A Quick trip to Sydney for Dr's visit - Keith gets OK

[arpie]

Hi everyone

Keith & I had a quick trip to Sydney 2 weeks ago, for a checkup with his surgeon & the good news is that everything is going to plan & he is very happy with Keith's recovery! He even said that he could return to 'light' competition, which he did last weekend, doing the Camden Haven Triathlon, coming in 3rd in the 65 & over - not bad, considering he is 75 this year! A very YOUNG 75!!

Looking happy on the bike

nearing the end of the run

Whilst down, I took advantage of staying with my brother Sails/Cam at Collaroy & we had a fish in Pittwater, hoping to catch a kingie!! Ah well, that didn't happen, but we had loads of fun, anyway!!

Cam on his South African Fishing Ski

We were fishing a pretty Big Tide ...... and methinks someone forgot to allow for that when they moored their tinnie! I saw 4 boats totally submerged, some still with their outboards on!

I passed this amazing looking trimaran & couldn't help taking a pic & looking it up on google - it looked sleek & fast! A Hobie Tri Foil!

Check out this video to see it in action! It FLIES!!!

I am Amongst the boats, keeping an eye out for fizz boats!

I tossed heaps of casts at the myriad of yachts moored there, thinking there would be a school of bream on all of them ....... but maybe there are too many there (many hundreds, maybe a thousand) as I didn't even get a bloop, let alone a bite!! Very disappointing. Cam wasn't getting much action either, but we reckon we traveled between 10-15kms in the 6hrs we were on the water! Cam circumnavigated Scotland Island, putting in at Bayview - whereas I worked the left hand side of Pittwater, and went up around the back of Scotland Island & then back again the same way, via all the jetties & moorings again for a few hits & finally, a small snapper jumped on board!!

Next time I fish Pittwater, I reckon we'll catch some livies & use bait!!

After getting home again, I had a couple of sessions in the lake last week - hoping to find the mighty bream that Forster is renowned for ..... THAT didn't happen much, either! I got a couple - can't wait for them to really come onto the chew tho! Round about NOW is the time they start munching TopWater lures more readily, so I was chucking them around with gay abandon, trying to tempt them into biting, but ended up chucking some shallow divers instead ....... in between the oyster racks!!

I've lost too many lures in the racks, so I'd upgraded to 20lb braid & 20lb leader to 'up the ante' - you do sacrifice distance, but in the racks, accuracy is more important than distance, as the breambos are often within spitting distance of you, hiding under the racks!! We started off in the Paddock for zip, then moved to the Breck Channel!

I had a nibble & a tap, and the line tightened up to a ....... would you believe it, a leatherjacket?? I could hardly believe it myself! I chucked the lure out again & had another nibble & tap, so, thinking it was another leathery, I jerked the lure away from it, but the fish persisted and grabbed the lure (I only had about a rod length of line out, but it was enough) - and it swam immediately under the floating rack & surfaced the other side of it!! It was a BIG BREAM!! BUGGER!! I shoved pretty well the whole rod (bar the reel) into the water, trying to get the bream deeper, so that I would have a chance to skulldrag it back under the rack, to where I could fight it in less snaggy water! I could feel the line rubbing under the racks ......... aaaggghhhh! Even 20lb line doesn't like oysters!! I pulled as hard as I could, but couldn't turn its head and the braid busted off cleanly! Bummer!! Luckily, I had a twin of the lure in my box & put a new leader on, replacing the lure. I continued casting between the racks & had another tap tap & this time I was ready!

I set the hook & I could see the flash of silver as I dragged it unceremoniously to the yak!!

It went 35cm & was a nice chunky fish - the only decent fish of the day!~

My buddy was fishing in some very snaggy territory - mangroves to the right, oyster leases on the left & a channel that was about a metre wide to fish in! He got busted off too!!

The next day, I was out on my own, fishing the Paddock again, determined to get a fish! Within the first 10 casts, I landed a small bream, 2 whiting and a small flattie, none of which were legal, so I didn't bother with pics. Then, chucking the lure at a pole, the line tightened & the fish arced away from the snag and another nice 35cm breambo was brought to the yak!

A nicely conditioned bream

chunky!

with a Nice Set of Dentures!

That was the last decent fish I saw for the day! Caught a few more small bream & whiting, also a reasonable tailor & some choppers, but no more bream! Ne'er mind, I had some hits in one of the leases that I couldn't access ........ I had sidled up to the fence & was chucking the lures towards the racks - very nerve wracking!! I had 2 hits & felt it trying to get under the racks, so gave a solid jerk & the lure returned, minus the fish! This happened twice ..... so I know where they live!! I would probably have success with a pencil rather than a diver, next time I try to lure them out of their hidey hole!

So, not a prolific number of fish brought to the yak, but the odd nice one, keeping the anticipation high!!

I'll wait for the next 'higher' tides, to go out again - to go a-huntin' for big bream!!

Cheerio for now

Roberta

I am SO looking forward to the Entrance Social - both Keith & I enjoyed the last one SO much! It'll be great catching up with everyone again, even tho I will be on my lonesome this time!

Edited February 6, 2011 by Roberta

[marcel haber]

Great report Roberta,

Doesnt Keith look fit and enjoying his recovery - he is a remarkable man and a fit one at that.

Next time you hit Pittwater - if you slow trawl a live squid or a yellowtail - you will be in with a great chance on hooking a massive kingie.

Twin 1

[arpie]

Yes, his recovery has been amazing! Almost hard to believe that he was so ill!

Thanks for that tip - next time there, i will be trying my darndest to get live bait! Cam gave me a bait jig to try & catch some, but it only caught the snapper!! Poor rod was bent double!!

I hope to have a downrigger on the yak eventually - I will be working with Brickman on a design to fit the one that I have - then need to also fit my FF, to find the bait balls & marauding Kingies ....... then we'll be right!!

Roberta

[roosterman]

wow how good does Keith look...

congrats on the awesome news from the doc..

pitty is a nice place to fish and no where near the boat traffic of the harbour....

next time ya down give me a buzz and i might come out too,in the boat that is as im too lazy and unfit for yaks .

there is some good kings in pitty but ya just gotta find where they are hanging around and you really need live squid for the best shot at em ...

theres soooooooo many wrecks and a few man made ones that hold fish..

cheers....steve.....

[taloyoak]

Nice one Berta,

Good to see Keith is doing well, and even better to see him training.

Wow - you even came down here to fish on our turf, to what do we owe the honor?.....LOL

[james7]

Keith is an absolute legend!

It's great seeing him return to "light" competition after what he's been through the last 12 months!

Fantastic fishing report too Roberta.

I really like the last "toothy" bream photo. It seems to be "smiling"! Fantastic shot!

Cheers

Peter

Edited February 7, 2011 by peterS