SgtBundy Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Had a day available for some fishing and without really a plan in mind I picked hitting forty baskets with some light gear and a few prawns. Rocked up around 11am and started working along the rocks to the east of the beach. Kept moving as there was not much on the bite, eventually past I think reef beach and then around to the rocks facing north head. This spot seemed good to me with a deeper channel out past the rocks, but I had to cast over about 10m or so of shallow rocks and weed. I only had my 7ft ugly stik with me (my 12ft would have been useful except it was in the car boot). The lack of reach cost me rigs at a fairly quick rate. I has to re rig a few times and replace my leader at one point. Eventually I upped my sinker to cast further out which helped a lot. Once I had that sorted I started getting onto a regular nibbling bite after the tide turned about 1:30. Stuck with it hoping it would lead to something bigger taking interest. Eventually I got a good take that I though might have been a snag initially, but as I retrieved more I felt it move off so I put the hurt on it to try and get away from the rock ledge 10m out. Lifted it up over that and he ducked straight into thick weed and another rock ledge in the shallows . I couldn't pull him out at that angle, so I let it go slack until he moved out then I yanked him in. Pulled in what was a fat solid Crimson banded Wrasse: He must have been a good 1.5kg plus and quite fat. At the time I didn't know what it was for sure so I released him when he cooperated with being picked up. (Having now read they are not protected and apparently a decent feed I wish I kept him). No more action after that, and I soon lost the last of my bait when my bait bucket belt let go and it fell down a crack in the rocks. I changed to some SPs to flick on the walk back but had no interest in those. Nice day out, more lessons learned and was quite happy with the fight with the wrasse. More convinced I need to look into a getting a hobie though to cover more ground and actually find fish. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest no one Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Awesome fish... the colours are fantastic... especially on yours! They fight quite hard too. I caught one today, I usually eat them as they are beautiful but I used mine as bait today... caught so much on it... best bait ever!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toboggi Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Sgtbundy - have you caught anything decent around that area before? I had a go around those rocks before but got absolutely nothing so never went back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 Certainly a very pretty fish. He gave a good account of himself for sure - he didn't do much against the drag but was keen to stay in those rocks. He would have been a good feed because he was solid as, wide enough that I couldn't get a good grip on him (also between his slime and power in his tail). Just a pity I couldn't ID it on the spot. Will know for next time. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 (edited) I'm another who had one of these a couple of weeks back and couldn't Id it on the spot. Tef1on helped with the id. Though mine wasn't as big as yours it gave a good fight. The next one will be on the plate. Edited August 13, 2014 by NaClH2OK9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Come on guys, those fish are too pretty to eat, and there are not that many of them around. Cheers Paikea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 13, 2014 Author Share Posted August 13, 2014 Then his brother bream's should make a better effort of sacrificing themselves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snatcher Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Enjoyable read and a bonny fish I have fished at 40 Baskets on a couple of occasions on my trips over visiting my daughter/grandkids. The species I caught there were bream and flounder but was pestered by chinaman leatherjackets the whole time Got talking to a local lady whilst there and she said that a "large shark" had been caught by the swimming enclosure the previous week !!!! I thought I caught a crimson banded wrasse in the harbour last year but the colours were quite different to the one in this post. I would appreciate a positive ID from you guys John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Some of the photos I saw on the net suggested the colours could vary a bit, with a band of colour on the tail as well as other variations of red and yellow on the tails. I also read the female ones are a lot more drab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydneyfisher12 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I've caught ones like snatcher but black and purple around the corner at manly cove same fins and body shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snatcher Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 I've caught ones like snatcher but black and purple around the corner at manly cove same fins and body shape The one in the picture I caught at Little Manly Point Park John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydneyfisher12 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The one in the picture I caught at Little Manly Point Park John yer that's the spot I used to fish there every week with my dad before we got a boat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Going by google earth I am guessing where I caught this one would be called Dobroyd Head, on the north east corner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryder Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 The one in the picture I caught at Little Manly Point Park John Snatchers looks like a Senator WrasseNice fish you got too Sarg. First one I got I threw back, I thought it could be toxic. They go hard for their size. Well done. I have trolled up quite a few tailor just off that ledge, sometimes followed in by massive kings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Snatchers looks like a Senator Wrasseimage.jpg Nice fish you got too Sarg. First one I got I threw back, I thought it could be toxic. They go hard for their size. Well done. I have trolled up quite a few tailor just off that ledge, sometimes followed in by massive kings. Yeah - after reading about the King off the rocks from last week I am keen to go back with my heavier rod and try my luck. I quite liked that spot although it might be a little more challenging to get around on at high tide or with some swell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Sgtbundy - have you caught anything decent around that area before? I had a go around those rocks before but got absolutely nothing so never went back. Sorry - missed your post earlier. No, I have been there once before and got zip, it was purely I wanted to go to a spot where I didn't need to pay for parking and I thought it might be sheltered in the winds that were predicted that afternoon. I am keen to go back though - its a nice spot and there is more ledges I want to try now I have looked over it on google earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toboggi Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 No probs on late reply. Just a note I fished dobroyd head before. Its just like full on rockfishing and not protected at all from easterly or southerly swells. Also ledges are quite low. Cheers toboggi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Yes, I think I got it on a calm day and at low tide - I can't imagine there is much room left to get around there at the top of the tide or much dry space in any sort of swell. Is there any access from the tracks at the top of the head or is it cliff all the way around? I worked my way around from the beach and I notice a most other people did too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toboggi Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 You're right. Need calm day if fishing high tide. I have caught drummer and trevallies there. Only been there twice but heard its a good blackfish spot. There is a path you can see on google maps but need to do some bush bashing as its overgrown. I would recommend going with someone as there cliff you need to climb down. Relatively simple but you never know what might happen. PM me if you want more details and I can email you a map. I went once on a weekday and had the whole area to myself. Went on a saturday and there were 8 other anglers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atadpole13 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Dobroyd was deceivingly dangerous. Thought it would be more protected from southerlies as it's inside the harbor, but it's no less dangerous than being on the rocks which faces directly into the ocean. The ledges which face directly east are very low and there aren't any higher ledges behind you to get away from any freakish waves. The far north eastern corner is slightly better protected. The rocks facing directly north closer to the forty baskets are fully protected, but the waters looked too calm to produce anything decent. I was there with toboggi on a saturday arriving at first light, but as he mentioned, there were 7-8 other anglers there within the next 30 minutes. We spent more time observing the waves and trying to find a spot to cast out. There was a very annoying old man standing far right on a 10 ledge and casting across the whole damn ledge so we couldn't cast out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtBundy Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Yeah - I didn't get a touch until I moved to that north east corner - most of the north facing spots seemed pretty featureless in front of me - maybe some weed patches but just seemed too open to hold any decent fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now