Botany Bay January 2nd 2012

[Keflapod]

The day started well.

Anchor in at 5:30, a good 10 minutes before my mate the trevally vacuum cleaner turned up. This guy is seriously good at laying a trail and getting his bag of trevally, a bunch of bream, bustoffs by kingies – you name it. If it comes into the trail he'll get it. He should know how – he's a school teacher. Probably a fish-school teacher - he's got insider information or something

So I was there and into them before he anchored.

Ha ha I thought . Today ima gonna get them into MY trail and he can sit back and watch ME catching them. I'll get him some popcorn and a pillow and he can watch me in action.

Now we were only fishing one rod each as the fishing was fast'n'furious.

He was catching them fast and I was missing them 'furious.

Well I actually don't know what happened – I only lost a couple.

After 30 minutes the fishing slowed and we compared notes. I had a nice bream and 6 good trevally.

He had 6 bream and 10 trevally and been busted a couple of times on kingies.

How was this possible ?

School teachers never lie.

I trust them unconditionally (right? We all do, right?)

This man is the master and I'm but the grasshopper

He kicked my butt again - with a steel capped boot

So why did the fishing slow so early in the morning?

Well another boat, Mr king kong kingie troller went right through our combined trails.

No amount of HEYing or HARing would ward these MENSA students off.

So I cast one rod over all their troll rods and as they nonchalantly trolled by. As I heaved back on my rod, all their troll lines would have come together in blissful harmony. But I did have to sacrifice a rig of mine to do it….

Ahhh, the things we do for hate.

After that I tried some deeper water spots for not a living creature.

While I was in exploration mode, the teacher stayed and went into overdrive and bumped the catch up to 17 trevally and 12 bream. Why oh why did I leave !

Surely he is still telling the truth?

But I had to look around at other spots to satisfy the curiosity.

I then visited my bream grounds at about 9:30 off quibray bay and the wind was starting to get fresh.

I knew this would happen.

So did the weather forecaster.

We must both have had ESP or something.

That must stand for Extra Stupid People because the number of boats that buzzed me at 10 metres was ridiculous.

I must take down that "kick me" sign off the cabin someday.

It was like Pitt St in there.

I just couldn't wet a line for more than 15 minutes continuously without someone driving past me like they have lost control of their steering wheel due to the G-forces involved.

No more fish came on board until 10:30 when the wind hit about 15 knots.

Yee har, bring it on. The bay was beginning to empty and the fish were starting to bite.

The tide rising is also something I favour so for the next 2 hours, 10 nice whiting and 6 more bream came over the side, but I felt like a pinball in a pinball machine as the wind went whistling at 20 knots and a half metre of angry chop tenderized be against the cabin wall. Every cast was a fish but every fish fight was a bruise on my body.

It was hard to hold the rod with one had, turn the reel with the other hand, hold the net with the other hand and hold the cabin rail with the other hand.

I should have ordered that prehensile tail from online shop when I had the chance.

So the ribs and head had to take the impact.

Enough is enough - time to join the ESP's at the boat ramp.

Then, I had one kite boarder nearly join me in the boat.

He was unable to bet back to the Kurnell boat ramp due to the NE wind direction.

He asked me if I could give him a lift.

I was a bit confused because I didn't know HOW this could be achieved without the whole boat being lifted up by the parachute.

Where would I tie the rope ?

While he was explaining what he needed to be done, a long gust of wind took him to Dolls point. He was still explaining what he needed as he took off like Mark Okalupo on a gnarly wave. He was out of sight in 30 seconds.

But 5 minutes later he was back – still talking ! Perhaps he thought I was following him at 45 knots on a silent outboard ? Did he think I was driving the Red October?

Then he seemed to have worked out how to tack at 45 degrees and went towards the boat ramp, but this time more like Mario Andretti as he appeared to have some control.

I don't understand these fang dangled contraptions or the contraptioneers. Apparently he never made it to Kurnell but had landed on the beach between Towra and Quibray Bay and I guess he folded up the 'chute and got on someone's boat.All very interesting..

I wonder if he still thought the boat he got a ride from was me.

I'm sure he got home OK. Next time the chute should be connected to a 'yak, not a surfboard. If things get rough, pull in the 'chute and 'yak it home - problem solved.

And then I realized what a miracle today was.

Not a single Sting ray !

That's a first for me.

Then the customary 30 minute wait at the ramp and home'n'hosed.

Back to work the next day - holidays over..

It was nice.

Lots of stories to tell.and bore people do death.

Now all I need is a photo from that LYING school teacher..

I bet he only caught 2 puffers.

Edited January 2, 2012 by Keflapod

[TRIER]

LOL. Great read & report, keep them both coming.

[cjchen]

holy !

well that school teacher wasn't me....... i got 2 trev 1 bream trolling around dolls pt mucking around

haha i can't believe someone is better than you.

and with the run out i can guess where you were =)

the good ol spot aye.

yes last time i was there this old bloke owned, very similar to what your fishing school teacher did, he was using pillies.

what bait did the damage this time?

[night_rider]

The day started well.

Anchor in at 5:30, a good 10 minutes before my mate the trevally vacuum cleaner turned up. This guy is seriously good at laying a trail and getting his bag of trevally, a bunch of bream, bustoffs by kingies – you name it. If it comes into the trail he'll get it. He should know how – he's a school teacher. Probably a fish-school teacher - he's got insider information or something

So I was there and into them before he anchored.

Ha ha I thought . Today ima gonna get them into MY trail and he can sit back and watch ME catching them. I'll get him some popcorn and a pillow and he can watch me in action.

Now we were only fishing one rod each as the fishing was fast'n'furious.

He was catching them fast and I was missing them 'furious.

Well I actually don't know what happened – I only lost a couple.

After 30 minutes the fishing slowed and we compared notes. I had a nice bream and 6 good trevally.

He had 6 bream and 10 trevally and been busted a couple of times on kingies.

How was this possible ?

School teachers never lie.

I trust them unconditionally (right? We all do, right?)

This man is the master and I'm but the grasshopper

He kicked my butt again - with a steel capped boot

So why did the fishing slow so early in the morning?

Well another boat, Mr king kong kingie troller went right through our combined trails.

No amount of HEYing or HARing would ward these MENSA students off.

So I cast one rod over all their troll rods and as they nonchalantly trolled by. As I heaved back on my rod, all their troll lines would have come together in blissful harmony. But I did have to sacrifice a rig of mine to do it….

Ahhh, the things we do for hate.

After that I tried some deeper water spots for not a living creature.

While I was in exploration mode, the teacher stayed and went into overdrive and bumped the catch up to 17 trevally and 12 bream. Why oh why did I leave !

Surely he is still telling the truth?

But I had to look around at other spots to satisfy the curiosity.

I then visited my bream grounds at about 9:30 off quibray bay and the wind was starting to get fresh.

I knew this would happen.

So did the weather forecaster.

We must both have had ESP or something.

That must stand for Extra Stupid People because the number of boats that buzzed me at 10 metres was ridiculous.

I must take down that "kick me" sign off the cabin someday.

It was like Pitt St in there.

I just couldn't wet a line for more than 15 minutes continuously without someone driving past me like they have lost control of their steering wheel due to the G-forces involved.

No more fish came on board until 10:30 when the wind hit about 15 knots.

Yee har, bring it on. The bay was beginning to empty and the fish were starting to bite.

The tide rising is also something I favour so for the next 2 hours, 10 nice whiting and 6 more bream came over the side, but I felt like a pinball in a pinball machine as the wind went whistling at 20 knots and a half metre of angry chop tenderized be against the cabin wall. Every cast was a fish but every fish fight was a bruise on my body.

It was hard to hold the rod with one had, turn the reel with the other hand, hold the net with the other hand and hold the cabin rail with the other hand.

I should have ordered that prehensile tail from online shop when I had the chance.

So the ribs and head had to take the impact.

Enough is enough - time to join the ESP's at the boat ramp.

Then, I had one kite boarder nearly join me in the boat.

He was unable to bet back to the Kurnell boat ramp due to the NE wind direction.

He asked me if I could give him a lift.

I was a bit confused because I didn't know HOW this could be achieved without the whole boat being lifted up by the parachute.

Where would I tie the rope ?

While he was explaining what he needed to be done, a long gust of wind took him to Dolls point. He was still explaining what he needed as he took off like Mark Okalupo on a gnarly wave. He was out of sight in 30 seconds.

But 5 minutes later he was back – still talking ! Perhaps he thought I was following him at 45 knots on a silent outboard ? Did he think I was driving the Red October?

Then he seemed to have worked out how to tack at 45 degrees and went towards the boat ramp, but this time more like Mario Andretti as he appeared to have some control.

I don't understand these fang dangled contraptions or the contraptioneers. Apparently he never made it to Kurnell but had landed on the beach between Towra and Quibray Bay and I guess he folded up the 'chute and got on someone's boat.All very interesting..

I wonder if he still thought the boat he got a ride from was me.

I'm sure he got home OK. Next time the chute should be connected to a 'yak, not a surfboard. If things get rough, pull in the 'chute and 'yak it home - problem solved.

And then I realized what a miracle today was.

Not a single Sting ray !

That's a first for me.

Then the customary 30 minute wait at the ramp and home'n'hosed.

Back to work the next day - holidays over..

It was nice.

Lots of stories to tell.and bore people do death.

Now all I need is a photo from that LYING school teacher..

I bet he only caught 2 puffers.

Keflapod, Have you ever written a newspaper column or something of sorts? Very amusing read up. Painted the picture of every annoyance but every triumph seemed more weighted.

[badmotorfinger]

Great write up. Looked pretty rough out there, not surprised you got tenderized.

[jenno64]

Keflapod,

Brilliant read and a fantastic bag too! Lot's of cowboys out there atm and I have to seek tiny waters or ridiculous hours, being in a kayak! Looking forward to your next post.

[Keflapod]

holy !

well that school teacher wasn't me....... i got 2 trev 1 bream trolling around dolls pt mucking around

haha i can't believe someone is better than you.

and with the run out i can guess where you were =)

the good ol spot aye.

yes last time i was there this old bloke owned, very similar to what your fishing school teacher did, he was using pillies.

what bait did the damage this time?

Hey CJ,

The gun bait there is always pillies.

The only difference I could see with our respective techniques is that he's using mono and I'm using braid (with a 2m leader of 8lb fluorocarbon).

In your case, you need to either get a cutting board or pre-cut your bait at home.

But just be aware that the fish are not always there, and that the current can change abruptly there often.

Main reason for current anomalies is that the ships tied off to the wharf either run their propellers sometimes or the tug boats manoevering there can affect the current.

It's weird - sometimes when the current is running towards the wharf, it suddenly starts running towards the hot water outlet.

Tony

[Penguin]

Nice read, and well done on your fish

[Formosan]

Hey Tony

Well done on the fish, You sure know how to fish the bay.

I got asked by a Kite surfer to take him to kurnell possibly the same bloke. I help him fold his kite and took him back to Kurnell, then went back to score some breams.

Was using Prawns, Are you hinting that fillet Pillies the gun bait in that area?

[Keflapod]

Hey Tony

Well done on the fish, You sure know how to fish the bay.

I got asked by a Kite surfer to take him to kurnell possibly the same bloke. I help him fold his kite and took him back to Kurnell, then went back to score some breams.

Was using Prawns, Are you hinting that fillet Pillies the gun bait in that area?

Hey Formosan,

I wonder if it was the same guy. He had a bright blue parachute - Aussie bloke - mid/late 30's, fair hair - maybe short beard/moustache - but unsure.

Seemed like a nice bloke but he caught me at a time when it was rough and can't fold a parachute in the middle of the bay...

The gun bit at the wharf is pillies but I have not tried pillies anywhere else in the bay.

No secret really - many fishos at the wharf fish this way and score the trevors often.

It's just that you get kingie trollers that don't give a rats nostril who troll right through your trail at 15m from your transom and put the fish down and out.

They ruin your chances and they get nothing anyway...very ignorant.

So did you get any bream in the 1.0m shallows there ?

They are not around in numbers at the moment, in the areas I usually look for them.

Still waiting for them to resume summer feeding and to finish their spawning run.....

Tony

[dhype]

Tony - top read and as always - a very impressive catch.... you will never go hungry my friend!

I was over at the flats today (Wednesday) and schools of whiting and bream darting in and out of the weed patchs/sand... this was in about a 1m or so of water.... thinking I will have to put away the lures and pump some yabbies to bag myself some whiting.. yum!.

Congrats again on the super catch!

Cheers

Trung

[Formosan]

Yeh got about 9 breams.