Help Save A Fisherman!

[Kit]

Hi Raiders,

I've posted this on another forum as well, so you may read this somewhere else too.

I'm not quite sure if this is a Dummy spit or a cry for help....but one thing it is, it's my last ditched attempt as I am seriously thinking about giving the game away... I've wasted far too much time doing what I so call "love"

Chasing Jewfish land based around Sydney is what I'm refering to.

Over the past 8 years, I've consistently been fishing weekends from the Sydney wharves.

I've fished Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, Parramatta river, cooks river...

I've used live yellowtail, dead yellowtail, filleted yellowtail, butterflied yellowtail.

I've used dead tailor, tailor fillets, butterflied tailor.

I've used live squid, dead squid, squid strips, expensive bought squid

I've fished in summer, winter, autumn and spring

I've fished afternoons, evenings, night, right through till the wee hours of the morning

I've fished the full moon, the new moon and everything in between.

I've fished the run in, run out, top and bottom of the tides

I've fished with no drag, medium drag and full drag.

I've fished with braid, I've fished with mono

I've fished with single hook rigs, I've fished with two hook rigs.

ARGHHHH!

My gear consists of 12ft beach rods, Shimano Baitrunners, 30lb braid or 30lb mono. 30lb leader, running snapper sinkers, Chemical sharpened hooks.

I'm constantly gathering as much info as I can and trying things that have worked for others...

the end result from my 8 years of (almost) sustained effort? zip, zilch, zero jew... not even an undersized one!

plenty of people have told me they've caught "heaps". But after all this time, I've only ever witnessed 1 being caught land based... for a while there, I thought it was all a myth, and they didn't really exist!!

I know those that catch them consistently land based don't like sharing their secrets.. But I'm desperate... I don't know what else to try now.

Any advice that anyone can give will be greatly appreciated.. Please remember, I am land based.. and if any secrets are shared, I promise they will remain secrets..

Can anyone save this fisherman??

Thanks guys

Chris

[Littledinghy]

Sorry about the disappointment Chris, but really what you're lacking in there is "luck" and I think if you give up now that luck will not come. And I also think that one fish shouldn't discourage you, because other fish can give as much enjoyment as your beloved jewfish.

Littledinghy

[Dreamtime]

Hi Raiders,

Any advice that anyone can give will be greatly appreciated.. Please remember, I am land based.. and if any secrets are shared, I promise they will remain secrets..

Can anyone save this fisherman??

Thanks guys

Chris

Have you thought about hiring a boat just to satisfy your desperation for the taste of 1 jew?

[Davemmm]

There is a certain Jewfishing specialist on this site who takes out members from time to time.

I'm sure if you ask nicely he will impart some wisdom on you and maybe even offer a trip.

Dave

[inhlanzi]

Hey Kit

The first rule of Jewfishing is NEVER GIVE UP.

I promise you when you least expect it most that rod of yours will buckle and that baitrunner will start screaming.

This season I have targeted Jewfish and Kings in Sydney and the ratio is about 20 kings to one jewfish, and that is from a boat.

I do think you are at a disadvantage by not being in a boat.

You are setting yourself a very tough task by being landbased.

There are two ways to Jewfish in my opinion. Wait for them or hunt them down.

If you wait for them pick a spot that produces and fish all the tides and all the baits. You will learn a lot like this and you may be surprised by what else you catch.

Also I think it is very important to target a "size" jewfish ie under 50cm, under 70cm, under 90cm, under 110cm, under 130cm etc

Each size needs a different tactic.

Remember never give up!

cheers

inhlanzi

[zen801]

I hear that jews are being taken on the Northern Beaches ATM.

Last night was perfect.

I am going to try Long reef tonight.

Beach is the best option to try for jews land based.

The next few nights several will be taken along Narrabeen Long Reef and up to Dee Why.

These are consistent spots. I have caught them , mates have and strangers standing next to me.

I remember one night last year and we were in a good spot when a local well known identity rocked up next to us. We had a quick chat then he moved down the beach about 100m.

15 mins later we hear the sound of victory. He pulled in a jew on a live yakka.

We didnt get a jew that night but mate they are there.

I probably wont get one tonight but at least i will be in with a chance.

1. I will be out there.

2. They are being caught there.

3. Tide and timing excellent.

Mike. (desperate to get one over 10kg)

[Kit]

I hear that jews are being taken on the Northern Beaches ATM.

Last night was perfect.

I am going to try Long reef tonight.

Beach is the best option to try for jews land based.

The next few nights several will be taken along Narrabeen Long Reef and up to Dee Why.

These are consistent spots. I have caught them , mates have and strangers standing next to me.

I remember one night last year and we were in a good spot when a local well known identity rocked up next to us. We had a quick chat then he moved down the beach about 100m.

15 mins later we hear the sound of victory. He pulled in a jew on a live yakka.

We didnt get a jew that night but mate they are there.

I probably wont get one tonight but at least i will be in with a chance.

1. I will be out there.

2. They are being caught there.

3. Tide and timing excellent.

Mike. (desperate to get one over 10kg)

Thanks for the replies guys.

As I said in reply to Byron's post, its just seems like a futile exercise to me... 8 years is a long time... I've put in ALOT of hours.

I think my main problem is that I'm fishing the wrong spots.

I fish spots that have supposingly produced in the past, but as I also said, I've only ever seen 1 school jew ever being caught at these spots (and at 3kg, it wasn't very big either).

Let us know how you go Zenman... I don't have any beach fishing experience though.

In terms of bait, I always use a live yakka (or a fresh caught dead yakka filleted or butterflied), and squid on the other rod.. Squid has been very hard to come by lately, so I've been buying the best ones I can, sometimes up to $30/kg, and they are so fresh the flesh is still clear..

funny thing is.. I've never had any runs on the squid.. all the runs I've had have been on the yakkas.

I've "threatened" to retire before, but I never actually did... I've been fishing since I was a kid and don't think I could ever give it up... but this is really starting to p!ss me off!

[humesy]

I think my main problem is that I'm fishing the wrong spots.

Hi mate,

I think this is the most likely explanation. I went through a similar build-up to my first jewie capture. In retrospect, I was flogging spots that would only see jewies come by occasionally. Try to squeeze as much info as you can out of whoever you can. You will probably be able to recognise the real fisherman from the story tellers so when you do, get chatting. Do the same at tackle stores. If they see your face coming back, they will probably want to help you out because when (not if) you do catch your first, you will be hooked on the whole caper and will be going back for more gear, (even when you know you shouldn't!).

I finally caught my first (and then my second 20 minutes later) after 1 1/2 years, suddenly having remembered where my older mates had caught them when we were kids. I knew that jewies inhabited the area and I also got a bit lucky by going there at the right time of year. Your baits and rigs sound fine.

Best of luck

[Kit]

I think my main problem is that I'm fishing the wrong spots.

Hi mate,

I think this is the most likely explanation. I went through a similar build-up to my first jewie capture. In retrospect, I was flogging spots that would only see jewies come by occasionally. Try to squeeze as much info as you can out of whoever you can. You will probably be able to recognise the real fisherman from the story tellers so when you do, get chatting. Do the same at tackle stores. If they see your face coming back, they will probably want to help you out because when (not if) you do catch your first, you will be hooked on the whole caper and will be going back for more gear, (even when you know you shouldn't!).

I finally caught my first (and then my second 20 minutes later) after 1 1/2 years, suddenly having remembered where my older mates had caught them when we were kids. I knew that jewies inhabited the area and I also got a bit lucky by going there at the right time of year. Your baits and rigs sound fine.

Best of luck

Yep... previously on another site, someone sent me a PM saying that I should focus on fishing the Jewie Food Courts rather than the transit lanes. Except.... I simply don't know where these food courts may be.

Its hard getting information from people; and if I'm fishing the (wrong) spots all the time, then I'm unlikely to run into gun fishos...

I think its time I whipped out the UBD and try to sus out some spots myself...

[jewgaffer]

......someone sent me a PM saying that I should focus on fishing the Jewie Food Courts rather than the transit lanes. Except.... I simply don't know where these food courts may be.

Drive in Food Courts are located at the Sydney side of the Rail Bridge which opens at the start of the run in and closes at the top of the tide and the opposition, on the same side of the Road Bridge is only open for a couple of hours as the tide starts to run out. There's no eat in only takeaway with a catfish entre , while snags and oysters are optional.

Kit I hope this is of some help and I'm not like the others old mate you don't have to ride a single wheel with a seat and no pedals or brakes and free wheel over a cliff to get there before your rods hit the rocks.

Cheers

Jewgaffer

Edited May 7, 2008 by jewgaffer

[Guest]

Get your butt onto the beaches Kit and use some "come here gear " with fresh bait or live ones and fish around the high tide on the dark and full moons.

Look for a gutter in the light and then hit them just before dusk and be patient ,fish will come if you use the right bait and follow these times.

Big tides and high around 8 pm is what you should be looking for.

Now is the time to target the Jews from the sand as the mullet have run and the big boys are waiting for a feed.

Cheers Stewy

Come Here Gear = 30 lb braid...... 60 lb trace ,2x 10/0 s and a heavy stick that will handle the first run and can cast a big bait 50 metres.

Overhead or threadline with a capacity of at least 300 mtres

That will get you into the action sooner than later

[Kit]

Ok, I've taken what you guys have said on board.

A couple of people have PM'd me too, so hopefully soon with the advice given I can finally land the 1st one!

Thanks for the help everyone, and if anyone has anymore to add, please do!