paulcha11 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 (edited) Hey Fisho's, Joined only weeks ago and thought I would share a fishing experience I had on Narrabeen Lakes last week. My cousin and I thought we would try our luck drifting for flathead on live poddies in Pittwater however the weather was a little too rough for my 12ft tinnie so we thought we would give the lake ago. (even though everyone I had spoken to told me there were no fish in there!) So we launched the boat about 5.30am and headed over to trap some poddies. Whilst we were waiting for the traps to fill, I decided to throw out at bright pink SP over the weed beds and on the second cast walla!...it was hit by a nice 50cm flattie...a good start to the day. Once we had ample bait we headed out to this spot where I had once been told holds a few lizards. We picked the spot and began to drift, though it did take about an hour to work the drift out. 2 hours had gone by and nothing, and all those memories and thoughts of people telling me Id be wasting my time here were starting to float to the surface. Then it started..... About 9.30am my cousin pulled in a tidy 45cm and only 10 minutes later it was joined by a 55cm speciman. Ok. Things were looking brighter. The poddies were being hit almost on every occassion and the average size of the poddies was about 15cm! They were coming back with only the head so we knew something down there was having a good feed. My cousin then gets hit by something but is not too sure....."im on, I think" he says.... "it feels heavy but im not sure" he continued. It was underneath the boat by this stage then as it approached the surface it decide to run, and run, and we knew what we had on. When we finally landed her she was a nice 78cm lizard! Took the pics then decided to let her ago to breed another day... Very next drift, Im sitting with my rod between my legs putting sun screen on then bang my rod goes down and straight back up. I drop everything and give it a tug then shes off. Straight up to the surface, shakes her head then back down until we land her in the boat. She must have been the older sister to the other...she measured 82cm and she was fat! Once again took the pics, then released her to fight another day.. The next hour saw us land another 2 flatties which were undersize and a keeper 47cm model. Not a bad day out and one we will always remember. And who said the lake was dead!!! Ill will send the pics in when I can work out how to transfer them onto the computer. By the way, thanks to all who post on here and tell there fishing stories and share their advice. It is very much appreciated by myself and to all who read these articles. Thanks for reading this far!! Charmo Edited February 25, 2007 by MallacootaPete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1975 Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 to the site!! Great report mate, i'm sure you've made a lot of people very jealous, me especially! I got to try those poddy mullets soon. Hope to hear more of your reports in the future Thanks 1975 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 to the site charmo & thanks for the positive comments! Mate, what a cracking session on the lizards. 78 & 82cm to go with the other nice fish is awesome. Flattieman will be beside himself when he reads this post. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest danielinbyron Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I like u already charmo great effort.. went with your instincts by the sounds of it and persisted. ..go the releases.And a great feed ....15cm poddies.. big Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mondo Rock Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Great report Charmo, sounds like it was on! Nothing beats live poddies for big flathead - I've had some cracker sessions too down at Sussex Inlet & St Georges basin. Don't think we caught many over 75cm though!! What kind of bait trap do you use, home made or the moulded plastic ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Hi Charmo to the best site in NSW! Great report - sounds heaps of fun! Well done on putting the big ones back - they deserve the chance to breed up & make the lake even better!! Re posting your pictures - check out this link - the secret is keeping the files small - under 20kb is good, to add lots of photos in the one post. Any reasonable photo software should also let you resize the photo - I also have to 'save as' a smaller jpeg size/quality as well as changing the actual size of the pic. http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/inde...showtopic=17267 Cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CR@ZY OS@M@ Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 to the site mate. top report mate, lizard after lizard. good work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sammy0884 Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Excellent work on the Flatties mate, i'll have to work out where i can get some poddies and try them on the local georges river/botany lizards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbark Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Nice work and good to hear the big ones are back in the lake. A lot of people are mistaken about the quality of fish from narrabeen lake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaybee Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Great report Charmo, There is nothing wrong with keeping an XOS flathead contrary to what some people think, however its great to see that you already had a feed of nice fresh fish and that you released them to breed and fight another day. I liked your report and well done. Cheers Jeff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robthefisherman Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Charmo Great 1st report mate, can't wait for the pics,everyone loves to get stirred up over a big lizard. Good onya for sending the big girls back too mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flattieman Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Flattieman will be beside himself when he reads this post. You bet, mate! Woohoo! Charmo - I think we're going to get along just fine... I also often fish with my cousin and also do enjoy using poddies (and SPs at the same time). At times, the flatties will be completely keyed-in to gorging themselves with poddies - looks like you experienced one such occasion! Well done on those big beauties... it really does comfort me that you released them. I've been chatting with Mallacoota Pete about the Lake's flatties... I've really got to get up there and check it out. Flattieman. By the way, I find that it's usually bream or tailor that leave on poddy heads on the hook - flatties will play with the bait and sometimes barely scuff it (I've seen this in crystal-clear water). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue swimmer Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 Nice work charmo.......nice little quintrex, must be smooth with that 4 stroke on her, hqappy hunting...guess who? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazydave Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 good stuff mate. iv been getting some big flattys in the lake too recently, they seem to be feeding pretty aggro at the mo. dreaming of the m+ model. im gunna try and catch her this arvo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
insolent Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Nice job Charmo, I really must head up to the lakes one of these days. Flathead of that size are a real treat. Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 Can anyone offer advise on catching live poddies... I have been trying for a while but havent had any luck... I have used the plastic model with the two holes either end and an orange juice container with a hole on top.? Info, like type of trap... Depth of water etc bait ?? etc would be well appreciated.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Poddies hang around sandy areas near structure, so on the sand near a jetty or boat ramp is ideal. The water needs to be around 18" (450mm) to 2' (600mm) deep. I use a 4 or 5 litre ice cream container with a 2" (50mm) hole cut in the middle of the lid. (An old enamel steel wash basin with fly screen wire on the top is also very good) I put a few snapper leads in the bottom of the ice cream container to stop it floating. Put a slice of bread in the top and pinch a hole in the middle slightly smaller than the 2" hole in the lid and this allows them to nibble the bread and swim in. Place the trap on the bottom and align the hole in the bread with the hole in the lid. The piece that you pinched out, break it into small pieces and squeeze them so they sink and don't attract sea gulls. Throw these out sparingly around the trap and the poddies will find the bread in the trap. You won't get the big variety in the trap though, they will mainly be 4" (100mm) or smaller. Any trap will only catch poddies if they are around where you are trying to catch them. You may have to attract them from further out with your burley trail of bread and get them to follow it to your trap. If they are around, you can catch 50 - 100 in around 15 minutes, but remember to take only what you need and try to keep them alive for best results. The more you catch, the harder it is to keep them alive. Dead ones work fine when drifted and they freeze well. Cheers Greg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulg Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 Thanks for the info .... How long do you leave the trap in the water for before you pull it up.. ? Do Ileave it for half hour or 10mins ? Do the poddy's hang out where there is current or only in stable waters near jetties or boat ramps ? Thanks.... for the info again... greatly appreciated ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tricky Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 There is a limit in N.S.W on catching poddies for bait its 20 and no bigger than 15cm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulcha11 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Share Posted February 25, 2007 Can anyone offer advise on catching live poddies... I have been trying for a while but havent had any luck... I have used the plastic model with the two holes either end and an orange juice container with a hole on top.? Info, like type of trap... Depth of water etc bait ?? etc would be well appreciated.. Mate, I always take three types of traps out. Some days one works and the others dont get a mention and then its completely the opposite the next day. I have the clear tubular trap with the holes in the end, a steel meshed trap(about the same dimensions as a small round baking cake tray) with a hole in the top that works similar to the orange juice bottle you mentioned, and a maroon coloured rectangular mesh net with holes in either end. I think the secret is to burley up a heap and really get them excited around your trap. Mush the bread up so it disperses a white cloudy substance in the water. The clear tube trap I find works best floating on the surface. I have it secured with a sinker attached to fishing line to the trap and it floats naturally on the surface. The holes should just be covered by water in this position. This works better for me rather than on the bottom. The traps with holes in the top seem to work better in areas with less current and in shallow areas. Ideal depth for me is where the top of the trap sits about 20cm from the surface of the water. After burleying and mushing the bread in the trap, try putting a whole piece of bread across the hole. The poddies bite at it and swim forward into the trap. This works a treat... The rectangular mesh trap is placed so the current runs through one end and out the other. The bread sits at one end against the mesh and near the entrance to the hole enticing the poddies to enter. I have turned the trap the other way so the current runs through the sides but this doesnt seem to work for me. Go with the flow I say... The depth of water should just cover the holes. So in this case and with this style of trap the trap should be half out of the water. Anyway, hope this helps. Just keep experimenting and you'll be catching those poddies real soon. Cheers Charmo PS There is no real time to leave them in the water but if there is no action in or around the trap in 10 minutes try a different location. The areas can have current, be still, be near structures or on sand banks. If the poddies are there, thats good enough for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmoshe Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 G'day again Charmo, If you want me to upload those pics of the great flattie session...I have PM'd you my email address and you can send them to me to post up for you. I want to see that monster lizard. Cheers, Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulcha11 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Share Posted February 25, 2007 G'day Pete, Got your PM and email adress. Have sent you some of the pics of the day. Cheers again mate. We'll catch up again soon. Charmo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kabz Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 How do u hook the live poddy mullet thfrew the back or head? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulcha11 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Share Posted February 25, 2007 How do u hook the live poddy mullet thfrew the back or head? I hook them through the bottom and top lip. Just be careful not to put the hook to far back and through there head, as this seems to kill them instantly. Sometimes I'll just put the hook through there top lip as this can make them live longer. In my opinion, this way lets them swim as naturally as they can as opposed to hooking them through the back which can restrict there movement. Cheers Charmo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kabz Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 What kind of trap do u use to catch them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now