Tuross Trio

[soft-on]

Hey Folks

After some time of reading Hodgeys post about the super estuary system he and Dene call home I had a feeling of religious zeal to one day ride shotgun with the Poppering pro's.

On Saturday morning I made the long drive from Wollongong to Tuross Head. Hodgey had given me a meeting time of 8:30am but I was a little late but the boys waited for me so it was all good.

We launched at 9am and headed for a well known spot that the boys like that has been producing some good winter lizards in the last month. After a few cast the boys had some fish on the board. So far I had none. The weather on Saturday was awsome we couldn't have asked for a better day, a small breeze to aid our drifts would have been nice but all the same they air was crisp and the sun was warm. Everything was quiet on the water until Dene comes up tight on a fish, after a few seconds she woke up and ZZzZZZZzzz she was off. After a few good runs and shakes Dene landed a nice specimen of 65cm. In between the thousand casts I laid out the boys had already got ahead of me with a few each on the board.

We moved on to some more famous flattie water and it was now being very positive that I was going to land some fish. After a few drops Dene had two more fish on the board and I just kept hooking tailor! We spent some time drifting and the spots did produce fish but Dene & Hodgey were adamant that it wasn't the estuaries full "Winter" Potential.

It was interesting to see some adaptations that Dene and Hodgey had for their winter fishing. Its wasn't Dene's croc shoe's with socks either .In winter flatties just like people are allot more lazy than summer, they are still able to be caught but Dene & Hodgey use a very finesse and patient techniques which Involves working the lure slower, they were still being erratic to make it rise and drop but when it came to the retrieve to make the lure move it was a gentle operation. The flatties were only just holding the lure in their lips which meant one wrong move and no fish!

I was cocky with my Atomic prongs and I know flatties can resist but the boys were kicking my conceited ass with their gulp mullets i felt like Greg Norman with a bent club!

The Scented lures were the ones working and it didn't make the flatties scoff them down but it helped them hold on long enough in their mouth to get a solid hook up, but the net was constantly at hand because they were all very neatly hooked about 2mm from the edge of the lip!

So a careful approach to hooking up was always taken.

We moved on to another spot closer to the sand bar to do some drifts. It wasn't long before the boys landed a few more fish of average size; all the flatties landed were broad and fat. Finally after much anticipation I was on, we called it for a Bream due to the hard time it was giving me and once sighted we realised it was a nice silver Trevally, I caught it n the atomic prong in Caroline pumpkin seed with a little bit of scented cream ultra bite. I then tied on a TT Blade in gold, and boom

A fish was hooked and started screaming off after a few moments a nice flattie was near the boat it won its freedom before it was landed but the boys said 50cm+.Dene came to the party of me landing a fish with a

nice Bream on gulp which was landed and released; it was a great effort because the lure was a lot bigger than the size you would target bream on.

Saturdays count was Dene 10, Hodgey 8 and myself 3 plus A Trevally, Tailor, Trumpeter.

Sunday was a little different with a forecast of high winds and a spot of rain, well up until the late afternoon the weather held in there and we were blessed with some great fish and a more productive day than Saturday with the two famous spots fish first and some nice fish landed. We moved once again closer to the sand bar where a lot of drifts were done with some more great fish landed, we named it Cams-corner and Dene's was very empathetic in continuing on drifting as I was on fire and catching fish. Hodgey and I were on fire with our Lime tiger 4" minnow and I was soon catching up with 5 fish under my belt.

Hodgey did this awesome cast right onto the edge of the weed and sand and then tug tug boom!!!

This was the hardest fighting flattie I had ever seen. It was running as fast as a ray and shaking like a snapper. Dene jumped in the driver's seat to help Hodgey in the fight of the season. After some time looking at the bottom for the fish she gave in and come to the surface. One big broad lady with shoulders like Giann Rooney she was a beast of the River. Dene attempted to net her but she wouldn't fit, she did finally fit the net and Dene's one handed attempt to lift the net turned into a two handed net lift it wasn't old age either its because this fish was bloody heavy

After some sweating Hodgey ripped off the big jacket and quick measure and photo were done before she was placed back in the water and swam off like she had done it a thousand times.

A great day it was and after that Dene thought he would join the gulp minnow party but retired early and very thoughtfully piloted the boat in the strong wind that was making our drift very quick. Thanks to Dene's driving over the flattie spot my count for the day ended in 6. Hodgey was well ahead of both of us with 16 and Dene probably would have a few more if he didn't help me but ended the day six short of Sir Hodgey with 10.

It was a top weekend and can't wait to fish with the guys again and even though I fell short of fish against them it was great just to spend time with two very humorous and talented top raiders!

Thanks again guys

Cam

Edited July 21, 2008 by soft-on

[Hodgey]

Good report Cam

It was good to get onto some fish while you visited. We had a great time also and look forward to your next visit. Hopefully you will get onto a few more fish next trip ... but on surface lures

Hodgey

[arpie]

Wooohooo! Great report, Cam. Good on you for making the effort to get down there & fish with Dene & Hodgey. I plan on doing the same in Oct - so hope there are some fish still in the system! Surface luring, too.

What a terrific session, Cam, with terrific blokes! Not everyone will show you their 'special' spots & get you onto good fish! I bet you get into lots more fish after the lessons learnt that day!

Bet you go down again ...... soon!!!

Cheerio

Roberta

Edited July 21, 2008 by Roberta

[Squizy]

Great report Cam

I bet you had a ball with those two old buggers.

Great fishermen and top blokes to boot.

[double pluggers]

Nice fat fish guys well done. That place is almost as pretty as the cooks river

[slinkymalinky]

Fantastic read Cam. Sounds like you had a couple of magic days. I think that Hodgey's been fishing that water so much he knows all the flatties by name which is why they're so cooperative. Wish I had half his talent in estuaries for finding great fish of which to post pics. Glad he let you catch a few too.

Cheers, Slinky

[Jake]

That was a sic report Cam.

That big flattie is so chunky, it's as wide as it is long!!! What did it measure????

[rippinlips]

cam

it is a great fishing spot..the wifes olds had an empty place up their for a few years..should of bought it!!

i got so many flatties on fly (and my first) i had a tear in my eye when they sold the house....i still remember having to lipgrip an 80cm model as i was wading and the net was too far away...never again..finger was destroyed but got some great pics.

after your report i think i might sort out a trip back down there soon!!!

cheers

rippinlips.

[brendong]

Great report Cam!!!

Don't those fella's know that river system down there....

I'd kill for consistency like they have in my back yard.

I'm headng down in November and can't wait to give the flat's and breambo's a nudge....