Cooks River - 22/7/07

This will be a short and sweet report...because there isn't much to report! : (

I decided to give the consistent westerly wind a miss this weekend and set off for the Cooks River where I know I can lurk around bridge pylons and behind mangroves to seek shelter. It seems though that the fish were also seeking shelter...from ME!

I tried a lot of my regular spots but couldn't even tempt a nibble from a bream. I used HB's and SP's, fished the shoreline, deep holes, bridges and boats for a big fat zero. The water temp was very cool: 11 degrees in most places but I did find one tropical spot that zoomed up in temperature to 11.9. And guess where I caught the flattie? That's right, in that small pocket of warmer water.

The fight, if you could call it that, was something akin to a wet towel that half swam up with me. It was only when I got him near the surface that he put in a few half-hearted tail flicks. He went 42cm's on the lie detector and he probably hated me for putting him back into the cold water. How much longer until summer gets here? Happy yakkin', everyone.

cheers,
Cid

Botany Bay - 11/7/07 & 15/7/07

These early morning starts are getting tougher and tougher. With temp's getting down to 6 degrees and the wind blowing at 15 or more knots, even I'm starting to think I'm a little bit crazy. But still, I figure you're a long time dead, so why not, eh? The first morning I was about 50 meters from the outlet when I looked at my sounder. Arches and lines all over it! 'Surely they're not fish,' I thought? The closer I got the more lines appeared so I flicked out and within a micro second my plastic was pounced on. Tailor numero uno was wound in and placed in the livewell. Next cast was a repeat, as was the next and the next and the next! All the fish were about 38cm's in length.

Tailor were jumping all over the place but after landing a dozen or so I tired of them and wanted a kingie. But try as I might I just couldn't get a plastic through them. Twice I managed to get the lure down about 2 meters and both times I was rewarded with a better class of fish, with both of them nudging 46cm's. The plastics were really copping a hiding so I figured maybe a metal lure would be able to sink to the bottom and I might be able to get a kingfish that way. To quote the movie 'The Castle'..."Tell him he's dreamin'!"

I cast the Halco twisty lure out and let it sink. As it did I watched the line go zip, ziiip, ziiiiiiiip and I was on again. Let's try that again. Zip, ziip...nothing. Damn! Bitten off on the drop. On with another Halco and the very next cast I'm bitten off again on the drop. Forget that idea!

I tie on my last metal slice and spin up another 7 or 8 and at 7:30am I head back to shore with the hot bite still going. Great fun on light tackle but it would've been nice to have been able to have a crack at a kingie. I reckon there would have been a few lurking under the schools of tailor, picking up any scraps filtering down from above.

The next session I met up with DavyG from AKFF. With both of us standing on the beach, rugged up like the Michelin Man, looking out at a 18 knot westerley that I'm sure was blowing straight off the Snowy Mountains, Davey mumbled 'Lunatics!' and we pushed off into the half-light.

The tailor were there again and Davey had 3 in the yak very quickly. Todays wind proved how invaluable the Mirage Drives are on the Hobies as I was able to stay within casting distance of the outlet while Davey had to constantly keep paddling back after every few casts. We both were bitten off a few times and Daveys last fish looked like it would've
been a beauty. By the time we both re-rigged and cast out again, the fish had gone. Just like that. We perservered for another 20 minutes until I made my way over and said 'I've had enough. I'm going in.' Funny, but it didn't take much to twist Daveys arm to join me back on the shore.

The tailor are hard to predict. Most days they are there right at dawn but disappear once it gets light but every now and then you get a day like wednesday when they just go nuts. If it was only another 6 or 7 degrees warmer it'd make it so much more enjoyable. Happy yakkin, everyone.

cheers
Cid

Botany Bay - 30/6/07 & 1/7/07

I'd heard a few of the boys from AKFF were hitting the Hotwater Outlet on sunday morning but I was only able to get out saturday. I figured I'd better check the place out just in case. On arrival I could see a green boat working the spot. Scotty Lyons was there with one of his charters so I gave him a quick call and found out that they'd landed a few tailor and were currently hoooked up to a kingfish. Whooshka! I was set up and racing out there in about 5 minutes flat.

I was a bit later than usual and had missed the tailor run so I started working the SP's down deep. After about 15 minutes it was my turn. I don't know...catching these kingfish gets boring after a while...NOT! They are just an unbelievable fighter and from a yak they are brilliant. 68cm's he goes and it's another one for the BBQ.

Scott kindly took a photo for me (thanks Scott) and he put in another 10 minutes or so before heading over to Molineux Point to get a few trevally. I perservered at the Outlet, every now and then throwing a popper, searching for a tailor or two. But there was no joy on those today.

Back to the SP's (Mojo Twitchin Minnow in Salt n' Pepper) and BANG! OOOOOO-EEEEE. What a screamer! Three fast, long, strong runs and I'm thinking 'This'll be a new PB' but that was it for the fight really. He settled below me but he'd exhausted himself with his first runs. This one went 62cm's and was quickly unhooked and sent on his way.

I was granted a short leave pass and managed to drag myself out of bed to meet up with the guys from AKFF. Oh man, it was soooooooo windy and cold. Gatesy and Kraley were already out there at 6:30am when I arrived and when we joined them we found out that they'd been cleaning up on the tailor. They'd been taking SP's, poppers, minnows: Gatesy said you could've thrown a sock at them and hooked up.

I quickly threw out a East Coast Splash n' Dash which disappeared in a shower of water. Oh yeah...which was quickly followed by Oh no. The line had gone slack. Bitten off. Ahhhhh, fudge!
And within seconds, they'd gone. Most had caught something except for Peril and I who were obviously just too slow on the day.

I was chatting to Gatesy as we cast SP's for kings when he hooks up. Some solid runs, although obviously not huge, but still a hoot on the light gear. This was his first king on a SP so a few prayers were muttered until he slid the fish into the waiting net.

Not a legal fish, only going about 50cm's but it was the only king caught this morning, so Gatesy was the King of Kings this sunday. Some of the other guys decided to head out towards the heads but luckily, my time was up and I could go home and have a hot shower.

Being on the water nice and early paid real dividends for Kraley and Gatesy, both landing about a dozen tailor up to 45cm's and keeping 4 each for a feed.

As I've stated before, this can be typical of the Hotwater outlet. The tailor will be there in droves just before light but they'll disappear in an eye blink. Last week when I was here with the hot bite, it was fairly overcast so I guess that had something to do with keeping the tailor on the chew.

I've noticed that the rivers have started to clear up a bit so I guess it's about time I got stuck into a few bream or jewies around the local bridges and pontoons. But next sunday Adam is planning on getting another king or two so I may just have to meet him on the water. Oh, tough choices, eh? Happy yakkin, everyone.

cheers,
Cid

Botany Bay Report - 23/6/07

My hopes for chasing bream on the Cooks River were dashed when I saw the colour of the water on friday. It was still muddy and murky and recalling previous lack-lustre attempts when the water was like this, I decided to give it a miss.

So it was back to my 6:30am start on Silver Beach next to the Oil Refinery. The weather was surprisingly good, meaning the wind was only 10 knots or so and there wasn't any rain. As I approached the Hotwater Outlet I was surprised to see that I had the place to myself. I felt sure there would've been boats out in force after the crappy weather we'd had lately. 'More for me,' I thought and I let fire with my first cast with an EastCoast Splash 'n Dash. Flat-chat across the surface and 'Boof', it's hit by a tailor. Ooh yeah, first cast, I like it! Lots of jumping and splashing around and as I'm playing him out I notice baitfish jumping all around me with tailor in hot pursuit. I lift this guy into the Hobie, guess-timate him at about a kilo, throw him into the livewell and get back to fishing.

The next 3 casts resulted in another 3 fish all about the same size - same technique and it's a blast to see them chase down the popper. On the fifth cast I hook-up again but it's all too brief and I've been bitten off. Aaarrrgghhh! And that was my last Splash 'n Dash, too. : (

Ok, I've had some fun, now let's get serious. I rig up with a Mojo Twitchin Minnow (garfish colour) and cast out hoping it'll get down below the tailor. Blast hooked up again! Hee hee hee. Another tailor and one shredded mojo. Re-rig and try again. I manage to get through the 'mobile fangs' and start the 'lift, lift, wind' retrieve. On the 4th cast I get a nudge and get ready. 'Zzzzzzzzzzz' goes the reel and I know this ain't a tailor! Strong, deep runs and I'm off in pursuit. I'm hoping it'll be a new PB and when I finally lift him aboard my hopes are confirmed. 72cm's total length and this guy will be great on the BBQ.

Back to the same spot, fix up the SP that's slightly chewed and out she goes again. "Lift, lift, wind...lift, lift, wind...lift, lift, OH YES! I'm on again! This one really took off and before long I was being towed by another winter kingie! Thankfully there isn't any structure around here as she really put the burners on a few times and peeled off 20-25 meters of line each time. This 10lb braid would be a bit light around pylons but it's a hoot out here in the open. I ease her up and make sure she's nice and tired before I grab her with the lip-grips and slide her over the size. She's a bit chunkier than the first one and she's on the lie detector quick smart and what do you know? My new PB is now 75cm's, so I'm only 25cm's away from my goal of getting a meter kingie from the kayak.

I look around and I still can't beleive it: no boats anywhere to take a photo for me, so it's a quick juggling act to get a shot with both fish in it. I only had 10 minutes of fishing time left so I got her back into the water and swam her along until she kicked out of my grip and disappeared into the depths.

Well try as I might, I couldn't get another kingfish. But that's only because the tailor had returned and would shred any SP within seconds of them hitting the water! I quickly changed to a Halco Twisty metal slice and landed another 4 before it was time to leave. It was a crime to leave them biting so I rang Daveyg and said 'Get down here whenever you get a chance,' but I think the poor guy was shackled to soccer duties for the day. Poor bugger.

So what a day! Easily one of the best sessions I've ever had fishing and I am still amazed that I was the only one there. I know where I'll be going next weekend if the weather holds. But you know how fishing is, here one day, gone the next. We'll see anyway. Happy yakkin', everyone.

cheers,

Cid

Botany Bay Report - 21/6/07

I know! You're thinking 'ANOTHER report on Botany Bay!' but I'm sorry, the weather the last few weeks has really limited me to where I can fish. The rivers are the colour of coffee, with so much fresh in them that it wouldn't be worth throwing a line in. Give it a few days without rain and it'll be ok and if the weather holds, I'll try for some bream and jewfish around bridge pylons this weekend.

Luckily, the weather was fairly reasonable for a quick assault on the hotwater outlet and once again I had the place to myself. Funny about that... I always start with a few casts with surface lures just in case there are a few tailor hunting. After about 10 casts I switched to the Mojo SP and started working various depths trying to find a fish or two. I had the camera set up and about 15 minutes into filming I get a quick hit mid-retrieve. I paused then quickly twitched the lure. That was enough and 'crunch', I hook up.

This fish went straight for the bottom and I called it for a kingie. Not a big one though she still pulled a bit of line off the reel. I took my time so as not to pull the hooks and eased her up next to the yak then swung her aboard. A few snapshots and back into the water until next summer when we may meet up again. : )


I'd drifted a bit in the wind and current so I made my way back to the outlet. The next cast I decided to talk about how you can also fish SP's fast, skipping them across the surface when about 4 fish jostled for my lure when one of them, another small kingie, did half a cartwheel out of the water! Yeehah! None of the useless fools hooked up though, so out it goes again and another fast retrieve sees it snaffled after a few feet.

It goes deep again and I call it for anther kingfish but surprise, surprise, it's a tailor of about a kilo, that of course shreds the Mojo to bits. Ah, that's dinner but by the time I re-rig and get back to the spot they've all disappeared. The fishing can be like that at the outlet, one minute they're there, the next they're gone!

Well, if the action keeps going like this, I'll make regular little trips to the outlet this winter. It's only 500 meters from the beach and you virtually park your car right next to the launch spot and only have to carry the yak 30 meters. The Tailor will be around all winter and fingers crossed, a few kingies will stay about, too. Happy yakkin', everyone.

cheers,
Cid

Botany & Oyster Bay - 11/6/07

Well, what a wild and woolly week that was! If you managed to find a break in the weather to get out, then well done. I managed to get out twice but both times were quick trips. That was enough to give me my 'fix' though, so I'm right for another couple of days.

So it's well and truly winter and the kingie season I guess is officially over now, but I still wanted to land one in June. So last Thursday (7/6/07) I made my way to the Hot Water outlet (again). 15 knot winds and a few spots of rain didn't deter me and I proceeded to cast with a few surface poppers hoping a few tailor would be scouting about in the pre-dawn gloom. But no, nothing smashed the lure off the surface in a spray of salty water, so I switched to the Mojo Twitchin' minnow stickbait that's worked for me in the past.

The wind was gradually picking up and casting into the breeze was starting to seem fairly futile. And now the rain really started to come down. 'Ok, 3 more casts and that's it,' I thought. Half way back on the second cast I see a flash of silver, the line tightens, I strike! And I'm on. Ooh, and this doesn't feel like a tailor either. A few solid runs down deep and I call it for a kingie but I can tell it's not a big one. I quickly get him to the side of the yak and lift him out for a few snapshots. Only 47cm's but I've achieved my goal of a kingfish in June! With a 'See you next year!' I sent him back into the deep.

I quickly head back for a few more casts when all of a sudden I hear a rumble and then 'CRACK'...Lightning. Ok, that's it for me, I'm outta here! I just load up the car and jump in when it buckets down, so I planned my escape to perfection.

The next few days I considered building an ark but by Sunday the rain had eased off. I knew the waters would be a nice coffee-colour on Monday but in the afternoon I flicked a few plastics around Oyster Bay. I headed to the mouth of the bay figuring there'd be more chances of fish near the main river. To say it was quiet would be an understatement but I still managed to get a few fish.

The first one I picked up was a nice 53cm flathead that was nestled on a sandy patch amongst a rocky shoreline. He pounced on my 3" Gulp minnow in Lime/Tiger and twice I thought he'd run me around some rocks but sometimes you get lucky and he was a welcome addition to the yak.

The next couple of hours saw me land a few bream to 29cm's but as I said, the fishing was definitely slower than what I am used to in this neck of the
woods. At least the systems around Sydney will have gotten a good flush out and I reckon the fishing will be great once it all settles down. Snapper should be great around any of the headlands, just make sure it's safe before you head out to get them. Happy yakkin', everyone.

cheers,
Cid

Botany Bay Report - 3/6/07

With the kingie season rapidly approaching its end, I was keen to have as many cracks at them as I could. So it was back to the scene of the crime, the Hotwater Outlet off Silver Beach. Once again it was windy and there was plenty of chop but I was still determined to get out there amongst them. There was no other boats today so I had the place to myself.

Out goes my 6" Mojo Twitchin Minnow (why change a winning formula, I say) and I immediately get a few hard hits. No hook-up (bugger) but when I get the lure back it's now a 3" Stubbie Minnow. TAILOR! I quickly flick the chomped plastic back out....5 quick winds of the handle and whack! I'm on!

It was obviously not a kingie though but as he cartwhelled across the surface I thought 'Hey, he's not too bad.' I play him out and lift him aboard and he's a new PB for me from the yak. 48.5cm's and it pulls the scales down to 1.1kg's.

Over the next 15 minutes I hooked two more tailor but they both bit me off. The last one leapt about 3 feet out of the water and looked a little bigger than the one I landed. Oh what the heck, it got away, so I may as well say it was about a meter long and about 10 kilo's! Yeah, right.

And that was all the action I had apart from one good hit just before I headed into shore. Maybe a kingie, who knows but the plastic came back in one piece so I was assuming it wasn't a tailor again.

Sunday morning was a completely different scenario when Mick Munns and I launched at 6am. Just a breath of wind and nice calm water but i'd have preferred the crappy weather if the results could have been better. We worked the outlet for a good 90 minutes for nuthin'! Not even a hit. Funny how things can go like that.

Anyway, I didn't want to go home empty handed so Mick and I quickly went and threw a few plastics around the pylons of the Refinery Wharf. I was using Berkley Gulp 3" Minnows in Lime/Tiger and in a short stint there, before security informed us we had keep at least 100 meters away, I managed to land four bream, the biggest going 35cm's fork length.

Mick hooked two rippers that quickly took off for the heads and as far as we know they are still going with his lures in their mouths. Next time Mick, next time buddy.

Back on shore I was privileged to see some of Micks new lures that he's been making. Ooh, these are truly drool-enducing creations and you won't get a better product anywhere. All hand made from wood and beautifully finished, it's alomst a crime to tie them onto your line and cast them out. The trouble is though, they just work so damn well. If you're interested in getting some, call Mick on 0410 960 137.

Here are a few examples next to a ruler to give you some idea of their size. These lures will catch everything from Bass to Bream to Flathead, whiting and tailor and I reckon the kingies would spark up at the double bladed models, too.

Happy yakkin' everyone.

cheers,
Cid