Dumb and Dumber bin Derrubbin - Flatties and Jewies.

[Pickles]

My buddy Steve was keen to try another river session (Derrubbin again) so we thought we’d brave the elements and ignore the weather report and target some Jewies and Flatties.

Half the plan worked. We boated 14 Jewies, mostly around 45-60cm, but nothing over the magic 70cm mark. We also boated 6 Flatties and I landed a nice 58cm model (Mr Pickles just cooked it up and the one fish fed us both very adequately-yum). Steve also landed 2 very nice bream.

HOWEVER the wind blew up (40kn or more) and the rain hit. Steve reminded me “they are only predictions and they’re more often wrong than right” - but they got it right today.😧

We put in at the new Wisemans ferry ramp ($8 and no wash down facility) about 6am and slow trolled along the mud banks / flats on the way to “the ripple grounds” under the overhead power lines (an awesome spot). I hooked up twice, but got thrown both times, one was a very solid fish, the other, probably a keeper, but without landing it, hard to say if reached 40cm (don’t keep them much below that).

We fished light, me with - ugly stick 1-3 kg with 2500 spinning reel and Terez with 300 Daiwa. Both with 15lb braid and 12lb fluro leader. Rig was a sliding small (no3) snapper lead to the swivel, then from swivel 12lb leader to 2 snelled hooks. Top hook a 2/0 suicide and bottom hook a 5/0 Mustad big mouth (banana). The big mouth for a prawn, so that the barb protrudes where the prawns legs are and just under the head and the 2/0 I hook into the tail of the prawn. This keeps the prawn from sliding off the hook too easily and gives another point of contact with the fish, as Flatties, especially the big ones can saw through 12lb fairly easily. I usually replace the leader after each good fish as I don’t want to lose a good fish to line abrasion.

Broken ribs held up pretty well and tea tasted great (thanks Mrs Pickles).

[zmk1962]

Well 6 flatties in the boat … not so dumb now eh !  Well done Bob and crew. 
cheers Z

[Yowie]

Nice flatties there Bob.

Jewies under sized, however, good to see there are plenty of younger ones coming along.

[XD351]

Awesome report and nice flattie Bob! 

[big Neil]

Done well Bob and Steve. Did you get the Jewies slow trolling or on prawns? What lures were you slow trolling? Definitely gotta have a short midweek trip up there for a spot of river fishing, your posts are too enticing to ignore. Have to touch base to work out some availability. Keep fishing.

bn

[Pickles]

39 minutes ago, big Neil said:

Done well Bob and Steve. Did you get the Jewies slow trolling or on prawns? What lures were you slow trolling? Definitely gotta have a short midweek trip up there for a spot of river fishing, your posts are too enticing to ignore. Have to touch base to work out some availability. Keep fishing.

bn

Cheers Neil. All Jewies on prawns (off trawler passing by). Flatties on purple and black “Feral cat signature 5” and prawns, (Feral cat, slow trolled in 3-5m of water on mud flats)

you know you’re always welcome here Neil.

[Pickles]

10 hours ago, XD351 said:

Awesome report and nice flattie Bob! 

👍

[Isaac Ct]

Great job Pickles, very nice day out. Good to see you getting back amongst the fish.

[Pickles]

8 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Great job Pickles, very nice day out. Good to see you getting back amongst the fish.

Cheers @Isaac Ct

[bessell1955]

Those fresh Hawkesbury prawns always are great bait.

[jenno64]

Great post Bob, I like the rig you use… must try it soon!