Oatley – 3/6/06

I’d planned another day of trying to hook a kingie with a live bait but the constant wind had made Botany Bay look a bit uncomfortable, so I thought I’d give the other side of the Georges River a go and launched from Oatley boat ramp at the end of West Crescent. This is a good launching area with a small beach either side of the ramp and a large parking area and adjacent picnic grounds.

There are ample opportunities within Oatley with dozens of moored boats and pontoons for chasing bream on SP’s and the flats hold good quantities of flathead. At high tide you can also work the mangroves or rocky shorelines with surface lures to tempt the bream, just make sure you work them nice and slow, right up against the structure.

I targeted the boats and had a reasonable hour on the water, landing 3 good fish and a few that were just undersize. The best fish went 37cm total length (34cm fork) and the other two must’ve been twins, both being 30cm total length (28cm fork). All the fish were caught on Berkley 6” Sandworms in natural colour rigged on 1/16thoz jig heads.

The biggest fish came from the last boat on the last few casts. It took 3 SP’s to get him though as he tail-grabbed the first two, ripping them off just below the hook. The third time I gently lifted the plastic and as soon as I felt some weight I gave the rod tip the lightest jiggle I could. This was enough to fool the fish and he grabbed it and ran. I simply lifted the rod and listened to the drag as he zoomed off. Luckily he swam away from the anchor rope of the boat he was under and I played him out in the open water.

I think the fishing would’ve continued to improve as the sun disappeared as the tide still had and hour of runout to go. I’ve got to get me a light for my yak! That can be my next project. Happy yakkin’ everyone.

Cheers,
Cid