Sportsfishing Sydney Harbour

[adkel53]

Many raiders post reports about fishing on Sydney Harbour. However, there must be a lot of Raiders who have never been on the harbour to experience the top class sportsfishing we have access to within sight of the CBD of our largest city so I thought I might try to describe what is sometimes available to us lucky anglers.

This morning I set off alone from Rose Bay in the early dawn. First stop was "the sticks" - four large posts set in a triangular pattern just out into the main harbour. Fifteen minutes of throwing lightly weighted Sluggo stickbaits saw three rat kingfish of 60cm or so landed and returned to grow bigger and a few missed stikes. Things were looking good. A few throws around two other markers nearby resulted in no action so it was off to the northern side to search for surface action. A school of bonito obliged and I quickly landed three from it on a small hexagonal metal before they sounded.

I then noticed a commotion further into the bay and headed over for a peek. There were rat kings everywhere - at least half an acre of surface bustups as the kings cruised around slurping unseen baitfish from the surface. Previous experience has taught me that these kings are very hard to tempt and that they rarely take small metals. On went a small popper (Bushy Stiffy) in a clearish colour and the action began. Kings would jostle one another behind the lure and occasionally one would hook up. More often they peeled away within sight of the boat. The school were erupting very regularly and made their way out into the main channel and over towards Clarke Island, meaning one had to keep a good lookout for ferries!! By now I had been joined by two other boats and I let them know what seemed to be working for me. One boat had a father and son combination and the kid was in heaven, hooking up to rat kings on light spin tackle and whooping and hollering for much of the time.

After I had caught about 10 of these kings I decided to move elsewhere in search of some bonnies for future bait. An hour or so of trolling around the Rushcutters Bay area resulted in four more for the esky.

I could still see the father/son combination out near Clarke Island so joined the fray again. Another king and then a bonnie on a popper set me thinking. I wonder if I can separate the kings and bonnies by retrieving a small metal through the schools? The answer - yes. About ten more bonnies and no kings on the same small metal. I left the schools still working the surface at 11.45 am, having landed about 30 fish on my light spin gear and thinking to my self "how good is this?" At times the surface commotion covered at least an acre in area and sometime I was smack bang in the middle of it, having the school to myself for the last hour. Just watching kings cruising around you slurping bait up at will is a buzz all by itself.

So there you have it - a morning of top class sportsfishing on our busiest waterway. The attached images might show just how dangerous life can be for a baitfish in Sydney harbour!!

[bennoz]

man i wish i had a boat. sounds like awesome fun

[sanger]

Sounds like an awsome day!!!!!!

Ive found plenty of schools of bonnies feeding like this on the surface recently but no kings damn it!!!!

We did have some great taylor schools in rushcutters 2 weeks ago which were great fun on 2 kilo bream gear and 10 gram slugs!

[Rod L]

Top sport Kel! Light tackle fishing doesn't get much better than that.

Bennoz, get yourself a kayak mate. They'd be well within reach with a leisurely paddle, low cost with no rego or petrol and you get fit at the same time.

[jim77]

Glad you found some fish Arthur! Now we got to find you some decent legals... Maybe the next holidays!

[adkel53]

I'll be ready and rearing to go Jim! There must be a 90 plus model out there with my name on it 89 is the best so far.

[NickF]

How far down in the harbour were those schools?

I normally go out to north head looking for them. Would love to know where you can find them in the harbour.

[adkel53]

I think my report says it all!! I was out again today and saw bonnies erupting from between the heads right up to near the bridge. It varies from day to day and some days they will attack lures with gusto and other days they are very finicky.