Sunday 23 April Offshore Sydney

[zmk1962]

G'day Raiders,

With the extra calm weather predicted for Sunday I mustered a crew with the plan of hitting Browns Mountain early morning and then working our way back in to 12mile and the closer Sydney reefs.

Well got to browns about 7-730am, absolutely beautiful conditions - calm seas, slight breeze, blue water (23.6C) all around. There was a flotilla of craft out there at least 30+ all shapes and sizes. Most were deep dropping although there was one large cruiser doing the troll rounds.  Anyway, baited up the lumo deep drop rigs with whole squid and skipjack strips - sent them down for a drift at each of the marks - first tried East, then South and finally North marks. Did it twice.  Doughnuts !!!  The baits and lumo squid skirts did come up a bit worse for wear - looked like Nannygai type bites but must have been small stuff.  There was a 2-3kmh southerly current.

We had one deep drop rig (old school Alvey Reef King), and another cubing rig (baited with a skipjack strip) in play. Doughnuts and Doughnuts.

Didn't see anyone landing anything around us - maybe if there were other raiders there they can share their report.

Around 930am we pulled in the gear and put out a trolling pattern of 4 skirts and a teaser shotgun.  Did a wide round of Browns and then headed for 12mile. 10km on the water got calmer and glassy - still 23-24C - we switched to hard bodies with lots of action - trolled all the way to 12mile.  Doughnuts again.  Scouted 12mile with the sounder - no bait balls - nothing. So upped stumps and raced in to the Sydney reefs and flathead grounds to salvage some pride with the "flathead drifts of shame".

Dropped down a paternoster at Obelisk and up came a 40cm morwong (well thats one dinner at least). The other 3 crew scored a 10cm Sergeant Baker between them. Upped stumps again and moved to Leads Inner - doughnuts. Moved to the 60-80m flat head drifts - doughnuts.

So there you have it - absolutely perfect weather conditions - good mates on board - about 130km of water covered - and just one 40cm morwong to show for it.

As the song goes - "some days are diamonds some days are stone" ...

Cheers

Zoran

 

 

[GoingFishing]

Theres no shame in doing a flathead drift in fact id argue its better than burning fuel trolling at least u get to go home with some fish in the bag !

i think the flathead have moved inshore next time start at 30m depth

[zmk1962]

Yup have to agree... but when you have all that distance to cover you might as well fish along the way (troll). And don't get me wrong nothing wrong with the flathead !... I frequently target them.  The drift was meant to recover pride by putting some flatties into the ice box  before having to front the missus and explain the 1/2 day before spent prepping the boat and gear, the full day on the water and the 1/2 day to be spent the next day washing down everything...with just a morwong to show for it between four blokes.  

I wish it was just the fuel!

But that's fishing ....

Anyway, the good part of all this is my missus enjoyed how I cooked the morwong ....AND now wants to come out around May 12th specifically to target flatties and show me how its done !  How goods that !

BTW - thanks for the tip re starting drift at 30m.... I will give it a go for sure.

Cheers

Zoran

 

Edited April 27, 2017 by zmk1962
added content

[Bardy]

Yes.. Plenty of Blue Spot Flathead in closer ATM... 30-40m mark between Marley and Botany

[zmk1962]

Thanks for the confirmation.... will start drift at 30m-40m mark.... much appreciated.