Woolooware Bay - 5th September 2015

Finally! The sun rises a bit earlier, the water isn't as cold and the gin-clear waters have coloured up after the rain a couple of weeks ago. It was time to hit the racks and test out some new lures. Stephen Blackmore from Gladiator Tackle had sent me some of the new Ima Tetra lures in the new Aussie colours. These are really high quality lures and the finish is superb. They cast and swim well and come loaded with Owner hooks. 

I'd used the old colours before and have always done well with them but I think this time they've really hit the nail on the head with the designs and I'm sure a few big bream are going to try to take them home as souvenirs this summer. The top row are the Tetra's while the bottom row are the Tetra Mono's. The Mono's have a slightly deeper and wider profile and dive a bit further too. Perfect for when it's a bit blowy and you want to punch them into the wind.

The Tetras get down to about half a meter while the Monos will dive to a meter. This makes them ideal for the racks or the flats and over weedbeds. But today it was all about the racks. I was using the Gladiator Tackle Psyborg rod and reels with Gosen Mebarin 8lb PE. This is then attached to a 3 meter length of 12 lb fluorocarbon leader. Conditions were great even though the tide was almost at it's lowest. Not much run in the water but I was still hoping for some action.

I tried a few channel markers on the way out but there was no interest from any of them, so I continued into the racks. Two weeks ago when I came out I didn't even get a touch or see a fish. But today felt different and it didn't take me long to get on the board. Not a big bream at 27cm's tip but he'd be in the live well if this was a comp day. This guy pounced on a Tetra, colour no. 03.

Time to try another colour, so I tied an a Tetra Mono, colour no. 02. Matt Black is always one of my favourite lure colours in the racks and it was soon snaffled by a slightly bigger bream, this one going 31cm's tip. 

I was slow rolling the lures with pauses every couple of meters and it was during one of these pauses that the lure was belted! The rod loaded up and I felt a few angry head shakes transmit up the line. The drag was locked down and neither of us was giving an inch. I started to crank the reel handle and then he was gone. Aaargh. I still had my lure though and the hooks were still intact, so I guess I must have just lip-hooked him. That's rack fishing for you: you have to go hard or they'll dust you up good and proper. At least I kept my lure!  : P

Time for another colour change (a Tetra no. 05) and this one works too. This bream went 33cm's tip and really played up, darting from one rack over to the next and then trying to race back to where it came from. It wasn't quick enough though and after a quick photo, it went back to his little home.

So all up, I had a brilliant morning and I didn't have to share the racks with anyone else the whole time I was there. With the Hobie Georges River round in a few weeks time, it looks like the fishing will be pretty bloody awesome. This will be the last chance to qualify for the Australian Championships at Lake Macquarie in October, so get in quick and have a crack. And if you're after any of these Ima Tetra's, contact Adam at fishin.com.au. In fact, he'll have just about anything you could want, so just contact him! Happy yakkin', everyone!

cheers,

Cid