haven't tried those.

The 2 inch shrimp come ina few colours - from funny things called "Nuclear Chicken" of all things, these are green and orange to some more sensible "natural" looking colours.

There's a few in the range and I reckon they're worth a go if you fish with prawns regularly.

Cheers

David.

[Penguin]

Nice report and nice Flounder,one of my fav eating

fish.

penguin

[namesay]

Did you try for squid and kings? I used to live in swansea for a few years. They should have a run a kingies in the channel by now. But a good catch of fish. Nice to see the lake in good condition after the pro ban. CHeers kelvin

[mottyman]

Did you try for squid and kings? I used to live in swansea for a few years. They should have a run a kingies in the channel by now. But a good catch of fish. Nice to see the lake in good condition after the pro ban. CHeers kelvin

Hi Kelvin,

No, didn't fish up that way. I've heard people say the kings congregate around the bridge there. Swansea is a bit too far from where I stay at Balcolyn to make the trip in my little boat so I generally fish the areas around where I'm staying.

The lake is in great condition - plenty of fish to be had. We had no problem getting dinner for the family on Saturday night in a 3 hour session on Saturday morning.

Would have loved to have seen more surface activity on those bait fish but them's the breaks I guess.

Cheers,

David.

[clutch]

That sounds like a top long weekend Dave......Is that Andy taking those pics?

It sure is nice to get away isnt it

[mottyman]

That sounds like a top long weekend Dave......Is that Andy taking those pics?

It sure is nice to get away isnt it

Hi Clutch, nice to hear from ya!

Yep, it was brilliant to get away with the family and I can't wait to do it again soon.

Once again Andy taking the pics.

Cheers

David.