Adz Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Yeah baby!! Let's get STRAIGHT to the business end... Threw the boat in the Nerang River QLD, and the line soon followed Half hour in one area, with nothing to show for it. Time for another spot. Cruised downstream and chose a spot under a bridge. Shelter = Yep Sunset = yep - and looks good too! outgoing tide = yep mangroves = yep bait fish = yep Three casts later and ... WHACKO !! Fish on! Straight up and it's a 36cm sand flathead (legal here is 30cm) The boat was drifting (still no electric motor) and hurried to flick the soft plastic bait into the same area. Shortly after I round the boat for another pass. This time, a 39cm dusky flathead (legal is 40cm ) reaches the boat (see below). 20 minutes and two drift passes later and my final effort from the sand bank is a measely 28cm sand flattie. With only a half hour more of 'leave' provided by the minister for war and finances I saw a sign which had the words "Danger: rock shoals" which I read to mean "Opportunity: fish structure" Second cast and BAM!! Zing and WOW. Please know, that as a person who's only just started fishing for the first time in recent months, that sound was THE experience !!! Yeah baby It's been a LONG few months. Standing by my belief that SP's are the way. So the final tally was Fish 0 : Adz 4 Dusky flathead 39cm (40 is legal) Sand flathead 36cm (30 is legal - yeah baby) Sand flathead 28 cm (again, 30 is legal) Bream 25cm (23 is legal here in QLD) So, at the end of the day, my family doesn't like to eat bream, and a single 36cm sand flattie was all that would make the 'hit list' on the menu ... so, back they all went, into the water - to fatten up for next time. Tell you what though. I felt 10 feet tall and bulletproof releasing four (4) good sized fish, right under the noses of a whole bunch of people back at the ramp!! Here's a picture of my bucket full of goodies. My BEST day yet! Adz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefa Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Good stuff mate, looks like you are hooked for life, are you sure they are sand flatties as they are normally alot lighter in color than in the pic all the same top effort Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 You have GOT to keep these reports coming Adz! Your enthusiasm and interpretation of fishing conditions is priceless, and makes for a bloody great read. Keep at 'em mate. Great stuff! Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussie big bob Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 ADZ Great post there mate and i see the fish where not complaining either as they all went back . Hope to see more of your post here on raiders, and ones with when you take a feed for the family as well. cheers bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adz Posted May 12, 2008 Author Share Posted May 12, 2008 ... are you sure they are sand flatties as they are normally alot lighter in color than in the pic all the same top effort Oh Anyone else help?? Reefa bust my bubble . It's OK dude, I'm still chuffed for pulling in four fish in one session. But I would like to know if they're sandies or duskies, don't want to be taking home undersized fish, AND, would like to improve my fish recognition skills. Cheers for pointing it out reefa Adz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Soprano Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Good report mate! It's hard to be certain from the pic but I'd call them for duskies... Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 12, 2008 Share Posted May 12, 2008 Here are the species you are looking at. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recrea...alus-arenarius) http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fisheries/recrea.../dusky-flathead From Fisheries. SIZE LIMITS ARE DIFFERENT IN QLD Flathead Bar-tailed 30 min No limit Dusky (mud) 40 min 70 max 5 Sand 30 min No limit Cheers Stewy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shefford Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Wow sounds like you had a fun time ! Might have to give soft plastics a go sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james1990 Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Good stuff mate...sorry i didn't get back to ya about friday arvo. Will be organising a offshore trip in a few weeks will pm ya and organise where to meet up etc. cheers james Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendong Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Well done ADZ....I can see a 75cm lizard is only just around the corner. I agree with your release theory too....my system is, if I'm not eating it that night, it ain't coming home with me. Anyway pictures and memories last a life time, yet the goodness of a stonka flaty or breambo 'passes' in a matter of days!!! As Hodgey said, your reports are infectious...keep 'em up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 Well done ADZ....I can see a 75cm lizard is only just around the corner. I agree with your release theory too....my system is, if I'm not eating it that night, it ain't coming home with me. Anyway pictures and memories last a life time, yet the goodness of a stonka flaty or breambo 'passes' in a matter of days!!! As Hodgey said, your reports are infectious...keep 'em up. Adz can only catch DUSKY flatties to 70 cm max as he is based in QLD Cheers Stewy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAfisho Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 (edited) Adz can only catch DUSKY flatties to 70 cm max as he is based in QLD Cheers Stewy So they don't get bigger than 70cm up there? Good on you for releasing the bream. One or two flatties is enough for a feed and I don't like freezing fish, the upside is that you have an excuse to go catch some more! I, as with you, don't like keeping bream at all. They always go back. Also, I'm not sure in Qld but in NSW it is illegal to have undersize fish in your possession, that means that any undersize fish must be returned immediately. If you're caught with undersized fish, dead or alive, fisheries will ping you. As you said two of those flathead are undersize. Just a friendly tip, you may want to invest in a battery powered air pump for your make shift live well, it will ensure that the fish have a higher survival rate. Tape it to the bucket and a decent one will only set you back around $40. (cheaper ones have a nasty habit of not being able to pump the air at a consistent rate) Edited May 13, 2008 by SAfisho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shefford Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 I think the limits there to ensure we dont take the grand parents, the main breeders of flatheads. Correct me if im wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adz Posted May 14, 2008 Author Share Posted May 14, 2008 Just a friendly tip, you may want to invest in a battery powered air pump for your make shift live well, it will ensure that the fish have a higher survival rate. Tape it to the bucket and a decent one will only set you back around $40. (cheaper ones have a nasty habit of not being able to pump the air at a consistent rate) Mate, well with you on that one. I've done just that. Took it out coz all the bubbles won't let me take photos with my crummy phone camera. Good advice though. Cheers. As for you other raiders, THANKS for all your comments and support. All the replies give me a HUGE kick and makes writing the report a real cracker! Back soon with 70cm flattie picks ... Adz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christos Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 You will have good days and then you will have not so good days. Fishing is a wonderful experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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