Outside of Port Hacking

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

Launched from Gunnamatta bay this morning. Met fellow fishraider @Crabstar who was also launching at the ramp. 👍 

Plan was to head up around Coogee/maroubra  with a mate out of botany, but once I got outside it was rough as guts out there. Decided to wait and see if conditions would get better - which they didn’t.

So I hit the bait grounds. Every yakka I’d hook would get smashed by large fish before I could get them up. This went on for an hour and a half. Hooked fish being grabbed, sabiki’s bitten off - non stop. Went through at least 5 sabiki’s. I rigged up a large livie and it took all of two seconds to get smashed. 55-60cm bonitos everywhere. Pulled a couple up and released.

Moved to one of my kingy spots. The fish were on the bite for about half an hour. Brought up 3 fish, 2 were size - but only kept one. 
A few more large bonitos hooked up too.

Bonito attacking baitfish 

A few Kingfish swimming underneath

When the bite stopped, decided to try the flatty drift. 

Plagues of green puffers everywhere. Chewed me off half a dozen times. Worked out if I put a really heavy sinker and dropped it down fast it would avoid being bitten off most of the time. Also had to wind up super fast too, otherwise the puffers would chew my line on the way up.

One came on board and was even trying to bite my feet.

I’ve never lost so much terminal tackle in one day lol

Anyway got the feed I was looking for - 5 flatties ranging from 38-48cm 

[wefewfef]

can you catch bonitos and bonita at night

[Yowie]

Good sized bonnies about, must be hungry to be attacking your yakkas on the bait line.

A few flatties, and a kingie, will be good for the weekend meals. Good to see some flatties out there.

A long time since the green toads have been about, can be worse than jackets for tackle bite-offs. Last time there was a plague outside, a few turned up near Lilli Pilli and chewed off gear, and they can swim fairly fast for toads.

[Crabstar]

Good report.

Pleasure meeting you this morning, had a feeling it was you. Least you nabbed some fish. Bigger set on you than me, I went out the entrance and turned around it was horrible, and it didn’t abate one bit.

Those green puffers were everywhere the other day too, seem that they have set up camp out there. I’ll finish port Kembla tomorrow instead.

 

 

Edited March 28 by Crabstar

[zmk1962]

Well done Chris. Your persistence paid off. The toads were at Browns as well. You could see them swimming up to the baits on the release and retrieve. Both Wazza and I had sinkers bitten off at the boat side 😡😤 while gaffing the blue eye. Let’s hope they don’t hang around too much longer. 
cheers Zoran

[Larkin]

10 hours ago, wefewfef said:

can you catch bonitos and bonita at night

They tend to be most active early morning. I’ve never fished for them at night.

3 hours ago, Yowie said:

Good sized bonnies about, must be hungry to be attacking your yakkas on the bait line.

A few flatties, and a kingie, will be good for the weekend meals. Good to see some flatties out there.

A long time since the green toads have been about, can be worse than jackets for tackle bite-offs. Last time there was a plague outside, a few turned up near Lilli Pilli and chewed off gear, and they can swim fairly fast for toads.

Never seen them that ravenous, I couldn’t land bait. If I didn’t wind up super fast they’d get snatched every time. Over 20 livies got grabbed.

A few flatties atm, if you can get past the puffers. Will make a nice lunch today
 

2 hours ago, Crabstar said:

Good report.

Pleasure meeting you this morning, had a feeling it was you. Least you nabbed some fish. Bigger set on you than me, I went out the entrance and turned around it was horrible, and it didn’t abate one bit.

Those green puffers were everywhere the other day too, seem that they have set up camp out there. I’ll finish port Kembla tomorrow instead.

 

 

I was hoping it would calm down as my mate was waiting up north - he’s got an even bigger set than me - ended up punching out to the fads on his ski.

Good luck at port Kembla! 

2 hours ago, zmk1962 said:

Well done Chris. Your persistence paid off. The toads were at Browns as well. You could see them swimming up to the baits on the release and retrieve. Both Wazza and I had sinkers bitten off at the boat side 😡😤 while gaffing the blue eye. Let’s hope they don’t hang around too much longer. 
cheers Zoran

Thanks Zoran!

seems they’re everywhere outside. My mate saw them at the peak too.

[jenno64]

You got a feed Chris!

now it’s if to the tackle shop to stock up on terminals😜

[Larkin]

4 hours ago, jenno64 said:

You got a feed Chris!

now it’s if to the tackle shop to stock up on terminals😜

Turned it into a nice lunch today!

Haha, I’m in there too often

[fishkent]

On 3/28/2024 at 9:25 PM, Larkin said:

Gday Raiders,

Launched from Gunnamatta bay this morning. Met fellow fishraider @Crabstar who was also launching at the ramp. 👍 

Plan was to head up around Coogee/maroubra  with a mate out of botany, but once I got outside it was rough as guts out there. Decided to wait and see if conditions would get better - which they didn’t.

So I hit the bait grounds. Every yakka I’d hook would get smashed by large fish before I could get them up. This went on for an hour and a half. Hooked fish being grabbed, sabiki’s bitten off - non stop. Went through at least 5 sabiki’s. I rigged up a large livie and it took all of two seconds to get smashed. 55-60cm bonitos everywhere. Pulled a couple up and released.

Moved to one of my kingy spots. The fish were on the bite for about half an hour. Brought up 3 fish, 2 were size - but only kept one. 
A few more large bonitos hooked up too.

Bonito attacking baitfish 

A few Kingfish swimming underneath

When the bite stopped, decided to try the flatty drift. 

Plagues of green puffers everywhere. Chewed me off half a dozen times. Worked out if I put a really heavy sinker and dropped it down fast it would avoid being bitten off most of the time. Also had to wind up super fast too, otherwise the puffers would chew my line on the way up.

One came on board and was even trying to bite my feet.

I’ve never lost so much terminal tackle in one day lol

Anyway got the feed I was looking for - 5 flatties ranging from 38-48cm 

That’s an amazing catch - congratulations!

 

Not asking for your kingy spot -  but If you don’t mind me asking what attributes do you look for in a king spot in the hacking? I’m in there often on my kayak and see them cruising but never seem interested. Any tips on finding them - you have seem to figured it out.

 

 

[Welster]

You always seem to find the fish Chris.  Nice mix of fish and it feels kind of strange to say but good to see a few flatties in there. 

[Pickles]

Great report Chris and a good feed. I was out at the FADs last week chasing Dollie’s and lost leaders and sinkers from the swivel down to rotten green toads, they were everywhere, but I was able to move away and eventually found a patch where they were absent.

There has been some really  crook weather lately and getting out has been quite a challenge - great you were able to get amongst them.

[Larkin]

On 3/31/2024 at 11:37 AM, fishkent said:

That’s an amazing catch - congratulations!

 

Not asking for your kingy spot -  but If you don’t mind me asking what attributes do you look for in a king spot in the hacking? I’m in there often on my kayak and see them cruising but never seem interested. Any tips on finding them - you have seem to figured it out.

 

 

Hi Fishkent,

I look for baitfish on the reefs then drift a live yakka through them. Just below the baitfish (bottom 1/4 of the water column). 
I use a 1.5cm ball sinker, 80cm of 60lb trace with a 7/0 circle hook. 
on a kayak, inside the hacking I would be slow trolling a live yakka using the above rig. Through the main channels, along the drop off at Lilly pilly (off the dude of the sand flats), down the Channel that leads from Lilly pilly into southwest arm, the Chanel between gunnamatta and buraneer bay, the Chanel into gunnamatta, and the circular 8knot area that leads to grays point. 
Personally I find the kingfish more active on the last two hours leading into high tide. But they will be active all day. 
 

On 3/31/2024 at 12:26 PM, Welster said:

You always seem to find the fish Chris.  Nice mix of fish and it feels kind of strange to say but good to see a few flatties in there. 

Thanks Welster!

The wife tells me to just bring flatties lol

I like to switch it up.

On 3/31/2024 at 2:18 PM, Pickles said:

Great report Chris and a good feed. I was out at the FADs last week chasing Dollie’s and lost leaders and sinkers from the swivel down to rotten green toads, they were everywhere, but I was able to move away and eventually found a patch where they were absent.

There has been some really  crook weather lately and getting out has been quite a challenge - great you were able to get amongst them.

Thanks Bob! Was happy to get a mixed feed.

those toads are terrors! Glad you got a feed of Dollie’s! Not too long left in the season.