This time I started fishing a squidgy 100mm wriggler in bloodworm rigged on a 1/40th HWS jighead with 3lb fluoro leader. I'd give it 10 casts and would then swap to a HB, namely a Jackall Chubby. This brought me my first fish but it wasn't the right type. A nice luderick hit the lure only 10 feet from the yak and it put up a spirited tussle before I swung it aboard. Back into the drink it goes and I swap back to the wriggler. This proved to be a good swap as within 3 casts I had my first bream in the well. Not huge at 26.6 cms total length but it only needs to be 26 cms. So that's the donut monkey off my back, now to get number 2.
The wind picked up a little and added a bit more chop to the surface. that was good and I started to get a few fish. Unfortunately they were just under but eventually a bigger specimen latched on and he went 28 tip length. Great, only one to go!
But now the wind died off and with it went the fish. I tried various lures and even went out into deeper water but apart from whiting and flathead, I couldn't get another bream for my live well. I decided to give the weed beds another try and just as I arrived the southerly moved into town. And with it, BANG, another fish. This guy was another 28 tip and that's my three! What a relief.
The wind started to increase and as the white caps rolled in, I got another. 27 tip and he's an upgrade! Where is that kicker fish though? The wind kept howling and for the next hour I bobbed around for a big fat zilcho. Eventually it was time to head in and see how I'd done.Best for the day was Simon Morley who blitzed it and weighed in 3 fish for 2.08 kgs. The big fish for the day though went to Jason price with a 1.36 kg beauty. Unfortunately for him (but fortunately for the rest of us) he couldn't find a couple more to go with it. Rounding out 2nd and 3rd for the day were Rob Chambers (1.55 kgs) and Jason Reid (1.54 kgs). I was sitting in equal 6th with 1.04 kgs. Tomorrow is another day though and the Shoalhaven can be very tricky at times, so it was still anybodies to take.
The next day dawned beautifully but I would have preferred a little more wind to stir things up a bit. I had my plan and set off to where I'd picked up a few fish off the surface the last couple of times I'd been here. This time however, they weren't coming out to play and I left the spot with only a flathead to my name. Off to the channel where Hedgey snaffled the big bream from right under my yak last comp and it's where I got my first for the day, once again falling for the squidgy wriggler. Only 26.5 cms again, but she'll do.
Things were very quiet and I moved to the other side of the river to try some weed beds. Not even a hit, so I ventured back up to my original starting area as by now the tide was pushing in and a drift over the flats there may be productive. A few of the power boats were thinking the same thing and I slotted in among them. Cast retrieve, cast retrieve, cast....ooh, the lines moving sideways. I lift the rod and set the hook and 'Zzzzz' goes the drag and this feels better. It's silver AND it's a bream. He punched above his weight though and only goes 28 tip. Ok, one more to go and I've got my bag.
I tried all the edges, all the poles and time eventually was up so I headed back to the weigh in. On the way I passed some old oyster rack rails that had sandy patches between them. As I moved along, I flicked a Lobby into these patches. Thankfully, one of these had a bream waiting and frantically I heaved him away from the structure and quickly lifted him into the yak. YES!!! That's my 3rd and at 30 tip, he's the best. But where is that bloody kicker fish though?
I'm hot tailing it back and as I pass some more dilapidated racks, I hear the 'kiss,kiss' sound of a bream taking something off the surface. It's right in between 4 poles sticking out of the water. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, so I lofted my Lobby into the middle of them, gave it a few twitches and let it sink. BANG! The fish hit it like a train and the rod bent as I lent back. The drag was locked up but all the fish had to do was swim sideways and he'd do me. And that's what he did. PING! went the line and he was gone. So that's where the kicker fish was...
Back on shore there was the usual grumbling about lost fish and no fish what-so-ever but the guy with the biggest smile was Stewart Dunn. He had a cracker bag and looked like he'd take it out. Jason Reid had his full bag though, so it wasn't a given and Luke Kay had also managed three good fish. Down to the wire it went and the eventual stat's played out in that exact order. Stewart (2.78kgs), Jason (2.66 kgs) and Luke (2.48 kgs) Simon Morley could only manage 1 fish today and dropped to fourth with 2445 kgs. Without that kicker, I couldn't keep up with these guys but I managed a very creditable 5th place with 2.175 kgs and was one of only two anglers to get a full bag both days, the other being Jason Reid. Jason took out the AOY and deservedly so too as he's been so consistent all year, nearly always placing in the top 5.
Thanks again to the organisers for another fantastic year and also thank you to Steve Fields and Hobie for supporting me during these comp's. the next report I'll put up is for the ABT Narrabeen round which was my last chance to qualify for the ABt Kayak Grand Final down in Victoria on the Bemm River. Stay tuned. Happy yakkin', everyone!
cheers,
Cid
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