New Member... Lend A Hand?

[SimJ]

Hi there all!

You probably hear this a lot, but your site is great. Not only is it interesting and informative but the MODs actually listen and help out for a change!

Ive spent the last few days reading a lot of the posts here and found some good tips and advice which is great because Ive recently become addicted to fishing.

So heres where I need some help, im located in the Hornsby area of Sydney but have transport and happy to travel anywhere within 40km(I usually go to Brooklyn, Hawkesbury area). I dont have a boat but dont mind hiring a tinnie etc.

Itd be great if anyone could give some advice on type of bait, good areas, method etc.

Cheers,

Simmo

[Guest]

Gdayyyyyyyy Simmo and welcome to the site

If you are a bit more specific on species and type of fishing you wish to persue ,the many learned raiders will ably assist you in your quest.

Cheers Swordfisherman

[SimJ]

Thanks Swordfisherman,

The type of fish I have caught lately in the hawkesbury have been catfish, bream (small) and flounder.

Any advice on catching larger bream?

and I heard that Jewies, Kings and even Hairtail can be found around the area, how do I go about catching these beauties?

Cheers

Simmo

[Guest]

Thanks Swordfisherman,

The type of fish I have caught lately in the hawkesbury have been catfish, bream (small) and flounder.

Any advice on catching larger bream?

and I heard that Jewies, Kings and even Hairtail can be found around the area, how do I go about catching these beauties?

Cheers

Simmo

There are many good jew fishos on this site and they will send you a few pointers I am sure.

Kings are only a slim chance in the Hawkesbury ,but are caught at times and the enigmatic Hairtail can be caught in the system in the cooler winter months with pilchards on ganged hooks at night .

I hope your fishing takes a turn for the better with the information from members and posts that have already been made on the above subjects.

Do a quick search for Hairtail and there is plenty of info on them as well as a very good article by our former owner Ken Alexander ,which is very informative

Try this link in our forums.

http://www.fishraider.com.au/fishing-artic...ch-hairtail.php

Cheers Stewy

[brickman]

hey simmo and wellcome to fish raider mate the best tip i can give you is

the 3 l's

light line [6lb fire wire]light lead [split shot] and most important live bait[in order blood worms,nippers,crabs.small yabbys,and prawns are up the top to if you can get them

uther than that catch heaps off bait[once you understand bait habits your half way there]

that should give you somthing to think about

cherrs gary

[SimJ]

Cheers Stewy that info on the Hairtail was really interesting.

Thanks Gary I was using 20lb line and no live bait so I think that might have been a problem.

Was wondering, I have been going out at night a lot is this wise or is it better during the day?

Also is there any secret to catching big bream and not the little nippers I seem to pull in?

Does anyone know whether catfish are worth eating and if so any ways better than others?

Thanks fellas

Simmo

[brickman]

hey simmo night fishing for bream

just before dark and just before light seem to be the best but i tend to fish all night for the buggers my biggest bream were always caght in the dark hours that do'nt mean you wont catch good bream in the day

they just seem to be less timid during the night

the small bream are faster than the big buggers and there are more off them so they usuly get to your bait first if you are being plaged by under size bream go up a size in hook and use bigger baits

as for cat fish i have eaten one, the fillets were full off fat and a tad greesy to eat and not worth the efort in my opinion but that fish was from the hunter valley and you would call that a fresh water river catty so that may have infulenced the taste

cherrs gary

[SimJ]

Thanks heaps Gary! That was all usefull info for me.

I had been using small hooks and youre right I seemed to catch a lot more bream as it started getting late.

The last catfish I caught was fairly large compared to the rest (roughly 55cm) would one that size be worth keeping next time?

I hear flounders are good eating, is this true? if so they are quite common.

I have noticed catfish, flounder and bream all live close to the floor. What in the Hawkesbury is catchable mid depth or near the surface and should i still be using Hawkesbury prawns?

p.s. sorry for all these (probably) stupid questions but I really am loving this new hobby, been out 4 of the last 6 days, so thanks heaps for your help guys!!

[brickman]

mate there's only one way to find out if a catty is good on the tooth[try one and let us know what it's like just be very carfull off the spike some people have a bad reaction to the sting[i've never been done]

flounder is one off if not the best eating fish you can catch check size limites and bag limits but i think there is none i could be wrong

you should be useing live bait but hawks prawns are pritty good

jew fish are the jewel off the hawks do a search there's heaps off info[30lb line min and 50 to 80 lb leader]

tailor and sambo's are surface feeders and a pilly on gang hooks fee floating or under a cork will acount for them they do feed top bottom and midwater just look for the birds

one more tip is if there not on the bite peel your prawns

glad to help cherrs gary

[SimJ]

Thanks heaps Gary youve really given me a lot to mull over.