Sydney Offshore Flatties - Sun 10th Dec - Very HARD work

[dlvbw]

Super quick report from Sunday. Headed out with MD and my youngest on Sunday around midday. The southerly that had been blowing all night was predicted to subside and we thought it would be a good day to head out to catch a few flatties. Launched at Roseville and headed towards the heads. 

Greeted at the heads by a strong southerly (15-20 knots) and a lot of ordinary short period swell. Tucked in close and trolled a few lures in the hope of a bonnie or two as we headed south. Got about 2/3s of the way to Bondi with no hits. Marked some bait along the way but nothing doing. Headed out to the 50m, pretty much straight off Dover Heights.

First drift went well. Picked up 3 nice fish around 40-45. A few spikeys. Second drift got one nice fish at 53. After that it was SUPER tough. No more keepers, lots of spikeys and really really average conditions. The wind just wouldn't quit and the swell was painful. Headed back in around 5pm with a following swell making progress slow and wet. 

Overall a passable trip but pretty hard work for a small feed. Conditions never really improved.............

Interestingly there were MASSIVE schools of slimies on the surface and lots of birds. We dragged lures nearby and put in a few casts but couldn't locate any predators beneath. Looked like the slimies were chasing the little white bait fish. The birds were cleaning up. They were active all afternoon. 

Cheers
D

 

[Yowie]

The outside flatties have been rather quiet this second half of the year down southern Sydney as well.

Some are better than none at all, but with average conditions and a wind chop, it is not pleasant at all.

[Pickles]

All power to you Dunc, Sunday was looking horrible early, glad you boated some Flatties. Did you catch some slimes to strip bait with or troll for Kingies in close?

[fish-aholic]

22 hours ago, Pickles said:

All power to you Dunc, Sunday was looking horrible early, glad you boated some Flatties. Did you catch some slimes to strip bait with or troll for Kingies in close?

Yes Bob, we actually got 2 bycatch slimies while reeling back our bottom bashing paternoster rigs. As Dunc mentioned it was hard work to get anything. But as they say ‘a bad of fishing is better than a good day in the office’. Thanks @dlvbw Dunc, looking forward for our next session mate.

cheers

md

[Pickles]

3 hours ago, fish-aholic said:

Yes Bob, we actually got 2 bycatch slimies while reeling back our bottom bashing paternoster rigs. As Dunc mentioned it was hard work to get anything. But as they say ‘a bad of fishing is better than a good day in the office’. Thanks @dlvbw Dunc, looking forward for our next session mate.

cheers

md

Indeed he is a top bloke MD - proud to have him a a mate.

[Larkin]

I haven’t seen any Bonnie’s for a couple of months - with so many schools of yakkas and slimies about they won’t be far off.

ay least you got a few flatties! Good effort!

 

[dlvbw]

On 12/16/2023 at 7:01 PM, Larkin said:

I haven’t seen any Bonnie’s for a couple of months - with so many schools of yakkas and slimies about they won’t be far off.

ay least you got a few flatties! Good effort!

 

Cheers mate! Unfortunately the best weather has been falling on week days lately and my work has been too hectic to take a morning off! 

[JustJames]

On 12/16/2023 at 7:01 PM, Larkin said:

I haven’t seen any Bonnie’s for a couple of months

They're ba-a-a-a-a-ck!

 

I collected four on Saturday morning, trolling South Head after not finding any along the North Head cliffs.  So now it really is summer!

[dlvbw]

19 hours ago, JustJames said:

They're ba-a-a-a-a-ck!

 

I collected four on Saturday morning, trolling South Head after not finding any along the North Head cliffs.  So now it really is summer!

NICE! Can't wait to get the lures back in the water.