Kayaking Around Gladesville

[martymonsta]

Hi all,

Hit the water at around 5pm yesterday. Launched my Hobie Revolution at the ramp near Gladesville bridge and proceeded to troll a couple of hard bodies underneath the bridge to the mouth of Tarban Creek. A fluro shad rap deep diver on my 2-4kg outfit and a bigger deeper diver (can't remember brand) on my heavier 3-6kg flick stick.

Chopper tailor hit my lures from around 300m from the ramp and continued until the mouth of Tarban Creek. These were a pretty good size around 35-40cm and I scored around 4 of them in that time. Just past the western side of the bridge my heavier outfit got hit harder than usual and after a short but spirited fight pulled in a nice 35cm bream. While not an overly big specimen it hit the biggest lure I've ever nailed a bream on.

While trolling near the mouth of Tarban Creek it was interesting to see all the bait fish fleeing the tailor (and possibly larger predators) in the vicinity. It was amazing to hear the baitfish first erupting out of the water (like hard rain hitting the water) before seeing the water churn and even the tailor jumping out of the water in hot pursuit. One of my favourite Rapala Shad Raps got bitten clear off while on the troll (bummer ) so I reckon there were some decent tailor among them. I pulled one in with 2 long gashes down one of it's flanks. On one occasion I saw the churning water approaching my kayak at speed (love the silent approach ) but the larger fish scattered as my kayak neared (I was trolling so in hindsight I should have just cast at the approaching fish).

Was a nice calm evening on the water and pulled the pin at 7:30pm. All fish were returned (it is the Parramatta river after all) but I have a couple of questions for anyone who may know the area:

1) Would tailor (a fairly migratory and top water fish) be safe to eat (as opposed to a resident bream or muddy flatty); and

2) Apart from tailor, does anyone know of any other predatory fish in the area? (aussie salmon or possibly rat kings come to mind, I know the cobia caught there recently too)

Can't wait to hit the area again and may even use one of the choppers as live bait next time

Marty

[Jewhunter]

Well done on a nice session mate & nice pics as well. Not easy to take a good pic on your own in a yak.

I grew up fishing that area. You will get salmon there & ther are a few rat kings there as well. Onother Raider got a rat on bream gear at Cabarita a week or so ago.

That whole part of the river is also a great spot for jew. No suprise if they were munching on the tailor. Especially as you got a tailor with slashes down it's flanks.

Take a couple of 10/0's with you next time & troll one of those tailor around. Now that could get interesting!

Cheers,

Grant.

[arpie]

Well done Marty - sounds like a great time on the water!! Don't you love the stealth of it all! The bream & mullet 'boils' as you approach them & scare the living daylights out of them!! Shame about losing your nice lure - must have been a big fish!! The bloody chopper tailor have been biting the tails off my sps up here & there is too much weed floating about to use poppers & hbs! Guess I'll have to stick with blackies!!

Cheerio

Roberta

[Matt]

1) Would tailor (a fairly migratory and top water fish) be safe to eat (as opposed to a resident bream or muddy flatty); and

2) Apart from tailor, does anyone know of any other predatory fish in the area? (aussie salmon or possibly rat kings come to mind, I know the cobia caught there recently too)

Marty

Heya Marty, eventful session! Gotta love it when there is plenty of surface action.

Just some of my thoughts on your queries:

1) I don't think you would have too many issues eating a Tailor or two, they don't register on Fisheries Harbour toxin guide being migratory.

2) Well, up around Tarban you might score a few rat Kings and of course Jewies are pretty prevalent throughout the system. Wouldn't bet on Salmon up there though or Cobia, the Sambo's dont seem to like going up much further than about Goat Island. Wolf Herring also show up from time to time and can be interesting. The other culprit for the gashed Choppers (other than a Jew or maybe an XOS Flattie) would be small Sharks. Whalers range right up the river and I have seen them decimate chopper schools. One of those would be interesting on the light tackle!

Cheers

Windy

[Jamiel1000]

Hi all,

Hit the water at around 5pm yesterday. Launched my Hobie Revolution at the ramp near Gladesville bridge and proceeded to troll a couple of hard bodies underneath the bridge to the mouth of Tarban Creek. A fluro shad rap deep diver on my 2-4kg outfit and a bigger deeper diver (can't remember brand) on my heavier 3-6kg flick stick.

Chopper tailor hit my lures from around 300m from the ramp and continued until the mouth of Tarban Creek. These were a pretty good size around 35-40cm and I scored around 4 of them in that time. Just past the western side of the bridge my heavier outfit got hit harder than usual and after a short but spirited fight pulled in a nice 35cm bream. While not an overly big specimen it hit the biggest lure I've ever nailed a bream on.

While trolling near the mouth of Tarban Creek it was interesting to see all the bait fish fleeing the tailor (and possibly larger predators) in the vicinity. It was amazing to hear the baitfish first erupting out of the water (like hard rain hitting the water) before seeing the water churn and even the tailor jumping out of the water in hot pursuit. One of my favourite Rapala Shad Raps got bitten clear off while on the troll (bummer ) so I reckon there were some decent tailor among them. I pulled one in with 2 long gashes down one of it's flanks. On one occasion I saw the churning water approaching my kayak at speed (love the silent approach ) but the larger fish scattered as my kayak neared (I was trolling so in hindsight I should have just cast at the approaching fish).

Was a nice calm evening on the water and pulled the pin at 7:30pm. All fish were returned (it is the Parramatta river after all) but I have a couple of questions for anyone who may know the area:

1) Would tailor (a fairly migratory and top water fish) be safe to eat (as opposed to a resident bream or muddy flatty); and

2) Apart from tailor, does anyone know of any other predatory fish in the area? (aussie salmon or possibly rat kings come to mind, I know the cobia caught there recently too)

Can't wait to hit the area again and may even use one of the choppers as live bait next time

Marty

Hey Marty what type of lighting you running on your kayak?

I have just bought one and I am starting to deck it out with all the gear.

With the short days now I want to have a go down the LCR after work but want to hang a lite off it for saftey reasons

Any tips?

Jamie.

[martymonsta]

Hi Jamie,

Yep a good (and important question) re lighting on a kayak.

I've got a Seattle Sports HydroStar MultiStrobe Light on mine that you can attach with it's suction cup base to your kayak and I reckon it's great. See link below.

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/1036/S...robe-Light.html

You can switch it from red/green nav lights, LED strobe light that flashes on and off (very effective) or just set it to full light. You can even detach it from it's magnetic base and use it as a standard torch. Very verstatile and waterproof too. Uses 4 x AAA batteries which last for ages.

I'll PM you the details of where you can get them in Sydney.

Regards

Marty

[Jamiel1000]

Hi Jamie,

Yep a good (and important question) re lighting on a kayak.

I've got a Seattle Sports HydroStar MultiStrobe Light on mine that you can attach with it's suction cup base to your kayak and I reckon it's great. See link below.

http://www.austinkayak.com/products/1036/S...robe-Light.html

You can switch it from red/green nav lights, LED strobe light that flashes on and off (very effective) or just set it to full light. You can even detach it from it's magnetic base and use it as a standard torch. Very verstatile and waterproof too. Uses 4 x AAA batteries which last for ages.

I'll PM you the details of where you can get them in Sydney.

Regards

Marty

Thanks Marty looks great

Another question, what winter clothing do you use on the kayak

I have had a look and some gear looks bloody exspensive

Any tips

Cheers

[nargse1]

Thanks Marty looks great

Another question, what winter clothing do you use on the kayak

I have had a look and some gear looks bloody exspensive

Any tips

Cheers

i heard your loaded now with a pay rise jamie.....

[justinp]

Thanks Marty looks great

Another question, what winter clothing do you use on the kayak

I have had a look and some gear looks bloody exspensive

Any tips

Cheers

Gday Jamie, winter can be a bit of a trade off, last winter I wore the lower half of 5mm diving wetsuit, this works great espescially when u have no choice but to get wet when launching, and on top a long sleeved tshirt, however when the bib and brace section of the wettie combined with a pfd can be really bulky, combine that with heat from paddling and it can be a problem, this year I will get 3mm waist down wetsuit only, combine that with long sleeve rashy and pfd, I found that I only really got cold when the wind was up or if my feet got cold, so I wear dive boots and even extra socks when its cold, cheers Justin.

[martymonsta]

G'day Justin,

What brand 3mm wetsuit bottoms do you have. I haven't seen any 2-piece wetsuits around but that sounds like something I could use in mine.

Cheers

Marty

[dpac]

My brother and I were fishing on wednesday near where your talking about, and we couldn't beleive how many baitfish, and taylor were around..... Some very big splashes from fish too, and a few squid around also.

Edited April 4, 2008 by dpac

[justinp]

G'day Justin,

What brand 3mm wetsuit bottoms do you have. I haven't seen any 2-piece wetsuits around but that sounds like something I could use in mine.

Cheers

Marty

Gday mate, I have not got a 3mm lower suit yet, they are available, alot of water skiers and wakeboarders use them, added advantage is alot of them have bouyancy inbuilt into them.

[Jamiel1000]

Gday mate, I have not got a 3mm lower suit yet, they are available, alot of water skiers and wakeboarders use them, added advantage is alot of them have bouyancy inbuilt into them.

I will start doing some research soon on this

The mornings and evenings are starting to get cold

I was up at Lake Lyall on sunday and there where trout sising every where, the kayak would have been great to get out to them if I hac it but the water was freezing.