Northern Beaches, finally back on

[ginko]

After many trips for nothing, I finally got back amongst it this morning.

Dee Why was looking good, with a number of holes and not too much kelp.

I hit it early, with pillies on three #4 hooks. I used a snapper sinker today, as there were decent rips, no wind, and the holes were deep enough to take the bite out of the swell. It's amazing how much moving away from star sinkers helps when fishing for modest-sized fish.

Just after sunrise, a bit of tap tap, then a nice pulll - a smallish salmon came out of the surf. Then 10 minutes later, some very clear distict taps of a tailor. It was not the biggest, but good baking size, so it also came home with me.

I lost a second tailor when the beach-tractor came by and threatened to "clean" up my two fish stored in the sand. I had to leave the bait un-tended as I released the bail-arm and fetched my fish, but while doing it, another tailor took my bait and bit off the hooks..

Several more hits from smallish tailor, but no more landed within my 90 minute fishing window. And a helluva lot of surfers all trying to get out into the waves by riding out on my rip.

The fish went about 40cm (tailor) and about 50cm (aussie salmon).

Edited November 4, 2011 by ginko

[abecedarian]

You did better than me. I was at collaroy yesterday evening spinning and got nothing. Not even a hint of there being any activity. When they don't want to play they just don't play...

[Kaktis]

Nicely done Ginko, glad to hear the beaches are firing up again... have given them a wide berth of late.

Awesome report too!

I've not used anything in the surf, mainly targeting big salmon and tailor, other than star sinkers, (and bean sinkers for lighter setups), what advantage are you finding the snapper sinkers give you over the stars?

[ginko]

Kaktis,

I find the snapper sinkers cast slightly further, but the main improvement is on feeling the bite. I find with a star sinker, it seems to dig too deeply into the sand, and the fish feel too much resistance (from the sinker) when they go to swim off with the bait. Also, I don't feel the fish's bites as well.

The snapper sinkers slide across the sand more easily and I find I get more hook-ups as a result. Also, less snags and fouling on kelp on the retrieve.

But if there is too much current along the beach, then the snapper sinker doesn't work at all. I use snap swivels to hold my lead - and sometimes the holes in snapper sinkers need significant expansion with the tip of my knife before they will fit onto the snap swivels.

One last thing: both the tailor and the salmon had extra huge reproductive organs on the inside (I'm not sure if they were male or female, but the organs were really swollen). Does anyone know when their spawning season is?

Ginko

[spizza]

I believe spawning is around Sept - Oct up at Fraser Island. They should be arriving back in Sydney now if they haven't already. I have been waiting for them to start biting back here in Sydney but haven't had the chance to get out and have a go in the last few weeks.

The choppers should be in better numbers off the surf in the next few weeks, though I wish they were indeed in the Fraser size calibre...we seem to get a smaller run of fish in good numbers, with the occasional beast here and there...

[Outnumbered]

nice report

if the organs are orange they are female (thats the roe) if white it's a male