Rock Fishing Report Xmas 2007

[kingiemaster]

Have been doing a bit of blackie fishing off the rocks over the xmas/new year break at Old Mans Hat. Nor easters have meant calm conditions at inner Northhead so the Blackies have proved to be fickle and the average size is down at 30cm from the previous months sessions of 35-40cm models. Sorry no pics, not worthy.

There are lot of decent sized bream around at the moment but you have to get the baits past the pickers to get em so I haven’t bothered with them much.

In between the blackies I have been getting absolutely smashed by some big fish. The last one nearly pulled me in on close to full drag before busting off.

For years I just assumed that similar bust offs were drummer.

But having more recenlty,

a) caught a PB drummer of 53cm on the same gear at the same spot without too much effort and

witnessed the power of a 60 cm Surgeon fish caught on serious Kingie gear by another Raider member last year from a boat,

I am beginning to suspect that these fish a surgeons.

Whilst my PB drummer was a tough battle I don’t think it had the outright speed and power that these mystery bust off fish have. That said I was fishing next to a bloke last session who had just got cleaned up by one of these fish calling it for a drummer. I put my case forward for a surgeon and he said he saw someone bring in a 65cm drummer recently. So maybe that extra 10 cm or so in length could equate to an extra couple of kilos of muscle that can bury you on blackfish gear.

Has anyone dived around north head and seen surgeon fish?

Anyway I am determined to catch whatever they are and will use my 20lb braid drummer outfit exclusively over the coming weeks to see if I can put the brakes on one. Stayed tuned.

[Kiwi Dan]

good read mate, cant wait to see the results

[Piss'n'Broke]

Hey kingiemaster

Never caught a drummer before in my life so I couldnt tell u anything about them. BUT as for surgeons your hookups and bustoffs perhaps "might" be a surgeon. A year back a few mates of ours were diving off blue fish point, and they saw a few surgeons. So considering this entirely possible your are hookin up to a few and being done.

Good luck getting one off the stones, as they are filthy fighters and usually when they strike you have seconds to stop them as quite often they have usually already sized up your bait and are heading towards their quickest escape option

Hope you get some. And you dont necessecarily have to fish heavy for them, Ive witnessed guys landing them on 6, and 8LB but keep in mind this is NOT a good idea. And results in a huge amount of bustoffs!!!

Dan

Edited January 2, 2008 by Dan and Greg