Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hi, Got home from work and organised the girlfriend for an all nighter down the family boatshed/pontoon. we took 4 rods, 2 lures, squid jig and some chicken gut/fresh prawns. I started off with going after the squid and after a couple of casts and retrieves i was hit like a steam train....i pulled it in and it was a massive squid, havnt measured it but i would say its easy 28 to 35cm long and the one that followed it up was atleast 2/3 bigger!!! I continued to go after a few more and net some small ones going past and threw the small ones out on a bait caster and a decent size hook ( havnt done it before so proably the reason no fish were caught on it) Anyway while i left that to sit out in the bay for the night i continued to watch cool little fish go past. I caught an eel around 11pm which was not very round but i decent length or around 40cm. this was followed by a dart, just under legal size pinky snapper and not alot else. My girlfriend by this stage was asleep and not helping So i decided to kick back and have a sleep and hope for the best with the rods in. Woke up around 5am and found that my baitcaster had been busted off so i decided to put a lure on a smaller rod and try for some pelagic species...which i was hoping would start to show their face around sunrise....after about 20casts i got a hit!! (sweet i thought, i can catch fish on lures as i never had before) He got off so i tried same spot again and got another big hit, i brought him in and saw a flash and he let go....not very happy at this stage i did it again and gave the next bite a big wack and pulled in a 30cm tailor. Impressed withmyself but not liking the species of fish i tried again...this time the prawn that i had got nailed and i saw a nice big flash and roughly a 60cm kingy under the pontoon....me being inexperienced but knowing i should let him run threw that idea out the window and grabbed line and rod and tried to musle him to surface and bag him....the 4pnd line didnt like this and he got away!! (i am very angry and want another one now) no more action the fish had gone...about 20mins later i got one solitary hit on the lure and this one stuck, it was a nice bonito around 45cm...great looking fish and i landed him which made my morning! I cant wait to start getting these fish on a regular basis because they are great fun and the way they hit the lures is great!! I think i will need to go up a class in gear strength though incase i hit something bigger! Any info is appreciated on what to do and replies please! Im hopefully going to lilli pilli baths early friday morning to try there for them and maybe an all nighter thursday night there....not sure yet (weather!!) Thank you also whats the best way to cook the Bonnie?? any recepies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Sounds like a great session, Dolmo!!! I've been reading your reports with great interest. A dart is a pretty rare catch in Port Hacking - you didn't happen to take a photo? I wish you all the best of luck at Lili Pilli - I don't fish it, so can't help you out. It seems like you're getting some great action off your pontoon!!! I do agree that some great squid can be caught from the Hacking. Shame about the lost kingie - hope you land it next time! Flattieman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Wow - sounds like you have a ripper of a private fishing spot there! Squid, dart, tailor, kings, bonito . . . and from previous posts I'm lead to understand there's a jew hole within casting distance. Not bad Dolmo - not bad at all! You're also getting some good experience by the sounds of things, after a couple more sessions you'll be an expert at pulling fish from the pontoon. My only tips are: * Don't chase pelagics land-based with 4lb line - you don't need to go that light and will end up losing the good fish (as you have discovered). I know there are some light liners in this forum who'll disagree, but I would go 10lb min for any type of land-based fishing where there is the potential of catching kingies. * Use the fresh squid for strip bait (as well as whole livies). I can't tell from your post whether you did, but fresh squid strips on the surface in the early morning will be dynamite on tailor and kings, and fresh squid tentacles on the bottom will be a great chance of snapper or flatties. * Bonnies like pink lures - the pink laser pro's are great if you want to specifically chase bonnies. * Bonnies are better bait than they are eating - fresh bonnie strips with minimal weight off that little pontoon of yours should reap a big haul of fish. * Don't forget that tailor, whilst a bit crappy on the plate, are a great live or slab bait for jews. If they're around in numbers it's likely there's a jew somewhere in the vicinity keeping an eye on them. Sounds like you had a productive night there Dolmo - looking forward to the next report! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kabz Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hey nice report gotta love catching bonito also good luck at lilli pilli. Also the bonito is alright eaten sashimi tastes good other than that isnt that nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmoshe Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Great report Dolmo...What a session eh? That private pontoon is gold...don't do anything to annoy the relos who own it or you might just lose the best spot in the Hacking. That's quit a diverse bag of fish you got in there. Glad the lures are working for you and I agree with Mondo..up your line class and you will land more fish. Can't wait for your next report...Hope it's as good as this one. Cheers, Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy0884 Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Sounds like a top night fishing mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Thank you for the support guys I have always caught dart at this spot...but generally on overcast days, have had a few biggies about 2 or 3 years ago which was nice. Also i caught a fish last night that reminded me of a butter bream from the tropics. It was a goldish bronze with lateral stripes from memory, it also made a funny croaking noise....any ideas? I dont have any photos of when i was down there we forgot the camera, for the kingies one hit gold lure and the other my standard fresh prawn on leader and swivel. I wasnt expecting to get anything that sort of size...so i rigged up the smaller rod which was a bad idea!...if he had of hit the lure and stuck i would have had him because its 10pnd line but he hit my prawn which was on 4pnd which was for bream, etc. I am looking foward to trying the bonnie tonight, and i now have 1 thumper and 2 good size squid in freezer for strip bait if i need it...fresh is better! but i didnt have the time to use it and i didnt know how to organise them for human consumption or i would have. i really enjouyed the lure fishing, the fish hit hard and its a real rush getting them....cant wait to try it again and hopefully i can get some to stick...well atleast find some first and then hope they stick!! As for the pontoon i dont know if its great or not...i just have fished there for a long time and know it fairly well, others do nothing down there. The only thing that annoys me is the snaggy bottom which i get stuck on sometimes. anyway thank you for your support and i hope to meet and learn from you guys shortly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy0884 Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Also i caught a fish last night that reminded me of a butter bream from the tropics. It was a goldish bronze with lateral stripes from memory, it also made a funny croaking noise....any ideas? The stripes would suggest a Tarwhine, the croaking would suggest a Trevally.... pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Nice catch. I cooked a Bonnie on the bbq the day I got it and it was beautiful. It was bled immediately though. They are no good if frozen. Cheers Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocky2812 Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 i live on the hacking to mate and the striped fish you caught would of been an Eastern Striped Trumpeter. also i wouldnt mind seeing a photo of one of your dart as i have never seen one in the river either while fishing or diving. cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveD Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I say good on ya man You wanted it badly, and you got it good, so congrats. Nice range you got too, so keep it up. Good to see ya tried the chicken gut and good to see ya got something on lures. I've not tried much lures and therefore havent had any success. Whats the best way to keep a small minnow lure goin good, with the lead. Any help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 I will try and get a picture of the dart...im pretty sure its a dart. Yeh it was a trumpeter, cool looking fish. I ended up freezing the bonnie and will use it as bait at a later date when i get the gear t use that sort of fish as bait. I also froze 3 nice sized squid for bait also. Hopefully I will be down the pontoon friday morning or down lilli pilli baths friday morning and possibly an all nighter there on thursday night to friday morning...few nice cold beers and a mate or two. so if anyone is there say hi! Im going to have to get another rod i guess seening as though i have become addicted to wanting these fighting fish on the end of the line....whats the suggested? It would be from boat eventually and land...so proably a 7 or 8 ft rod and a 4000 or 6000 reel? will be lure and bait fishing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) Im going to have to get another rod i guess seening as though i have become addicted to wanting these fighting fish on the end of the line....whats the suggested? It would be from boat eventually and land...so proably a 7 or 8 ft rod and a 4000 or 6000 reel? will be lure and bait fishing Dolmo, if you're really keen on fishing and want a top-class rod, I'd suggest having a talk with one of our sponsors, Rohit (membername Saqa) from Kingrods about a custom rod such as his Pelagic L. As far as reels go, you shouldn't need larger than a 4000 reel (depending upon what species you'll chase) - something in the mid price range Shimano selection should be ample. Hope this helps. Flattieman. Edited January 24, 2007 by Flattieman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Thanks flattieman. I have the 4000 shimano slade on one of my rods and like it....for the pelagic fish i am thinkng of maybe the next class up from them....not sure of the name of it though, i will ask. Thank you for the info mate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Anyone heading out port hacking Thursday night or Friday morning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildfish Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 good fishing dolmo! keep the good reports coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 The report of a dart may have been mistaken for a sweep....sorry if i got peoples hopes up. Being the the aquarium industry i tend to call the sweep a dart due to shape and the common fish collected for aquaria is tropical dart...not sweep. I would also just like to thank the fishraider community while i have the chance. You are a great bunch of people and for a newcomer to serious fishing its great to have people to speak to, go fishing with, your socials seem great!! I couldnt recomend this site any higher and its a tribute to every person who posts a message on here. Hopefully as time goes on i will meet alot of you and we will have some great fishing!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jewel Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 There is nothing that swims in Port Hacking that will give a Kingrods Palagic L with a 4000 (I use a Tierra) a hard time! I can highly recommend it as a balls and all 10kg spin rod, casts a mile and is brutal on fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 There is nothing that swims in Port Hacking that will give a Kingrods Palagic L with a 4000 (I use a Tierra) a hard time! I can highly recommend it as a balls and all 10kg spin rod, casts a mile and is brutal on fish. Excellent...i will save a little it of $$ and find out how much 2 or 3 different types of 4000 reels go for and i will get stuck into them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr liaison Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 great report dolmo, sounds like a cracker of a pontoon there, good luck at lilli pilli mate keep the reports c omin.........Tight Lines All Regards Craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidgie Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Jewel, I think you will find there are kings in the hacking that will be more than a handful for that outfit with a 4000 reel....landbased or boat based.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolan Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 Dolmo, Greg is absolutely right, Bonnies need to be bled straight away if you want them for tucker and you deffinately don't freeze them before eating. They are better bait than eating. A few years ago, we used to catch them by the dozen outside the Hawksbury. Gave one to a neighbour and they had a recipe for them based on an Italian tomato based seafood soup type of thingy! It actually tasted quite good. I will try to dig it up and post it. Love your post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolmo Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Thank you mate I bled it straight away and gutted, but i had a look round and most people said it was better bait so i decied to freeze him. My mate is harassing me to do another allnighter tonight but i dont think i would last so i think i will be land based tomorrow morning trying for some tailor, bonnies, kingies and salmon...hopefully salmon and kingies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penguin Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Jewel, I think you will find there are kings in the hacking that will be more than a handful for that outfit with a 4000 reel....landbased or boat based.... Im not sure I agree, I caught plenty of Kings last year up to 78cm on Shimano 4000 reels and 6kg line.Bigger Kings may be a different story though. penguin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livo Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 (edited) Sorry. Wrong quote went in. I needed the one about "tomato based soup thingy" We caught 4 Bonito in front of Crackneck lookout early last year and kept them for bait on future trips. While cleaning the rest of the catch back at the Haven boat ramp a little lady of Mediteranean origins begged us to sell her a couple for $20.00. We explained the laws about selling fish but gladly gave her 2 without exchange of cash. She said she skinned and cubed them and used seasoned flour and olive oil to pan fry them briefly and then cooked them in a tomato based dish with fresh herbs like Basil and Oregano. She said her husband loves it and he was standing in the background with a big smile when we gave her the 2 fish. Don't think he spoke much English and hers was pretty ordinary. I'm going to give it a go next time I hook a couple. They can't be as bad as Sweep or Aussie Salmon. Edited January 25, 2007 by livo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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