Richie

Hi Wilbaforce, I fish Cowan a lot. When I come across conditons where I can't see any fish (baitfish or otherwise) I put away the flick gear. One of the great things about using a kayak is if the fishing is slow you can enjoy a paddle! Pulling a lure behind of course. Kayak when you fish or fish when you kayak. Sincerely, Rich.

Hi mate, To hit WB, Appletree bay is your ramp. You wouldn't be able to use the Bobbin Head ramp as it is for paddlecraft only. Cheers, Rich.

1. Top End - Barra 2. Christmas Island - Bonefish 3. Mongolia - Taimen Hopefully #1 will be done April next year! 2+3 is waiting on Mr Lotto.

I dont know of any built in spots in google earth. I downloaded some google earth files in ".kmz" format from the net. Google "fishing locations on google earth" and you should find them. Just open them using Open from the File menu. Also worth enabling the "marine parks" under layers.

I noticed yesterday that Barry O'Farrell said, "Evidence should be basis of policy not the Bob Carr-style approach, which was whenever there was something that happened there would be another piece of legislation," (source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-10/27no-evidence27-nsw-crime-policies-slammed/3765778) Considering the amazing rebound of Sydney Harbour and Tuross Lakes since the removal of commercial fishing (whilst still allowing recreational fishermen) there would be a strong case to push to get rid of these unsustainable practices from Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury. The money to buy back the licenses is supposedly part of the fishing license fee I think. This also make me look sideways at a marine park or two that have no evidence behind them. If you want to hit up your local member or the Minister for Primary Industries, NSW (Katrina Hodgkinson), have a quick google for "effective lobbying" or similar. Excuse the blurb, I haven't slept...

Thanks for that Slinky. Lol, I'm not that retentive to try and align the gears like that. There is an elliptical gear and an eccentric one that needs to line up is all. I'm going to open it up tonight again to see if I can hunt down the noise. Is seems to originate from the AR bearing or maybe the pinion.

Hi Mate, You answered your own question If you are talking about Wallis Lake, or particularly Smiths Lake, they can be a there in almost plague proportions at times. Now I'm kayak based I can move out of their zone. Cheers, Rich.

I had a suspicion that was wrong. If the two elliptical gears dont line up, the gearbox just jams or freespins. There is a noise that I'm trying go get out of the thing, it seems to time with the bail rotor. It feels smooth though.

I'm just putting on record in case anyone else has an Okuma Mystique reel and is looking for the schematics. You can use the schematics for the Okuma Ignite of the same size. I have a Mystique 2000 so the Ignite-IT20 is eqivalent http://www.reelschematic.com/schematics/Okuma/Ignite/IGNITE%20IT20%282006%29.pdf Now I just need to work out an easy way to time the elliptical oscillating gears properly... Cheers, Rich.

Thanks for the quick replies! I've got a River2Sea Bully I want to try... I saw one on an episode of River Monsters and thought it looked the goods as a bass lure. Cheers, Rich.

I'm thinking of heading out to Yarramundi this weekend to chase after some bass on my kayak. I can only get access to the car after 10:30am and have to have it back by 6. This is a situation I face most weekends. Do bass still strike on the surface during the high sun? Is there anything I can do to be increase my chances? Cheers, -Rich.

I've not seen a bream that colour before. Congrats on both the PB and a kayak-buying girlfriend! I just got my kayak about 3 months ago and love it! In the last three months I have more than tripled my catch from all last year! Cheers, Rich.

I envy the lucky person if you go down this path. Good karma for you too!

Hi mate, Hit up your tackleshop for that info too! They know the area and can usually point you somewhere. I don't know the rocks you are thinking of but rock fishing is sometimes classed as one of Australias most dangerous sports. Maybe head out with someone who knows the ropes? As for gear, I bought a $120 rod and $110 reel from my tackle shop. My wifes mum laughed and got a $50 special. The $50 special died in the first season, not even a year. My rod and reel is still alive and going strong after 10 years. You don't need to spend $600 on a rod and $900 on a reel (as much as I'd love to!) but the cheap stuff is just that. Keep your eye on the sales too! Good luck with a fantastic new hobby! Sincerely, Rich.

Hi Tom, I use a lefty's loop when using lures or saltwater flies HERE. I've tried a few and settled on this as it has not failed me when needed. I've noticed that when using light (limp) leaders a loop knot isn't a must but when I start scaling up to a thicker, stiffer leader, a loop knot really improves the action of a lure. I use a blood knot for flies and bait (http://www.animatedk...linch/index.php) Cheers, Rich

I'd like a FishID app. Or even better would be an app that turns your iPhone (or Android) into a fishing rod.

Kael! Welcome back! Nice fish! I've been meaning to head out west but the Mrs has dibs on the car. -Rich.

When I have wind, no one around me has much fun, even on a nice day.

I like fishing in the rain. Less people around to annoy me. Just be careful when there's lightning around. They make some lightning rods out of graphite because it's a good conductor.

lol, I'm going to use that! (And welcome!)

I use Google Earth (the one you download). I make a marker where I went that day and record the details.

Seeing a few awesome reports about impoundment bass I've decided that this is the season for me to make the trip to Lake Glenbawn, Lake St Clair, etc. The first thing I do is hit up Google Maps to see how to get there. I set my home location and typed "Lake Clair" in the destination. Imagine my surprise to see that it would take over 56 days to get there! Google Maps had decided I meant Lake Clair in Atlanta and not Lake St Clair, NSW. So, how did Google Maps think i should cross to the US? To Kayak via Japan and Hawaii into Washington! It must have a cracking good kayak to stick my car on the back! And how did google know I had one?! I typed in "Lake Saint Clair" and got what I wanted. 3 hour trip. Funny stuff!

Beautiful backdrop and stunning fish!

My son was wearing his own pfd. And it's now obvious it will be used a lot. He want's to go out on the water with me next weekend. As for prawning, that's the second time that's been mentioned to me this weekend... I think that I'll bring him out a few more times and see if this sticks. If it does then a canoe will be on my chrissie list.

This weekend I decided to take my 7 year old with me on the kayak. He has been keen to join me on an outing since I got it. Even though it is a single seat it had heaps of room for him to sit in the cockpit with me. We launched at Bobbin Head and, as it was a run-out tide, we headed to a little flatty spot I found hidden in one of the bays. Paddling into the wind with the extra load took an extra bit of effort! After about 5 minutes of Soft Plastic 101 I handed my son the rod with the idea of letting him work it out himself. His first few casts were interesting but then he got the hang of it and we paddled onto the skinny water over the sandflat. On the edge of a weedbank in about 60cm of water he hooked onto a little bream but lost him near the kayak. But geez he was energised! He cast back to the same spot and after a few lifts of the rod he came up tight again! This time there was no slack line and he landed a 40cm flathead. Needless to say he was stoked. First fish on SP and first on the yak too. I just wish we had a camera or phone to take a snap. We decided it was time to head back and just one more cast. Nothing came of that on so we had another. I noticed a weedbank near the drop into the bay and so he had another last cast along that. He was sure there was a fish there so he had his really last cast and promptly reeled in another 40cm flatty. Interestingly enough this guy put up a really good fight for a flathead. We had run out of time so had to call it there after about an hour in the bay. The paddle back was a little easier as the wind was with me. The tackle used was 6lb braid with a 8lb leader. 1/4oz bullethead jig with an Atomic Watermelon/Gold flickbait. 2 fish caught and sent back into the blue.