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Ten minutes, one fish


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Morning Raiders,

This morning I was on a mission: top up my weed/cabbage supplies and get coffees for my wife and I. If I was lucky, I'd get a very brief fish in.

Got down to Gladesville at 6:15am, pulled out my ready rigged blackfish rod and plumbed the depth. My goodness, how depth changes with different tides! Had to set the float over a metre deeper! Anyhow, set the float, put on a cabbage bait and got fishing. Ten mins and counting down. First drift, nothing. Second drift, my line caught something under the water but it wasn't a fish.

Then I moved along a bit and put my bait down. The float rockets under, I tighten up and I'm onto a fish!

image.png.7998cc80138e38b3e48aa659ce4d739a.png

Not a bad one at just over 35cm/14 inches. Released the fish. Three minutes to go, but I decided to cut to the chase and move onto my bait collecting.

My first luderick ever without berley and first at this particular spot (I've endured a number of donuts here over the past few weeks).

The cabbage I was using has been in my fridge for more than two weeks. Surprising how well it's lasted and how it still works. I think some of the cabbage bugs were still alive!

Bait procured, also picked up some sand, got coffees and home just a bit past seven. Bait was a bit sparse but collected enough for a session. Now I'm ready for the weekend. One more day of work first.

Thanks for reading.

 

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1 hour ago, Little_Flatty said:

My goodness, how depth changes with different tides! Had to set the float over a metre deeper

This can be the difference between getting fish and missing out.

Its important to try different depths if you’re not getting downs, however also important to adjust depth as the tide changes moving both up or down.

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Nice Lud!  You got out for a fish and caught one ,got some fresh bait and still kept your wife happy - that’s like winning lotto!       🤣🤣🤣🤣

Do you think that attaching a small paint scraper to an old broom handle and maybe small fine net like a butterfly net or fish tank net to another broom handle would make gathering cabbage and weed from wharves easier ? I was thinking you could hold the net under the bait with one hand and use the scraper in the other hand to chisel off some bait and scoop it up . I have seen a YouTube video where Scotty lyons was using a piece of wire with a hook on the end to collect weed from a creek bed by dragging it across the sand to scrape up the thin layer of hair weed that was growing there .

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1 hour ago, Little_Flatty said:

Morning Raiders,

This morning I was on a mission: top up my weed/cabbage supplies and get coffees for my wife and I. If I was lucky, I'd get a very brief fish in.

Got down to Gladesville at 6:15am, pulled out my ready rigged blackfish rod and plumbed the depth. My goodness, how depth changes with different tides! Had to set the float over a metre deeper! Anyhow, set the float, put on a cabbage bait and got fishing. Ten mins and counting down. First drift, nothing. Second drift, my line caught something under the water but it wasn't a fish.

Then I moved along a bit and put my bait down. The float rockets under, I tighten up and I'm onto a fish!

image.png.7998cc80138e38b3e48aa659ce4d739a.png

Not a bad one at just over 35cm/14 inches. Released the fish. Three minutes to go, but I decided to cut to the chase and move onto my bait collecting.

My first luderick ever without berley and first at this particular spot (I've endured a number of donuts here over the past few weeks).

The cabbage I was using has been in my fridge for more than two weeks. Surprising how well it's lasted and how it still works. I think some of the cabbage bugs were still alive!

Bait procured, also picked up some sand, got coffees and home just a bit past seven. Bait was a bit sparse but collected enough for a session. Now I'm ready for the weekend. One more day of work first.

Thanks for reading.

 

Whats your method for plumbing depth ?

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1 hour ago, faker said:

Whats your method for plumbing depth ?

Just covered it up here👆😎

It was @XD351 who refined the idea by suggesting cork to embed the hook in (I ended up using foam).

1 hour ago, XD351 said:

Nice Lud!  You got out for a fish and caught one ,got some fresh bait and still kept your wife happy - that’s like winning lotto!       🤣🤣🤣🤣

Do you think that attaching a small paint scraper to an old broom handle and maybe small fine net like a butterfly net or fish tank net to another broom handle would make gathering cabbage and weed from wharves easier ? I was thinking you could hold the net under the bait with one hand and use the scraper in the other hand to chisel off some bait and scoop it up . I have seen a YouTube video where Scotty lyons was using a piece of wire with a hook on the end to collect weed from a creek bed by dragging it across the sand to scrape up the thin layer of hair weed that was growing there .

Could work, just need to be gentle to avoid dislodging mussels (especially in the harbour). I prefer to hand pick when I can reach it.

I’ve thought the hook idea is a good one.

46 minutes ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Nice work in such a short window! Those bugs are hardy little critters!

Thanks Waza, they are hardy indeed!

3 hours ago, Burger said:

Sounds like all parts of the plan worked out for you today! 👏👍

Yes it did…just got to get through Friday!

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

Nice sized fish in 10 minutes, good work there Mike.

You won't catch one drinking coffee.🤣

But without coffee I can’t fish for long…what comes first, the chicken or the egg?🤣

2 hours ago, kantong said:

fast fishing, love it. Good size too!

Thanks Kantong. That’s life as an angling parent, as you will know. 🙂

2 hours ago, Ryder said:

Nice to get onto the fish without berley.

Cabbage lasts better than string weed, and it smells better too.

Interesting, thanks Ryder, I didn’t know that re weed vs cabbage! You learn something new everyday! I love how switching to a different method opens you up to so many more learning opportunities.

1 hour ago, Burger said:

This can be the difference between getting fish and missing out.

Its important to try different depths if you’re not getting downs, however also important to adjust depth as the tide changes moving both up or down.

I’m learning more and more that setting the right depth is make or break. Plumbing the depth is a good way of getting a good starting point. And having an easy way to do this is crucial. I like the heavy sinker tied to foam because it’s easy to embed the hook in and swing it into the water to test your depth.

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2 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:
3 hours ago, XD351 said:

Could work, just need to be gentle to avoid dislodging mussels (especially in the harbour). I prefer to hand pick when I can reach it.

I don’t think wharf pylons and pontoons come under the intertidal protected zones . I found something that is dirt cheap that might do the job - a dog poo scoop and scraper from the green store with the hammer on the door . $9 probably have to drill a few drain holes in the scoop but for that amount of money definitely worth a try !

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2 hours ago, XD351 said:

I don’t think wharf pylons and pontoons come under the intertidal protected zones . I found something that is dirt cheap that might do the job - a dog poo scoop and scraper from the green store with the hammer on the door . $9 probably have to drill a few drain holes in the scoop but for that amount of money definitely worth a try !

Fair enough. It’s worth a try.

Would love to see the looks on people’s faces when you turn up to a wharf with a leaking pooper scooper and a scraper 🤣

1 hour ago, TheFishyFisherman said:

Nice luderick!!! Thanks for the tips on the (sad) report I wrote too.

No problems. I know the first of many species with a new technique is often very challenging. For example it took me a year to land a fish on fly, and I still haven’t caught a bream on fly, despite having no trouble getting them with bait or lures. But never forget that the challenge is what makes it fun, and what makes it satisfying when you finally succeed.

I’m still very much a novice of the luderick fishing world. My consistency needs a lot of work, specifically with setting the hook and finding fish/attracting a bite. But I’ve learned some important lessons in the past 12 months or so.

Learn to set your bait at the correct depth!

3 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Mike, your fishing expeditions are like pulling up at the Maccas window. In and out within 10 minutes. The only difference is you leave with real food.

Yep, express fishing! Next big thing: fishing that comes to you!🤣

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7 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

 

But without coffee I can’t fish for long…what comes first, the chicken or the egg?🤣

 

I do not drink coffee, or tea, or hot chocolate, or other hot drinks, so I can fish all day.

As for the egg or chicken, the first one I catch will end up on my plate.  😂

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3 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Would love to see the looks on people’s faces when you turn up to a wharf with a leaking pooper scooper and a scraper 🤣

Just hope no one asks to borrow it 🤣🤣🤣

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On 8/30/2024 at 3:01 PM, XD351 said:

I don’t think wharf pylons and pontoons come under the intertidal protected zones . I found something that is dirt cheap that might do the job - a dog poo scoop and scraper from the green store with the hammer on the door . $9 probably have to drill a few drain holes in the scoop but for that amount of money definitely worth a try !

Intertidal protected zones? Can u send me a link?

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8 minutes ago, faker said:

Intertidal protected zones? Can u send me a link?

Here: Intertidal Protected Areas (nsw.gov.au)

Here (mentions Sydney Harbour): Sydney Harbour - Intertidal Protected Areas closed waters (nsw.gov.au)

Crucially with the whole Sydney Harbour system, you can't pump nippers or dig bloodworms like people did in decades gone by.

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