XD351 Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 G’day Raiders , I did a run up to Brooklyn today for a quick fish and to test out the changes to the layout I made in my polycraft. It was a late start and I didn’t arrive at the ramp until 10.30am but I was still hopeful of a decent day out as the high tide was around 11am . It was a little bit breezy at the ramp but not unpleasant so I decided to head towards flint and steel , I changed my mind when I hit the mouth of Cowan as the south west wind was blowing straight down the guts and out through broken bay - ok if you’re in a half cabin , not an open punt like mine ! I’m did a drift around the mouth of Cowan and another off gunyah beach - couldn’t lose a bait ( pillies and garfish fillets ). Next drift was eastern side of Dangar island and by now the tide was beginning to run out so the southerly wind was pushing me against the current - not ideal and this was a donut drift as well . I then went up river to the end of Long Island to get out of the wind and began a drift down river from there . I had two lines with bait on them , one with my flattie rig and the other a half pillie rig that Mel Spikes uses -both using glow sinkers , I also had a kraken jig on a third rod that I was working as I drifted - half an hour and nothing ! I got to maybe 200m of the rail bridge and the half pillie got eaten by a flattie ( picture below ) I then went back over that area but to no avail, I ended up drifting back to the ramp and didn’t lose a bait . I suppose that with water temps in the low 13s I should have expected as much but there were no birds , no tailor no nothing - even the pelicans at the ramp were thin on the ground and I only saw one seagull , what is going on ? Oh well at least the changes I made to the layout of my boat , the tackle box I use and where my eskies are kept we’re a success and I got dinner ! From what I hears and seen at the ramp everyone else was in the same boat - might have to focus on Luderick for a while or try right up river . 46cm flattie on a half pillie rig . The Rig : 20lb braid joined to a 2m long 20lb fluorocarbon leader with an FG knot , 50g glow sinker ( white ball in picture ) , swivel and then a 16lb fluorocarbon trace 10cm long and finally a 3/0 Gamakatsu octopus hook with a tiny glow bead above it . 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essjay Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 We tried around there last weekend and only managed one under sized bream, other people I spoke with all said it has been very very quiet of late. Glad you got something for your effort. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenno64 Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Glad to hear the boat layout works and you took home a feed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Better than a donut. The rivers are *&#&* cold at present. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little_Flatty Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Yep, you know when @Yowie is eating long toms, the fishing is tough! You did well to get your flatty feed, and a good strategy to work on things like boat layout while the fishing is slow. I haven't seen anything with scales outside of my fish tank for a few weeks now. But the fresh air does us all some good. 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Some days are just like that - the fish just don’t want to play. At least it wasn’t raining as well … you gave it a solid effort so double 👍👍 for that and it’s always satisfying to test boat mods on the water. Dinner is a bonus! Thanks for sharing your rig Ian … I’ve watched a few of Mel’s videos as well - think it’s time to give it a go myself. cheers Zoran 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted July 22, 2023 Share Posted July 22, 2023 Top report. Nice Flattie. You have to move around at the moment or go to new places. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 3 hours ago, zmk1962 said: Some days are just like that - the fish just don’t want to play. At least it wasn’t raining as well … you gave it a solid effort so double 👍👍 for that and it’s always satisfying to test boat mods on the water. Dinner is a bonus! Thanks for sharing your rig Ian … I’ve watched a few of Mel’s videos as well - think it’s time to give it a go myself. cheers Zoran Thanks Zoran! Oddly enough it was watching Mel’s videos that made me think of my boat set up! I found I had hemmed myself into one corner and I ended up with rods everywhere , an esky blocking one side access of the boat to the motor and I had a bait esky/ tackle box screwed to the floor in the middle of the boat . Now the main esky is up the front on the casting deck the bait esky is free floating but usually within arms reach of where I am sitting , the big tackle bag is gone ,the rods are in a vertical holder fitted to the side and I can now walk around and get to everything without tripping over anything. It is only a small boat ( 4.1 polycraft - same as swordies but tiller steer) so all space is at a premium! One thing i did do or think of/ invent is to make my tackle tray non slip ( just a Plano plastic tray thing ) all I did was glue boat carpet to the bottom of the tray and it grips the carpet in my boat like Velcro - now it doesn’t move at all when I pound through chop ! Yesterday was the first time I fished standing up in that boat and I enjoyed it ! Just took 20yrs to get there 🤣 I have been doing a bit of a competition between my old rig and Mel’s half pillie rig for while now and sadly my rig is losing big time - even when I add the glow sinker and glow bead to my rig it still comes off second best ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 1 hour ago, Rebel said: Top report. Nice Flattie. You have to move around at the moment or go to new places. Cheers. Thanks Rebel ! I think I might have to focus on Luderick for a while , seems to be plenty of them around . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 @XD351 Swansea Chanel is the go for Bkackfish. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsswordfisherman Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 1 hour ago, XD351 said: Thanks Zoran! Oddly enough it was watching Mel’s videos that made me think of my boat set up! I found I had hemmed myself into one corner and I ended up with rods everywhere , an esky blocking one side access of the boat to the motor and I had a bait esky/ tackle box screwed to the floor in the middle of the boat . Now the main esky is up the front on the casting deck the bait esky is free floating but usually within arms reach of where I am sitting , the big tackle bag is gone ,the rods are in a vertical holder fitted to the side and I can now walk around and get to everything without tripping over anything. It is only a small boat ( 4.1 polycraft - same as swordies but tiller steer) so all space is at a premium! One thing i did do or think of/ invent is to make my tackle tray non slip ( just a Plano plastic tray thing ) all I did was glue boat carpet to the bottom of the tray and it grips the carpet in my boat like Velcro - now it doesn’t move at all when I pound through chop ! Yesterday was the first time I fished standing up in that boat and I enjoyed it ! Just took 20yrs to get there 🤣 I have been doing a bit of a competition between my old rig and Mel’s half pillie rig for while now and sadly my rig is losing big time - even when I add the glow sinker and glow bead to my rig it still comes off second best ! It all sounds wonderful 😃 and good you have reclaimed the space. Mel has a big fb following. Have you bought any raffle tickets? Her shop is doing well too. We recently sold our Polycraft after 18 years. It was in very good condition and it now floats around Newcastle waters. Our tinny is gone too. Here is the replacement I should do a post on the fitout. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 Yes heaps of tickets ! That is where I get the sinkers from . Mel did an interview on the radio on Saturday , was mostly about her charity work though but I think she will be back on there to talk fishing - she is everywhere at the moment ! New boat looks fantastic! “The Swordies” sounds like a tv show 🤣🤣🤣 Definately need to do a post on the fit out ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 6 hours ago, XD351 said: Just took 20yrs to get there 🤣 Good things take time grasshopper 🤣 😂 Maybe after 20yrs of bashing the fish in the area with your old rig - the survivors have cottoned on - or survived because they didn't like it ! ... and now Mel's rig is the shiny new thing that they don't yet associate with danger 🧐 ... keep mixing it up I say. Enjoy the new set up ... Cheers Zoran 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madkanu Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 Glad to see you got the flattie in the end for the effort and got to test out the new set up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessell1955 Posted July 23, 2023 Share Posted July 23, 2023 Sounds like a very unproductive day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 23, 2023 Author Share Posted July 23, 2023 26 minutes ago, bessell1955 said: Sounds like a very unproductive day. Yes but still better than sitting at home ! If you ain’t fishing you’re wishing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bessell1955 Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 I have to agree! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kantong Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 tough fishing, but at least you still caught something. Bring on Summer I say 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted July 24, 2023 Share Posted July 24, 2023 Great report Ian, a pity it wasn’t a more successful day - but that’s fishing. I tried spray painting sinkers with fluro paint, but even when primer and undercoated it chipped off - have you had better success ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XD351 Posted July 24, 2023 Author Share Posted July 24, 2023 The ones I get are done in a powder coat sort of thing - it is very tough and doesn’t chip easily, the white and light green ones glow in the dark and can be charged up in sunlight or a UV torch . P.M me if anyone wants to know where I get them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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