arpie Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Hi all Missed out on fishing with a couple of visiting yakkers on Mon & Tues, so went out yesterday on my lonesome ...... on the water after 7am & back home again at 2pm. It was a bit chilly early on, so pleased that I put my 'skins' under my trousers & had my Wonderscarf to put round my neck! Must have looked a sight, but I was warm!! Whilst I was staying with Rowley for the Deadwoods trip a while back, he showed me his busted Loomis lightweight rod (it broke down near the handle.) Now, as some of you may know, I am into repairing busted rods, and he was kind enough to give it to me to repair & see if I could get it back to useable condition! It took a nanosecond to say "Yes Please!'' It took a while longer than I thought, as the handle was 'solid' not 'hollow' as I expected, but I finally got it all together & yesterday took it out on the water to test it! During the FFC (Forster Fishing Carnival to those not familiar with it) I was given a 50m 'sample box' of 1lb Fireline Crystal! Yes! 1lb!! They use it in ice fishing, apparantly! I figured, I'd topshot the 6lb braid on the reel & add 6lb leader & try it out on the flats & other areas that didn't hold too many snags & structure! It throws light lures very nicely (1/60th HSW with 2" gulp shrimp casts about 25m, I guess - haven't cast it the 50m yet! I was casting it along the weed edges up the top of the Breck Channel when the line pulled up & I had a nice little bream on! I didn't have the drag up too high, as I am not sure of the actual breaking strain of the 1lb Crystal ...... and the rod behaved itself nicely! I can see it becoming a favourite rod very quickly! I took my blackie gear with me too & spent most of my time chasing them, dropping 4 nice fish & busted off by one. I thought I had the busted one under control, keeping it away from the oyster lease on the right, then he made a run for the weed covered rack on the left (in 1ft of water) & skunked me anyway! Good to see them around, but they are still not biting freely. Lots of them around & some of them are huge - just not biting!! I was in Sydney last weekend & took advantage of that to collect lots of weed & cabbage to bring back with me! With the bigger tides over the next few days, I will head out again on the weekend, in search of those elusive blackies! Good thing I have a few in the freezer & am not relying on them for a feed! Must cook up some smoked blackfish pies, for our travels next week! Cheerio for now Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 Great to get another report from you Roberta! (What a surprise! ) That's a nice bream ... and on 1lb Fireline Crystal!!! Excellent effort! My mate Syd loves using braid now, but believes in "overkill". His lightest line now is 50lb! Do you think the blackies will come on the bite more as the weather/water warms up? Or is there another reason? Great report and good luck over the weekend. Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray R Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 (edited) Hi Roberta, good read and good onya for fixing the rod. 1lb braid would be interesting, is it hard to see and tie a fluro leader to it? Nice shot of your little bream and bring on the blackies.... Edited August 21, 2009 by Ray R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted August 22, 2009 Author Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) hmmm tried to post this yesterday but the broadband fell over! 2nd time lucky! Hi Peter ....My mate Syd loves using braid now, but believes in "overkill". His lightest line now is 50lb.... hehe I have some 30lb that I used for jewies off the breakwall & I hated it! Much stiffer than my 20lb! Can't imagine using 50lb .... but no doubt that will have a heavy lead attached to it, so it goes straight to the bottom?? Hopefully the blackies will come on the chew soon - my snorkelling buddies tell me there are thousands around the headlands just waiting to com in! I guess they will come in after some rough water activity ..... but it has been calm as for ages now! They are in spawning mode & I guess, like most males, are intent on what they are doing, not bothering to eat!~ As to whether it is too cold o too warm for them ..... who knows?? They are supposed to be a winter fish ..... tho we do get them all year round anyway, just more willing to be caught some times rather than other! Hi Ray the 1lb braid is not so hard to see to tie the fluro leader to it .... I just busted it off a few times when tightening the knot & testing it! It also catches in the runners a bit (catching around the runner & coming to an abrupt STOP!) Maybe this is because it is travelling slower because it has a lesser weight on it ...... What knot would be recommended to go thru the runners easier?? Not long back from a quick trip to the breakwall .... Keith was swimming so I hitched a lift to the wall .... just as well I did!! Got my best fish of the season! (not that there have been many!!) My biggest 2nd ever landed .... 1/2cm short of 45cm!!! He put up a spirited fight, I can tell you!! I was 'prospecting' .... where I stand at the top of the wall & only after I get bites, do I take my gear down towards the water! Having this big fish on & trying to control it as I scrambled down the rocks, then trying to retrieve my net to actually land it ..... would have been worthy of Funniest Home Videos, I reckon! Hi Hoodlum He was not happy with the action of the rod anyway & actually had it for sale when he realised it was busted! He rang to see if he could take advantage of 'the offer' but wanted to change it to another model with extra $$ if needed & they said NO. So he packed it up & left it in the rafters! Then when I was visiting & we were talking busted rods, he said he had it & I think he felt sorry for me & gave it to me (tho I was prepared to pay!) Another buddy I met last year (from the northern Beaches) arrived shortly after, and after seeing my fish decided to throw a line in too! We were both getting bits on fairly shallow baits ..... then he is on! He was packing up to leave in a couple of days, so asked if I wanted the fish - of course, many thanks!! I missed a couple (including a sleeper) and then he is on again! I've obviously lost my touch! I was given that fish too - and that was it for the day! Keith arrived shortly after & it was time to pack up! Gotta be happy with a fish like that!! The big fish makes the smaller ones look quite 'ordinary'!! Gotta celebrate with a fish like that!! Cheerio Roberta The 2 smaller ones were boys & the biggie was a 'he/she'!! No evidence of being either male or female!! No nothing inside other than gut! How unusual is that?? Edited August 22, 2009 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregr2 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 (edited) Hi Roberta, just wondering if you get any of those little white or red colored like "worms" in the flesh of your bigger fish? I fillet and skin and most of the 40+ cm models I have caught here in Sydney, they seem to have at least 1 or 3 in their flesh. I try to pick them out with varying sucess Does anyone know what they are? Are they nutritional or should i keep picking them out?? This is what I'm talking about...... Edited August 22, 2009 by moonset Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacky Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Its too bad you lost those Blackies Roberta better luck next time. You must be so popular with all your blackfish friends up there now that you have so much weed. I am taking rosterman to a new blacky spot in pittwater today hope all goes well. Take care all the best Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbitt Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 hmmm tried to post this yesterday but the broadband fell over! 2nd time lucky! Hi Peter ....My mate Syd loves using braid now, but believes in "overkill". His lightest line now is 50lb.... hehe I have some 30lb that I used for jewies off the breakwall & I hated it! Much stiffer than my 20lb! Can't imagine using 50lb .... but no doubt that will have a heavy lead attached to it, so it goes straight to the bottom?? Hopefully the blackies will come on the chew soon - my snorkelling buddies tell me there are thousands around the headlands just waiting to com in! I guess they will come in after some rough water activity ..... but it has been calm as for ages now! They are in spawning mode & I guess, like most males, are intent on what they are doing, not bothering to eat!~ As to whether it is too cold o too warm for them ..... who knows?? They are supposed to be a winter fish ..... tho we do get them all year round anyway, just more willing to be caught some times rather than other! Hi Ray the 1lb braid is not so hard to see to tie the fluro leader to it .... I just busted it off a few times when tightening the knot & testing it! It also catches in the runners a bit (catching around the runner & coming to an abrupt STOP!) Maybe this is because it is travelling slower because it has a lesser weight on it ...... What knot would be recommended to go thru the runners easier?? Not long back from a quick trip to the breakwall .... Keith was swimming so I hitched a lift to the wall .... just as well I did!! Got my best fish of the season! (not that there have been many!!) My biggest 2nd ever landed .... 1/2cm short of 45cm!!! He put up a spirited fight, I can tell you!! I was 'prospecting' .... where I stand at the top of the wall & only after I get bites, do I take my gear down towards the water! Having this big fish on & trying to control it as I scrambled down the rocks, then trying to retrieve my net to actually land it ..... would have been worthy of Funniest Home Videos, I reckon! Hi Hoodlum He was not happy with the action of the rod anyway & actually had it for sale when he realised it was busted! He rang to see if he could take advantage of 'the offer' but wanted to change it to another model with extra $$ if needed & they said NO. So he packed it up & left it in the rafters! Then when I was visiting & we were talking busted rods, he said he had it & I think he felt sorry for me & gave it to me (tho I was prepared to pay!) Another buddy I met last year (from the northern Beaches) arrived shortly after, and after seeing my fish decided to throw a line in too! We were both getting bits on fairly shallow baits ..... then he is on! He was packing up to leave in a couple of days, so asked if I wanted the fish - of course, many thanks!! I missed a couple (including a sleeper) and then he is on again! I've obviously lost my touch! I was given that fish too - and that was it for the day! Keith arrived shortly after & it was time to pack up! Gotta be happy with a fish like that!! The big fish makes the smaller ones look quite 'ordinary'!! NAH< That's gold. Love your post n pics. Gotta celebrate with a fish like that!! Cheerio Roberta The 2 smaller ones were boys & the biggie was a 'he/she'!! No evidence of being either male or female!! No nothing inside other than gut! How unusual is that?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormy Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 Oh gosh. That's just wrong, Moonset. I went out yesterday for an hour and a half and got three nice blackfish and a black drummer. No worms in them - I'm sure I would have noticed. Maybe you are catching them too close to the Cooks River?? That really does look gross and would make me think twice about eating the fillets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookerbruce Posted August 23, 2009 Share Posted August 23, 2009 Hi Roberta I use similar prospecting method along the breakwall at south west rocks, it is very effective in finding where the fish are but can be a real scramble to the waters edge to land a decent fish. Quite often I will just see the fish from the top of the wall quite often they will be in shallow water near a single rock, I'll then position myself upcurrent berley and fish back to them I find this effective. That large blackie is a good fish. I fillet and skin all my fish and have only found a couple of blackfish with a worm. An ocasional worm is much more common in bream. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted August 23, 2009 Author Share Posted August 23, 2009 Thanks guys - Moonset, I have only ever found one worm in all the blackies I have caught! Paul - hope you & Steve got into them today! I'll be taking some up to Qld with me, to try for some Qld blackies! Bruce - I have been watching huge blackies along the breakwall, but they are very finicky & not biting freely ..... yet!! CHeerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 .......just wondering if you get any of those little white or red colored like "worms" in the flesh of your bigger fish? .......they seem to have at least 1 or 3 in their flesh. I try to pick them out with varying sucess .......Does anyone know what they are? Are they nutritional or should i keep picking them out?? Hi Moonset I think those stenchworms worms would be highly nutritional particularly the bigger varieties that you find in larger fish.. the fatter the worm the more infections they've drained out of the fish and stenchworms might also work as an antibiotic as a cure for mid life carbuncles... On the other hand you'll find the smaller varieties of stenchworms can often get caught between the gaps in your teeth and in some cases might get caught behind an ill fitting denture and subsequently ooze out the juice from the back of the head while your having your sweets .... Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosterman Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 well done roberta,thats a great effort scrambling down the rocks to land that big sucker eh.. glad ya got better handling skills on rock walls than some we know eh ... moonset,ive seen those worms over the yrs and usually just pick em out as ive never seen more than a couple... just dont tell the people ya serve it up to and theyll never know,its extra protein enriched fish byron you crack me up sometimes with ya humour cheers...steve...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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