Silly string, micro lures, rock chains and a few lessons learned

[Little_Flatty]

Hi Raiders,

Not much to report today. I'm always experimenting and mucking around with my tackle and techniques, and that often produces dud results. Still, for me, experimenting is a big part of the fun in fishing. This morning saw me on the water with my 1-3kg rod, with 4lb braid and 3lb leader. This stuff is like spider web and what I often use for whiting on the flats. I often find I get a lot more hits on gear this light, with the obvious drawback of reduced ability to land fish!

I picked up some tiny ajiing lures from a local shop the other day, out of curiosity. Aji is apparently Japanese for Yellowtail, and in Asia, targeting them with lures is apparently a thing. It's probably a niche fishing method, a bit like targeting bream on lures was 20-30 years ago. I think in my mind, I thought these lures would make a good finesse offering for bream:

That's a size 10 hook right there! I originally bought these hooks to use for some tiny curl tail grubs I got in Hawaii but I got distracted by the ajiing lures  . That's a reminder to me to rig up a few tiny grubs for my next session.

With something sized like a bait jig, of course I was going to catch bait:

My question is: what is the specific species of this herring? They look different to the Nepean herring I caught on the Hawkesbury (they have a longer profile, more like a mullet). Their shape is more like the herring that we see up north, used for bait for flatties, barra and the like. But they don't have that spot that they have up that way. My bet is currently on the southern herring (Herklotsichthys castelnaui ), but I'm not 100% sure. Not sure of the other experts on this forum can assist. I'm just curious.

There's a couple of old guys here who target these regularly for bait. When you can find them (they move around a bit), they are quite aggressive little lure takers (they readily take bait jigs), but in my experience, show little interest in bait or berley of any kind. My mate up north has suggested in the past I throw one out rigged 'Punchy Banard' style, in search of a jewie. Interesting. I mostly don't have the concentration span, or available time, for big-fish bait fishing, so this one went back into the drink.

One of the regular old Chinese guys on the wharf caught a nice flathead. I speak a (very) little bit of Mandarin, so I took the opportunity to quiz him on the Chinese name for it. Apparently it's 'Niu Chu' or something like that. It could be 'cow fish' if my Chinese is correct (probably isn't). Might get him to write it for me next time I see him, then look it up for the literal translation. Would be interesting to learn a few foreign names for Australian fish species. I know in Cantonese, a bream is 'Larp yu' the 'yu' bit meaning 'fish'.

Also threw a crusty crab amongst the pylons in search of a bream. I had a few hits, but I think they were all herring.

Apart from that, I bought myself a set or rock chains/spikes recently and thought I'd try them out this morning. Now, I don't ever fish the ocean rocks or even exposed rocks in the harbour - too far to travel and too dangerous for me given my lack of rock fishing experience. But I can't believe I never bought these chains earlier. I've had a few scares this year on the slippery, rocky edges of the parra and figured if I don't do something about it, sooner or later I'll damage my gear or worse still, hurt myself. The chains give me so much more traction that I can access better vantage points to get a good cast in. Found myself clambering over the rocks just for the heck of it 🤣. It was certainly a liberating feeling, having significantly less chance of ending up on my backside!

 

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by Little_Flatty

[Rob81]

Ajing is quiet fun once you get into it. But it does come with a risk, I've once almost got spooled by a palm size snapper. The yakkas they get over in Japan grow much bigger than the ones we get over here, but on ultra light gear, the yakkas over here can still be a challenge.

As for that herring, I am not too sure on exact species, I just remember that when I held it, the scales fall off very easily, and the nearby jewfishermen love them to use for bait.

[big Neil]

Thanks for your report Little- Flatty, a very pleasant read. One of the things I amuse myself with is forming "mental images" of the person whose post I am reading. I seldom get them right if I ever meet the person, it has to be said.

I imagine you to be late 20s to early 30s whose work is "professional". Possibly a little bit "nerdy" based on your revelation that you like to experiment with things. Obviously educated, because you have experience of being multi-lingual, and write in a constructive manner.

Alas I cannot be of any help with your query regarding "herrings". No doubt somebody on here will be able to though.

Interesting post, cheers, bn

[Rebel]

Great report.

It is good to see you enjoying yourself.

Rock fishing is another world.

Cheers.

[Little_Flatty]

2 hours ago, Rob81 said:

Ajing is quiet fun once you get into it. But it does come with a risk, I've once almost got spooled by a palm size snapper. The yakkas they get over in Japan grow much bigger than the ones we get over here, but on ultra light gear, the yakkas over here can still be a challenge.

I do understand the appeal, for sure. The herring could be quite a fun target. Worst case scenario, it makes bait collecting much more fun! Getting spooled by a palm sized snapper is also good for a laugh as well. I have turned heads with the silly string in the past with an epic fight on 1kg mono, only to disappoint my spectators when a legal bream came into the net 🤣

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

I imagine you to be late 20s to early 30s whose work is "professional". Possibly a little bit "nerdy" based on your revelation that you like to experiment with things. Obviously educated, because you have experience of being multi-lingual, and write in a constructive manner.

@big Neil You're mostly right, but I'm a fair bit older than that - I'm in my 40s already  . I am definitely a massive nerd; I'm just insanely curious about many things. I will say that language skills are as much a function of luck as it is education - being born into a multilingual family helps no end . Maybe one day we will just need to have a fish together to put faces to names!

[big Neil]

5 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

I do understand the appeal, for sure. The herring could be quite a fun target. Worst case scenario, it makes bait collecting much more fun! Getting spooled by a palm sized snapper is also good for a laugh as well. I have turned heads with the silly string in the past with an epic fight on 1kg mono, only to disappoint my spectators when a legal bream came into the net 🤣

@big Neil You're mostly right, but I'm a fair bit older than that - I'm in my 40s already  . I am definitely a massive nerd; I'm just insanely curious about many things. I will say that language skills are as much a function of luck as it is education - being born into a multilingual family helps no end . Maybe one day we will just need to have a fish together to put faces to names!

What would you say is your favourite type of fishing, either now or that you have done in the past. I consider myself very lucky that I have actually met quite a lot of the really experienced anglers who are on Fishraider. That's when you realise you don't know much about anything. If you ever feel like a long drive to fish for Murray Cod, let me know. bn

[Little_Flatty]

8 minutes ago, big Neil said:

What would you say is your favourite type of fishing, either now or that you have done in the past. I consider myself very lucky that I have actually met quite a lot of the really experienced anglers who are on Fishraider. That's when you realise you don't know much about anything. If you ever feel like a long drive to fish for Murray Cod, let me know. bn

I'm yet to find a type of fishing that I don't enjoy. But most of my fishing career has been spent luring bream and flathead on the Parra. And just like you said, even though I've been doing it for a reasonably long time, I'm still learning new things about the waters that are just around the corner from me. Also love my beach fishing and will be doing more bread-and-butter stuff as the kids get older. My eldest caught her first fish without much assistance on the weekend, so she's hooked.

I'd love to get onto a cod one day. I certainly will let you know if I end up down your way!

[bluefin]

Silver Biddy ?

 

[Pickles]

Hey Littleflatly, Great report.  
My 2 bob’s worth - the freshwater and saltwater Herring are similar, but have different attraction as a live bait. I’ve used both in the Hawkesbury and the Colo / Webb’s creek Herring are smaller, thinner and less attractive as a live bait (for Jewies anyway). However they are very prolific and easy to catch. The saltwater (Berrowra / Milton Island stretch) Herring are a top bait (also easy to catch, but often hang out with little chopper tailor, which bite you off). Silver Biddies, which look more like little “picker” bream are also really first class bait for Jewies and bream (often seem in their gut when cleaned).

[Little_Flatty]

Thanks @Pickles. I had an inkling you'd know a bit about these.

Are the saltwater herring more similar to the ones in my picture?

Interestingly, I happened to be on the Hawkesbury today fishing plastics (report to come), and I hooked something sizeable, but then it came off. When I reeled in, I had a silver biddy foul hooked, which was released. I wonder if I accidentally hooked the silver biddy, then a flatty mouthed it.

[Pickles]

9 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Thanks @Pickles. I had an inkling you'd know a bit about these.

Are the saltwater herring more similar to the ones in my picture?

Interestingly, I happened to be on the Hawkesbury today fishing plastics (report to come), and I hooked something sizeable, but then it came off. When I reeled in, I had a silver biddy foul hooked, which was released. I wonder if I accidentally hooked the silver biddy, then a flatty mouthed it.

I reckon that’s  what happened. A few times I’ve landed BIG Flatties that have swallowed a bream or smaller flathead that have taken the bait and the flattie (or Jewie) has hammered it. The pic shows an 80+ flattie with a small snapper jammed in its mouth and not even hooked 

Edited December 11, 2021 by Pickles

[Little_Flatty]

46 minutes ago, Pickles said:

I reckon that’s  what happened. A few times I’ve landed BIG Flatties that have swallowed a bream or smaller flathead that have taken the bait and the flattie (or Jewie) has hammered it. The pic shows an 80+ flattie with a small snapper jammed in its mouth and not even hooked 

That’s amazing @Pickles! Must happen more than we think.

[DaveBM]

I hooked a small whiting once in WA which got upgraded on its way in to the jetty to a 75cm cobia. It wasn’t strictly “hooked” either, as the whiting had already swallowed the hook!