Summers day on the rocks yesterday.

[stormy]

Great weather for blackfish.

It was a beautiful 'summers' day yesterday, so decided to head off to the coast for a few hours fishing. Swell was way down and sun was way up as we reached our destination. Found one fella there,but he was bottom fishing and losing a snapper lead and gear on every cast.
Anyway, I rigged up my mates rod with a blackfish float, trace and Daiichi hook and showed him how to bait up and he was on his way. The fish were very tentative today and hardly feeding at all. I saw several large schools swimming past, as the water was very clear. Anyway, the downs were coming as the baits drifted over a small reef around 40m out. That is a long way out when trying to keep an eye on the float, but we managed to hook up a few fish. Landing them was the problem, as most were only lightly hooked and the swell only pushed over the lip of the rock shelf infrequently. Dropped quite a few. Anyway, it seemed to be a slow days fishing but just glorious out on the ocean front. Mark and I gave it away at 11.30am, having fished for 3 hours. I was a bit surprised when I emptied my bag to find I had caught 15 fish and Mark had landed two. We both dropped fish trying to land them as well. Mark lost 5 and I dropped twice that number. A few funny moments today, came when I tried a long cast to try and get out to the reef. Got an overrun and tried to untangle the 'birds nest' only to see my float slowly going under. I couldn't do anything about it and the line went taut. Had to put the rod down and handline the fish in, leaving coils of line on the barnacle covered rocks. Landed the fish, which had taken the hook right down and left it in a pool, still hooked up, as I tried to untangle the mess. Ended up cutting it out and rejoining the mainline. Had another hookup and fought that fish for about 30 seconds, only to see it pull the hook. Started winding in and felt weight again. This fish really motored along and I was surprised to see a 40cm trevally had grabbed the moving bait. Landed it shortly after and put it in the bag. Don't mind fresh trevally fillets. Pic 5 is the handlining effort.
A good day fishing on the rocks beats a good day sitting in an office or lounging around home. The old bones and back may disagree though....

[jenno64]

Go Stormy!

Great bag as usual, how good has the weather been!

[Justin80]

I recognise that rock shelf. I live Just up the road.

I've fished this shelf a few times with limited success. A few small snapper and bream, but nothing spectacular. I bottom-fish there, but I seem to be the only person there not targeting blackfish. I've seen a few of those rockpools stuffed with fish like yours. Excellent catch by the way. Am I wasting my time throwing out heavy lead with big strips of squid on a paternoster?

Took the gf down there today with the intention of having a fish right on high-tide. Conditions were beautiful with a gentle swell coming over the front lip, but there were 3 or 4 guys already spread-out and there wasn't much room. I noticed all of them were fishing with weed scraped from the rocks cast out under a float.

Well done on the fishing session mate.

Might see you down there sometime.

Justin.

[Scratchie]

I just love the photo of that rod bending! Please tell me it's a fish and not part of Australia?

Cheers scratchie!!!

[stormy]

If you live in Dee Why, Justin, then it is a bit more than just down the road. It is in the RNP, south of Sydney.

[Guest hawkesbass]

Good day out again stormy

[Longfish]

Quality, cant wait to get back down to Sydney and get amongst 'em...and try and catch my first pig...fingers crossed for some good weather next week.

[Justin80]

You're right! After I'd posted I had a closer look at the photos. Apologies. The photo in the top right looks just like the rock ledge off South Curl Curl.

I actually lived in Sylvania until I was in my early 20's. Never fished much in the RNP, though.

Anyway, nice catch regardless.

Justin.