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Sydney FAD, Long Reef - Mixed results.

fragmeister

By fragmeister
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fragmeister KINGFISH

fragmeister

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Hi Raiders,

Collected some live bait with the intention to head out to the Sydney Harbour FAD although a few things didn't go to plan.

Firstly the swell was a bit higher than I like but the length was around 8 seconds and there was no wind so I was OK with that.

Next the live bait tank pump was not working. I just replaced the pump and it was working fine so I had a quick look under the dash.

I have to say that a 1.8 meter swell in the dark lying on your back looking up in a confined space at the fuse box under the dash is not ok in the sea sickness department

but I persevered.

All I found was a nest of ants that had taken up residence in my fuse box so I deferred the fault finding to later that day and just topped up the tank regularly with

water via a bucket.

Incidentally, 6 yakkas in a typical live bait tank require 10 minute refreshes of the tank otherwise they will start to drop off the twig. Interestingly the last one will survive pretty much without

any circulation for a few hours. I know this from past experience and I tell myself its a survival of the fittest "Super Yakka" that will be irresistible to any predator!

Any way, I digress. As soon as dawn threatened I headed out to the FAD and started a drift past it tossing a 6 inch white Jerkshad close to the fad. I let it sink for 20 seconds or so and then gave it a few quick flicks and whack! I was on.

A short fight later and I have a 70cm model on board. This is what I came here for I thought!

I looked up at the fad so I could set up the next drift and I couldn't believe how far it was away... It must have been 100 meters in what seemed just a minute or so.

I motored back to set up the next drift and then I saw how much current there was. There was heaps running to the south east I think and the wind was pushing in the same direction make it very hard for me to hold position for long or to get the

SP's down into the zone.

I tried a combination of the Minkota and the OB on idle and that did keep me around the fad a little longer put it really was a difficult solo effort.

I did pick up a half a dozen more but they were undersized so I decided to head over to Long Reef.

Long reef produced a few rat kings for me on some fresh squid and SP's but the only decent king reefed me on a live yakka. My fault really

I should have turned it straight away in 15m of water.

After a few hours the swell and the wind got the better of me so I headed home.

I dissected the Dollie and it had a few fish in its stomach.

Two small leather jackets ... Now if every Dollie at 2 leather jackets maybe the reef fishing wouldn't be so frustrating!

post-32937-0-49950700-1459496852_thumb.jpg

An the head of something I can't identify

post-32937-0-31249900-1459496838_thumb.jpg

Water temperature in the harbour was 23 and at the fad was 24.5

My assessment is that there are plenty of Dollies around the FAD and a mix of rat and hoodlums at Longy although not

right across the reef but more concentrated - just a matter of finding them

Anyway, all in all it was good to get out for a fish.

Cheers Jim

.

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RandL PILCHARD

RandL

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Hi Jim

Thanks for the thread - just joined and can't believe people are actually helpful. Joined a fishing club as a mate and I are new to this and got lots of ''fishing stories'' but no help. Can't wait to hear other peoples

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fragmeister KINGFISH

fragmeister

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Jim, i think the head of something you cant identify is the whole thing! I think its some juvenile species of boxfish, but i cant for sure say which!

I think you are spot there. That was my first thought but I wasn't sure.

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fragmeister KINGFISH

fragmeister

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Hi Jim

Thanks for the thread - just joined and can't believe people are actually helpful. Joined a fishing club as a mate and I are new to this and got lots of ''fishing stories'' but no help. Can't wait to hear other peoples

Welcome aboard.

That's what makes this site different from the others.

Cheers

Jim

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fragmeister KINGFISH

fragmeister

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The close fad off botany is out of the heavy current and burley with cubed pilchards and use a 1 oz jig head with half pilchards and you will catch plenty of keepers and nice work Jim in trying conditions

Good advice Stewie.

Do you know how far the Botany Bay fad is from Sydney Heads?

If I get out again soon I will give that a shot instead.

Cheers

Jim

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fragmeister KINGFISH

fragmeister

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Well done Jim. Solo is always an added challenge. Congrats on the keeper.

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk

Thanks. I like the solo challenge I must admit.

Nice report Jim. Hope you find out the problem with the pump and get rid of the pesky ants nest. Cheers.

Thanks Neil. I will check it out today. I have no idea at this because I wired it in to the existing circuitry and all joints were crimped, then soldered then covered in heat shrink.

Well done on the Dollie. Had a chuckle when you described the sea sickness moment[emoji106]

Thanks. Best not be doing that for too long if you want to keep your breakfast down!

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