arpie Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Hi guys As Wendy had never prawned before (I seem to be the one to introduce her to new things ...... kayaking, sps and now prawning .....) we headed to the lake last night to have a go! With daylight saving it is virtually 3hrs behind Fort Denison tide times, so we had to wait till after 10.30pm before we even saw any prawns & it was only after Midnight that there was sufficient flow in the channel & they started 'running'! We waded the flats at first (crossed the channel in the yaks) & with waders on, started hunting for those pesky prawns! One by one, we added to my floating holey bucket (in half a boogie board that was tied to Wendy's waist) & it followed us along as wandered the flats! At one stage, I trod on something that wiggled & gave me a bit fright! More a flattie, I think! Spooked a couple of other flatties (waiting for the prawns too, I reckon) & saw myriads of small fish flicking around in the light from our headlamps. We then hopped back into the yaks (a bit tricky with waders on) ...... but in some of the lakes, you have to be careful of 'pelican itch' so it is better to wear them, than not! Paddling across the channel again, we tied off to one of the boat sheds, down stream of about 4 boats & started scooping the prawns that the boats missed. Wendy just loved it! She was keen to stay there, so I went further downstream & started scooping there, but without the bucket, was just leaving the prawns & weed in the net. This made it a bit cumbersome after a while, so I returned to Wendy's spot & stayed there till we left. It was now 2.30am & we headed to the Jetty where you can actually scoop them quite easily 'on land' & showed Wendy the prime possie ....... for our next outing. I reckon late Nov/Dec/Jan will see the channel dotted with boats, so yakking would be a bit dangerous as they don't always observe the 4k sign either! All up we got about 1kg of prawns, mainly schoolies. We had a lot of fun & were both surprised that we were still bright eyed & bushy tailed at 3am in the morning!! Different story this morning tho! Didn't get up till about 10.30am!! It took a while to fall asleep last night, reliving our fun evening!! Off to Port Macquarie tomorrow to drop Wendy's boat off to it's new owner & check out the caravan that she is buying!! We'll take our rods with us to do some blackie fishing too ..... and maybe some prawns! Cheerio Roberta If you've never tried prawning - give it a go - the kids especially would love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suttonscurse Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) Hi Roberta another excellent and fun report. I am also pleased that Wendy has sold her boat so quickly. _it looked to be a very nice and well looked after unit. regards Bill Edited October 29, 2008 by Suttons Curse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braidbuster Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Thanks Roberta,you always put up great posts & fun tn read & filled with useful & informative info. If you want to try Blackie ,Bream or Surgeon fishing in Sydney Harbour pm me and I will be happy to give you the 'latest mail' ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I'd never be allowed to go prawning. It's way past my bed time. Sounds like you and Wendy had a fun night. What on earth is pelican itch? Sounds nasty. Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Ooooh, thanks for that Braidbuster!! I often stay with my StepMum at Wollstonecraft & get itchy feet being so close to the water without my yak ...... may have to take you up on that one day! :) Hi Slinky Pelican Itch is a tiny bug (like sea lice) that is blamed on pelicans & their droppings. In enclosed waters especially, it sort of sits 'on top' of the water & when you go wading to scoop prawns, the lice attach themselves to your body. A painful rash results (especially as it is often in the groin area ) Very red raw & nasty, as you can't stop scratching. You basically get a 'line' of them at your 'high tide mark', not all over - usually the part of the body that is on the waterline! Calamine lotion & other pain relievers may assist! Cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I have this rather humorous vision of you in waders trying to get back into your yak, Roberta Pelican Itch is the common name given to a skin irritation caused by the marine parasite Bilharzia (Austrobilharzia terrigalensis). The parasite occurs from Fraser Island in Queensland to the Victorian border and is common in Narrabeen Lagoon in the summer months when the water temperature exceeds 24 degrees Celsius. This irritation occurs down here, but it is quite localised. It is particularly prevalent in Lavender Bay, which is the foreshore area beside the boat ramp. Ironically, this area is always inhabited by large numbers of pelicans. Well done on the prawns Roberta. We are pleased to see that they are running down here at the moment as well Cheers Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigtempo Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Hi roberta with your fish expertise and you fishing expirience you really should consider writing a book .i reakon it would be a fantastic and informative read . The only downside i guess would be that it would probably take you away from some fishing time . cheers craig Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennmreid Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Good repoert Roberta. Prawning sounds like so much fun. Nothing like fresh prawns, yum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I have this rather humorous vision of you in waders trying to get back into your yak, Roberta Pelican Itch is the common name given to a skin irritation caused by the marine parasite Bilharzia (Austrobilharzia terrigalensis). The parasite occurs from Fraser Island in Queensland to the Victorian border and is common in Narrabeen Lagoon in the summer months when the water temperature exceeds 24 degrees Celsius. This irritation occurs down here, but it is quite localised. It is particularly prevalent in Lavender Bay, which is the foreshore area beside the boat ramp. Ironically, this area is always inhabited by large numbers of pelicans. Well done on the prawns Roberta. We are pleased to see that they are running down here at the moment as well Cheers Hodgey That parasite has a life cycle that passes through a sea bird and a salt water snail. (Bit like the tapeworm using an animal and an earthworm). It gets into the system of the sea bird and eventually passes out to the next stage which involves the snail, but fortunately people get a reaction that kills the parasite. Having had a few episodes in Lake Macquarie and Tuggerah I agree with Roberta's method of wearing waders as the itch can be very annoying for many days. Regards saltrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitch Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Sounds like a fun but late night. We use to do a lot of prawning in the Entrance on the Central coast, great fun The best part of the night is when you get home and cook 'em up......then you have to wait for them to cool before you scoff them all down Mitch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
connolly Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hi Roberta I'm glad somebody agrees with the "three hour" theory with regard to when to start prawning. For some reason I always have trouble convincing people about it. I too learnt the hard way ie. waiting and dozing for 3 hours until it looked like the water was actually flowing out. Thanks for your reports. Reeltired Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdcalmer Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hi guys, Never a dull moment when you happen to live in Forster,and especially when you have such a fun fishing buddy like Roberta. Since Roberta has taken me under her wing I have discovered kayak fishing, black fishing and lure fishing and I was only thinking yesterday how my love for the sport had broadened & I get a phone call from my mate asking if I want to go prawning. Instantly I replied, sure why not. Having never tried this form of hunter/gatherer pastime, I was keen to have a go! Arrangements were made to meet up at waters edge around 9.30-10.00. Keen to do a little sp flicking practice, I wandered down around 7.30 and anchored at the edge of a drop off. As the sun slowly went down and the darkness set in, I became quite nervous and gradually backed the yak into the shallows, thinking I really don't want to go paddling around in the dark, you just never know what's out there having a feed. Before long Roberta turns up, full of enthusiasm and I thought to myself what the heck, and by the time I managed to squeeze into the yak with my waders up under my armpits the hebe jebies were left behind. It actually felt like an adventure as we paddled across the channel to the shallows. We parked our yaks on the edge of the island and proceeded with the hunt for glowing eyes on foot. What a sight, two silly woman walking around the knee deep water, dressed in waders and spotlights on our foreheads in the middle of the night, what a hoot. Well, I had gained my Dutch Courage in no time, and there was a lot of hunting happening but not much gathering going on, so when Roberta suggested we hop in the yaks and tie up in the channel I was all for it. I managed to tie up onto a floating pontoon and then things started happening. Because this was my first ever prawning adventure, I had no idea how many was an "exceptable catch" and aparently it was a quiet night . Who cares - we had a lot of laughs and I faced my fears and tried something that I have wanted to do for years. Thanks Roberta for yet another first in my diary of life on the water Cheers Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hehehehe Great report, Wendy - & thanks - I actually appreciated having you there, as it was the first time I had ever gone prawning in my yak, let alone, be out till 3am in the morning!~! Glad you had fun - we'll be doing it again sometime, for sure!! Hi Reeltired - I reckon it varies from waterway to waterway ....... only the locals will tell you the truth!! Hey Mitch - unfortunately, most of ours were too small to be cooked (pain in the proverbial to peel them!) so they were bagged up & frozen! Yeah, I know, what a waste ...... we took rods with us but were so busy prawning we left them in the car. We could hear fish 'boofing' all around us tho! Hodogey & Saltrix - many thanks for the more 'technical' advise on the Pelican Itch! I remember Cam/Sails being affected by it down at Mallacoota & he said it was horrible! Keith gets something similar when swimming in the Keys in summer here. Hi Craigtempo - Many thanks for the 'handsup' but most of my info has been gleaned from books & the internet, so it would be plaigerism to write a book??? I wish I could have retrieved all my school info as readily as I retrieve my fishing info from my brain ........ I would have gone to uni instead of Tech College!! Hodgey - Believe me - you would not want to see me in my waders!!! I have photographic proof of that!! Most folk likened it to Mr Michelin Man!! Cheers Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tide'n'knots Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 whats this roberta ? you mean to say that wendy had you out later than me!!!! and I thought I was crazy, now I dont feel so bad having you out till midnight on sunday night. maybe I should make a special trip up there with my drag net. Are they allowed in wallis lake? -stock up on some fresh school jew bait! well done! sounds nothing like the girls night out I am use to hearing about! hope you ladies convert them into some nice flatties around the leases. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 30, 2008 Author Share Posted October 30, 2008 Hi Pete You are definitely not the only crazy one on FR .... however, it is taking me longer to 'recover' from this one! Still yawning even as I type! I think it was my evening out with you that showed me it wasn't spooky & could be done! I don't have to go to work the next morning tho Not sure about drag nets in the lake, but I know there is one sort that needs to be 'registered' with fisheries before use, for 'larger catches'! Hmmmm, may just keep these ones in the freezer till you come up & we try for jew up here!! Local bait for local fish?? I have thought of a relatively 'easy' spot where we may be able to access some jew in the main channel ..... but a boat would be needed! Looking forward to when you come up Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tide'n'knots Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 I am sure that you would catch them around the bridge at night. There is a bit of a channel on the tuncurry side that looks good to me, however you would probably have to change tactics in this spot - squid or a slab of tailor would work here, if you can get hold of some live poddy mullet or yellowtail that maybe even better as the pickers may annoy you up there otherwise! If you fish right where the shadow meets the light from the bridge your right in the zone. The jew hide in the shadow of bridges and dart out into the light to slam livies and squid and such that are minding there own business just swimming past, so they are very much sight hunting in this situation, so its fairly important if the water is clear not to anchor right on top of them or you could spook them. I always try to anchor under the bridge in the shadow and cast to the light and always attack your chosen spot in the direction of the current with a minimum of fuss and noise particularly when dropping the anchor especially if the water is relatively shallow. The depth of water isnt all that important in this situation plenty of food for them to eat is the key ingredient. If the prawns are running they may well be worth a go - when in rome!!!! look forward to trying this with you next time i am in town. tight lines. Pete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sails Posted October 31, 2008 Share Posted October 31, 2008 Hi Roberta, well done on the prawns, and especially so with the night yakking. It sounds as if you girls had a great time. I'm sitting here thinking I should go and give Narrabeen lake a try; its now 11.20pm, and bed is also calling. Which will win? I hit the beach this afternoon and pulled some good worms. lots of weed in the water here at present. The southerly came through while I was there and it was a remarkable change in temp. and to the sea surface. Some surfers were getting tubed just out from the pipe and they had a photographer in the water with them shooting the action. great to watch. cheers Sails Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted October 31, 2008 Author Share Posted October 31, 2008 Hi Cam I hope you did go, cos that was the perfect time to go, specially with a sleep in on Sat morning!!! Shame you didn't do it a couple of days back!! What is the time lag for the lakd? Hope it is not 3hrs, like Wallis! If not this time, make a date for the end of Nov!! Well done on the worms - must give them another go soon too! Hope you convert them into something edible! Cheers Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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