Bream, Trevally, And Drummer

[Mercer007]

Raiders,

Yesteday afternoon as I was heading home It felt fishy to me so I decided to scratch the itch.

I got home and packed my gear then just as I was about to leave the missus gets home and requests help bringing the shopping in and a few other odd jobs. I'm silently seething but with a smile on my face I help her out subsequently getting my leave pass signed.

I head to a spot on the Central Coast and it's nearing 3.45pm. I quickly use about 5 old loaves of bread in a bucket with water as burly well mashed up and put a quarter of it in the briney.

Quick smoke, rig up light with some peeled prawn and cast.

First Cast 30cm Bream, into the bag he goes.

Second cast 29cm Drummer, back he goes.

Third cast 28cm Bream, into the bag, and by this stage i'm grinning hard cause the last thing I said to the missus before I left home was if I didn't go now I'd miss out as the barometer was getting pretty low.

I continued to fish this particular spot for 30 mins while constantly burlying up and it produced some nice fish to take home. But, I hadn't caught a legal Drummer so I moved over to a washy area and started fishing closer to the rocks.

I'm only using 8lb mono with a pea sinker and a number 2 hook.

Bit more burly, peeled prawn on the hook, and I cast out. I feel a tiy little tap and I wind in a little bit thinking if I don't get hit in the next 10 seconds my bait is probbably gone when BANG. Bit hit and run I apply pressure but whatever's on the other end is not stopping, I tighten the drag a smidge but I couldn't stop this fish on the light line.

I was reefed by this fish but now the adrenaline was pumping as I knew that the species I was after was lurking beneath the white wash.

After a few more casts I get another big hit and came up tight. I only had the fish on for a bout 5 seconds and the hook pulled.

Some more burley and a quick smoke see's me baited up again and casting back to this spot when BANG, I'm on.

Tight drag and a bit of manovering enables me to land this Pig of 42cm. I'm stoked because this is what I came for.

Next cast I land another Drummer of 38cm, and as I'm lifting him over the ledge the line breaks and he lands precariously on the edge and a quick scramble and little luck I just save him from falling back in.

A few more casts later with some tentative hits but no hook up, I use the last of my burly and say to myself one more fish.

It only took a few casts then BANG, zzzzzzzzz, I strike and zzzzzzzzzzzzz. Shoot, I'd left the drag really light and this fish is heading for cover. I tighten the drag to the point of stupidity and use the rod as a shock absorber as this fish kicks his mighty tail in an atempt to escape the dinner plate. It was only about a 3 or 4 min fight but I won and washed him onto a lower ledge then waited for an opertunity to jump down-o and retriev-o the fish-o to get him in the bag-o.

A quick measure and 46cm later my PB Black Drummer goes into the bag and I'm over the moon.

By this stage another chap and his missus had come up with their gear and were about to start fishing, when they looked at my bag of fish and were amased at what I had caught in a bit over an hour. This guy proced to tell me that he had only started fishing a few months earlier and his missus adds that he often dosen't catch a thing all day. (I'm sure we can all relate to that.

I am already feeling on top of the world by my catch so I said to him, I'll put you onto a few.

He only had big sinkers and 2/0 and 3/0 hooks, so I give him a few small sinkers and some hooks and a few of my peeled prawns as he only had pillies to fish with.

I rig up for him and quickly explained to him what he should do and where to aim his cast and explained to him how he should fight the fish if he get's a big hit. We check his drag, and with him using 20lb mono we set it tight.

First cast he gets a good hit but no hook up. Second cast he gets a huge hit and he's on. Im beaming by this stage and he's fighting the fish and saying, jeeezzz, feel's alright to me. Anyway he lands a Drummer of aroung 38cm and is so stoked with himself. A few hand shakes later and a few more pointers on this ledge, I explained to him how I fished one spot for drummer and another spot not to far away for Bream.

His missus say's I like Bream, so I show him where to cast and tell him wait 15 seconds then start a very, very, slow retrieve.

He misses a few then lands himself a nice Bream of around 30cm. Not only was I happy that he landed a few fish, I felt like King Kong that I had showed this guy a new type of fishing.

The Sun was going down so I decided to leave the the fishing to old mate and head home.

In just under 2 hours I landed 9 Bream, 3 decent Pigs and a couple of Trevally, and put old mate onto a few fish as well.

Here's a few pix of the catch.

Cheers

007

[Hodgey]

What a great report!

Nailed your target species, and gave some very effective advice to a newcomer.

Some terrific fish in those photos Pete. Well done for sharing your knowledge and helping the couple to get onto a feed for themselves. True Raider spirit

Cheers

Hodgey

[Catchin Jack]

Nice goin Pete and nice fish.

I didn't get my leave pass, still tryin haha

Cheers,

Leo

[rickster]

Well done, is there anything that makes you more fuzzy inside that helping a newbie, that probably already knew that he wasn't going to get anything decent, get himself a couple of nice fish. Bet you couldn't wait to tell the missus.

Rick

[luderick59]

great catch

berley is a must when fishing for pigs and bream

good on you for sharing your knowlege to the newchum

peter

[FISHARK]

Nice haul of fish there and all in a short period well done

And good on you for taking the time to show your old mate a trick or two

Edited May 26, 2010 by FISHARK

[marley]

What a great session

To get those pigs on 8lb line is a great effort - they are brutal and defintately know where to head to when they are hooked.

You mentioned that the barometer was dropping - do you find the bream and pigs are more active as the barometer is dropping or as it is rising?

Great Report

gav

[Ray R]

good onya Pete , that's a top catch and top marks for sharing your skills with another fisho, that is a top little spot you have there..

[mrsswordfisherman]

Mercer love your raider spirit and I have given you a MENTOR badge

I hope you told them to join up on fishraider too

Cheers mrsswordie

[tok]

G'day Mercer,

Congrats on the haul and give yourself a big pat on the back for helping out a fellow newbie

[Luke K]

Nice one 007,

Great report and a better feed

cheers

Luke

[Mercer007]

Thanks for all the lovely replies.

To be honnest with you all, I've only been fishing for a year and a half but have learnt so much from the likes of Ray R and Customcasting. I'm always happy to help someone who is deserving with the limited knowledge I posess.

As for the reply about the barometer, I have only been reading Jewgaffers thoughts on this matter and he states that a falling barometer before a low is one of the good times to fish. I was only using this as a guide but I also had that 'Fishy Feeling'.

Admin, thanks for the mentor badge but I am sure there are others on this site who are more deserving.

Thanks again.

Regards

Pete 007

[jenno64]

I am in serious need of a pig hunt! What type of peeled prawns do you use Pete?

[bluebottle18]

Great catch

Mate the best part of the catch was how you reported it. You had me held in suspense right through.

Great short story.

[Basil D]

Mercer007 that's an awesome bag mate

[jewgaffer]

Mercer007 that was one helluva good result and an interesting and modest read as well..Congratulations on receiving your Mentor status Peter, that's a great effort for a mature aged chap like yourself who has only been in the game for a year and a half

Peter, we know there are a mile of fish around but it's that hot bite period we are waiting for, I know you have time constraints so I'm including the following information for you-

*fishing is normally at it's best during rising barometric pressure and for the first hour or two of falling pressure.

*Sudden changes in pressure usually see fish in feeding mode.

*Fishing is generally always poor during ongoing days of low ptressure or constant days of steady barometric pressure - it's that day of change you are looking for mate.

Peter, the info below is about it in a nutshell :-

**Steady rise continuing = best

**Rapid rate of rise or rapid rate of fall = good until pressure steadies and bite starts to slow,- this gives you are chance to get your take homes and stay on for the anti socials shall I say, i.e. the jew.

**Ongoing steady pressure = poor fishing in general - these can be great boating days particulary those ongoing fine days in summer staying around 1030 milibars and windless - one might ask why would the jew want to use energy when they can't get to their quarry, they've already binged up on their food....

**Falling pressure continuing = good at first and then changing to poor, again the 2nd last of the pecking order are likely to come on along with the scavengers followed by the sharks who often come out of the murk so to speak and may even attack swimmers on the gloomiest of days..

In planning yor sessions why not be guided by the barometer and then see for yourself if you do any better......Try and coincide your sessions with wind changes and especially winds forecast to change to an opposite direction and only then look at tides according to species to find the optimum bite periods, record the day and remember the depths for the species i.e. deep, middling, and shallow........

Move upriver to get the same still water periods due to the tide delay and when you arrive at a good performing spot fish the early changes in either tide direction and move again when the bite slows but stay on the same side as the water flow where you got the results.....

Peter laminate a copy of this and carry it your wallet and staple a $10.00 note to it for luck

Cheers

jewgaffer

Edited May 26, 2010 by jewgaffer

[wannabefisho]

How good is that!

WOW! thats a feed and a half Pete, and showing another fisho "how its done" you deserve the Mentor badge for sure.

Great going chap... top report and some cracking fish to match!

Tight lines

Anthony

[padfoot]

What a top report.

And Jewgaffer, that is just brilliant.

[Mercer007]

I am in serious need of a pig hunt! What type of peeled prawns do you use Pete?

Mate, I use whatever is on special at the supermarket. I used some green prawns which had been re frozen a couple of times and some bananna prawns also.

Hope this helps your cause.

Cheers

[james7]

Firstly, congratulations on the mentor badge! Well deserved!

Secondly, that's a great session you had Pete 007! Top catch!

Thirdly, great work helping out a fellow fisho!

Finally, that was a great report to read, fantastic photos too!

You are becoming a Central Coast Raider legend in the same class as RayR!

Cheers

Peter

[FISHLETIC]

Excellent report great catch but even better Fishraider spirit

Well done on your hot session.

Look forward to reading more of your reports.

[marley]

Thanks for the reply Pete - I appreciate it

Jewgaffer - thank you for the detailed information regarding the barometer and "how to" relate it to your fishing - I had to read it 3 times just to take it all in

gav

T