Harbour Land Based

[johnk]

Hi, decided to stroll down the road on Friday evening to fish the harbour, under the bridge on the north side. Armed with various fresh baits and some pilchards I was going to fish through until early hours of Saturday morning in the hope of catching some bream and possibly a jew fish or two. Upon arrival there were a number of people fishing with mixed results - nothing too notable but an encouraging sign. After setting up two rods - one with fresh squid and he other with fresh mullet strips I settled down and waited and waited and waited. Checked the baits and both were still intact except for a few small nibbles. The other fishos were starting to head home as the sun had set and the wind was getting up - but not me I was determined to stay until after high tide - around midnight.

Time went by - still only pickers decided to change a bait to pilchard and see what happens. After another long wait and pickers taking the bait I finally had a reasonable bite on the pilchard - set the hooks and landed a flathead around 40+cms - . This brightened me up and the time kept ticking by. I checked with the other dedicated fishos - nothing either. The wind was up - the moon was up but no fish.

It was nearly midnight and I get a another good strike and this time it was a good sized bream, well over legal limit - taken on the mullet. As the night wears on no more strikes just pickers. The remaining fishos are packing up and they ask me if I wanted the one and only small flathead they had caught - I accepted it and about an hour later I decide that it is time to head home as it was nearing 2am and I was geeting cold and no bites.

Felt a bit disappointed given the effort I put in to securing fresh baits and the amount of time spent down there that night but hey could have been worst, at least I ended up with 3 fish for the table compared to others that were fishing.

Would be interested in hearing how others fishing down there over the weekend ended up.

Cheers.

[andy123]

Nice try mate by thats fishing just the hope of being able to land that monster is what keeps you dedicated.

[Mr.KingSpooled]

Lol mate this is all the beauty of fishing. If we caught fish consistantly without a fight or different techniques it would be boring. I think the waiting for that all important fish is what makes actually catching the fish that much more deserving.

I used to go out to chase jewy's. I didnt land my first jewy after how many months. As in every night I went to chase them I would leave straight after work go collect bait then get to my jew spot, rig up and send out the baits. I would fish it until 4am - 5am where I had just enough time to get home get ready and get to work. Most nights I would come home with a result of a few yakkas and maybe a squid which were all bait anyways. But the night I did land my first jew I was over the moon extatic. It paid off, all the hard work i put in for so long paid off. But guess what I released my first jew of 70+cm, 20minutes later I managed a 101cm jewy a PB. I went crazy when I caught it, thinkin all the times fishing for this specimen and now I have it.

Its all worth it in the end matey trust me. Ontop of that too actually come home with 3 fish fit for the table is a good effort in its own. You went out chasin monsters you came back with table fish. Beautiful. Like I mentioned there has been many times where I have fished to come home with nothing at all except for a hungry stomach and a cold.

Basically all in all, keep it at it matey and you will catch those bigger fish. Also if you do keep catching good table fish as bi-catch even better, as long as your always bringing home something true?

Persistence is the key,

jez

[johnk]

Nice try mate by thats fishing just the hope of being able to land that monster is what keeps you dedicated.

It is the hope that along will come that rare beauty that makes your heart race - the thrill of th rod tip bending, the setting of the hooks and then the fight and that first glimpse of the silver fish - thats what keeps us dedicated and coming back for more.

Cheers

[johnk]

Lol mate this is all the beauty of fishing. If we caught fish consistantly without a fight or different techniques it would be boring. I think the waiting for that all important fish is what makes actually catching the fish that much more deserving.

I used to go out to chase jewy's. I didnt land my first jewy after how many months. As in every night I went to chase them I would leave straight after work go collect bait then get to my jew spot, rig up and send out the baits. I would fish it until 4am - 5am where I had just enough time to get home get ready and get to work. Most nights I would come home with a result of a few yakkas and maybe a squid which were all bait anyways. But the night I did land my first jew I was over the moon extatic. It paid off, all the hard work i put in for so long paid off. But guess what I released my first jew of 70+cm, 20minutes later I managed a 101cm jewy a PB. I went crazy when I caught it, thinkin all the times fishing for this specimen and now I have it.

Its all worth it in the end matey trust me. Ontop of that too actually come home with 3 fish fit for the table is a good effort in its own. You went out chasin monsters you came back with table fish. Beautiful. Like I mentioned there has been many times where I have fished to come home with nothing at all except for a hungry stomach and a cold.

Basically all in all, keep it at it matey and you will catch those bigger fish. Also if you do keep catching good table fish as bi-catch even better, as long as your always bringing home something true?

Persistence is the key,

jez

Thanks for your great reply. I have fished for these beauties for over 40 years - started as a 13 year out on Stockton breakwall with a few mates. As the times went by it wasnothing to start around 3pm and catch the live bait and fish all through the night for zero - but when I caught my first I couldn't stop shaking. Over the years up in Newcastle landed a number of very solid fish up arounf 20kgs from the breakwall and some good sized fish from the beaches - but it takes a lot of patience and dedication. Since moving to Sydney about 10yrs ago haven't ben chasing them until recently. Have the bug again so will continue with the effort in the hope of landing my first Sydney based jew fish. But as you said 3 table fish isn't something to complain about as have been out on too many occassions to remember not to even get a bite.

Cheers and good luck

[Mr.KingSpooled]

No worries bud was a pleasure !!

Hey if your interested maybe we can organize a fish sometime !!!

Pm me if ur interested bud !!

Keep at it matey,

Jez