Port Hacking Report – 21/5/06

The Ausbream website runs a social outing once a month, targeting the capture of bream with lures and flies only, similar to an ABT tournament. 6 yaks were entered for Sundays social along with 26 power boats. Peril (Dave) from AKFF, Ben, Buj and Dave from KFDU, Fordy and I made up the kayaking contingent that set off at 7am from Greys Point. As predicted, all the boats took off downstream as most bream have headed towards the ocean for spawning at this time of year. Sure, some bream do stay in the rivers as well but they are definitely fewer and far between.

Fordy and I went upstream hoping to pick a few off the rocky shorelines. Fordy drew first blood with a whopper of about 15cm and about an hour later I managed a 21cm model on a Berkley Turtleback Worm in pumpkinseed. Not much joy for us though and after 2 hours we headed back downstream without a keeper to our names. On the way we caught up with Ben who’d had similar luck.

We lost track of Fordy who was behind us, as on the way back something very heavy took a liking to his Halco Scorpion and set off back upstream with it. He followed not sure of what it was (but preying for a jewfish). Ten minutes later he had a stingray wider than his yak next to him. I thought I heard some swearing from the distance!

Peril had set off downstream at the start and while trolling across Gymea Bay, to use his words, his ‘rod got a serious bend in it’. Next thing you know, a salmon is tail-walking and racing all over the place. Peril kept his calm and with boaters looking on, he hauled it aboard. Well done, Dave.

We were plagued by chopper tailor and my only fish of note was a just legal snapper that I thought for a second was a blue-spotted bream! My only photo for the day was of a tiny snapper but I wanted to show the ‘V’ sign for our photo comp. Fordy would’ve taken out the variety of species award with bream, snapper, flathead, whiting and the huge stingray going to his tally.

After talking to the boaters, most caught their bream down in Yowie Bay and Burraneer Bay from moored boats in quite deep water, some fish coming from 11 meters or more. So although the yaks didn’t do well on the bream front it was still great to see a few throwing down the challenge to the power boats and to catch up with some of the regulars from the forums. Next time guys, next time. Happy yakkin’, everyone.

Cheers,
Cid