arpie Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 (edited) Hi guys As planned, I met up with Mark & Gyro on Saturday for a fish - Mark & Kev, in 'the beast' and Michelle I gave Mark a Sammy & basic instructions so that he could try his hand at Topwater Fishing and we all headed off to try & humble some of those pesky bream! It was a bit windy & overcast but, with the wind no your back, you can make some REALLY long casts! First Fish wasn't any thing to get really excited about, even tho it was legal On the way to the lease that we wanted to fish, top water wasn't really working that morning, so by the time I got to the lease and realised the gate was open ...... I had quite a few casts across the racks, then swapped to SPs. On 2 consecutive casts, I was busted off by big bream!! I'd forgotten just how much power these lease bream have!! Next hookup, I managed to manhandle him out of the racks and into my yak! He was a tad under 35cm & was VERY fat - a fair dinkum blue nose. I Dropped a couple more nice bream too. I continued fishing for lots of smaller bream (some just over legal, so didn't bother taking pics ......) We met up with Mark & Kev again - they'd had a tough day of it - not sure if they got any fish! On the way back to the car, I finally managed a Sammy bream!! Not a thumper, but more than legal, going about 30cm! Saturday looms gloomy & overcast - we make sure our wet weather gear is handy!! We returned to our new fav lease, only to find that it was locked! The wind was ripping thru the Paddock area & it was very choppy, so we decided to run for cover & shortly after feeling a few drops, our wet weather gear was on! Michelle had given me a Cranka diver - I'd never even seen one before, so it became my lure of choice for the day! I'd dropped a couple of nice fish earlier on with it, so figured it must be a good 'un. It didn't disappoint!! It was over 30cm. I'd dropped another really good one, when Michelle was right behind me! I had the drag set at MAX & as soon as he struck, I was trying to haul him away from the racks, only for him to dive over the other side for the other rack! I managed to get him back towards the middle of the alley ...... and the hooks pulled! As Michelle said - with that much pressure on, it is not surprising that the hooks pull! This is what he did to the hooks!! One was curled up completely - the other straightened! No, I don't have the 3rd one in my hand!! I took a few home for Michelle's Mum's dinner! Sunday morning, again we head out!! The water was Clear As, the sun was shining & boy! Did it get hot out there!!?? Fishing was very slow & I was blaming the sun, the lack of clouds & the very clear water!! It wasn't MY fault, of course! Finally, I caught a just legal early on & put it back, not photographing it. Then, not long after, I hooked this one just casting gulps across some flats - It was over 30cm & initially I thought it was a flattie then the head shakes confirmed a bream! I wandered around the Paddock, trying to find more fish - I could see them clearly enough, they just didn't want to eat!! I caught up with Michelle - she'd fished a different lease & had kept 2 nice flatties & a bream. Michelle headed off to try another spot so I started chucking SPs towards some oyster covered poles ........and WHAM! I am on!! Somehow I managed to wrestle him out of the minefield & into the yak! It went 35cm and was VERY FAT A nice 35cm Blue Nose Bream Very thick in the chest Then I heard a "bream kiss" & swiftly (and not too accurately) cast to THAT oyster covered pole ...... over the top of some other oysters ......and within seconds, the fish struck, so did I & it was pulling me towards the structure .... and the braid busted against the oysters! He was as good a fish as the previous one!! I kept trying for more fish - I'd caught 2 nice ones inside of 10mins ........ but couldn't tempt any more onto the hooks ...... Ah well, that's fishing Michelle & I had a great few days on the water - I caught on Topwater, divers & SPs, so a mixed number of methods! A cast of thousands, but well worth it! THanks for reading Cheerio Roberta Edited May 7, 2012 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spooooled Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Nice bream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobba12 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Nice report. One thing I truly don't understand is why those guys put so much work into the kayak/boat setup. I mean wow what a great job it looks great and I am sure the reasons are all valid but to me it seems strange to not just buy a boat that will be more comfortable and let you fish longer? I know yaking allows you to be super stealth and I love that but when you slap an outboard on it doesn't that defeat the point? If the whole thing pulls apart to be 2 normal yaks again then it all makes perfect sense haha. Anyway im not bagging just confused. Good Fishing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkymalinky Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Sounds like a couple of nice days on the water. I'm very envious. Cheers, Slinky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james7 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Sensational report Roberta! Some great fish for you and Michelle! Brilliant photos too. Cheers Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Thanks guys - but after 3 days of fishing 7-8 hrs a day ...... I was absolutely knackered after it (and still am!) I can still feel the rocking of the water, so will abstain for a week or so!! I'll let the fish replenish themselves in the areas that we hit ........ then whack them again, maybe!! On the SPs I was using the 1/28th TT HWS - just that tad heavier than the 1/32th I'd used previously - with the added weight of the Gulp - it was easier to cast but still wafts thru the water column nice & slowly, enticing the fish to bite! ...One thing I truly don't understand is why those guys put so much work into the kayak/boat setup..... Each to his own - this craft is low to the water, so has terrific stability& is excellent in shallow water estuaries, which is where it is usually deployed. Both can stand on the platform & cast. THey had fun putting it together to suit their needs. Why did they do it? Because they can! Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassboy888 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Nice bream roberta, cracker weekend were you fishing 20lb on the cranka? I just started using the HWS hooks myself, I cant wait to test them on some of the rockwalls and EP this winter! How'd the hip go after three days on the water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Well done Roberta. Great to see you out there fishing hard & getting into some quality bream. Some nice fish in that lot. They have obviously been eating very well. They were in really good nick. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 ...were you fishing 20lb on the cranka? .... Hi BB - ABSOLUTELY - in the racks you can't afford to give them the luxury of lighter line, unless you have someone else paying for your hard body lures!! I use less than a metre & hold the rod tip up all the time whilst retrieving, so that I can feel every strike & ram it in the air, to turn their head asap! Otherwise, they go under the racks, game over!! Those hidden weights are terrific, specially if you are skipping them across the top of the water towards a boat!!! The lead head jigheads hit it like a bullet ...... with some very irate owners, on occasions! With the HWS - it is usually the body of the lure that hits & minimal noise is made to both owner & fish! The hip held up pretty well - I felt a twinge on the Saturday afternoon and again today - so am back on the anti inflams - there is obviously something still in there that doesn't like the pedalling ...... but I DID put in 3 BIG days, mostly holding in the current to maintain my position for casting - far more accuracy available to your casting than when floating down the current when it is going across the racks, not parallel to them! I can feel it a bit now, but no way affecting me like Xmas Day!! Fingers crossed, after this BIG work out, all is well! I'll have a good 7-10 day break now - as much because I am stuffed as anything else!! Catch up on my reading & uke playing! ....Some nice fish in that lot. They have obviously been eating very well. They were in really good nick..... Thanks Grant! We had heaps of fun! They reckon all the river fish had moved down to the lake, sick of all the fresh water still up there - they wanted a salt 'fix'! We fixed 'em all right! Michelle reckoned it was her best bream session EVER & that included Marlo, where altho she got a really heavy bag ...... apparently most people get heavy bags there ...... she got more legals on the 3 days here, using all 3 methods - and was mixing them up - where she'd caught on topwater before, she did particularly well on SPs this time etc so more bullets in her gun for next year's ABT here - I also showed her a couple of spots to chuck a particular topwater lure that she hadn't caught on yet - and caught 3 nice bream there with it ........ just shows, you are never too old to learn, eh?? cheers Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyro Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Hi Roberta went back out same night got 2 jew 750 5 at 600 plus 8 good bream so had a good night Tight Lines Gyro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Good one, Gyro!! Glad you hooked up! i'll have to go jewie fishing with you one day - I can't see myself pulling one up the breakwall here at Forster, tho I have hooked a few - they have then taken off towards NZ & I was left with busted dreams! One day ...... cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobba12 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Thanks guys - but after 3 days of fishing 7-8 hrs a day ...... I was absolutely knackered after it (and still am!) I can still feel the rocking of the water, so will abstain for a week or so!! I'll let the fish replenish themselves in the areas that we hit ........ then whack them again, maybe!! On the SPs I was using the 1/28th TT HWS - just that tad heavier than the 1/32th I'd used previously - with the added weight of the Gulp - it was easier to cast but still wafts thru the water column nice & slowly, enticing the fish to bite! ...One thing I truly don't understand is why those guys put so much work into the kayak/boat setup..... Each to his own - this craft is low to the water, so has terrific stability& is excellent in shallow water estuaries, which is where it is usually deployed. Both can stand on the platform & cast. THey had fun putting it together to suit their needs. Why did they do it? Because they can! Roberta Fair answer. Man they have done well to be able to stand on it. My hat goes off to them. May I suggest a bilge pump built into the yak seat so that they don't get that wet bum annoyance hahah "because they can" Yep I get that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassboy888 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Good to hear that the hip held up well and there was no substantial strain on it! Those hidden weights are terrific, specially if you are skipping them across the top of the water towards a boat!!! The lead head jigheads hit it like a bullet ...... with some very irate owners, on occasions! With the HWS - it is usually the body of the lure that hits & minimal noise is made to both owner & fish! Didn't think of the benefits of boat hulls, I guess this will also work for pontoons and boards as well! now I really cant wait to use them a bit more. Just wondering though, I struggle sometimes to stay in contact with the plastic on the hidden weight, any tips on staying in contact (especially in a bit of wind or current)? I guess I'm lucky to not have run into any bream that I haven't run into any bream I need 20lb leader with, or I have been able to turn their heads in time @@StuartKenny1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 (edited) Definitely use on boards and Pontoons! If the current is too fast coming ON to the poles ( with a real chance of getting snagged and busted off too) go around to the other side and fish the water coming OFF the poles/washboards ....... The fish expect the food to be flowing away from them there ....... Keep the rod tip high and wait for the strike! I am having trouble replying on my iPad ... As we are away from home .... It wonT let me type in Fishraider for some reason!! Grrrr. Doing this on a different site and trying to copy it across!! Roberta Edited May 11, 2012 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Frost Posted May 18, 2012 Share Posted May 18, 2012 Looks like your having a ball in Forster Roberta great to see your still catching the bream. Have you put in up at the cattle crossing lately ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted May 19, 2012 Author Share Posted May 19, 2012 Hi Dan ....Looks like your having a ball in Forster Roberta great to see your still catching the bream..... he, he, there are some nice big fish in the system just now!! You'd have a BALL too!! Still taking topwater, too! .....Have you put in up at the cattle crossing lately ? ..... NO!! I haven't been back there since my day with you!! One day I'll get there - but my yak isn't anywhere NEAR as fast as YOUR boat!!! When will you be visiting Forster again?? It'd be good to catch up! cheerio Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Frost Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Probably down at christmas so I will be chasing the big bream then,will let you know closer to christmas, my boats still in Forster and I live in Cairns now so thats why I only did the first two comps this year. Hoping to have my boat up soon want to get the skeeter on Tinaroo ASAP . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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