A mixed bag weekend

[adamski]

Hey Raiders,

This weekend was one of the last opportunities I'll get to fish around Sydney til the new year as I'm back to Scotland for the Christmas holidays. I decided to try somewhere new, that was relatively easy to access by public transport and picked Balmain.

Arrived just after top of the tide Saturday morning and had a cast around the structure with some powerbait crabbies. I kept getting hookups with leatherjackets and landed a few fish, but there didn't seem to any bream around. Tried both sides of the wharf and noticed my lure kept getting hit by little cuttlefish all along the kelp that grows there. There were tonnes of them! I never really hear people mention them. Would it be worth taking a small squid jig down and trying to catch some to use as bait some time?

Anyway, at about 12ish the tide started to go out and the wind picked up a little so I jumped on the ferry into the city (saw loads of bream milling around Darling Harbour, some had a decent size to them) and then caught a bus to Rozelle. Got there and I wasn't feeling too confident- the tide was really low and the sandbanks I'd normally hit for flatties were exposed. I saw a big ray move off the top of one just as I arrived. Eventually I managed an almost-legal bream on crabbies, but it was a lot of work and traveling around for such a meager return.

Here are some of the fish:

Today I got up early and decided to hit Iron Cove and the canal around there to see if I could improve my flattie PB. The water was really deep and chocolate milk in colour. I had a silver fox with a 1/8th on and was really surprised to get a hook up with a tiny bream after a few casts. Later I also managed a little flattie on the same lure. Walked round in the direction of Rodd Point and managed a better flattie on a wriggler, but it didn't beat the PB. Storm clouds started gathering in the early afternoon, so I made a move.

Gonna have a load of packing and last minute Christmas shopping to do next weekend, just wondering if there'll be time for one more quick flick.

Edited December 7, 2014 by adamski

[fiveflies]

Great work.

I know it's been said before, but kudos to you for using public transport to get around to do your fishing!

[adamski]

Cheers mate,

Gotta say, it is a real pain lugging stuff around on the train/bus/light rail/ferry. Fortunately Sydney has a host of spots that are accessible by public transport. I pity the poor folk who have to sit next to me too . Hopefully things will change early in the new year when I finally sit my Ps test.

[Sydneyfisher12]

Great work Adam nice few fish there the water colour is really dirty and can turn the fish on or off. The cuttle fish are well worth catching they are a great bait just like squid

Cheers sydneyfisher12

[thefisherman6784]

Well done Adam

sounds like a great 2 outings

When are you leaving, might try sneak in a fish together

Cheers Gianni

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[adamski]

Hey Gianni,

I'm off on the 18th and then come back 10th of January. Be good to catch up sometime soon- I need to prove to you guys I can get a fish on plastics

[W4z]

That's some nice fish. Your doing great with the plastics!

[night_rider]

Gonna have a load of packing and last minute Christmas shopping to do next weekend, just wondering if there'll be time for one more quick flick.

Adam.... I have a suggestion: Do all your x-mas shopping online this week, and then surely you will have time for a quick flick on the weekend!

[Linc]

Some say small cuttlefish are even better kingy bait than squid, definitely throw a squid jig into the tackle bag next time

[Witha]

Awesome Adam smashing it again! Haha you'll be the wandering angler once you get your licence, no stretch of water will be safe! Keep it up hopefully get that big flatty before you leave!

[bede]

Thanks for the report mate.
I used to love catching a feed of fantail off darling street wharf when i was a kid.
I remember we used to sneak into the admirals yacht wharf at Kirribilli and get abnormally large fantail just after daybreak.
We'd get thrown out as soon as someone started work and spotted us.
Biggest i've ever seen till this day.
They are useless sport wise and can wreck some gear but they are wonderful eating the old jacket.

Edited December 20, 2014 by bede

[Paddy454]

Fair play to ye for determination moving around on public transport for a fish.

Don't forget yer "long johns" when yer packing for Bonnie Scotland.

Enjoy the hols

[snatcher]

Great read,well done

John