Bate Bay and surrounding areas

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

Was targeting snapper today. Tried a few local reefs with Soft Plastics - a couple of hits but no connect. Decided to get some live bait and see if any kings about. No kings, but a snapper grabbed my livie that went 49cm.

The next livie got munched by a squid which came up to the surface and let go - I threw in a jig and it grabbed on.

Drifted off the reef for a 45cm blue spot flatty.

Trolled a skirt along the cliffs for nothing. 

Hit up a deep water whiting spot. Pulled up half a dozen in around an hour.

Was visited by fisheries in an inflatable boat who checked my catch and fishing licence. 

I started to head in but I thought I might grab a couple more flatties to add to the one I had to make up a family meal. Lined up the drift and as soon as the bait hit the bottom I was on. They were carpeting the whole area I was fishing. Mainly Tiger Flathead. A friend had asked for some fish, so with so many flathead smashing my baits, it took me just 45mins to land 9 good sized flatties - plenty to share around. 

Lots of Tiger flathead out there on the drift atm - harder to handle than the blue spots. Large sharp teeth, longer spikes and more aggressive when handling.

 

 

Edited September 5 by Larkin

[Yowie]

Very nice bag there Chris. Good reddie for the plate, red spots and plenty of tigers, more than I have seen before. The tigers were common off Sydney many years ago, then the trawlers gave them a hammering and the numbers dropped way off. Assume the tigers were near the whiting drift.

 A bit different to have fisheries out there. How far out were they, and any other boats about? Maybe they had a quiet day with not much to do.

[Larkin]

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

Very nice bag there Chris. Good reddie for the plate, red spots and plenty of tigers, more than I have seen before. The tigers were common off Sydney many years ago, then the trawlers gave them a hammering and the numbers dropped way off. Assume the tigers were near the whiting drift.

 A bit different to have fisheries out there. How far out were they, and any other boats about? Maybe they had a quiet day with not much to do.

Thanks Dave - that 40-50cm size is the best for eating imo.

So many tigers - caught more of them than blue spots. I was fishing further south - a spot I told you about a while back.

not many fishing out there. A couple of boats up around Kurnell, didn’t see anyone on the drift when I was around. Radio chatter was quiet all day. First time I’ve had fisheries pay me a visit - large inflatable with 3 Crew.

[Little_Flatty]

Nice work Chris. Weekend feed sorted!

[Isaac Ct]

Well done Chris, very nice feed there. I will have to get out, it has been a while between trips out on the boat.

[Larkin]

15 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Nice work Chris. Weekend feed sorted!

Thanks Mike - been eyeing a recipe for a fish risotto. Fish stock base made with the head/frames.
Mates getting a fish package too 😉

5 hours ago, Isaac Ct said:

Well done Chris, very nice feed there. I will have to get out, it has been a while between trips out on the boat.

Thanks Isaac, managed a good mix of seafood. Weather starting to warm up - best time to get out there mate!

[Robbo from Sydney]

2 hours ago, Larkin said:

Thanks Mike - been eyeing a recipe for a fish risotto. Fish stock base made with the head/frames.
Mates getting a fish package too 😉

Thanks Isaac, managed a good mix of seafood. Weather starting to warm up - best time to get out there mate!

Make sure you get some green prawns in the shell and use the heads and shells in the stock to richen the flavour and then add the prawns into the fish risotto and it will be even better.  Seafood risotto is truly one of the best dishes!!

[Ledge]

Nice winter catch! (I still consider September winter fishing conditions)

Edited September 6 by Ledge

[Larkin]

8 hours ago, Robbo from Sydney said:

Make sure you get some green prawns in the shell and use the heads and shells in the stock to richen the flavour and then add the prawns into the fish risotto and it will be even better.  Seafood risotto is truly one of the best dishes!!

Thanks for the tip Robbo!

will definitely give that a go 👍

Can’t go wrong with a few prawns in there too.

Last time I oven roasted a snapper in foil, I stuffed it with lemons, butter, dill - they have all that internal fat too - which rendered down. That juice was liquid gold - so much flavour. Been meaning to do a soup or rissotto. 
 

2 hours ago, Ledge said:

Nice winter catch! (I still consider September winter fishing conditions)

Thanks Ledge!

water was 17.5 out there. Definitely still snapper season.

[Basil D]

Nice Post Larking, Im heading Tomorrow down south, Such a relief to just push work over and go out, Im trying to get back out again  once or twice a fort night 

[Pickles]

Cracker day Chris, a really nice mixed bag, well done. Never get tired of reading your reports ☺️

[jenno64]

Top platter Chris!

Gotta be happy with the variety and quality, shaping up as a good Spring!

[Larkin]

16 hours ago, Basil D said:

Nice Post Larking, Im heading Tomorrow down south, Such a relief to just push work over and go out, Im trying to get back out again  once or twice a fort night 

Good luck Basil

Always need to schedule in some fishing time between work mate. Let me know how you go down south 

14 hours ago, Pickles said:

Cracker day Chris, a really nice mixed bag, well done. Never get tired of reading your reports ☺️

Thanks Bob! 
Been having a few good sessions out there. Can’t wait for your summer kingy reports, bet they’ll be flowing come summer.

10 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Top platter Chris!

Gotta be happy with the variety and quality, shaping up as a good Spring!

Thanks Rob, a few fish out there atm. Can’t be long till you’re out there on the new kayak.