Pig Pen

[phild]

Headed down to Middle head for a shot at some of the Drummer on Sunday eveining luckly I wasnt disapointed. The seas were perfect with a .5m swell tickling the low platform and after tossing a few handfulls of a bread sand weed and abb gut berly in the Drummer came thick and fast. Landed 6 very solid fish up to 2.5kg and lost many more horses and a few stud groper in the proscess all in all a great day on the water. Will post photos later. Cheers Phil

[pulse]

I used to fish for them but alas the old alvey/snyder combo has been packed away for a long time. Looking to get back to some rick fishing for these bruisers, any hints on where to try for them?

[appoooh]

I was down there too, didn't see you though. You must have been on the Obelisk side. I had a decidely less productive day, 1 blackfish and one smallish drummer for 3 hours

Superb afternoon though.

[phild]

I used to fish for them but alas the old alvey/snyder combo has been packed away for a long time.  Looking to get back to some rick fishing for these bruisers, any hints on where to try for them?

60076[/snapback]

Pulse any of the low wave washed ledges will hold fish. I love a ledge that sits adjacent to broken reef with sand patches in between, about 2m deep will be perfect. If it has some nice cunje beds or green weed its pretty much perfect, ALL THE LEDGES LIKE THIS IN THE LOWER HARBOUR will hold Drummer. Try to get a day when theres not to much swell but still enough to get some wash happening I find they bite best on a rising tide but this makes fishing low platforms dangerous for the novice, I wear wet suit style booties with felt soles and they stick like glue to slippery weedy ledges. Berley is essential and like I said in the post a bit of sand, bread, abb gut, and weed does the job perfectly. Use a bait keeper style hook that is super sharp and try either unweighted baits or with a small pea sinker. If the fish are there you wont have to wait to long. Keep the berley up when they start to bite. Wait until you feel the weight of a fish then dont give em an inch, locked drags and strong arm tactics are the go. I think because it presents as being a bit old school, have a bit of mytholiogy surronding them and maybe their not quite as trendy as SP for bream etc, they are still very accsesible and willing, they just dont get hit as hard by Sydney fishos which is fine by me, the fact that they bight best in winter is a real bonus too, not to mention the groper you will also encounter. Good luck grab the synder and get into them

[phild]

I was down there too, didn't see you though.  You must have been on the Obelisk side.  I had a decidely less productive day, 1 blackfish and one smallish drummer for 3 hours   

Superb afternoon though.

60085[/snapback]

Perfect arvo appooh went right on dusk what time were you there?

[dacobra]

Good session Phil !!! I was on the rocks up here yesterday and had a reasonable catch but alas no drummer. Tempted to try fishing with bread but need a few clues about getting it to stay on the hook. The dough I make from it falls apart on the hook. Can you give me some hints?

[phild]

Dacobra, I have the same trouble with bread, fresh is definetly best for bait while stale is the best for berley. I much prefer cunje or my faviroute Abb gut. If you find pickers are really bad then try salted abb gut in the spring they feed almost exclusivly on cabbage weed so give that a go too. Another good bait which presents as a good balance between convinece and durability is peeled prawn.