saltrix Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 (edited) Headed out this morning after finding no one on Tunks ramp at daybreak, everyone must have been home for father's day. The harbour was nice and calm, and we quickly picked up some livies, yellowtail and a mackeral just past the spit. As soon as we cleared the heads it was obvious that it was a bit jiggly outside, and although it got better once clear of Manly headland it was pretty rough all morning until it was time to go home. We tried at Long Reef for a king with the live bait, but the swell was too big to get in close so we gave that away and returned to DY wide to try for flathead. There were heaps of small spiky flathead that kept taking the bait and getting hooked. They were all returned but the larger fish were mature and had reached near maximum size and as there is no legal length for this species and they could be kept if you were short of a feed. We were visited by several albatross, the dark one is a sooty albatross, but the light one may be a shy albatross but I find them hard to identify. Almost home we came across birds working and schools of fish chopping up bait. They appeared to be small fish and the albatross that followed us home dived several time into the school and came up with fish. I had never seen that before. We rigged with small whitebait type plastic lures and had fun catching some bait for next trip. They were a mixture of mackeral and yellowtail ( or cowanyoung?) around 22cm long. Finished with a some reasonable fish, but not from this school, but the sea could have been smoother, I am still rocking tonight. Edited September 6, 2015 by saltrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4myson Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Good on you for getting out there today . You definitely know if it was rough out there if you get home and your still ROCKIN... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfisherman Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Always a bonus when there's just tumbleweeds at the boats ramp, pretty good haul, good onya Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil D Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 you just got to head out on fathers day weekend, Saturday or Sunday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Well done on getting out. No monsters but fish for tea. Better out trying than in thinking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krispy ! Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 great mixed bag there man great feed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the producer Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 Hi All I think the dark bird is a type of Skua or Petrol. The white one is probably a dark browed albatross. Also .... there is no such species as spiky flathead.... They are either baby blue spot sand flathead or tiger flathead. Both of which have a 33cm minimum legal length. The only commonly caught flathead with no minimum length is the Marbled flathead. Tight lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Reference " Sea Fishes of Southern Australia". By Hutchins and Swanson Long-spiked Flathead Common in weed and sand areas of Australia's East coast preferring offshore waters. Easily recognised by the very long spine on the side of the head.................. Also known as Western sand flathead and Spikey. Max length 34cm. If you consult this reference there is detailed pictures and descriptions of all flathead, 20 different varieties of which 11 are found in our area. As the maximum length is 34cm compared to 65cm for the tiger and 68cm for the Eastern blue spot these small flathead are mature. I find the Sea Fishes of Southern Australia a good reference and carry a copy of the flathead ID sheet in my boat. Even though there is no legal size limit there is still a number limit on all flathead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 The spiky flatties are only small, can be a bloody nuisance at times, and have a large spike on the side of their heads, and a small amount of poison on the tips of the dorsal spines. Get spiked and your finger will sting for up to half an hour. No size limit on them. The small ones are eaten by the large blue spots and tigers, as I have had a few of the smallest spikeys attacked after hookup. They are also called Long Spined Flathead, Platycephalus longispinnus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Yes, I have found small ones in the gut of large blue spots, and also used them for bait as the fillet stays on well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Yes, I have found small ones in the gut of large blue spots, and also used them for bait as the fillet stays on well. The best bait for blue spots is a fillet of a spikey flattie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couta Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 In relation to the birds, I think The Producer is right, the first one is an albatross, but its called a black browed albatross. The darker bird is either a shearwater of some sort, possibly the common short tailed shearwater (aka mutton bird) or a great-winged petrel. Its hard to tell from the photo given there is no scale or sense of size to work off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volitan Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Light bird is a black-browed albatross. Dark bird is a Great Skua (usually called brown skua around here). Sooty albatross are pretty rare around Sydney and usually way offshore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couta Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I think you are correct Volitan, the dark bird looks like a Great Skua. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltrix Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 Thanks for your info Voltan Saltrix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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