Bracey Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 (edited) Took my 8 year old daughter out on Sunday morning for the fishing comp. We were going to target flatties but had to have a quick crack for a king first. Downrigged around Barrenjoey with the 80 lbs leader setup and scored a 60cm rat. I have been fishing heavier gear down at Long Reef lately but the story of my season is that they are all sub legal so no great challenge to drag him in but on the board for the day so happy. A lot of boats off the headland and quite a few fish sounding but the little one got sick and that was that so back into Pittwater we go. Headed for a bay with a good drop off and it was like a millpond and the daughter has now come good so looks like we might get a few hours in. Put out a live yellowtail and it got smashed by a nice 49cm flattie that had no chance as I had been too impatient to re-rig and it was on the 80 lb line. Lucky for him it was catch and release so he went back. The daughter was flicking a wriggler on 10 lbs mainline and 10 lbs leader while I was setting some baits, next second zzzzzzzz and she is just going for it. Let it run, then pump and wind it was just such a buzz watching her. I just said to her it’s yours all the way, have fun even if you lose it. After about 5 min we had her first kingfish in the net. 52 cm and she is still smiling. Just after this her cheap rod with 8 lbs mainline and 10 lbs leader and a live yabbie sitting on the bottom just buckles. I’m closest so I grab it and stick it in the water to keep the braid off the boat. The fish heads for the horizon, goes around both our other lines in the water and the next moored boat’s anchor line. We had to cut one of our lines, almost got spooled but somehow got some line back and in clear water. Fight was about 10 min and I got him to the boat. We got one look at him (another 60cm king) and then he just went straight for the motor and it was all over. Lost fish but it was so much fun. So 2 kings took the 10 lbs line while the live yakka and dead squid on the 80 lbs were untouched. I’m always dreaming of the 1m fish but I think the lesson I have learnt is sometimes you need to lighten up and have some fun. 10 lbs is a bit suicidal but who would have thought a king would eat a yabbie? I'm sure something between 10 and 80 lbs is the go. Cheers, Bart Edited March 25, 2013 by Bartdude Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam0 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Congratz to your daughter for such a fine catch. Hopefully one day i'll be in her shoes taking a photo of my first king Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tw9635 Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Great fish! Was that around palm beach wharf, inside the moorings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bracey Posted March 25, 2013 Author Share Posted March 25, 2013 We were much further in, at Towlers Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pongrass18ft Posted March 25, 2013 Share Posted March 25, 2013 Nice work and plenty of fun catching fish with your daughter AWSOME. Not a good feeling being sea sick i turn green occasionally too. But you still put your daughter onto some great catches on the light gear and kept the smile on her face i bet. Great fishing Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasksta Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Sounds like a fun sesh, good work. We have been smashing the rats around Pittwater lately, I mean non stop two hours before tide. Have learnt a lot and yes the lighter gear always screams off first, we fish 15lb braid and 30lb leader. The rumours are true with fresh bait though. Guy pulls up next to me with fresh caught squid and lands three at 70+ within the hour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bracey Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Sounds like a fun sesh, good work. We have been smashing the rats around Pittwater lately, I mean non stop two hours before tide. Have learnt a lot and yes the lighter gear always screams off first, we fish 15lb braid and 30lb leader. The rumours are true with fresh bait though. Guy pulls up next to me with fresh caught squid and lands three at 70+ within the hour! G'day Tasksta I'm going again tomorrow, solo this time so no problems going around the headland. Was that guy using his squid whole do you know or stripping it? Have you been going off Barrenjoey or further in Pittwater. Any luck on lures like white sluggos. Cheers, Bart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasksta Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Hey Bart He was using long thin strips or half heads. I used to use them whole but am convinced a strip or head is just as tempting and also less wasteful. We were using box squid in the same method and that was going off but the big ones ONLY took the fresh stuff. This is all Common knowledge i know but amazing to see the 'laws' in practice. Also tried dropping to 15lb leader but got busted first bite! I bought a new symetre 4000 and it needs a service after the last rat sessions. We were getting triple hook ups. Ill PM you some details Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasksta Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Aint tried plastics there yet but would suggest a white 7 inch shad when they are on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bracey Posted March 26, 2013 Author Share Posted March 26, 2013 Thanks tasksta I'll give everything a go tomorrow but I won't have enough time to chase fresh squid so will just have to make do. I have some 6" sluggos that have worked before but I still haven't got a legal yet this year. Every fish has been in that 55 - 60 range. Doing my head in. Any info via pm much appreciated. Cheers, Bart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasksta Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 Mate go the box california squid, its a sure thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginko Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 It seems the kingies are coming right up into the estuaries now, late summer. On Sunday at full high tide, I saw a school in about 2 feet of water, way in the back corner of a sand flat. They made a huge commotion back there. I motored in as far as I could in my light tinnie, and watched the school swim out off the sand flat right under me. At the time I only had a light rod rigged with soft plastics for flatties, and they weren't taking that. Later in the day, towards low tide and in about 14m of water, but still well up the estuary, I was busted off by either a big tailor or a small kingie that smashed a 40g halco twisty retrieved at top speed. (12lb line, 20lb trace, soft mud bottom). Plenty of bust-ups on the surface. It took a few changes or lure before I found the size, speed, and colour they liked. Naturally, I had only one of them in my box. My heavier gear went untouched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Poacher Posted March 26, 2013 Share Posted March 26, 2013 I think that advice re 30lb leader was sound. Tie your outfit off to the clothes line and try and break 30lb leader through the rod as if you were fishing - for a start you have to low stick it or you will snap the rod, and even then, you will be amazed how tough it is. In Pittwater, 30lb flourocarbon is def the go. Good luck, The Poacher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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