Nepean - 20/12/09

It's been a long time but I finally made it out for a bassin' session with Mick Munns from Lure Logic Tournament Tackle. We launched from Tench Reserve at 5:15am into the gloom and very slight drizzle, hoping the bass would be willing to play.

I had rigged up with my favourite bass lure, one of Micks Micro Rack Rats with the rubber legs, that is all battered and bruised from previous surface hits from these bronze battlers. Mick is fifty meters ahead and has already landed a small tacker. I leap-frog him and miss my first two boofs before I hook a good fish. He dives straight down into the weed and buries me. I move in and lift the line slowly but as I thought, he's gone.

Lots of little guys are trying to hit the lure even out in the open but it's a cast right next to a semi-submerged log that gets a good hit. I'm quicker this time and keep him up out of the weed and in comes the first bass (29 cms) for the season (yeah, yeah, I know, it's a bit late...).

Mick has moved over to the other side of the river and is swoffing away with the fly wand. I hear him yell out "Good fish!" so I quickly set off to see what all the fuss is about. 30 meters away I pull out the video camera just in time to see him haul in a monster! Lots of yahoos and on the lie detector she goes. 44 cms and she's absoultely gorgeous and in prime condition. We take a few happy snaps and quickly get her back into the water where she gives a few hard tail beats and shoots back to her lair.

Mick had pulled her out from under some overhanging branches. He'd rolled his black & purple Bass Hopper fly right under it with his 3 wgt flyrod and given it a few twitches when all hell broke loose. First she came out, then darted back in, then back out and into the weeds, then back under the trees again before Mick could tame her. What a catch!

We continued moving downstream and enjoyed a great couple of hours taking fish off the surface. My best for the day was a 33 cm fish that came with its own salad supply. I really thought it'd buried me like the other fish had done earlier but luckily some quick rod work managed to extract her from her hidey hole.

This bassin' is such great fun and I can't wait to get back out and have another crack at these fish. The surface smashes and close quarters combat is so exciting. And hooking a fish like Micks is simply superb. My best is 40 cms, so I've got a bit of work to do to catch up to him, especially seeing as his best from the Nepean is over 56 cms!

And just in case I don't get another post in over the next day or two, thank you all for supporting Adam and I and our DVD and website and may you all have a safe and merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

ABT/Hobie Redcliffe Tournament - 12th - 13th Dec 2009

OMG!!! Worst. Tournament. Ever...

For me, that is! As per usual, Hobie and ABT lived up to their excellent reputation and showcased another professional tournament that combined with the good naturedness of kayaking to provide a fun and informative weekend for all. Including those that didn't catch fish.

Saturday greeted us with 20-25 knot winds and a surf launch which proved a bit wet for some. I'd never fished here before and had a choice of north to the reefs or south (to more reefs). I chose south and dropped a good fish only 10 minutes into the comp. Little did I know it, but I could've packed up and gone home then. I made it all the way down to Redcliffe and back, battling wind and some pretty wild swell for absolutely zip! Nuthin', nadda, zilcho. In fact, I not only didn't land a bream, I didn't land anything. Not even a small flattie.

Ooh, I was so frustrated. Heading back north at about 10:45 am, a wave picks me up and as I look down I see a large rock with my name written all over it. "Hmmm, not good," I think. "But wait, I think I'll make it!" Well, I almost made it. Crunch!!! The only part to hit was my rudder but that was enough to sheer off the pin that holds it in place. Now my kayak is swirling around and it's out with the paddle. I look at it for a minute thinking "How do you use one of these?" before I get into gear and head into shore.

As the others head back in, it's apparent that whoever went north had a pretty good day. Lots of tales of unstoppable fish but no really big bags which is quite surprising. After the wash up, it's the ever consistent Greg Lewis that's on the top of the table with 1.72 kgs. He's a breamin' machine and could catch one in a rain puddle, I reckon. Another regular that always manages to get fish that are just undersize is Steve Fields from Hobie, but today he has flung the donut monkey off his back and also bagged out.

Sunday is the opposite of saturday and we are greeted with almost glassy conditions. North I go with about half the fleet and start peppering the numerous reefs with HB's. I see a few yakkers hook up but no bream are coming over the sides.

I finally take up position next to a reef and decide SP's may be worth a shot and rig up a 100mm Squidgy Wriggler (Avocado) smeared with S-factor. Another angler pulls up about 30 meters away and we exchange hellos and general banter. I hear a reel sing and turn to see his rod bucking under the strain of a good fish. In comes a crackin' bream. 10 minutes later, he's on again and it's another beauty.

I'm thinking "I must be next," when he lets out a yeehah! Three fish in 25 minutes and he's off to weigh them in. I stay in the area but don't even get a touch. Please insert a dozen swear words here.

I'm starting to wonder if there are any fish at all around here when I finally, FINALLY hook

something. Not a bloody bream but a Moses Perch. That's a new species for me but I'd much prefer a bream. More casting and I get a flathead. Aaarggghhhh. Come on! It's bloody hot, the wind is starting to pick up and I still don't have a bream to my name.

I keep on casting and try numerous lures hoping to hit on a type and colour that will work. I try slow retrieves, fast retrieves, twitch retrieves, 'crank 'em down and bump the bottom' retrieves, surface lures with poppers and walk-the-dog style lures, floaters, sinkers, suspending and the whole kit and caboodle of SP's in my arsenal.

I do manage a small Rock Cod and another Moses Perch but these are all I can muster from the northern reefs. I head back towards the launch beach and decided to target the small reefs just out from it. The wind is pushing the waves and it's washing over the back of the rocks, so I settle in behind them figuring any fish will be searching for bits and pieces washed off into the white

water. I rig up with a gulp 2" shrimp (peppered) and stay put. I stick it out for the next hour and get busted up by two HUGE fish that I didn't even see and drop what would've been a 30cm fork bream.

With my tail between my legs, I mope into shore, utterly defeated by Redcliffe. Not one

bream (not even a tiddler) did I land all weekend. Frustrating.

And then to top it all off, the guy, Nicholas Meredith, who caught the 3 bream next to me ended up winning with 1.92 kgs (well done Nicholas). And what did he catch them on? A 100mm Squidgy Wriggler in bloodworm. Obviously the bream don't like avocado, eh? Greg Lewis held onto 2nd place with 1.72 kgs and 3rd was taken by Will Lee with 1.46 kgs.

It was great to see some of the top guns of the sport, Tristan Taylor and Darren 'Dizzy' Borg, getting in a yak and refining their techniques to temp the bream and hopefully in future tournaments we'll see a lot more of these top anglers joining our ranks. I've already thrown the gauntlet down to Steve Morgan and he's promised that soon, he'll jump in one and give it a go, too.

This weekend I might give the bream a miss and chase bass instead...Bloody bream... Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Botany Bay and Oyster Bay

Get your Orders in!

You have just over a week left to get your orders in for the Kayak Fishing Sydney DVD to gain entry into out giveaway. Place your order through our website by COB on the Friday 18th December to have a chance at winning one of our 10 prize packs.

The photo shows a selection of the items we have to giveaway and include rods, reels, hats, hard body lures, soft plastics, jigheads, braid scissors, rod covers, tackle boxes and shirts. The 10 winners will be randomly drawn and will be announced on the website and contacted by email.

Botany Bay

Terry set off from Kurnell last week and left the lures at home and decided to chase some fish with good ol' bait. He anchored up and started off a berley trail and rigged up with nippers to get a great haul of bream and trevally. Mixed in were a couple of undersize flathead and whiting so it was a pretty good session that he had out there.

CJ gets the goods...

Another report I had was from CJ, a regular reader of the reports and who recently purchased

the DVD and fired Adam and I off a few questions on the best way of catching his first king. So he watched the DVD, followed our advice and managed to catch a couple of beauties from Botany Bay.

CJ has really put in the time and effort and was amply rewarded. These two fell to the Mojo lures that we use in the DVD. I'm sure he'll rack up some big numbers now, in fact, I might have to get him to give me a lesson or two. Well done, CJ. I'll keep an eye out for you when I'm out on the Bay next.

Oyster Bay Bream ... but just one!

I had a quick one hour practice breamin' session last week and found it pretty quiet. It was the middle of the day however, so I wasn't expecting too much to be on offer. I did manage to get one cracker though, which nearly had me wrapped around the jetty I pulled it out from. He (or she) fell to a camo Sandworm on a 1/20th jighead. A couple of these would be nice in the next ABT/Hobie tournament.

Speaking of which, the next round is on this weekend at Redcliffe in sunny Queensland. You can enter on the day and fish either the saturday OR the sunday or both if you wish, but only your best bag will count. For further details, visit http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ or http://www.bream.com.au/ .

If you're after a yak or extra gear in Qld, the place to visit is Sunstate Hobie. Mal Grey (07 5447 6317) is the boss and he has all the answers (although he wouldn't tell me where the good spots are at Redcliffe). http://www.sunstatehobie.com.au/ has all the info on hobie yaks and accessories.

Time to pray to the Bream Gods... Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Oyster Bay - 21/11/09

My brother-in-law, Brendan, was around for the weekend so it was time to get him out on the yak to show him what this kayak fishing caper is all about. I was tempted to take him out onto Botany Bay to chase a few salmon or kings but seeing as it was his first time, gently does it was the favoured choice, so off to Oyster Bay with Lachlan in tow to get a few flatties and bream.

Brendan quickly settled into the Outback and although a bit sceptical about the Mirage Drive at first, within minutes he was totally blown away by how quick and easy it was. Lachlan jumped on with me and we started trolling around a selection of HB's - Jackall Chubby's, SX40's, Atomic Hardz and a River 2 Sea Baby vib.

Lachlan is first off with a small flathead that goes back into the drink. A few more small fish come in for a quick visit but it's a fairly slow day so we head down to the Georges River to work the weedbed edges. I'm hoping Brendan gets a few fish and on the way we hear 'Got one!', and in comes his first fish, a flathead, from the yak. And what a monster, too. : ) At least he's on the board.

Using the sounder we troll right along the drop offs and I get a 'Narrabeen' bream before we hear Brendan again. 'Yes, much bigger!' he yells. Lachie and I go over just in time to see him swing a very nice bream aboard. 29 fork length and we finally have a keeper.

The flatties are still very scarce, as well as the bream. Water temp is 24 degrees so it's nice and warm for them. As we turn around and head back along the weedbed, Lachlan's rod bucks and the drag starts singing. His grin is like a Cheshire Cats and he's 'Oohing' and 'Aahing' as he tries to control the fish. 'This is HUGE, dad!' and up comes another keeper bream but it's only 26 to the fork. The reason for the big fight was because it was foul hooked in the side but it certainly gave Lachlan a big thrill.

Time to head back and I'm still fishless (small ones don't count according to Lachlan). Brendan is next to us and his rod whacks back and he's on again. Jammy git! Another bream and that's 3 for the morning, so it ended up ok in the end. Brendan is seriously looking at getting one of the Outbacks now so I guess that's another convert to the yakkin' world.

I take a quick snap at the ramp as the two 'beginners' ask the 'expert', "Where's your fish?" Cheeky swines, I should make them walk home... Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

ABT/Hobie Narrabeen Tournament & Oyster Bay - Nov 2009

Sorry, but last week was flat out at work (and still is), so here is a belated and brief report for the tournament. Saturday saw about 40 spreading out over the lake to catch their 3 bag. I had a great day for catching bream BUT none of them were legal. I landed 14 of the buggas with the biggest being 24 cms to the fork; 1 cm shy of going in the live well. Plus I landed 2 flatties and lost a monster about 70 cms. And I also landed two Long Toms, both about 3 feet long.

Sunday was seeming like a repeat with a multitude of small fish and wrong species coming in to say hello. The excitement of the day was hanging around with Greg L while he was hooked up to a massive Jewfish on 3lb line. I sat at the ready with my camera for 30 minutes until deciding this was gonna be a long battle and left him with Stewie standing guard seeing as I still needed to get a legal bream. Eventually (at 11:14 am to be precise) I got one! 26 cms fork and he fell to a Jackall Chubby worked slowly over the weed beds in the center of the lake.

This was followed by a few more flatties and another 24 cm bream (Aaarrrggghhhhh!!!) before time ran out and I had to head to the weigh in. I worked out the distance I travelled on Sunday and here is the path I took. All up, 18.62 kms and boy did I sleep well thet night.

A few guys had managed to find the bream and there were a few crackers, too. The best was a 1.1 kg specimen that really put my 360 g fish to shame. All I could manage was 12th place. However, I backed myself before the start of the event and upgraded to PRO status for $50. Only 6 of us took this option and seeing as I was the only one to land a legal bream, I walked away with the 300 buckeroos. Thank you very much indeed! Well done to the top 3, Matt, Jason and Dave.

Oh, and on Greg and his jewie. To the right is a picture mid-battle with Stewie standing on his Outback, trying to get a glimpse of colour. Greg was also competing in the comp in Queensland the following week and his kayak had to go on the truck to be transported there, so Stewart went back out in his kayak, they swapped mid-water and Stewart took it back to be loaded up. He then grabbed his surf board and a pair of goggles and paddled out to sit next to Greg. 'If you don't hurry up and land it,' he said, 'I'll dive down and gaff the bloody thing for you!'

By now a crowd had formed on the bank and a kind-hearted canoeist brought Greg a few beers to quench his thirst. 6 hours after hook up, the beast decided it'd had enough and bolted. Greg took chase but eventually....PING! The leader parted at the lure. So close yet so far but kudos to Greg for staying connected for that long on 3lb gear. And top marks to Stewie for staying around, too.

For results of the weekends comp, visit: http://bream.com.au/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=550&mode=&order=0&thold=0

For a heap of photos, visit http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/

Oyster Bay - 18/11/09

Now that the weather is a bit warmer, it was time to get Lachlan back out and into a few fish. Tides were perfect for Oyster Bay so we went after a few flatties. Fifteen minutes into the day and Lachlan hooks up. A good tussle and in comes keeper number one - a 27cm bream. We're trolling around a couple of different lures: a River 2 Sea Baby vib 45 and an Ecogear SX40.

Around we go and we cover a fair amount of ground but the fish are very scarce. Two small flatties and one more bream that's just under (it must've come from Narrabeen) and that's all we can rustle up. I was really surprised as I thought 3 or 4 flatties would've been on the cards for sure. Oh well, it was good to get the little guy out again and This summer will see him get his quota up into higher numbers for sure. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

SP's for Bream

Last week I covered the selection of Hard Bodies I'll be using during the ABT/Hobie Kayak Bream Tournament round at Narrabeen this coming weekend and as promised, here is a selection of Soft Plastics (SP's) that will get a swim sooner or later over the course of the two days. Again, these are my preference and by no means is it a be all and end all for what will work. On certain days some work, on other days they don't even raise a scale, so remember to mix it up to see what the fish are interested in at the time.

One of the most popular SP's at the moment is the 2" Gulp Shrimp and this can be really effective either rigged on a hidden-weight jighead and fished slowly above weedbeds or even 1/16th or 1/20th oz jighead and left to sink and hopped off the bottom. If there are big bream around, they love the 3" version.

For those early morning presentations on the flats or over weedbeds, the Lobbys or Squidgie Bugs rigged on a unweighted hook and slowly rolled back to the yak can result in some spectacular hookups. Hold the rod tip high and slowly swim the lure across the surface. The fluttering arms and tails fire up the bream so watch for the fish following and be alert at all times.

The Gulp Minnows and Sandworms are my favourites around structure such as bridges and pontoons. I buy the 6" Sandworms (they are also available in 2" and 4") and cut them in half and rig them as you'll see in the photo.

For more information regarding the tournament this weekend, visit http://www.bream.com.au/ or http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ . There'll be a great turnout this weekend and it's still not too late to enter as you can sign up on the day. You can fish either day or both days and regardless of how many fish you catch, you'll have a great time and get to meet a whole bunch of like-minded yakkers and maybe learn a thing or two along the way.

ABT, Hobie and Sailing Scene (http://www.sailingscene.com.au/) will be putting on a BBQ after each days weigh-in and after the yaks are finished, the boaters (that will be fishing on the Hawkesbury) will be weighing in. It's guaranteed there'll be some crackin' fish caught, so even if you don't want to compete, come and watch the spectacle and see what all the hype and talk of the tournament fishing scene is about. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

Oyster Bay - 24/10/09

Busy, busy, busy with the DVD, which is a good thing but it certainly chews into you fishing time. A big thanks to all those that have invested in the DVD already and Adam and I really hope you enjoy it.

I did manage to sneak out for a quick session to Oyster Bay as I'd promised the In-laws a feed of fresh fish. Tides weren't the best but the water is noticably warmer and I managed to have a pretty good morning. I was working the edges of the weedbeds where they drop off into deeper water and varied between SP's and HB's over the two hours I was there.

First to come aboard were two whiting, one caught on a shallow diving Jackall Chubby and the other on a Berkley Gulp 2" Shrimp (molting). I then changed to a 6" Sandworm (Camo) and picked up a flattie quickly followed by a bream.

Another change of lures, this time to an Atomic Hardz mid Shad 40. First cast and it's hit hard and the drag howls. 'What's this?' I ask. Some strong, fast runs and I see a glint of silver but it doesn't feel breamy. I'm over the flats and with no structure for the fish to bust me up on so I take my time. Eventually it glides into view and it's a Silver Trevally. Wow, this is the first one I've caught this far upstream from Botany Bay and he's a welcome addition to my bag.

I figure I need one more fish and stick with the Atomic and roll it along the weedy edges. Three quick flatties in succession but they're all too small, however it's promising to see so many about. Eventually a keeper jumps on and I'm off home with the task at hand completed.

The ABT/Hobie Kayak round at Narrabeen is just around the corner and I've had a few questions about the lures I use. I thought that this week I'd show a photo of the Hard Bodies I'll use. Based on the fact that Narrabeen is a fairly shallow location, most of these HB's are shallow divers or surface lures.

Early morning is ideal for using the Pencil, Sugapen or Sammy on the surface over the weedbeds and a slow walk-the-dog presentation should attract a few interested fish which will hopefully whack them with gusto!

The Atomic Hardz and Chubby's are shallow divers, so they can also be worked over the weedbeds with a slow roll with lots of pauses and twitches added in. Vary your retrieve until you work out what the fish are interested in on the day. Sometimes they like an aggresive retrieve while at other times they like it nice and sloooooooooooow.

For the deeper areas and drop-offs, I'll use the SX40's, Pygmy or Blades. If it's extra windy, the blades can really be effective as you can still cast them a mile, even into the wind. Next week I'll give a run down on the Soft Plastics I'll be using. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Kayak Fishing Sydney DVD Released!

Finally, Adam and I have finished the DVD we've been working on the last three years! With fishing being such a fickle thing, it took a lot longer than expected to get the footage that covers most of the fish you'll catch around Sydney. Here's a run down of what you'll see us catch on the DVD - Bass, Bream, Tailor, Kingfish, Trevally, Salmon, Flathead and Mulloway (Jewfish).

Adam and I run through the lures and techniques needed to catch these species which can be used throughout all locations Australia-wide, so don't think that this is a DVD that's only relevant to Sydney. But for those that are Sydney siders, or even potentioal visitors, we've include maps that show locations for all the surrounding waterways, like the Nepean, Cowan Creek, Pittwater, Sydney Harbour, Parramatta River, Botany Bay, Georges River and Port Hacking.


Also on the DVD is a brief description of the set up on my own Hobie Sport, a segment on installing a sounder and a fish photo ID page covering the main species I've caught throughout the Sydney area from my kayak.

Running time is 82 minutes with 10 minutes of extras. RRP is $24.95, which includes postage and handling to anywhere in Australia. To purchase, please visit our main website, http://www.kayakfishingsydney.com/ and click on the online store button.

As a bonus, purchase before 5pm 18th December 2009 to enter our draw to win one of 10 giveaway packs. Each pack will vary but items to be given away include a Pflueger Rod and Reel, Hobie Kayak products, Tackle boxes, Lurelogic, SMAK and Halco Hardbody lures, Berkley Soft Plastic packs, Berkley Fireline, braid scissors, Fishing Caps and other various products. Winners will be notified by email and final results will be posted online.


Another DVD just released is by Gary Brown and Scotty Lyons: 'Port Hacking - Jewel of the South'. I've been working on this DVD with Gary and Scott for just over two years and although it's filmed from a power boat, it's locations and tips can equally apply to kayakers. The Hacking is regularly thought of as a tough fishery but armed with the location maps and Garys and Scotts tips, such as how to correctly pump nippers, catch Poddy Mullet, spin for Bonito or rig up for Luderick, you'll be able to increase your bags and maybe expand your repetoire of species targetted.

Available in almost all tackle stores throughout Sydney, please visit http://www.garybrownfishing.com.au/ and click on the reports button under the Home drop-down list to see the list of tackle shops stocking the DVD. RRP is $24.95

Now that the DVD's are out of the way, it's time to do some serious practice for the Narrabeen round of the ABT/Hobie comp that is just around the corner. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

Captain Cook Bridge - 30/9/09

Every now and then, if you're lucky enough, you'll land a fish that's pretty special. I'm glad to say that yesterday I managed to land that special fish. After a fairly medicore start to the day where Stewart and I had gone to catch jewfish but ended up with only an average flattie and a squid (and Stewie caught both of those), we decided to head in to where the weedbeds reach the edge of the drop-off and attempt to spin up a flathead to add to the bag.

A TT Switchblade was my weapon of choice and seeing the water was a bit murky, I went for a bright colour to give the fish something to zero in on. I was using a Daiwa Capricorn reel, loaded with 6lb braid with a 2m leader of 6lb Vanish Fluorocarbon. We drifted with the wind, casting upcurrent and double-hopping the lures back towards us. Second cast and I hook a whiting. Finally I'm on the board. This guy put up a good scrap, mainly because I'd hooked him right near the tail. The next cast I hook up again but this one actually pulls some line. 'Nice fish,' I think and this time it's a real elbow slapper of a whiting, close to 40 cms I reckon. And that's all I'll be doing as it spits the lure back at me as I'm reaching for the net.

It's nearly time to head back and go to work. Three more minutes will do us. I put in an extra long cast and let the lure hit the bottom. Hop, Hop, wind in the slack, let it sink. Hop, hop and crunch! Ooooooooooh, this has some weight. Stewart is right next to me but is slowly left behind as I'm towed up current. The rod tip bucks as this beast shakes it head. 'Jewie?' we both think and it goes on another run, drag singing as it turns and goes with the current now. I try to lift her but she's hugging the bottom and I hope there are no large rocks down there where she can bust me off.

Basically, for the next 8 or 9 minutes it's a stale mate. I'll gain a few meters of line, then she'll take it back it a strong surge. We still haven't had any colour yet and an ID is being bantered about. Jewfish? Big Flathead? Maybe a Kingie? They have been getting them up at the mouth of the Cooks River lately. 'Bream?' I say with raised eyebrows!

Eventually I feel I'm starting to win and Stewart and I are both peering into the depths for first colour. And ever so slowly we see a dark shape gliding up. 'Holy S#%t!', I say, 'she's HUGE!' Two meters under the water we can see the biggest flattie I've ever hooked. My best to date is 82 cms but this girl looks bigger. She has a massive head, it looks as wide as mine. Luckily I've hooked her in the side of the mouth and my leader is out of harms way. I glance at my net and think no way we she fit in that. Stewart has one of the fish-friendly rubber nets and seeing as this girl will be released, we decide to use that and get some quick photos before setting her free.

I get her on the surface and guide her towards Stewart who does an expert job and scoops her up. A foot and a half of her tail is hanging out the top and she a big fat porker, too. Hoots and

hollers all around and we get a few snaps on the water before I put her back in the net and swim her to shore. Onto the lie detector and she is a new PB, topping out at 86 cms. Stewart has been taking the snaps (thanks, Stewie) and we don't muck about and ease her back into the water. She sits there for a few seconds, probably saying 'What was all that about?' and then gives a few quick beats of her powerful tail and scoots back off into the depths to scare the bejesus out of any baitfish in the area.

Woo hoo! I'm stoked. Catching a big girl like that is magic, and seeing her take off to fight another

day is even better. Landing these big crocs is all about patience and having good tackle that works well under pressure. The drag on my reel is silky smooth and the line easily played out when she went on her strong runs. If I'd have had a reel with a drag that stuck or had the drag too tight, she'd have easily done me over on 6lb. Making sure your knots are good is also essential in these longer battles.

I'm not sure on her weight (we didn't muck about with the scales) but she would've passed the old 10 lb mark easily. I can see how estimates of big flathead can be way off as in the water they look so huge. When she first came up I would've called her as close to a meter. Well, she was, but not that close! Now to crack that 90 cm mark and then... the 1 meter club! Happy yakkin, everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Towra Point 2 - 19/9/09

Another great morning but this time with a rising tide that would allow us to get up and over the oyster-encrusted rocks that are scattered over the flats off Towra Point. Terry and I worked the edges of the racks while waiting for the tide come in and it wasn't too long before I had my first in the well.

This guy fell to a Gulp 2" Shrimp in molting colour rigged on a 1/40th hidden weight jighead. Not forgetting my first hookup last week, I'd made sure the drag was nice and tight today. Lots of strong, surging runs told me this was a good fish but by using the cushioning effect of my rod and dropping the tip when the fish ran, I was able to keep him from busting me off or making the safety of the snags. Man, the fish are in good condition! I wonder how the guys are going down at Glenelg?

By now Gary Brown (http://www.garybrownfishing.com.au/) had turned up in his tinnie and after a quick chat we all split up. The water was just starting to cover the rocks so I made use of the kayaks skinny-water abilities and moved in to harass the bream that would hopefully be moving amongst them looking for a snack. I started off with a Lucky Craft pencil but only had one half-hearted swirl behind it for 15 minutes worth of effort. Time to switch to a shallow-diving Chubby. By keeping the rod tip high, I knew the Chubby would dive to about 30 cms, just swimming above the rocks. This was scary territory and I'd have to be on my toes to make sure I didn't get busted up!

First cast and I get a quick tap on the lure. Second cast and I get another whack, but still no hook-up. At least I know there are a few fish about. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a silver flash so I flick the Chubby in that direction. Crank, crank, crank, BOOFO! Oh yeah, lovely! The fish scoots sideways and I keep the rod tip up as high as I can while trying to keep him up on the surface. I prevent him from getting his head down and I slip the net under a twin of the first fish I caught. How I'd love to have two fish like this in a comp.

By the now the sun is quite strong and the fishing goes quiet. An overcast day over these flats would be sensational. I pick up a flathead right on the edge of the flats where they meet the weedbeds and that's it for me for the day. Terry had a day like I had last week and couldn't manage to get any legals. He'd moved up into the mangroves and picked up half a dozen off the surface but the biggest only went 24 cms. My two guys both went 33 cms to the fork and pulled the scales down to 1.305 kgs.

Back at the ramp, we could see Gary fishing around Captain Cook Bridge. I rang him and although he'd not managed any bream, he'd put three flatties of 50 cms into the well, as well as a 60 cm jewfish! Great stuff for middle of the morning with lots of boat traffic about.

Checking the results of the Hobie/ABT kayak tourny at Glenelg, I saw that day 1 was very tough. Only 5 legal (28 cm fork length) fish were caught but day two was being held closer to the mouth of the river where it wouldn't be so affected by the fresh water run-off. As predicted, more fish were weighed in and when all was done and dusted, the angler on top was Greg Lewis, a fellow member of the Hobie State Fishing Team. Greg's a top breamer and really knows his stuff and was the only angler to manage a full bag for the day. For a complete wrap up of events, please visit http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ or http://www.bream.com.au/. Congratulations Greg on a deserved win.

Now the countdown is on for the first NSW round which will be held on Narrabeen Lake on the 7th-8th November. This should be a big turnout and remember, it's open to all SOT kayaks, not just Hobies. So get involved, meet some great anglers and see what it's all about. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Towra Point - 12/9/09

More bream! The tide wasn't great for Towra Point as it fishes better on a high tide but Terry and I were still keen to get into the old racks and see what we could stir up. As we set-up, the wind decided to be nice to us for once and it slowly eased until it was almost non-existent by the time we reached our destination. As the sun rose, so did our expectations of getting some bluenoses. We started with some surface lures but after ten minutes without a follow, I tied on an Ecogear SX40 and twitched it over the weedbeds. First cast and i'm on but it's too small for the livewell.

That was it for the weedbeds so we moved off into the racks, splitting up. I changed to a Squidgy Lobby and flicked it in between the crusty pylons. Thirty minutes had passed by and I'd only had one small tap-tap on the lure. I smeared some more of the S-factor on it and lobbed it right next to a couple of extra gnarly posts. The line immediately went tight and I set the hooks into a mighty solid fish. ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz goes the drag and my eyes widen in shocked disbelief. I, the fool, had forgotten to lock up my drag! In the racks it's go hard or go home and this fish made me pay for my forgetfullness. Ping went the leader, quickly followed by a tirade of curses.

Eventually I met up with Terry and the jammy swine had two beauties in his well! Both caught on an SX40 which he'd just lost to an even bigger bream when the knot came loose just as he was about to net him. 'Aww, diddums', I thought and continued along another fruitless stretch of racks. I did get one hook up that I pulled the hooks on but I'm not counting that! Meeting back at the start, Terry had landed another two (WTF???) but they were just legal so we deemed them unworthy of a photo.

We had time for a quick flick under some boats in Woolooware Bay and on the way I trolled my SX40, the one with the Oil Slick colour on it's side. Half way to the boats and the rod is almost jerked out of my hands. 'Good fish', I yell and the yak and I slowly dance around what feels like a good flattie. And it is, too! 64 cms in length and she a new PB from the yak for me. If only I was fishing in a flathead comp, I'd be laughin' all the way to shore. I'd better pull my finger out and start catching some bream. Not long until the Hobie/ABT comps hit Sydney.

The first round for 2009-2010 actually kicks off this weekend on the Glenelg River in Victoria and there should be a good number of yaks entering. Good luck to all participating and I hope they get some real thumpers to bring back to the weigh-master. If I get out this weekend, it'll be to Towra Point again. This time the tide will be high and I'll have no excuses. Looks like I'd better get my A-game into gear. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Oyster Bay - 29/8/09

The last fishing trip, Terry and I tried to get a few bream in the Cooks River. As it turned out, we weren't very successful. But almost a month had past since then and I was hoping that a few of them may have started moving back up into the estuaries. Plus we've had a few more warmer days and if the water has warmed slightly, then even better.


I launched at 6am and was surprised at how light it is at that time now. Beauty! That means I can launch even earlier and get in a few more valuable minutes fishing time. The tide was already half-out, so conditions weren't the best. I find Oyster bay works better for me on a run-in tide. I headed towards the weedbeds at the mouth of the bay and quickly picked up my first fish for the day, a just legal whiting that snaffled a Gulp Camo Sandworm. This was quickly followed by an undersize flattie. Back he goes!

A few rowers were coming through so I moved in towards the pontoons to give them plenty of room. First flick under the pylons and I'm on. 'Hello, what's this,' I said? Silver, yellow fins, roundish...OMG! It's a bream. 27cms total length and he's into the livewell with the whiting. The next few pontoons I get a couple of more hits and eventually land bream number 2. Ah, this is more like it.

I decide to give the HB's a go and head back over the flats. No fish are interested and as the wind picks up I venture back into Oyster Bay for shelter. As I drift past a pontoon I have one last flick over my shoulder. Suddenly the line goes tight and this feels like a good fish. There's a few head shakes and I pull him out from the pontoon. This is when I can see that it's a good bream but he's only got the tail of the worm in his mouth. It's funny to watch - as I pull on the line, he shakes his head from side to side, trying to win the tug of war. I reel him in but as he nears the surface he obviously thinks that something is amiss and spits out the worm. I put him at about 30 cms, so he wasn't a bad size.

I make it to my last pontoon and skip a cast right up into the shadows. 'That's gotta be worth a fish,' I think and sure enough, ziiiiip, I'm on! This guys hits the afterburners and I throw the rod tip into the water to keep the line away from the pontoon. Ah yes, this is what it's all about! She scoots sideways and out from under the pontoon before turning and running for the jetty pylons. I stop her just in time and the sideways pressure leads her away again. Up she finally comes and this is the calibre of fish I'll want in the upcoming Hobie/ABT tournaments. She only goes 32 cms fork but she's nice and fat and would easily go 700 grams. I put her in the well so I can get a photo on the brag mat back at the ramp. If I'd landed that other one I would've had a two fish bag of roughly 1.3 kgs, which is not bad for a couple of hours fishing.

So a quick photo at the ramp and back they all go for catching on another day. These Hobie Live wells work a treat. Easy to set-up and trouble free, they keep the fish swimming in constantly circulating water. The fish normally come out more energetic than when they went in. You can get by with just an esky in the comps (I did last year) with fresh water changes every 30 minutes or so but these live wells are set and forget.

Hopefully we'll get the dates for the Hobie/ABT comps released this week and I can plan my summer. Tides are good for this weekend too, so another bream session could be on the cards. But if the water is warming up, then the kings could be starting to show up too. Decisions, decisions... Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

Cooks River - 26/7/09

Time for some Breamin'! Terry and I launched from the Kyeemagh boat ramp and conditions were ideal. Slight breeze, incoming tide and overcast. Straight up to the airport service bridge and Terry started with some Switchblades and I rigged up a Camo sandworm.

After 20 minutes I'd only had one tentative take and Terry hadn't even had a touch. I glanced at the sounder and the temp display didn't tell a good story. Only 14.1 degrees (brrrrrr) which could mean the fish may be a little lethargic. We kept at it and eventually I get a nice hook up. Solid runs and a 'thump, thump, thump' up the line and into the yak comes a fiesty trevally.

We move over to the rock walls and try the buntings but still the bream won't come out and play. terry is keen to head out the front to try the flats for a few more Trevally so we about face and head out to the bay.

I'm on a curfew so decide to work the freeway wall with blades as we drift along with the wind. I only have 10 meters of wall left when I hook up again. Not a treavally this time but what is it? Well surprise, surprise! It's a first for me from the yak and I'm chuffed to get him. It's an EP (Estuary Perch) and he's a healthy guy of about 38 cms. Woohoo! A few quick snaps and I send him back to his lair under the structure. Hopefully I'll get a few more next time I'm in the area.

I head in and Terry heads out. Smart move by him as he manages to get 4 Trevally, one bream and a great 70 cm flathead that he set free to keep breeding. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Botany Bay - 11/7/09

There'd been a few mutterings about good size tailor being caught in the Bay so the crack of dawn on saturday saw Stewart, Terry and myself pushing off to the Hot Water Outlet hoping to catch a few off guard. The conditions were ideal, with only a slight SW wind of 8-10 knots. The cold weather certainly keeps the traffic on the water down and we had the outlet to ourselves, except for a boat anchored 100 meters away.

First cast and Terry hooks up as soon as his lure hits the water. That's a good sign. The fish jumps three times before spitting the lure back at him. Sucka! I'm in position now and as I cast I notice out of the corner of my eye Stewart hooking up, too. And Terry is also back on. Triple hook up, yeehah!

I've cast one of Mick Munn's creations - a 'Splash and Dash' that I've reduced to one treble on the back. I find the tailor don't seem to throw this lure as much as when there are two trebles on it. I crank it quickly over the top and instantly it's mauled by a fish. In the background I hear Terry cry out as his fish jumps off. That's two he's lost. Double sucka!! Mine stays connected and he looks about 35 cms, so into the livewell he goes.

Stewart has also dropped his fish but is on again immediately and eventually lands a nice one that looks about 45 cms. Terry yells out "I'm on," but it's quickly followed by "Aaarrggghhhhh, not again!" when this fish does a Houdini on him, too. Triple sucka!!! Stewart and I are giggling like fools but finally, Terry gets one in the boat that is about 40 cms. And next cast he gets another almost the same size. He's on a roll now.

My popper is getting smacked across the surface non-stop and I land 6 fish and lose 3 before the action stops. As is typical of tailor, they disappear not long after sun up, so it's essential to be on the water at the right time. If your twenty minutes late, it's no fish for you! We landed a couple of decent fish between 45 and 50 cms and we all lost some bigger ones that put on a great acrobatic display leaping clear of the water several times before gaining their freedom.

We also tried for some kings but didn't even get a touch and eventually wound up the day with a couple of bream that were found lurking underneath some moored boats and barges. Not a bad couple of hours in the middle of winter. Happy yakkin', everybody!

cheers,

Cid

WSBB Bream Scramble - 21/6/09

Well you've probably guessed that because I didn't get a report up on the 21st June, Gary and I didn't win the Scramble. And you'd be right, too! Basically, we had a pretty average day, only managing 3 bream (Gary got two of 'em) and none of those were noteworthy either. Overall we finished up 18th amongst a field of 30.

We started off ok when Gary landed our first bream after 20 minutes. Further exploring in Exile Bay proved fruitless (or fishless), so we moved up towards Putney and fished some rockwalls. I'd hardly had a touch all morning while flicking about a Gulp 2" Shrimp (banana colour) so I changed to the old faithful Camo sandworm. As my cast landed 6 feet from shore, Gary said "You'll probably hook up first cast." No sooner had the words left his mouth when I noticed my line zipping sideways. I struck and immediately thought 'Holy Moly, what's this?' The fish made a strong surge for deeper water and peeled line off my reel. "Trevally?" says Gary. Nope I say, no tail thumps. I'm guessing it's the bream from hell and back the drag off now that we're in safer water. I gain some line, it takes some line. With heart pumping and sweaty hands, I'm envisioning a great kicker fish - 1.5 kgs perhaps...or more! Yeah, baby!

As Gary and I peer over the side into the depths we both let out a "Get $%#*ed" when we see the culprit. What the bloody hell is a Yellowtail Kingfish doing way up here, and what the hell is he doing taking a measley little sandworm? We laugh and curse, get a photo and put the undersize fella (he was only 60 cms) back into the drink.

No more joy up here so we head off to some flats. Gary again comes up with the goods and adds number two to the well. I get an undersize one and that's it. Next spot is Westport Marina and first cast I get one that's a keeper. Yahoo!

All our usual spots are very quiet and as time wore on we decide to give Exile Bay one last chance for redemption over the last half hour of the comp. I change to a shallow diving Jackal Chubby as we're fishing water only 2 feet deep and on the second cast it's hammered big time. I see a quick flash of silver. Finally, a good bream. But no-way, Jose. This time it's a nice trevally that goes 55cms. Another great fish but useless to us today. Gary asks if I know how to hook a bream when his TT Switchblade is snaffled on the drop.

"Good fish," he says, and his line zips this way and that. True to our form, it's not a bream at all but a bloody big whiting of 42 cms. We're p!ssing ourselves laughing by now and at the end of the day, if you're having fun that's all that really matters. Next year we'll get 'em.

On a good note, Gary competed as a non-boater in the ABT Pflueger Lake Macquarie round last weekend and took out top spot which sees him qualify for the Grand Final in October. It was a fantastic effort against a large, highly competitive field and was well and truly overdue for Gary. Well done partner, great to see.

Word is out that Hobie and ABT are about to announce the dates and venues for the next lot of Kayak Bream Tournaments for 2009/2010 and it's going to be bigger and better than the last season. I can't wait for it to kick off again and I'm looking forward to getting to as many as possible. Keeping checking the usual sites (http://www.hobiefishing.com.au/ and http://www.bream.com.au/) for updates. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

More Jewfish on the Georges - 12/6/09 to 19/6/09

Another week of chasing these truly beautiful fish with more mixed results. I wish I could crack a pattern but as yet it's still a case of being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes I get 'em, sometimes I don't! That's why they call it fishing and not catching, to quote a well known phrase.

This time though, I didn't catch any around structure. They were taken in the middle of the river, fishing the edges where the water drops off into deeper sections. I won't say exactly where, but it's inbetween Como Bridge and Captain Cook Bridge. : )

One thing is that mornings have worked slightly better for me but then again, I don't stay out too long once it gets dark. Tides haven't made a big difference on whether they are running in or out but I definately catch fewer fish right in the middle of the tides.

The same lures caught fish again and next time I'm going to give a few of the larger blades a go. I'm pretty sure they will be just as effective and they will ensure I get near the seabed when the tide is really moving along.

The wet weather hasn't put them off either. If anything, I've caught more when it's been pretty

miserable. This is probably due to the fact that there is almost no boat traffic rather than the fact that they like the rain. But I'm still waiting to get a biggun'! So far, the best I've managed is a 55 cm specimen, with most between 40 cms and 50 cms. I'll just keep sluggin' away and putting in the time. Every cast I make gets me one cast closer to that absolute stonker.

This sunday sees Gary and I defend our champions title as we compete in the Western Sydney Bream and Bass (www.wsbb.com.au) annual Bream Scramble. It's a one day teams event, catch and release, with our 5 best bream to be brought back for the weigh-in. Last year was really close but we hope to repeat our performance and come out on top again. Here's hoping... Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Georges River - 30/5/09 to 5/6/09

With all the bream comps out of the way (except for one coming up in 2 weeks), it was time to give the bream a rest and chase after a much more elusive quarry. I've been wanting to nail a few jewfish the last few years and haven't really had much success but I guess that's because I don't really target them specifically very often.


Well, it was time to change all that and this week, with a little help from Andrew and Stewart, we hit the usual spots in the Georges River, which are well known to most anglers - Captain Cook Bridge, Tom Uglys Bridge, Como Bridge as well as a couple of the deeper holes off headlands, such as just outside of Oatley Bay. Funny fish these Jewfish, one day you'll catch them at one spot and the next day there's not a scale to be raised. We would always manage some bycatch of flathead but they weren't what we were after so whenever anyone landed one you'd hear, "Aargghh, it's a bloody flattie!" This was quickly followed by chuckles and smart R's comments from the two who hadn't landed it.

The lures we used varied and at times they all seemed to work. I'd had most hits using a Squidgie Slick Rig 110mm Black and Gold Fish but when I ran out of these and switched to the Evil Minnow colour (light purple and silver) it didn't seem to make any difference. Andrew and Stewart were getting their fish on a prawn imitation SP that was rigged on a TT Revhead. The tackle I'm using is a Daiwa Advantage 2500 on a matching Daiwa rod. The TD Sensor braid is only 8lb, tipped with 20lb fluoro leader but the fish aren't that big at the moment, so the heavier gear can wait a little longer.


The technique I used was one I read in an article in Modern fishing a while back (I think Phil Bennet was the author. If so, thanks Phil!) on catching jewfish on lures. I was casting upcurrent and giving the lure a sharp lift and would then let the current carry it back towards me. The secret (well, Phils secret) to this was keeping contact with the lure as it fell back to the seabed. I reckon that 90% of the hits came on the drop and you had to have that tension on your line to be able to feel the bites and react quickly with a strike.

On one of the sessions I lost a real thumper of a fish that done me over on some piece of submerged structure. I'd just flicked my bail arm over after letting the lure sink to the bottom when I felt an almighty whack. Instinctively I set the hooks and this thing took off like a train. I only had time for one "WOOHOO!" before I felt the leader grind against something before all went slack. Man oh man, what an adrenaline rush.


I plan to concentrate on these magnificent fish over the next few months and I know that Port Hacking has some beauties within it's system too, so it'll be just a matter of getting out and giving it a go.
I'm still a relative beginner when it comes to catching these guys so I'll stick with the normal suggestions for best times ie The last and first hour of the top or bottom of the tide and if it coincides with dawn or dusk, then even better. Hopefully it won't be too long before we start seeing some quality specimens come over the side of our yaks. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid