Bona Point Reserve / Flatties / Softies / Land based / Numb-ray / First post /

[darrylgulp]

G'day,

First post after sneaking around FR for the past few months. I'm still pretty new to fishing in Sydney (immigrant), so it feels like every trip is a new adventure. Fishing for me usually starts with a Google earth reccy to find some fun looking estuary, then touching base with FR to see if there are any tips/reports on that location. I've enjoyed the stories/characters in the FR community, so thought it was time to spin a yarn myself.

On Wednesday I took a day off work. My buddy who has been here visiting from the UK was heading home the following day, so it was our farewell hang. We had been on 3 prior fishing sessions and he was yet to land a fish; so this was the priority.

We headed down to Bona Point Reserve for the last of the run out tide. We waded the flats to the drop, clearly defined by the deep blue line where the current was sliding out into Botany bay. Repetitious nonsensical banter commensed as we put on our best Guesty accents "you gotta be fishin the edge maaate!", and all variations of such "edge" related phrases. When we got there it was about waist deep. The first thing we saw was a shark fin, knifing through the water... take two steps back. Felt slightly anxious as we were a good 30m from the beach and had just also witnessed an enormous ray, glide past behind us on the flat. *later in the day we spoke to a dog walker who told us how he didn't throw his stick in too far as there were bull sharks in the area :s

We flicked a few softies around and had relative success, landing 3 decent flatties amongst a bunch of other fair. Also missed a big girl that jumped up and had a smash/splash on the last few turns of my retrieve. I jumped a little as it caught me a offguard, and a big brown reptilios head is a bit scary. Pretty funny. I tried a few different plastics, and had success with all, however the most dangerous by far was the Zman Crusteaz in Motor oil. That little crabby guy seemed to be the balls. Most importantly, it delivered my buddy his first, second and third fish! The best part about it was watching the penny drop for him on the retrieve. Slowing it down, feeling the connection with the hook, putting little twitches in, and seeing the fruits of his own technique translating into strikes!

A couple of other points.

My buddy stood on a numb-ray, as funny as it was watching a big strong lad squeal and bolt towards shore, the thing was impossible to see. I waded to where he had been to see what it was, couldnt see the guy untill I disturbed it enough for it to shake off the sand and flutter off. In lieu of this experience. Has anyone got tips on how to wade the flats safely? is it worth taking a wading pole to prod infront of your feet? I am pretty carefull wading, I watch where I step, and stomp my feet as I go, but would like to avoid standing on anything nasty if I can.

Another thing. Briefly chucked on a small popper, atomic k9 60mm or something like that. Tried to tempt a whiting into a strike as I saw a few rooting around. Has anyone had success with surface lures on these flats? Or, if anyone could recommend some flats in sydney I am, pretty keen to give it a popper go....get it?

[Ryder]

Mate that's a great report..

Apart from the bities, we have stingies and zappers.

[Guest hawkesbass]

Very nice first report.

Grab yourself some neoprene boots with or without spikes ftom a tackle store/boating shops this will almost add extra protection against oysters/broken glass

[Zrob]

Slide your feet on sand flats. That way you will nudge any rays you may not have seen rather than plant a foot on their back and have them plant a spike in your foot. Just shuffle along and all will be good

Rob

[adamski]

Nice work mate, sounds like an eventful session! The number of dangerous Aussie critters is the one thing that puts me off wading the flats. I see a few guys going out in full waders, might be worth considering if you're going to do it a lot, though they may be a bit cumbersome if there are sharks about.

I've used the exact same Zman you mentioned a few times before and I'm slowly coming round to them after a raider pointed out you have to cut the joining bit of plastic between the claws before you use them. I've found the grubz profile works really well too.

[darrylgulp]

Thanks for the tips, will definitely be sliding my feet from now on.

Have to say, I'm a convert to the Zman softies. They are so tough, ur hardly ever replacing them, and they don't come in a moist packet that dribbles stink juice everywhere. Jazzed up with dab of T-Gel garlic sauce, and ur looking good!

[mitchie18092]

The numb rays are dodgy, have stood on one myself and it knocked me off my feet - was wearing shoes as well - think the zap conducts through water? Or its fins might have come up and struck me on the calf. Not sure. But yeah shuffling is probably the best method. If you can see a ray a meter or so away just kick sand at it and it should scuttle off. Have had success on the top water whiting at rose bay, more so with stick baits than poppers but the poppers are effective when there is a bit of chop or wind about. Sammy 65 is deadly in any translucent colour.

Nice work on the flatties too!

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Edited April 3, 2015 by mitchie18092