Inside and Just outside of Botany and The Hacking.

[JET01]

I had to go in for an operation the other day which is going to put me out of action for a while.

It will be about Mid April before i can get back out in the boat and yak. Hoping to fish the Pirtek Challenge.

Last winter my boat didn't get much use as I was away for work from May-August. The winter previous to that, I had only just started fishing so at this stage I haven't really developed a seasonal routine. Nor have I done much fishing in the winter months period.

I haven't done much work out past the Botany Bay or Port Hacking heads as I don't have an EPIRB, but am hoping to get out a little more often this year to places like Shark Island, Jibbon Bombora and the headlands around the National park as I've heard they hold fish most of the year. I'm going to try pushing out there in the Yak aswell as the Stacer Nomad 469.

So first of all, will mid April be too late in the year for a legal king in the areas I've mentioned above? I'm yet to catch a legal Kingfish, so am hoping i can find one this year. From what i can tell, the kings only really come close to the coast in the warmer summer months. Is that right?

Secondly, GEAR... I've mainly got 2-4kg bream gear so am going to get something a little heavier for bigger plastics (i bought a 4-6kg 6'8 Sonic spin pro, but it's a broom stick and doesn't cast anything very far).

I've got my heart set on a new Terez rod to use with my shimano Stradic Ci4 4000 spooled with 20lb powerpro. I've also got a CI4 3000 with 6kg Fireline exceed, that could be used also. Should i get the 10-20lb or 15-30lb? They are the lightest two in the range. I'll be flicking jig heads from 1/4 - 1oz when heading outside the heads.

When inside the bays and estuaries I'm going to use it for soft plastics and blades fishing for Jews around bridges and Kings around the oil wharf and big flatties when i go down to Mallacoota for the SSBS in May.

Thirdly....I noticed a few of the guys on here were getting snapper on plastics in the sydney area.

I really like to eat snapper and would like to know if anyone has caught them in the Botany Bay or Port Hacking areas. PM me if you don't want to broadcast it. I live in Cronulla so would love to hear from anyone that has caught snapper in the area. What techniques and gear did you use?

Cheers,

Jet

[JET01]

Geez... 100 views and responses... Keeping all the good snapper spots to yourselves?

[SCOTTYB]

Geez... 100 views and responses... Keeping all the good snapper spots to yourselves?

Hey Jet,

Nearly guilty of being 101st to view without a response - just can't help much as we don't have a boat and don't fish BB. Years ago used to fish Kurnell, but tend to go down the coast for rockfishing. I did appreciate the level of detail you provided in your initial post, so can understand the frustration of sharing a fair bit without a response - I'm sure you'll get some of the regular BB FR's replying at some stage. Sometimes getting insight is like fishing - you have to be a bit patient. It is the middle of the week, so my guess is that the regulars are probably out fishing as the rain held off today!

Cheers,

SB

[Swaz]

I can help specifically but you might get some more answers on Sydney angler forum.

[JET01]

Thanks for your input guys.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see if anyone else has a few ideas for me.

[Guest Aussie007]

i dont usually fish the colder months due to the water at the boat ramp being freezing cold and having to wear heavy clothing if i go in the drunk im gone for sure but pick your days and u can go out around the head lands easy a mate takes his 4.5m stacer out a couple of k's on an ok day u dont need a epirb if u stay within 2km of the coast line u also dont need a radio u only need the basic safety gear on the maritimes web site as for fishing spots i donno about winter but in summer north along the coast line on the east side of the golf course fishes well and outside of south botany head right in front of the park u can get big kings and port hacking fishes well as u go out the heads there is a pool i think and a small beach between the north head and cronulla beach drift along here for flatties

[fishingmik]

Gday mate snapper is the target for winter evan bream i have only fished up there a few times mainly fish in the illawarra

I reckon any of them spots you sugested would hold snapper and bream

Anchoring and burling up is a good start fish with bait and plastics and your sure to get either just look for some good ground on your sounder anchor up and bring the fish to you or fish with plasctis and drift around them spots

As for your gear the terez would be perfect with 20pnd evan the bream gear will do the trick just up your leader to about 10pnd i have caught lots of bream and snapper on light gear evan caugt a 4kg snapper on bream gear so dont be scared to use yah bream gear but yah gunna loose a few as well all in a fun days fishin

hope this helps a bit

cheers mik

Edited March 22, 2012 by fishingmik

[JET01]

thanks for the tips boys.

I'm going to treat myself to a nitro viper. I've got a lot of 7inch jerk shads that i'm going to use.

I can't wait to get off the lounge and back into the yak. All this time stuck inside has been good for one thing and one thing only... SAVING MONEY TO SPEND ON NEW GEAR. It's silly the amount of money i fritter away on things like coffee and expensive lunch...

Time to be a bit more smart about the way I spend so i can have nicer fishing gear...

Nitro Viper 6-8kg 7ft on a Ci4 4000 with 20lb Power Pro. Can't wait to hook onto a beast with my new gear.

I'll let everyone know when i catch a fish worth bragging about.

[Juggs]

Could always try to buddy up with another boat and share information on the day via mobile etc

Someone finds fish the other let's em know vice versa

[mark_s]

Hi Jet, I live next to Cronulla and fish these areas whenever i can (which isn't that often as I have very young kids).

Firstly, in terms of boat, I previously had a 14ft quintrex and now have a 18ft Searay. Neither are a great sea boat but both were/are fine for what I do (fish from kurnel down to about Wattamolla, and in the hacking) generally sticking to within 1-2kms of the coast, providing you pick your day and don't push it if in doubt. One thing to watch out for is the fog can roll down off the RNP quickly, even in the middle of the day. It doesn't happen often, but if makes for an eiry run back to the hacking, navigating by compass and sounder.

In terms of spots, don't forget there is quite a few spots in the middle and north end of bate bay, merries reef: osborne shoals and more. Also, don't underestimate the hacking, You can catch legal snapper there as well, my daughter caught one on dough at a mooring that I reckong 95% of boats in the hacking drive past every day. Its the same technique as offshore - drift light weighted lines down a burly trail.

Back to the offshore spots, I have had some success chasing snapper on plastics but also more failures - the jackets (and maybe toads) just tear you apart some days. I haven't got any in really shallow water (20m of less) yet. As for kings, I haven't picked up any stonkers of the RNP yet, dunna why as I think I am doing all the right things. They are there though and I have had plenty of just under kings. Have had some strange catches, the other week I was getting bonito on pastics down at marley, but there was a few (school?) of red rockies underneath the bonnies - presumedly feeding on their scraps.

Good luck

Edited April 8, 2012 by mark_s