ArnB Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 (edited) Howdy folks My first post so please be gentle on the noob. I'm taking the kiddies, wife and hound to Patonga for a weeks holiday this Easter and would greatly appreciate being given some wise counsel. The kiddies are 7 & 6 and have had quite a few fishing holidays before and are fine on land and water, and as we'll have a 5.5m plastic centre console with us we're good to head out into the Hawkesbury. The place we are staying at also has a few yaks and I'd like to use these around the creeks upper flats if worthwhile. We've holidayed at Milsons Passage and Dangar before so are good up that way, but as this is our first time at Patonga any help in this area and around to Brisbane Water will be greatly appreciated. Also, if anyone has ever fly fished Patonga Creek or crabbed it please let me know. I'm a bit of a tackle rat so we'll have gear for everything and anything so all advice is relevant and welcomed. Cheers Arn Edited March 3, 2011 by ArnB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catchin Jack Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Welcome Arn, There's a heap of members that would have info for you and be able to steer you in the right direction, also try our search function up the top right side of the page and search the forums for information, there would be a heap of it already, good to do while you're waiting for replies from other raiders. Enjoy the site mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman36 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hey mate. I'll be up there from the weekend before easter and leaving on good friday. There are normally a few flatties around if you drift between lion island and patonga. Only advice is watch the boat ramp. It's pretty steep (in my opinion) and can be affected by the swell. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DANDRE Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 mate, why not chase the mighty Jewfish.. Juno Point, flint and steel have been productive for me in the past and is close to Patonga. Cheer, Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappo Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) Hi Arn, You are in luck. I just read your report! I have been fishing the Hawkesbury for a long time. I even produced a video called "Fishing The Hawkesbury" about 14 years ago with Bruce Shumacher. Patonga is one of my favorite areas to start a day on this awesome river. Forget chasing jews at Juno if you want to fish with the kids. It is hard and patient fishing. I have a 9,8 and 5 year old. They want a bite or to catch fish every cast. They want action, so give it to them. (1)Decide on what you are going to target. Can I suggest this time of year, flathead, bream, salmon and tailor would probably keep the kids busy and happy. (2)Pick the right bait for April. Get your hands on some white bait. I prefer to go to the Syndey fish market. I paid $9 bucks a kilo today for fresh white bait. (3) Buy/take a clear plastic poddy mullet trap. As soon as you launch your boat in Patonga ramp, motor straight accross the bay slightly to the left to the quiet sandy beach and set your trap with 2 pieces of white bread. Make sure you agitate the bread in the water once you put it in the trap by putting your hands over either end and shaking it in water. Also, put a few lead sinkers in the bottom of the trap to make sure it stays on the bottom and dosent drift away. Put a few small pieces outside the trap to bring the poddies around your trap, but not too much. Be patient! They will come. The kids (and mum and dad) can go for an adventure to a small creek/water fall just to the north of the sandy beach while you wait for the poddies. Have a bucket with you and preferably a battery operated areator to keep the poddies alive. My kids have more fun catching the poddies than the flathead! Once you have caught a few, put them in the bucket and refresh your bait. ALWAYS leave one (1) poddie in the trap. I usually leave the trap and go and fish around the corner and come and check it every half an hour. (4) Use the right rig. You will be using your boat with kids. Don't use any rod over 7 foot for this type of boat fishing. M<y kids use indistructable ugly stik Gold rods and small Shimano or Daiwa 1500 to 2500 eagbeater reels loaded with 4 kilo mono. Standard running ball sinker rig with just enough lead to get to the bottom of 10 feet of water and stay down on the drift. The sinker sits on a small balck swivel. I use fluro carbon leaders of about 40cm from the swivel to the hook. IO then use a Gamakatsu size 2 or 4 long shank hook (Depending on size of the white bait). (5) Rig the bait correctly. Live poddies are pinned through both lips of the mouth (put the hook through the BOTTOM lip first and then throught the top) You are going to miss alot of fish that just eat the back end, but.............there is always a few excellent fish who eat the lot. White bait need the hook put put through the tail area and pulled all the way through until there is fishing line through the white baits body. Then put the hook through the white baits eye and then do a half hitch loop knot around the tail. (6) Where to fish? Put the boat in Patonga boat ramp (with the kids, rods and white bait). Go and set your poddie mullet trap and have some fun with the kids. Turn left and go round the corner as though you are heading to Lion Island. Travel east about 100 metres. If the tide is running out, fish all along this rock coast line from tbis point in about ten feet of water (3 to 4 boat lengths from the shore, NO MORE) for the next 500 to 800 metres. If thre tide is running in, do it the other way. Cast towards the rocks. It is all sand and weed and is out of the strong current of the river as it gets deeper in the middle. This means the fish can move around freely in this area and the fishing trawlers don't vaccuum this close to the shore. (7) This is also an awesome spot for dad to throw soft plastics/hard bodiied monnows or surcace poppers hard up againt the rocks. The fish are not always huge, but there is ALWAYS plenty of action and fish. It is also dependent on the wind. It does not fish well if you are not drifting with he tide. Anyway, good luck. This is not one of my gun spots but it is always somewhere I go with the kids to make sure they have fun fishing. Let me know how you go. Remember one thing though. Have a plan. Stick to the plan and be one of the of the 10 per cent who catch 90 percent of the fish! Chappo Chappo Edited March 4, 2011 by Chappo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukedfluke Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) Mate, I think i stayed at the exact place you're talking about and we had great success on the 2 days fishing we had. As most of the others said, your best bet would be to collect some livebait wich are plentiful in the creek (including some big bullies) burley them up on any bankside and either fish for them on a float with a little bit of bread or use a little trap you can make out of juice bottles! When i was there i had success on flatties deploying our live poddies about 50m out from the wharf(on a boat) and just drift along the shore (chucking some plastics around etc.) until you get a hit. Repeat drifts but keep moving further away from shore. We caught 4 nice flatties doing this and 6 squid that just were holding on to our live poddies and we'd net them. Another method which would be kid friendly would be checking out te wharf or the boat ramp, take out some livies if necessary and have a lazy fish. If not, the creeks provides some fantastic fishing too! take the kids on on the yak, explore the creek with a rod in hand and there are some great fish to be had casting lures etc. towards the shore. Word of advise, if you were planning to go up the creek, pick the slack tides as during the run off and run in the water gushes quite fast through the main channel near the mouth so it's not easy to fight the current. anyway, hope this helps and hope yo catch some fish Tight Lines Edited March 4, 2011 by Tight lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garryl Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 What Chappo and Toght Lines said. Excellent advice for fishing in that area. If you landed the snapper that's in your photo you don't need any advice from me! Garry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnB Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 What Chappo and Toght Lines said. Excellent advice for fishing in that area. If you landed the snapper that's in your photo you don't need any advice from me! Garry Thanks Garry It took 3 adults 5 days and lots of beer and wine to eat that snapper. Tough work that. Caught it in the Pelorus Sound 2 years ago. Cheers Arn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnB Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) Hi Arn, You are in luck. I just read your report! I have been fishing the Hawkesbury for a long time. I even produced a video called "Fishing The Hawkesbury" about 14 years ago with Bruce Shumacher. <SNIP> The fish are not always huge, but there is ALWAYS plenty of action and fish. It is also dependent on the wind. It does not fish well if you are not drifting with he tide. Anyway, good luck. This is not one of my gun spots but it is always somewhere I go with the kids to make sure they have fun fishing. Let me know how you go. Remember one thing though. Have a plan. Stick to the plan and be one of the of the 10 per cent who catch 90 percent of the fish! Chappo Chappo Wow! Thanks for the detailed reply Chappo. You've hit the nail on the head. I have an Asian fish shop near me in Eastwood that sells all sorts of fresh fish and critters that I call bait so I'll be sure to stock up before we go. I've got a couple of bait traps, including the clear ones, and will be making good use of them. If anyone is looking for (usually) fresh bait in the Eastwood/Epping area the fish shop is at the round about On Lakeside and almost always has fresh school prawns, slimies, bonito, mullet, pillies and squid. And cheap. With any sort of luck in 6 weeks time I'll be posting happy snaps and a story to go with it. Thanks for your help. Cheers Arn Edited March 4, 2011 by ArnB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnB Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Hey mate. I'll be up there from the weekend before easter and leaving on good friday. There are normally a few flatties around if you drift between lion island and patonga. Only advice is watch the boat ramp. It's pretty steep (in my opinion) and can be affected by the swell. Cheers. Thanks Insomniac, we'll be there that time as well. If you see fat, balding, middle aged bloke in a plastic centre console with a blue Bimini grounded somewhere for not watching the tides throw him a beer, will ya. Cheers Arn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArnB Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 Mate, I think i stayed at the exact place you're talking about and we had great success on the 2 days fishing we had. <SNIP> anyway, hope this helps and hope yo catch some fish Tight Lines Thanks Tight lines The kids love squid, they are on my radar! Thanks for the advice. Cheers Arn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman36 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 <br /><br /><br /> Thanks Insomniac, we'll be there that time as well.<br /> <br /> If you see fat, balding, middle aged bloke in a plastic centre console with a blue Bimini grounded somewhere for not watching the tides throw him a beer, will ya.<br /> <br /> Cheers<br /> Arn<br /> <br /><br /><br />Ha will do! And if you see a black commodore wheel spinning back up the ramp with an ally bar raider on the back.... That'll be me.. Throw me a tow line! Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman36 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Hey tight lines, when you said "big bullies" in the creek I hope you didnt mean bull sharks??? We were up there last easter and the kids had a ball swimming and mucking around in the creek.... Dont think the ex would be too happy if I return with one less kid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukedfluke Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 (edited) No no no, I'm not sure if you're familiar with the term, but alot of people I know and myself call big mullet, bullies. Apologise for the confusion Hahahaha. Although, it's funny you say that because not too long ago some guy pulled out a big bull shark from out the front of patonga beach on a boat, so becareful swimming there Edited March 5, 2011 by Tight lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisherman36 Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Haha thanks for clearing that up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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