Tough day out of the office

[Little_Flatty]

This morning I got out on the water at 6am on the Lane Cove River to fish some topwater lures over the mud flats from the walkway in front of Hunters Hill High School.

It was a dead low tide, but I had a bit of a busy weekend, so I needed a bit of time to unwind. Threw a number of different topwaters over the flats in the darkness, for little success. Then on the far end of the flats nearest the Figtree Bridge, I finally had a decent splash at my Savage Gear popper. Next cast, I hooked up and the fish went for a run, then came off. Bad luck, I've been having a bit of it lately.

Anyhow I had run out of time and went home to feed the kids breakfast. We were child free for the day so my wife and I went out for a bushwalk in the Lane Cove National park. For the first time ever in Sydney, we had an encounter with a wild swamp wallaby! It was kind enough to pose for a photo.

After a nice lunch, I was able to fit in another session at Tarban Creek. As it often is in the afternoons, it was rather windy and not very fishing friendly. But a few casts in, I got a big hit on the Savage Gear popper and up came a nice little bream, which was promptly released after this happy snap:

That outfit by the way is my trusty 7' 8" Crucis, coupled with my early 2000s Shimano Twinpower 1000, the exact same reel that is in my profile pic. A few years ago, I respooled it with 3lb FINS and it had been sitting on my desk waiting for an outing. Still a good little reel that still works well, but starting to feel a bit rough, showing its age. It's seen a lot of use, having been with me since my early days on Fishraider.

Anyhow, I change to the FTT popper and work my way right up to the head of the creek with only a few hits to show for it. Time for a change of plans. Change over the Halco Roosta Popper that @Mike Sydney kindly gifted me. Got two savage hits near the mangroves at the start of the flats, then nothing for a while.

Then a disaster happened. On one of my casts, the Roosta Popper goes flying, but my braid does not follow. It had snapped. I was extremely sad to lose a lure that was a precious gift, only on its second outing! But watching the wind, I noticed it was blowing upstream very slowly.

I thought for a moment that maybe if I re-rigged with another lure, I might be able to snare it and get it back. First up was my foam FTT popper, but it was soon apparent that would not work. So I decided to tie on a Wonder Wobbler. On a few attempts, I managed to brush the loose leader (still attached to my Halco) with my line and turn the lure around, but it didn't snag any of the hooks. Then after about 20 mins of trying, I finally snagged the lure, wound it in and then swung it up onto the bank. Catch of the day!

Put the lure back in my tacklebox, safe from snags and casting snafus, ready for its next outing. Kept casting with the wonder wobbler, in hope of snaring a flathead. Two more casts in, I got snagged. Bye bye wobbler 😢

After a few more half hearted casts with a bent minnow, I went home. A lot of work for one fish, but it was good exercise and satisfying all the same.

My Lenten fishing gear purchase abstinence has ended and I will soon be picking up a few replacement lures, along with a whole lot of parts to make some of my own. Watch this space..it is guaranteed that no works of art will emerge from this activity but there are some fun experiments in the works!

 

[Mike Sydney]

Hahaha 😂😂 what a tale. Lure gone. Lure back. Lure gone. As I started reading I was shaking my head you’d lost it already - it was a gift to replace your recently lost splash prawn after all! - but glad you got it back. Though at least you were casting it and getting hits before it decided to take a break from you. 
I ended up gifting a Cranka crab to another fisherman on Sunday night. He left delighted and minutes later I snagged and lost another cranka so now I’ve only got one one left with a missing claw. Losing lures sucks!

still @Little_Flatty did you keep that found lure at Iron Cove? That balances out the loss of the wobbler 😂 

 

 

[Yowie]

A lot of effort to catch a fish and a lure. 😂

At least it is back in the tackle box, until next time.

[big Neil]

A good read Mike. As you say a lot happening for one fish but isn't that what makes fishing so addictive? Very good that you got the preciously gifted lure back to continue its good deeds. You never have much time for fishing but always manage to create small windows of interesting reports. I, for one, enjoy reading them. Tight lines, bn

[Little_Flatty]

8 hours ago, Mike Sydney said:

Hahaha 😂😂 what a tale. Lure gone. Lure back. Lure gone. As I started reading I was shaking my head you’d lost it already - it was a gift to replace your recently lost splash prawn after all! - but glad you got it back. Though at least you were casting it and getting hits before it decided to take a break from you. 
I ended up gifting a Cranka crab to another fisherman on Sunday night. He left delighted and minutes later I snagged and lost another cranka so now I’ve only got one one left with a missing claw. Losing lures sucks!

still @Little_Flatty did you keep that found lure at Iron Cove? That balances out the loss of the wobbler 😂 

 

 

I did end up keeping it, so yes, I guess it's even then!🤣 I hate losing lures!

8 hours ago, Yowie said:

A lot of effort to catch a fish and a lure. 😂

At least it is back in the tackle box, until next time.

It was a lot of effort indeed! 😫

1 hour ago, big Neil said:

A good read Mike. As you say a lot happening for one fish but isn't that what makes fishing so addictive? Very good that you got the preciously gifted lure back to continue its good deeds. You never have much time for fishing but always manage to create small windows of interesting reports. I, for one, enjoy reading them. Tight lines, bn

Thanks Neil, when I add it up it's actually quite a lot of fishing. I'm lucky to be close-ish to water, so my little bit of spare time here and there adds up to a lot.

[linewetter]

Sorry to hear of the bad luck lately - hopefully it is only limited to fishing! 
 

That is a really nice looking bream you’ve brought up. Some of the ones I see in photos look on the dark/brownish side, yours looks nice and healthy. I really enjoyed the story as well, had to keep reading to see if you’d get the lure back 😄

[Little_Flatty]

9 hours ago, linewetter said:

Sorry to hear of the bad luck lately - hopefully it is only limited to fishing! 
 

That is a really nice looking bream you’ve brought up. Some of the ones I see in photos look on the dark/brownish side, yours looks nice and healthy. I really enjoyed the story as well, had to keep reading to see if you’d get the lure back 😄

Bad luck only on the fishing front thankfully. The rest is self-inflicted or a first world problem

Didn't notice anything particularly silvery about the bream, maybe it was the lighting. Stunning weather on the weekend!

[zmk1962]

Nice write up Mike. You gave it a good shot. 
Some fishing days are like that…you just go through the motions - I’m told golf is always like that 🤪. 
I look forward to seeing some of your creations and your analysis of how they perform.

BTW have you submitted the Halco Roosta Popper as a FR record?  … it’s a worthy catch on rod and reel. 
The approval might take some time though - I’m still hopeful my mega SP caught at Discount Reef gets approved. 
cheers Zoran 

[jenno64]

Great post Mike. A fish on the lie detector is always a good thing:)

[mrsswordfisherman]

9 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Great post Mike. A fish on the lie detector is always a good thing:)

Rob we call the mat “the Measure of Success” here at fishraider 😉😂

[Little_Flatty]

12 hours ago, zmk1962 said:

Nice write up Mike. You gave it a good shot. 
Some fishing days are like that…you just go through the motions - I’m told golf is always like that 🤪. 
I look forward to seeing some of your creations and your analysis of how they perform.

BTW have you submitted the Halco Roosta Popper as a FR record?  … it’s a worthy catch on rod and reel. 
The approval might take some time though - I’m still hopeful my mega SP caught at Discount Reef gets approved. 
cheers Zoran 

At a meagre 60mm, I don't think it will have anything on your bonito Zoran!

With the intense rain coming this weekend, I think there will be a few creations coming from my desk.

10 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Great post Mike. A fish on the lie detector is always a good thing:)

Certainly is Rob! Not much size of late, but the fish still give a good account of themselves.

1 hour ago, mrsswordfisherman said:

Rob we call the mat “the Measure of Success” here at fishraider 😉😂

I've been thinking brag mat/landing net/fish basket thoughts of late. A few products under consideration for purchase, some others potentially to make, all geared towards reducing fish handling whilst getting a measure at the same time. We'll see if any of these materialise.