Manly Beach

[Steveo76]

Hey Raiders,

Well we went for a fish off Manly beach last Monday night. We fished for around 3 hours with about 2 hours of rain making it quite miserable. Neither of us got a bite which made it worse.

The weather on Tuesday looked a lot better so we went back down with bit more hope. We were throwing pillies out for about 3 hours on the outgoing tide and hardly felt a nibble. Then around 8pm I felt a hit and my baitrunner started to zzzzing. I let it go for a sec then "strike" and I'm on. It launched out of the water 3 or 4 times and made a few runs. It was only about a 5 minute fight but damn it was fun. This ended up with a nice 50cm Australian Salmon.

I loaded up another pilly and cast it out then within 10 seconds zzzzing then "strike" and I'm on again. Similar fight to last but this one felt bigger. Landed him and he measured up at 65cm. Did the same again and landed one measuring in at 69cm. This one was huge (well to me it was).

I have attached a pic of my proud self with the 65cm one. It's covered in sand but is the best pic I got.

Never caught an Australian Salmon before so I beat my PB 3 times in a row.

Woohoo.

Cheers

Steveo

[wannabefisho]

Top Sambo's Steveo- they are top sport and if prepared the right way make pretty good on the plate (thousands would disagree with me but if they are fresh they taste good I reckon!)

Good on uya for getting out there and getting some stonkers.

my PB is 71 and I fought him for 20 minutes on 10lb mono in a boat, went SO hard and under the boat, then tried to sink my lure into the sand bank, back up around the prop and then put on a few aerials in close to the boat, after what seemed an eternity I finalloy finally netted him- was a real buzz.

Love Smabo's from the beaches too, esp if the taylor are around also you can often get both and if you are lucky a Jew or Shark all in the same session as the Jews and Sharsk feed on both Salmon and Taylor, if the sambo's are ON the bigger predators arent too far away.

Tight lines

Anthony

[Steveo76]

Thanks Anthony,

Thanks for the tips about the Jews and Sharks. I had a half hour period where I landed the 3 of them and no bites before or after them.

Great work on the 71cm. Sounds like you had an effort with that one

Did you happen to weigh it? I guesstimate mine was about 5kg or so.

I would agree with you about them plating up well. I cooked up one of them. Filleted, dusted with flour, salt and pepper then in a pan with oil and butter and finished off with lemon. I was impressed as most people seem to have a not so good opinion so I was expecting it to taste bad.

Edited June 12, 2010 by Steveo76

[wannabefisho]

Nah, I didnt weight mine, but I reckon close to 5kg would be pretty good estimate.

Here's a piccie of it... you can see the rip in its gob when it went into the sand and tried to throw the trebles of my lure, he came up and was filled to the gills in sand, took me an hour to clean all the grit outta him but he was a fantastic fighting fish, possibly the best fight I have ever had on light line for sure.

I only measure them really when I have my measuring stick with me (brag mat)

I notice that the Sambo's I have caught off the beaches are usually caught within an hour or so before and after sunup, and same for sundown.

I have caught them late into the night but they are usually singles and usually one mixed in with a few Taylor- the solo ones are usually the bigger and fatter ones (or so I reckon) compared to the ones the seem to "school up" together.

You gotta be there to get them cause they disappear pretty quick and head back out to see of a night time mostly, they dont usually stay inshore.

I have sen ones bigger than 80cm dropped on rock patforms late in the night by guys chasing taylor with lighter gear and wirte traces, again these seem to be solo fish on the hunt for a feed and often they are following the Taylor as they attack the pilchards, poddies and other baitfish in and around the beaches and headlands of a night time.

That sounds like a pretty good way to cook em, I used to cook Sambo's that way till one of my mates Ash told me about making fish cakes with them, once I made oy first lot I was hooked- but I only make cakes with Salmon, all other fish I catch I either fillet and cook same as you (pelagics like kingies and bonnies) and all other get baked whole with some lemon and herbs.

To make the fish cakes:

Fillet, skin and debone the Sambo- then cut into thin strips

Cook 6 large potatoes till they are semi cooked and you can mash them

Add both to a bowl and add in some lemon juice, thyme and basil (chilli optional) along with salt and pepper for some zing

Add in a couple of eggs to bind the lot together (I dont do this as my daughter has an allergy yo eggs) so I just do "as is"

In the bowl mix the potato, salmon and herbs till they are well mixed together

scopp up a handful and roll into a ball...

Dip the ball into plain flour and pat it so its fairly flat

place in a shallow fry pan and cook till golden on the outside.

Serve on a bread roll with mixed lettuce mix, cheese and ranch sauce + other salad ingredients you choose to add (tartare or mayo works well too)

Edited June 12, 2010 by wannabefisho

[slam354]

Nice fish Steveo

Looking at the picture I see you are using a single hook.Can you expalin the rig setup that you use.Where you using half pilchard baits.I always use ganged pillies on a running sinker and was curious if there is a better set up.

Cheers Steve

[Steveo76]

Anthony,

That is a great shot of the sambo. An hour to clean the sand out sounds like a massive effort. Good on ya.

Thanks for your recipe. I too have heard all the things about fish cakes or cat food. I thought I would try my first one as fillets. I will try your recipe next time I get one. Cheers.

I am sure my daughter will love fish cakes on bread rolls, especially if I let her mix the ingredients etc.

[Steveo76]

Gday Steve,

I was actually using gangs. Hard to see in the pic but the sambo had swallowed 2 of them and it looked like it was hooked on just a single.

The rig I use though is:

20lb mono main line ()-swivel-() 15cm 50lb mono with running ball sinkers ()-swivel-() 60cm fluro to 4/0 gang hooks with swivel on the top hook.

I really like have the 15cm piece with swivel each end in there to stop the sinkers running back toward the rod when casting. If you try it this way I hope it makes a difference for you.