17/1/09 - ABT/Hobie Kayak Bream Tournament - Hen & Chicken Bay

Finally the wait was over! History was in the making and it was absolutely sensational to see 43 yakkers turn up. I'm sure there'd have been a few more entrants if that 'slight' breeze had stayed away. Talk about testing weather.

Hobie had organised free drinks for all and I'm sure all anglers were impressed and they quickly realised that this was going to be a fantastic day. The debrief was held at 5:45 am and at 6 am we were off. Our target species - Bream - with a two bag limit and they must be a minimum of 25 cms to the fork to be eligible. Lure and fly only and no trolling.

I had a few plans up my sleeve and when I noted the wind direction, I headed into Exile Bay hoping to pick up a couple over the weed beds. I started off with a Gulp 2" shrimp in Banana, rigged on a 1/20th jighead with 4lb leader. I'd cast with the wind and slowly lift the lure and let it drop back, keeping an eye on my line for a take at any stage. I landed my first at 6:20am but Aaarrggh, only 24 cms so back she goes. Ten minutes later I get another that's 21 cms then straight after that I get one that's bang on 25! Beauty, I'm on the board.

Great camaraderie was the order of the day as there were about eight or nine of us all fishing away and chatting and generally having a ball (as much as could be had with the 20-25 knot gusts, anyway.) An hour later (after another three just undersize), I get one that's 26 cms and that's my bag. This guy fell to a TT Switchblade in gold. Time to upgrade.

I moved off to the marinas and found another dozen or so yakkers trying to get out of the wind. Thirty meters in front of me I see Gary C hook up and it's a cracker that looked about 40 cms to me. Lots of well dones from everyone nearby but as soon as he was out of earshot it was 'You lucky bastard!' All in good jest, mind you and it was great to see some quality fish being landed.

I moved about a bit and managed flatties, whiting, flounder and more undersize bream but that was it for me. Heading home into the wind was fun...NOT, and I stayed relatively dry until I jumped out of the yak at the beach, stood on a slippery rock and went A over T as Steve from Hobie was taking photos. I hope he didn't get that shot!

The weigh-in was great and I think all realised how exciting a live weigh-in is and when Wayne brought up his two thumpers, you should have heard the "Oohs and Ahhs' from the crowd. Kraley was leading up until then, too. Wayne took the first place out easily and all from a Hobie Sport. Go the Sports!

Everyone at this stage was chatting away and it was great to walk up and down the beach and see how others have pimped their yaks. The set-up from Hobie and ABT and Sailing Scene was sensational and the professionalism really shone through with a smooth, fun event had by all. Big thanks to Steve, Steve, Paul and of cause Bazoo, who graciously decided to give us all a chance and stayed on shore looking after the BBQ.

I had a chat with Steve Morgan from ABT afterwards and he was wrapped with the turnout. He said that normally for a first off series they get about 20 entrants, so to have over double that amout was superb. Another interesting fact he revealed was that the average size of bream from the Ausopen held just before this event was 550 grams while us yakkers (being the supremely better anglers ) averaged 610 grams.

I can only see this as being the beginning of great things for the Kayak Tournament Scene. Before we know it, we'll have our own AFC style show with Bream, Bass and Barra (how good would that be) rounds on prime time TV. And we were all there at the start of it. Congratulations to all involved (especially the top 5 that had great bags which included Scott that now has bragging rights! ) and bring on the next tournament! Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Squidgie Bream Challenge - Round 3 Hawkesbury

Sorry for the lack of photos (battery died on me) but 51 teams, after lining up at the start (Photo courtesy of http://www.ausbream.com.au/) spread out through Pittwater and the Hawkesbury after 5 breambos! Gary and I had a plan and it was simple - fish the weedbeds at the back of Palm Beach. This spot has been very popular the last few years and it has become known as "The Parking Lot". Today there were about a dozen boats so it wasn't too bad really.

First off we started catching Pike and Long Toms. Then a Snapper, then a Whiting...then a Flathead. Sheesh! Are there any bream down there? At the top of the tide, we moved off hoping to find a few before we returned when the tide started running out.

We found a small reef and Gary hooked up to a good fish. Nice strong runs, definately not a Flattie but also definately not a Bream when we saw it. Bloody Luderick! Nice at 35 cms but useless to us. A few casts later and just a few feet from the surface, a King screams up from the depths, grabs Gary's Switchblade and zooms back off. The next ten minutes I listened to Gary yelling 'Give me my lure back!', which he finally achieved.

The tide turned so we went back to the weed beds. It was 10:45 am and we still hadn't seen a bream. 10:46 am and Gary hooks up and it's numero uno in the live well. Ten minutes later, I add number two which is followed 5 minutes after that by the third, courtesy of Gary. Fifteen minutes and 3 fish, that's more like it.

We were using Gulp 2" Shrimps in Banana or Peppered colours as well as Squidgie Lobbys in the grenade colour, all rigged on 1/24 oz TT jigheads. I feel a tentative tap and set the hook into some solid weight. This guy screamed off and I was done and dusted within 5 seconds. Ooh, that was a beauty. But I make up for it a few minutes later with our fourth. Just one to go but the conditions are deteriorating, with the wind really kicking up now. Five minutes of fishing time left and I'm busted up by another good fish! Aaaarrggghhhh.

That was it for us and our bag went 2.404 kgs, which wasn't bad for 4 fish. The winners had 3.786 kgs for 5 fish, with two of the fish just under a kg each. Real bruisers. Overall we came 8th and were only out of the top 5 by 400 grams.

ABT/HOBIE Kayak Bream Tournament - Bayview Park, saturday, 17th January.

Just a reminder that this weekend sees Sydneys first ever Kayak only Bream Tournament on Hen & Chicken Bay. I know many yakkers have been waiting years for these to eventuate and now they're here, lets give them the support needed to see this format grow. If we can get close to 100 entrants, then the fishing magazines and tackle suppliers will see what a real force we kayakers are with regards to the fishing industry which will only bode well for the yakking fraternity.

Any type of kayak can enter and for rules and entry forms, please visit http://www.bream.com.au/. The comp starts at 6am and weigh-in is at 12pm, so even if you don't want to compete, come on down and meet some fellow yakkers and check out some of the pimped rides.

Hen & Chicken Bay holds some quality bream and there are a multitude of areas to target, from flats, to weed beds and moored boats and marinas. Plenty of room for lots of kayaks and there should be some great fish weighed in at the end of the day. I can't wait! Good luck to all the competitors and I'll see you down there. Come up and say hi. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid

Botany Bay - 27/12/08 & 30/12/08

Back to work and I've had a complete break from technology, which is why there hasn't been a report for a while. During the break I made it out a few times, mostly getting in practice for the bream comps coming up, especially the ABT/Hobie tournament that will be held at Hen & Chicken Bay on the 16th January. I've been waiting for a dedicated kayak comp for years and I can't wait for this very first one in Sydney. I hope there will be a good turn-out to support it.

Terry and I ventured out just after Christmas and tried for a few kings around the HWO. No luck there, so we went spinning for flatties instead. We managed 4 each up to 52 cms so it turned out to be a fairly good session.

On the 30th December, Terry, Lachlan and I made our way out to Towra Point. On the way Lachlan trolled up his first pike and if we'd have been fishing for jewies, he'd have been prime live-bait (the pike that is, not Lachlan). Lucky for him, we were after flatties and bream, so back he went. We'd no sooner arrived at our destination when Lachlan said he didn't feel well. There goes the fishing, so 'See ya, Terry' we say, and head back to shore. We didn't end up missing out on much though as Terry only picked up two flatties, a trevally and a bream.

Twice I've fished the flats and weed beds just out from Oyster Bay this year and picked up a few bream and half a dozen flatties each time. No real size to the bream but the flatties were close to 50 cms, with the best landed going 56 cms. I lost an absolute croc that would have been close to 80 cms when it shook its head at the side of the yak just out of the nets reach and sawed through the 6lb leader. I'd have let her go anyway, so I'll count it as a capture. Close enough is near enough. : )

This weekend Gary and I are fishing the 3rd round of the Squidgie Bream Series up on the Hawkesbury River. Stay tuned for the report next week. Happy yakkin', everyone.

cheers,

Cid