THE SWEENEY Posted June 17, 2019 Share Posted June 17, 2019 Hi Guys any reports of hairies being caught yet in the Hawkesbury or is the water still a bit warm, Cheers Laurie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Hi Laurie hope you get some this year. Say hi to Ruth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blindmullet Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 A bloke on a FB page claims to be getting them. But thats just anecdotal 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryhard Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 (edited) Fished Jerusalem on both Sat & Sunday night's of the long weekend for zero results. Our baits were stripped every few minutes by chopper tailor. We didn't try any where else and I haven't seen any other reports. But, you know what they say....."a bad days fishing is better than a good days work!" Wish you luck. Edited June 18, 2019 by tryhard Spelling 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE SWEENEY Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share Posted July 2, 2019 Thank You guys ,might give it a bash this weekend weather permitting,Hi Donna, from gwandy fishos. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quintrex52 Posted July 5, 2019 Share Posted July 5, 2019 (edited) Nothing as yet but should be soon. Guys were getting them towards the heads at one stage but all this rain might have push them back deep Edited July 5, 2019 by quintrex52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick3107 Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 Any new reports on this? Are the hairies in yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankS Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 Every now and then we have a season where the Hairtail just don't show up. I think this year may be one of those seasons. Hope I'm wrong. Frank 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 2 hours ago, frankS said: Every now and then we have a season where the Hairtail just don't show up. I think this year may be one of those seasons. Hope I'm wrong. Frank Me too Frank! Looks like I’m taking the boys down for an overnighter this weekend!! I’ll find em! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz98 Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Can you catch them anywhere else or predominately the Hawkesbury river? I saw a guy catch one from the Illawarra not long ago... Also what do they taste like? Cheers, Oz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wazatherfisherman Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 1 hour ago, Oz98 said: Can you catch them anywhere else or predominately the Hawkesbury river? I saw a guy catch one from the Illawarra not long ago... Also what do they taste like? Cheers, Oz. Hi Oz, although Cowan Creek has long been regarded as the "home of the Hairtail", they often turn up in different places as well. During the late 70's there was a run of exceptionally large ones, with a great mass of them schooled up in the bay at Port Botany, where the water is really deep. They were being caught there during daylight hours. In 1976, 77, 78 there was a big run of them in Sydney Harbour, with really large masses of fish taking up 'residence' in the big trench (known as the "hole") out from Clifton Gardens. Again, these fish were biting really well in daylight hours. In fact, once night fell, they seemed to leave the hole en-mass and roam throughout the lower Harbour. Those years, we caught them at about a dozen different spots while searching for the big Tailor schools that are active in the Harbour at night during April, May and June. The next few years, they still turned up in the Harbour, albeit not in the numbers of previous years. Again Clifton Gardens was the 'pulse' spot, but they were also in fair numbers at North Harbour, Watsons Bay(deep hole) and also in the deep water on the eastern side of Shark Island (Rose Bay). We actually caught quite a few fishing from the base of the cliffs at Dover Heights and the cliff-top fishers were getting them using bobby corks at "The Block" at Diamond Bay- quite an unexpected catch fishing the Eastern Suburbs rocks of a night. During all those years, Cowan still produced heaps of Hairtail. Next few years they became prolific in Newcastle Harbour, with huge numbers also caught from Stockton Wall- both river and beach sides of the wall. Then Coffs Harbour was 'inundated' with them, and they stayed around for a couple of months. Again Cowan produced plenty. In the north, Cairns Harbour is another regular haunt for them, so their Australian distribution is quite wide, I guess it depends a lot on seasonal climatic variances, such as water salinity (they seem to prefer 'clean' clearer water to take up 'residence') and also water temperature. There is evidence this season, that the band of 'warmer' water has stayed along the coast for much longer than usual, creating a "barrier" (for want of a better word) of warm water that has kept them coast-bound and not encouraged them to enter the estuaries on their 'normal' spawning run. Nevertheless, as their spawning cycle period is due, undoubtedly, they will still turn up in numbers- in exactly which estuary/s is anyone's guess, but Cowan rarely fails to produce at least some, during July and August. Last time I fished for them was in April 2017- we caught quite a few in Waratah Bay (Cowan Creek)- what was significant that trip, was we were in shorts and T-shirts after dark- "unheard of" clothing for Hairtail fishing, usually you can't get enough clothes on because it's freezing! It was not a planned Hairtail trip, but they were there in decent numbers. As FrankS said,(and he's caught heaps of them) some years they just don't show up at all. As for eating, they are great any way you cook them, personally, I cut them into 6-8 inch sections and then fillet the sections, which is easy and leaves you with great boneless fillets and absolutely minimal waste 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 On 7/16/2019 at 11:52 AM, Scratchie said: Me too Frank! Looks like I’m taking the boys down for an overnighter this weekend!! I’ll find em! Just had a look at sea temps the cooler water is just south of the hacking & there’s a cold finger coming out of the hawksbury so hopefully you do alright🤞love your optimism, good luck cheers Dieter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plethora Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 On 7/2/2019 at 4:12 PM, THE SWEENEY said: Thank You guys ,might give it a bash this weekend weather permitting,Hi Donna, from gwandy fishos. no good trying this weekend as the moon is too full, the best time to go is when there is no moon, or wind and the fog is right down on the water and it is bloody cold - Illawong bay and Smiths Creek is where I go and I have not gone this year yet as my fishing mate is laid up at present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 1 hour ago, Plethora said: no good trying this weekend as the moon is too full, the best time to go is when there is no moon, or wind and the fog is right down on the water and it is bloody cold - Illawong bay and Smiths Creek is where I go and I have not gone this year yet as my fishing mate is laid up at present. Always worth a shot! Don’t chase the news, make the news! The best time, is when you have permission to go, the kids are keen and you have a plan! Even if I’m unsuccessful I’ll have fun trying! Cheers scratchie!!! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankS Posted July 18, 2019 Share Posted July 18, 2019 (edited) Scratchie. Get into it mate. I have been trying to talk a mate into going up with me this week end as well but unfortunately he can not make it. I can't do it by myself so just have to say good luck and let us know how you go with some photos of the chrome bumpers. PS. All I will say about the moon is " Moon over head and Moon under foot " Frank Edited July 18, 2019 by frankS 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz98 Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 (edited) On 7/17/2019 at 11:19 PM, wazatherfisherman said: Hi Oz, although Cowan Creek has long been regarded as the "home of the Hairtail", they often turn up in different places as well. During the late 70's there was a run of exceptionally large ones, with a great mass of them schooled up in the bay at Port Botany, where the water is really deep. They were being caught there during daylight hours. In 1976, 77, 78 there was a big run of them in Sydney Harbour, with really large masses of fish taking up 'residence' in the big trench (known as the "hole") out from Clifton Gardens. Again, these fish were biting really well in daylight hours. In fact, once night fell, they seemed to leave the hole en-mass and roam throughout the lower Harbour. Those years, we caught them at about a dozen different spots while searching for the big Tailor schools that are active in the Harbour at night during April, May and June. The next few years, they still turned up in the Harbour, albeit not in the numbers of previous years. Again Clifton Gardens was the 'pulse' spot, but they were also in fair numbers at North Harbour, Watsons Bay(deep hole) and also in the deep water on the eastern side of Shark Island (Rose Bay). We actually caught quite a few fishing from the base of the cliffs at Dover Heights and the cliff-top fishers were getting them using bobby corks at "The Block" at Diamond Bay- quite an unexpected catch fishing the Eastern Suburbs rocks of a night. During all those years, Cowan still produced heaps of Hairtail. Next few years they became prolific in Newcastle Harbour, with huge numbers also caught from Stockton Wall- both river and beach sides of the wall. Then Coffs Harbour was 'inundated' with them, and they stayed around for a couple of months. Again Cowan produced plenty. In the north, Cairns Harbour is another regular haunt for them, so their Australian distribution is quite wide, I guess it depends a lot on seasonal climatic variances, such as water salinity (they seem to prefer 'clean' clearer water to take up 'residence') and also water temperature. There is evidence this season, that the band of 'warmer' water has stayed along the coast for much longer than usual, creating a "barrier" (for want of a better word) of warm water that has kept them coast-bound and not encouraged them to enter the estuaries on their 'normal' spawning run. Nevertheless, as their spawning cycle period is due, undoubtedly, they will still turn up in numbers- in exactly which estuary/s is anyone's guess, but Cowan rarely fails to produce at least some, during July and August. Last time I fished for them was in April 2017- we caught quite a few in Waratah Bay (Cowan Creek)- what was significant that trip, was we were in shorts and T-shirts after dark- "unheard of" clothing for Hairtail fishing, usually you can't get enough clothes on because it's freezing! It was not a planned Hairtail trip, but they were there in decent numbers. As FrankS said,(and he's caught heaps of them) some years they just don't show up at all. As for eating, they are great any way you cook them, personally, I cut them into 6-8 inch sections and then fillet the sections, which is easy and leaves you with great boneless fillets and absolutely minimal waste Ah fantastic recount there my friend of the hairtail thank you so much! They are a very intriguing fish and I hope one day I can hook one.. Oguzhan. Edited July 19, 2019 by Oz98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted July 20, 2019 Share Posted July 20, 2019 On 7/18/2019 at 3:24 PM, Scratchie said: Always worth a shot! Don’t chase the news, make the news! The best time, is when you have permission to go, the kids are keen and you have a plan! Even if I’m unsuccessful I’ll have fun trying! Love the quotes you come up with scratchie, a little birdie told me that they are getting them down at port Kembla, so looking forward to “hearing the news “ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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