8 week catch up...

Well, 8 weeks is a long time between reports but I've got a good excuse. I haven't been fishing! The last time I went out was for the Squidgy Sydney round back on the 8th July. With Lachlans and my soccer season in full swing there just weren't enough hours in the day to get among the fish. But I've a bit of catching up to do, so here goes...

Western Sydney Bream and Bass annual Bream Scramble - 24th June 2012

I was teamed up with Gary again and our first port of call only saw a few chopper tailor come over the side. From here we moved to deeper water and started working some blades and plastics in 10 meters. It wasn't too long before Gary gets a legal. Yahoo, we're on the board. 30 minutes later, Gary gets another that's about 33 fork length. 'You beauty, my turn next,' I think.

We plug away for another 40 minutes and are about to move when Gary gets another. Magic, we'll give it one more drift then. And then Gary gets another corker that's 34 fork. I'm starting to get sick of netting all these fish and am feeling like a free-loader. I grab Gary's lure and flick it out. Hop, hop, hop BANG! I'm on! And just as quick, it's busted me up. Schizer! That's one lure I owe you Gary.

Gary closes his eyes and grabs a random blade, hurls it out and lands another bream. Then another!!! That's our 5 bag, it's now 11:35am and I haven't landed a fish since 7:20am.

To cut to the chase, 8 legal fish (two of those were upgrades) came into the boat and I netted everyone of them. Apart from the chopper tailors, I didn't land a bloody thing. Not even a flattie. Worst. Day. Ever! Thank God it's a team event and I have to say I did a brilliant job scooping them up for Gary. I didn't miss one!

The weigh in showed it was a tough day but there were a couple of good bags weighed in. We didn't get the  top spot (that was 3.696 kgs) but we did manage 4th (with 3.185 kgs) which was pretty good for a field of 37 boats. Thankfully Gary was on his game today. Next year, I promise I'll catch one, mate.

Squidgy Southern Bream Series - Sydney Harbour - 8th July 2012

27 kayaks set off on this cool morning after 83 boats had scattered into the distance. I started working some flats for not even a touch and I thought 'Oh oh, I hope I do better than my day with Gary?' I set my sights on some boats and third boat I get my first legal of 27 tip length. Yay!

I get three more off the hulls but they're all just under. I then started throwing a cranka vibe around some weed bed edges and bring in another 2 bream that are both 25.5 cm tip. Ooooooh so close (they've gotta be 26 cms tip length minimum).

I move about, targeting pontoons, boats, rocky shorelines, flats and weed beds. I try Chubby's, Atomic Hardz, small stick minnows, Squidgy Wrigglers, Atomic Paddle Tails, Cranka, TT and Ecogear blades and all I can manage is more undersize bream. With 15 minutes to go I flick a black blade under a boat hull and hallelujah, it's a bream!


That fish kicked me up into 11th place (with 0.765 kgs) on another very tough day. 14 yakkers couldn't manage a legal but of course there is always someone who has a great day and Stewart smashed it. His bag of 1.725 kgs was nearly 400 grams in front of Shane Taylor (1.35 kgs) who just edged out Andrew Hancox with 1.335 kgs.

That result will do me though as I should be safe for qualifying for the Grand Final in October now. There is another round at the St Georges Basin on the 2nd September but being fathers day, I'll spend it with the family instead. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid