Gladiator Mutants - Woolooware Bay - 22/6/13

The ABT Daiwa/Hobie Kayak Grand Final is going to be held at Marlo in Victoria this coming November and on the menu are some big, bruising Black Bream. Last year the final was at the Bemm River and the black bream down there loved any of the longer minnow style of crank lures that were thrown at them. This year I have a new weapon in my arsenal of lures and I think they'll be perfect for the job.

The Gladiator Mutants are a 50mm floating (3.4g) or suspending (3.5g) lure that dives 1.0-1.2m and are ideal for targeting Bream and Flathead either over the flats or over broken rubble. Due to their light weight, I normally rig them on 4lb braid with a 4lb leader and this will still let you cast them a fair distance. Today I'd upped the ante on the leader to 6lb as there was some pretty nasty structure where we would be fishing. That extra 2lbs of leverage may come in handy later.

Andrew and I had decided to hit the rocky flats of Woolooware Bay on Saturday morning and I tied on a no.15 colour, which is a variation of a bluegill pattern. To see all the colours that are available, visit this link: www.gladiatortackle.com.au

As we made our way to our spot, we hoped the rain we could see falling out over the ocean would stay out there. It was just near high tide and the area we were fishing is just over a meter deep and is full of broken rocks, crushed oysters and old oyster rack poles, so we were pretty confident we'd get a few fish. On the way we pass a few old racks and I can't help but to have a cast. Wise choice for me and number one comes in to say hello. Looks like the Sydney Bream like the longer lures, too.

Andrew proceeds to drop one (sucka) and we continue on our way. At the start of our pass over the area, we give ourselves some casting room and let the wind push us. I've had a few whacks at the lure but it's 15 minutes or so before I come up tight on number two. This fish pulls some line and I tighten the drag as you really can't let them run in here. I see a flash of silver but then feel the thump, thump, thump reverberate up the line. It's a Trevally! These are a great sport fish and when prepared correctly are fine eating, too. Into the well he goes and I decided to change the lure and give another colour a run. This time I select colour no.4.

I look over and see Andrew is just landing a fish. "30 fork," he yells and slips it back into the water. The technique we are using is a straight slow roll of the lure, keeping the rod tip down and pausing slightly once it bumps into the rocky bottom. This 'bumping' trick is sometimes essential to help get the attention of the local fish and today once again proved how successful it can be. I get a whack on the lure but no hook up, so I pause it and then give it a slight twitch. This was enough to get the fish to strike and bream number 2 comes aboard for a quick photo opportunity.

The weather is starting to look a bit nastier now and I have to go to take Lachlan to soccer. I leave Andrew to catch a few more (he landed another two bream and a flathead) and as I race back, I plan to have a quick flick at any marker poles with a lightly-weighted Bait Breath Fishtail Shad. Eight poles I tried on the way back and on the very last pole, I get one more bream for the day. It's a perfect way to finish and not a bad way to spend a couple of hours on a miserable Saturday morning. The weather may be cold and wet but the fish still have to eat.

If the weather improves, I wouldn't mind giving these Mutants a run in the racks. That'll test how well they go on a locked up fish that's trying to get back to cover. I'm sure they'll come through with flying colours. Talking of colours, which one will I try next? Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

WSBB Bream Scramble - 16/6/13

Ooh, these mornings are pretty chilly now, but with lots of layers on, I was ready for whatever the day could throw at me. 32 boats were ready for battle and after a bacon and egg roll for breakfast, we were all keen to get underway. Gary and I were number 30 and we set off for our destination at the mouth of the Lane Cove River. The plan was to start off in the deep water until the tide started to push back in, then we'd head up Lane Cove River and fish the boat hulls. The bream for this event have to be 25 fork length and it's your best five fish.

Gary was starting off with a Blade so I opted for a 1/8th jig head and a Bait Breath 3.5" FishCurly in green. The heavy jig head was so I could get to the bottom seeing as we were fishing in 10m of water. Gary was first into a fish but he calls it for a flathead straight away. At 60 cms it was a good one too, but it's useless for us today, so back he went.

I'm next to hook up and it's also a good fish but the telltale pulsing of the rod tip signals that it's a trevally. Aaaarrgghh. Come on! We bump into Dave Tosland and he has two in the well already. I get a massive hit on the Fishcurly but no hook up. I wind in to find the plastic has been bitten in half, just behind the hook. Bummer. I re-rig and turn when I hear Garys drag squealing. 'Yes,' I say, but no, it's another trevally. About 50 cms so it's another great fish but the wrong species.

We motor back up and start another drift. I decide to change to a Gladiator Runner Blade in black and this gets a hit straight away. This feels better, definitely not a flathead or a trevally and yeehah, it's a bream. 27 fork length and he's our first one in the well. That's the donut-monkey of my back and after last year when I didn't land a single one, it was a huge sigh of relief.

Five minutes later and I'm on again and it's another 27 cm fork bream. Two! From me! Egads. And blow me down, it's only a few minutes later when I get number 3, this one slightly bigger at 28 fork. Gary has fainted so I revive him and tell him he can catch one now.

Back we go for another crack at them and it's my turn for a flathead. Then I get a bream but he's just under legal. We can see Dave and he's hooked up to something good. But it's another big trevva so there's no joy for him. Gary is next cab off the rank and this one feels right. Up she comes and she's nice and fat and at 32 fork she's our best yet. Then whack, he's on again and this one is 30 fork. Woohoo. That's our bag, so now its time to upgrade. But the bite goes quiet so we decide to venture up river.

We start working the boat hulls and I change to a Bait Breath Fishtail Shad. First boat I get a bream but he's no upgrade so he's sent on his way. I get another one (maybe it's the same one!) so he's returned also. We mooch around working different depths but we can't find any upgrades so we decide to go back to the deeper water.

This started off as a good move because Gary immediately gets us another 30 forker. I'm guesstimating we have about 2.5-2.7 kgs. We need that kicker fish. I'm back to the Runner Blade when it's belted! "Oh yes, this is it," I say. Nice strong runs and I back the drag off slightly to ensure I don't get busted off. We're peering over the side and see a flash of silver before it darts under the boat. I push the rod tip under water to keep the line clear and ease her out and NOOOOOOOO! It's a 40cm whiting! Our hopes dashed, we figure it's about time to start heading back.

There were no more fish for us and we weighed in for 2.708 kgs. Andrew was fishing this with one of his mates, Graeme, and they'd had an awesome day. Andrew snaffled the big bream with this 1.267 kg beauty and their total weight went 3.204 kgs. This fish anchored their bag and they took out 4th place, so well done guys.

Without that kicker fish, all Gary and I could manage was 9th place, but at least we cracked the top 10. And more importantly, I contributed to our bag this year! Yay! Top place went to Team Gamakatsu/Samurai Rods with 4.288 kgs, a fantastic bag and they took it out by over 800 grams.

So another superbly run event by Western Sydney Bream and Bass and I wish they did one in the summer as well. Without a doubt, Gary and I will be back next year for another tilt at the title. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,
Cid

3 week catch up - Georges River Gamakatsu Round 26th May 2013, etc

Sometimes work just gets in the way and that's how it's been the last few weeks. To make amends, this report will be light on words but big on photo's. Let's get going...

The Gama Round held on the 26th May was a bit of a non-event for me. I just couldn't find fish at my normal spots and only managed two legals: one fell to my ever trusty Bingo HB and the other to my favourite SP at the moment, the Bait Breath Fishtail Shad. Neither of them were big fish but I did get done over a couple of times and for a brief few seconds a Trevally really had my hopes up. The two bream (0.73kgs) placed me 26th out of  41 yakkers. Top spots went to Simon Morley (1.97kgs), equal 2nd went to Chris Seeto and Jason Reid (1.89kgs) and 3rd went to Craig Coughlan (1.64kgs). An extra big congratulations to Craig is warranted as he also managed to take out the Angler of the Year for the Gama comps. Top stuff buddy.

In the boaters, my fellow Team Gladiator/Hobie anglers - Glenn Ross and Mark Crompton - were just bumped out of 1st place. They had a cracking bag of 3.98kgs and were pipped at the post by Alan Loftus and Ross Cannizzaro with 4.15kgs.

Fishing has been non-existent for me since that weekend but thankfully others have been out and sent me a couple of photos.

Stewart and Andrew have been on multiple trips, hitting the Georges River, Port Hacking, Shoalhaven and St Georges Basin. Stewart started it off with a nice jewfish one night that was promptly released after going on the lie detector.
 

 This was followed up the next night at a different location. This time, he and Andrew both managed a few each...

Then it was down south to mix it with bream, flathead, snapper, tailor, luderick, etc...

But of course, Andrew smashed it by getting that most coveted fish of all: the Leather Jacket! 

What a champion!

And then just to rub salt into my wounds, Tezza sends some photos of the jewfish he's been getting in Botany Bay, too. Makes ya sick, doesn't it...

So at least I'll be getting out this weekend though. It's the annual Bream Scramble of the Western Sydney Bream and Bass Club. It's open to all comers and is a teams event held on the Parramatta River. Gary and I placed 4th last year so we're looking to improve a few places. If you're keen, you can pay on the day (and get brekky and lunch, too) so just go to their website for all the necessary information: www.wsbb.com.au. 

Hopefully we'll see you there for a great day and some big fish. Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid