Past few sessions

[Little_Flatty]

Hi Raiders,

Just recording my recollection of a few sessions I've had over the past week. I'm having a glut of fishing because my usual study time is being used for fishing instead. Unfortunately the sessions were pretty much donuts, though I did catch fish on two out of three. Just no legals.

Been trying to break my old habits and try some new spots instead of heading to old favourites near the top of the tide. So Thursday morning I headed over to the rocky shoreline under the Ryde (road) bridge. Bit slippery there, but some interesting water to be explored. First cast landed a 20 something little flatty, which was promptly released:

Friday morning I decided to scope out the bay at Meadowbank for a Jewie spot. I think I got the tide wrong (falling) because I couldn't see any eddies. Might try a rising tide next time. Casted about a squidgy prawn for naught, somehow I got snagged or had to rerig three times. The most interesting of those was when a pelican took flight from the water, catching my line and snapping it! Hope it was ok, couldn't see anything trailing after it.

Then yesterday I had an errand to run in Rockdale so I thought I'd give the bay a go - don't get to fish there very often. Descended on the flats at Sandringham beach after researching a little on this site. What an awesome spot - mental note to come back with the family, with or without fishing gear! It was just the start of the rising tide. In the shallower part of the dropoff, I got three 20 something flatties, all released of course:

All were caught on my trusty texas-rigged bass minnow (because I was too lazy to change my lure). I also cast around my 95mm squidgy prawn to seek out a bigger model, and also a berkley blade for a bit, but nothing came to play, though I did get a few hits from what I suspect were undersize fish again. I swear I am cursed on blades and soft vibes, I've only been able to catch tailor on them (which will eat anything). What's the secret?

Anyhow, the most interesting part of this report was that each of these flathead tried to 'walk' on their pectoral fins on the sand/rocks towards the water. I'm sure this is normal flathead behaviour, but I've never seen it before! They seem good at it too, so it mustn't be just on capture.

Good to be out there.

 

[Isaac Ct]

Better than nothing, I haven't even been able to get out! 

[Yowie]

Try nippers at Sandringham flats and you should pull out a whiting or 2.

[Little_Flatty]

36 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Try nippers at Sandringham flats and you should pull out a whiting or 2.

I got to get a new nipper pump. I had one but it went ‘missing’ when my parents downsized their house! Don’t blame them…how dare I leave my stuff at their place!

[Rebel]

Great report. Super photos.

Well done.

[Mike Sydney]

Great report. Sandringham is a great spot with the drop off so close to your feet. IThere are plenty of big girl flathead there and it’s been humming with trevally the past couple months. That little creek seems to be popular too for collecting blackfish weed. 

I haven’t been there in a few weeks as the southerly and easterlies have been too strong - you picked the right day for it! 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Mike Sydney

[Little_Flatty]

@Mike Sydney It is a great spot indeed. Shame the big girl flatties and trevs didn't come out to play. Could have been the angler, could have been the lure choices, could have been the timing. I was going to throw out a Z-man grub but then realised I didn't have any suitable jigheads...consequence of fishing EWG hooks over the past few months. Got to fix that up before I go out again!

All the same, with the cafe right there, I can imagine my family quite enjoying a breakfast there and then going for a play/fish on the flats.  

[Little_Flatty]

2 hours ago, Brendonjohnson said:

That’s a very practical lure rig for flatties, might have to try that one. Awesome report!

It certainly is @Brendonjohnson. I like being able to vary my weight for the same lure/hook size. That's my main reason for using it. The other reason is for snag resistance, which is important on some of the snaggier areas I fish.

The only issues are that not all lures lend themselves to being rigged this way, and I suspect I'll never catch a whiting on this rig. I haven't found a way to make 2 inch grubs work, and some lures tear up too easily. Z-mans, and I suspect Squidgy bio-tough, will work nicely.

One thing I am going to try next session is to peg the weight in place using float stoppers, so it stays directly on top of the plastic, even when sinking. That way, it will behave more like a jighead. I think that this might help me stay more in contact with my lure and help with hooksets.

Edited December 2, 2021 by Little_Flatty