Yamba

[arpie]

Hi Guys

After leaving Byron Bay on Monday, I thought we should give Yamba a try - hadn't been there for 2 years & the last time, I hadn't really been into blackie fishing! Actually - I had never caught anything at Yamba before! The breakwall is a very 'non fishing friendly' variety. It is very steep & the wash on the estuary side is huge! I climbed down the beach side wall & had a flick but wasn't really confident of getting anything.

I tried the little 'groin' about 1/4 of the way along the wall - a punt was tied off the end of it & I had watched them pull in a few nice blackies. They were using cabbage, I had weed! Hmmmmm! Maybe that is why i didn't get any hits!

I had found some nice weed at Byron Bay & will be trying to keep it nice for the Social!! Time will tell!!

I tried some of the cabbage at a good looking spot on late Monday afternoon (having wasted half a day on the wall for nothing!) I had 2 fish on & both got off. They were good fish, too. No bites after that! Bummer!

Had a chat with a 'regular visitor to Yamba' & he reckoned that they were only going for cabbage, not weed & he had caught 3 whoppers (over 1 & 1/2b each) & been busted off by another. He didn't fancy my chances without a net, tho!

At 8.30am, I set off to my preferred spot (all of 2 mins from our campsite!) and toss some cabbage in, nothing. I change to a smaller float, again Nothing! Hmmmm! Try the weed - WHACK! Big fish! Pulled him over oyster covered rocks into a little pond just behind the water line & he is in the tub! Nice fat blackie. Whack! Another one! I look around - no-one is watching .... my secret is safe, for now! Into the tub. The tide is falling, exposing more rocks & less water to pull the fish into! I pull the next one out & up to my rock platform - it struggles & busts me off! Bugger! Nice fish, too. Oh well - they seem to be on the chew, so I toss in Again! Now, keep in mind that i have never caught a fish at Yamba before & this is my first effort at blackfishing there! It almost seems too easy! 9 fish later (having put back about 10 legal ones, busting off 2 & dropping about 3) I pack up to go home for a late lunch! I had been fishing 4 hrs, but the time just flew! I had the place to myself!

An old fella was watching & I gave him some of the weed & suggested he have a go using it! He didn't refuse it!! After a bite for lunch, i went back & the old fella was still there, with 2 fish - his big one had got out of his keeper bag & escaped! He was most annoyed! I fished with him for 3 mins & caught 2 fish for him & he got one more. He was happy! So was I!

I skinned & filleted the fish & gave away 8 fillets to fellow campers! They were very happy!

This morning, another old fella was fishing a float sitting right out of the water, so I helped him set his up properly - but his rod weighed a ton! It was an old game fishing rod with 30lb line on it that would pull a tree stump out! However, the float was correctly weighted & I just hope he got somethig! We had to leave before I saw him catch!

A fun couple of days & I recommend the Calypso Caravan park, right on the breakwall & marina, for accomodation. They have just installed a fantastic floating pontoon purely for the campers use! Great fish cleaning tables & of course, you can fish from it, too.

Cheers for now

Roberta

PS If we can have the fish half as hungry for the Forster Blackie Social, I'd be happy!

Edited May 16, 2007 by Roberta

[robeebee]

what a catch !

great work

it's so much fun when the fish are on and everything goes right

[Penguin]

Theres some descent size fish there Roberta,

and good on you for assisting some fellow fishos

penguin

[labrador]

That's what I called a nice bag of blackies, well done Roberta, and sharing your weeds with other fisho, that's really great.

Scout

PS. Sorry can't make it on social, the family has got something line up for me, my big day. Maybe next time.

[mrmoshe]

Excellent bag of blackies there Roberta....Good on you for helping out the newbies too.

Those blackies are a nice size and must have given a good account of themselves.

I'm still a 50/50 chance of making it to Forster for the social....Hope I can make it.

It all depends on health nearer to the date to make a final call.

You must be busting at the seams the closer it gets.

Cheers,

Pete.

[Ross Hunter]

Rebecca,

That's great fishing .I have sprent much of my mispent youth fishing that very wall at Yamba . In those days I chased the mulloway and never blackfished. I have caught some beaut. bream and jewfish of herculean size from that groin you talk about and have some wonderful memories of Yamba .

Well done a great catch of big fat blackfish.

I am heading off to Jyndabine the week for a bit of fly fishing just before the Forster outing so may not be able to make it.

I suppose a bloke should get out and earn a quid sometimes, so good luck for the weekend and I will look forward to the reports. We do have our annual blokes week away at Dunbogan every year and all I do is blackfish, maybe we could have a days fishing then, that would be great. I have my rod on the car and heading off for the river as we speak They have been biting pretty good in the Georges but none like those gems you caught, well done

Ross Hunter

Geez! Rebecca you won't want to talk to me if I don't know your name. Sorry about that Roberta.

[sneddo]

Great fish Roberta...

Sneddo

[galvin]

good stuff mate! thats some top weed, top weed to go with top blackies! can't wait to get into them..

cheers livebait!!

Edited May 17, 2007 by live bait!!

[arpie]

Hi guys

I will be busy tomorrow - gotta wash out all the weed & put it between hessian in a cool area as I have too much to fit in the fridge!!!

Oh dear! Life is so hard ........ as if ....

Scout - if you ever get up here, give me a yahoo - love showing anyone my backyard!

Pete - I truly would like you to be able to make the social, that sign area is looking good - that is where I caught today! - otherwise, check out what I said to Scout!! It is getting exciting - just hope the weed lasts .... may need some of your 'special stash!'

Ross Hunter - why don't you come on up for the social!!?? Or at least spend a night or two on the way back from Dunbogan - ours will leave theirs for dead! I forgive you about my name - I even answer to 'Hey You!'

or "Lady with the funny hat!"

Cheers for now

Roberta

[mrmoshe]

Hi guys

Pete - I truly would like you to be able to make the social, that sign area is looking good - that is where I caught today! - otherwise, check out what I said to Scout!! It is getting exciting - just hope the weed lasts .... may need some of your 'special stash!'

Roberta

Hi Roberta,

I'll be trying my damdest to get there for the social but still can't commit to it 100% yet.

I have arranged with Stewy to take up a load of good weed from my local spot , even if I don't make it,

so it should get enough to get everyone through. I'll do a harvest the day before the social and either bring it up myself or arrange for it to be delivered by Stewy.

Yes, that "sign" spot looks the goods and glad you nailed a few there to prove it's productive..

The local blackies must quivver when they see you approach now..like the blackie grim reaper

Keep up the great reports.

Cheers,

Pete

[arpie]

....I have arranged with Stewy to take up a load of good weed from my local spot ....

Pete, You are a true legend!! Everyone will be very blessed to have such good weed available! Any special tips for dealing with what I already have to keep it at its best, if possible (apart from 'use it!!!')

Fingers crossed (& toes) that all will go well & you are able to attend!

Cheers

Roberta

[mrmoshe]

....I have arranged with Stewy to take up a load of good weed from my local spot ....

Pete, You are a true legend!! Everyone will be very blessed to have such good weed available! Any special tips for dealing with what I already have to keep it at its best, if possible (apart from 'use it!!!')

Fingers crossed (& toes) that all will go well & you are able to attend!

Cheers

Roberta

If I harvest it the day before the social..I might just keep it in a bucket with a tight lid on it filled with local water from where it was harvested and it should still be in pristine condition...unless you have a better method???

I don't want to over handle it and make it unuseable, but if you have a sure fire method of preserving it in

perfect condition..let me know.

Cheers,

Pete.

[roosterman]

If I harvest it the day before the social..I might just keep it in a bucket with a tight lid on it filled with local water from where it was harvested and it should still be in pristine condition...unless you have a better method???

I don't want to over handle it and make it unuseable, but if you have a sure fire method of preserving it in

perfect condition..let me know.

Cheers,

Pete.

Great catch of blackfish Roberta .. lets hope we get some like that at the social......

hi Pete, i usually squeeze out excess water from weed and layer out in damp newspaper or hessian bag..it will keep for a week if kept cool and no critters and bugs die in it,this what i think tends to make it smelly and go off quicker...keeping it in a bucket of local water would prob be good also,long bloody walk with heavy bucket if from that spot you put me onto though. i will also be getting some if i get a chance the wednesday arvo before i head up thursday... cheers......steve....

[mako1]

Nice bag of blackies.

Good sized fish too.

Well done

[Markwi]

Roberta they are nice blackies, Yamba is a great spot, dont forget the Illuka side as well, it well worth it.

[arpie]

Hi Steve & Pete

I was speaking to a top fisher at Yamba & he nearly fell over when I said I squeezed then teased the weed before laying it on a towel & rolled it up (as some do with newspaper!)

He said:

NEVER SQUEEZE THE WEED! SLING IT 'THINLY' OVER A BROOMSTICK HANDLE & ALLOW THE WATER TO DRAIN OFF NATURALLY, OUT OF THE SUN & IN A COOL PLACE. It will dry fairly well & stay fluffy - don't let it over dry! Rolling it will compress it.

After getting all of this, I can understand why they tell you to only get what you need for one session! If all else fails, we should have plenty for burley!!!

Another bloke today said:

Every 3 days, take it to the waters edge & rinse it well. Lightly squeeze it (no twisting) and lay it thinly on a layer of wet/damp hessian that is in one of those broccoli/chill boxes. Place another bit of damp hessian over it & do that to a maximum of 3 layers. Start with another box & hessian. He wants half a bucket of it!

I don't have enough hessian!! Don't see it around any more. I will use towells instead ... fairly similar. ALso don't have lots of broccoli boxes, but the neighbour may have!

Fingers crossed - otherwise, your weed sounds great, Pete! The water could well make it too heavy to handle ....wouldn't want it to spill en route!! I know how heavy the stuff was as I carried 2 shopping bags of it at a time back to camp after I had already squeezed it! 3 days of that & I had 10 kilos+ of it (a bit less now with drying!) (All the while I was expecting some greenie to jump out from behind a bush demanding to know what I was doing & put it back?? I had it all worked out - good chook food! Natural iodine to keep the eggs coming! I reckon they would have bought it, but no-one asked!!)

Hi Whitecaps - never fished Iluka yet! Only got interested in the blackies in the last 18 months! Will add it to my list!

Cheers

Roberta

[mrmoshe]

Steve & Roberta.

I'll give those methods mentioned a try as I think Steve is right..the bucket of water method will be a problem

as the spot I get it from is quite a walk with a heavy bucket and spillage on the way up might be problematic.

I'll try and source some hessian from somewhere,( like Spotlight) if not..use newspaper and layer it.

Either way, there should be plenty for everyone, even if it ends up just for burley.

Hope the local Forster blackies like "imported" weed....maybe it'll be like for us humans who get a taste for

chinese and italian tucker.

Cheers,

Pete.

[arpie]

Pete

MY GOD!! I have just spent 1 & 1/2hrs rinsing & squeezing the weed & layering no more than 3 layers in tubs, in the rain! Bloody hell! My fingers look like prunes!! Some will definitely make good burley - it came out looking like rasta dreadlocks - not a good sign!! That stuff went into the 'burley pile' immediately! Rinsed that stuff as well, for good luck! Even if it does go off, we will have plenty for burley, that is for sure!! Shame I don't have a biiiiig freezer!

I was surprised how 'warm' some of it had become on the inside of the rolls - a bit like hay bales, I guess! The local water sure cooled it down & will do it again on Monday!

Horrible weather today - bucketting with rain & huge winds. Have buddies up with kayaks, so tried it this morning - only saw a toad! Found a huge dead, floating leatherjacket, tho! What a waste!

Either way, Pete, with it being used the next day, it's state should not be an issue! Mine had been collected last weekend & only looked at the first time, today!! Ooooops! Looked great when put back in the water!

Cheers for now

Roberta

[Flattieman]

Now that's a good bag of blackies. Roberta! Considering that you threw ten back aswell... Wow! Well done!

Flattieman.

[roosterman]

"NEVER SQUEEZE THE WEED! SLING IT 'THINLY' OVER A BROOMSTICK HANDLE & ALLOW THE WATER TO DRAIN OFF NATURALLY, OUT OF THE SUN & IN A COOL PLACE. It will dry fairly well & stay fluffy - don't let it over dry! Rolling it will compress it."

hi Roberta,

i agree with not squeezing the weed but i am a bit impatient so lightly squeeze excess water out and lay out on newspaper and lightly roll or fold over.. heavily squeezing will break the cell structure of the weed and if used straight away its not much of a problem [not ideal though] but as time goes on its not good.. i have used week old weed using this method and found it ok but mostly only use within a couple days..

"fresh is best and live is better" is what was taught to me as a kid.... i digress...

i am very keen to see how your experiments work out as time is difficult now for me so any weed keeping tactics that keep it longer will be great.....

i like the one with the broccoli box, you may be able to get hessian from local green grocer.. pete if you need some foam boxes i saw plenty down mona vale big fruit /veg place on darly rd when i was getting scrap bunny food...

foam is hard to get rid of so they will more than likely give as much as you can take.......

anyway keep us up to date with weed strategies Roberta as i am sure lots of raiders will learn lots from your experiments.. you seem to be very thorough.. ... steve.....