arpie Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 (edited) Hi guys Following my previous report, where I coaxed a 38cm bream away from a Lease Pole ........ I thought I'd head out again & give the leases 'another go'! Usually I prefer to fish the rising tide & the change - tho yesterday, this didn't really work for me! It was VERY quiet - a couple of small fish - I had moved from lease to lease, mainly fishing the outside edges, and then I spotted it!! My ALL-TIME favourite lease (that had been 'yak-proofed' about 5 years ago) had left the gate open!! Gee, I wish I'd noticed earlier in the day, as now, the tide was running out strongly & it can be very tricky fishing inside a lease when the tide is 'crossing' the lease racks, rather than running 'with' the racks! Accurate casting is essential, or else you are just retrieving lures from the mesh that is on top of the racks ..... and at the same time, most likely spooking every fish within a 50m circle! The wind was a bit tricky - you had to compensate BIGTIME to just get the lure on the water, let alone where you wanted it! I sidled up to a fence & tied myself to it, casting across to the open 'flats', retrieving the small diving lure with the tide. I was absolutely AMAZED when I saw that about 30 fish were following the lure back towards the fence (they obviously couldn't see ME) and the few bream that were amongst them, were snapping at the lure, but unable to find the hooks! By now, they'd seen me, & didn't fall for THAT trick again! Whilst still tied to the fence, I saw a very tight 'prospective spot' & decided to chuck the lure towards it - if I was 5cm 'out', I would have been snagged on the racks, so wasn't really surprised when almost immediately, I felt resistance. When you hook a rack, the mesh actually 'gives' a bit, so I gave a couple of yanks to see if the lure would come free ..... and on the 3rd yank, the 'rack' yanked back! Having the drag done up to the max previously, I high sticked the rod & maintained pressure on what was obviously a VERY GOOD FISH ......... and slowly managed to skull drag it out of it's hidey hole! Once free of the rack, it tried to power away & was taking line even tho the drag was as tight as I could without using pliers! OK ..... this is the one that I've read about when Bushie (Kaj Bush) talks about monster bream!! Once again, I am praying that my line & knots are good and that the reel will hold - and altho the fight was reasonably short, it sure was INTENSE!! Finally, I got it to my net! Woohooo! High Fives to myself!! I had to use my lip grippers to hold it on the mat, as my arthritic hands weren't strong enough to hold it down & take a pic at the same time! It went 45cm & 1.36kg! Some more pics! If it was a Bass, I'd call it Hank! If I ever find that lease open again ...... I'll give that spot another go!! I know where he lives! I continued fishing, going up & down the racks, casting the small diver & got slammed by another big fish, which I thought I had the measure of, but was unable to stop it as it took my lure under the rack, catching a hook, thus allowing it to escape! I did some minor surgery on the hooks & cast it again!! Talk about a cast of thousands!! In the next rack, it met it's fate - straight under the rack & even the 14lb leader didn't stand a chance on sharp oysters! Next time, I shall upgrade to 20lb leader! Oh well, a change of tactics - I put my Sammy on & had some explosive hits as the lure went closer & closer to the edge of the racks ...... but the fish couldn't find the hooks! I continued fishing for another hour or two, then had to leave as I'd arranged to meet up with Keith at 5pm (I'd set out at 8.30am! ) The sun was going down One Happy Fisho! One for the COTM! WOW! What a session! I won't forget that one in a hurry - it had been a bit windy at times, but all up, a glorious winter's day on Wallis Lake!! I am a bit tired after that session - I think I will have a few days off!! I am just SO glad that the hip held out!! cheerio Roberta Edited May 23, 2012 by Roberta
user1829 Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 I had to use my lip grippers to hold it on the mat, as my arthritic hands weren't strong enough to hold it down & take a pic at the same time! It went 35cm & 1.36kg! great report, but gotta point out possibly the worst typo in this situation!!! congrats! 45cm certainly is "monster class" bream
arpie Posted May 23, 2012 Author Posted May 23, 2012 (edited) Thanks guys! It was real 'heart in the mouth' stuff! .. possibly the worst typo in this situation!!!.....l Ooops!! I must have been tired!! Thanks for that, Dave! .... but u have now convinced me to find a second hand yak!!..... Absolutely - you can sneak into really Breamy areas that boats just can't get to!! Don't forget to test drive the Hobie Mirage Drive yaks, too - they really ARE easier get around & less tiring than a paddle yak. Let me know when you get one - we can hit the water together! Cheers Roberta Edited May 23, 2012 by Roberta
bassboy888 Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 HOLY COW!! that is one solid bream! well done getting the beast out of those racks. Hardbod or plastic?? You gotta love fishing those racks. I know what you mean by locked up drag though hopefully those racks stay open for you for a little while longer.
arpie Posted May 23, 2012 Author Posted May 23, 2012 (edited) ...Hardbod or plastic??... A hard body shallow diver - a cheap little $5 one! I looked at my more expensive lures & thought ......no, not this time! ANd I was right! YEP - when you think the drag is done up tight, grab a pair of pliers & tighten it again! (words from Kaj Bush!) 3lb braid is a tad light for that sort of territory. I use 6lb on the Samurai & have 10lb+ on a heavier rod. At least a metre of 14-20lb leader. My Samurai 1-3lb rod (maybe it is kg, not lb ....?) will still cast 1/30th jig heads well & things like Sammys go for miles! (almost!) He was the first fish to take line from the Certate with 'locked drag' but not with pliers! cheers Roberta Edited May 23, 2012 by Roberta
sadamson Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Good on you Roberta that a great bream Hope to get up to your neck of the wood in the near future. Cheers (Stephen)Reggie the rabbit,
Stillrockn Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 WoW! Roberta Congrats on a Great Fish Well Done Cheers Tom
rjc123 Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Super Bream! They know how to pull at that size. I'll have to head up your way sometime and tap into those leases
Blood Knot Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Im loving that big breambo Roberta - Congrats that's a top fish off the racks Cheers Blood Knot
jenno64 Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Congrats Roberta! You deserve what is possibly a catch of a lifetime and to drag it out of the racks under max drag it takes one very quick and skilful fisho which you are! I'd be thinking of a mould for that beast!!
arpie Posted May 23, 2012 Author Posted May 23, 2012 Thanks again, guys - I really appreciate your comments! ...Hope to get up to your neck of the wood in the near future.... Let me know when you come up, Stephen - I'll show you some good spots!! .... I'll have to head up your way sometime and tap into those leases .... No worries - let me know when you get your yak & are coming up! ...possibly a catch of a lifetime.... Thanks Rob - I really DO believe there was an element of luck in it as well ........ I am just thankful that my gear all held up ..... and that I had upgraded the hooks on the lure not that long ago!! I honestly thought it was a snag to start off with!! He only started playing up, really, after I'd pulled him out of his hole! Can't wait to get out & try it again, but I'll wait til the body recovers!! I am still feeling the slop of the water - I was out well over 8hrs! cheers Roberta
paul.kenny Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 Wow, what an awesome fish from the racks....you should be the FR 'biggest lure caught bream from the racks' record holder .
brendong Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 Cracking Bluenose Roberta...well worth the wait I'm sure...
elferoz777 Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 (edited) 47 cms is my PB for a yellow fin bream and I tell you what they are sure fun to catch!!..taste good 2! Good work landing him! Edited May 24, 2012 by elferoz777
arpie Posted May 27, 2012 Author Posted May 27, 2012 What a difference a few days make!! Headed out this morning at 9am, hoping to hit the run in tide ...... it was still going out strongly!! Amazing! It didn't stop & turn til about Midday ....... then, it was going out again when I headed back, going out strongly at 3pm!! The shortest 'in tide' that I have ever seen!! Very annoying! I got a couple of stonker pike (shame I didn't know anyone wanting to use them as livies for Jew!) and dropped a couple of nice bream , finally managing to skull drag a just legal across the top of a closed in lease ........ after missing numerous good hits! From one extreme to the other! But hey! It was still a fun day on the water, even with the wind! cheerio Roberta
james7 Posted May 27, 2012 Posted May 27, 2012 What can I say Roberta? Just sensational!!! Cheers Peter
pmak Posted May 28, 2012 Posted May 28, 2012 What a monster Roberta. Plier locked drag on a Certate and still pulling line? Must have been a heart in your mouth moment. Congratulations - definitely COTM stuff !!
Jew Stalker Posted May 29, 2012 Posted May 29, 2012 Smashing stuff to get that stonker out of his hidey place. As you well know leases are treacherous territory on tackle. That was a great bit of adrenaline pumping action I bet.
Daniel Frost Posted May 29, 2012 Posted May 29, 2012 Hi Roberta, It's been a while since I loooked at this website. I really enjoyed reading your report about when we first met. To be quite honest I don't like to share too much info. Sorry but I don't care what people think. Most anglers don't spend most of their free time fishing . So many people want you to give up your secrets with little or no thought to the massive amount of effort and time that it took to get there. Don't get me wrong I love the idea of Fishraider and what it's about. Your a great example of a person who is willing to share info and enjoy fishing. Well what I'd like to talk about is the day I met you. I was a young man {those were the days)and I was drifting for whiting, I saw a lady in the leases fishing the wrong tide and tuffing it out in true Aussie fashion. Call me a shovinest but this for me was a rare sight . Women were not a commmen sight in the fishing arena especially doing it tuff on the racks in a yak!!!!. My father still lived in Forster and told me about whiting that were in the area, I was getting plenty and wanted to help this lady out. When I told this lady how I was doing it she wanted to chat and it was soon realised that my dad Max was a friend of hers. This was how I met Roberta. She is a lovely women and I intend to catch up agsin when I am back in Forster this Christmas.
arpie Posted May 30, 2012 Author Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) ...To be quite honest I don't like to share too much info... he, he, you may notice that there are not many 'background' pics in most of my reports ..... just the fish on my lap - tho occasionally I will throw in a 'general background' one if I hold the fish up! I also don't always post which lure 'did the job' ..... tho most know that I enjoy my 'sammy' for topwater! So I know exactly where you are coming from - and no complaints from me! It is always more fun when you work it out yourself & get a 'goodie'! When you come up, you'll have to borrow a Hobie from Max & Craig ...... & then we will be almost level pegging!! Many thanks for the kind words, Dan ..... he, he, I well remember that day - the tide was flowing fast & I was pushing against it in my Hobie, my legs going 10 to the dozen ........ just to hold my position, finding it difficult to cast my lure anywhere productive & I was getting a bit grumpy - especially after watching these 2 young blokes pull in fish after fish!! With a couple of your 'words from the wise' I was now chucking my topwater lures then & there, with more purpose & direction - finally 'got the action' right, before honing it down to my own 'yak method' - and the bonus was that I started catching Bream on them as well as whiting!!! Max had LONG recommended me to tough it out in the leases but I hated the thought of losing my lures to these big bruisers ........ But hey! You can't take 'em with you when you go, so may as well use them & abuse them .........and the above fish is the result of both yours & Max's input! YAY! .... I intend to catch up agsin when I am back in Forster this Christmas. .... Looking forward to getting out on the lake with you!! cheerio Roberta Edited May 31, 2012 by Roberta
slinkymalinky Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 That's an awesome Bream and some top fishing to get him out of the racks, Roberta. Wow Cheers, Slinky
Luke K Posted June 17, 2012 Posted June 17, 2012 HI Roberta Well done!! That is a fish to be reckoned with. Brilliant fish and great report too! LUke
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