MartinthePom

hi greg so that's where you've got to...chasing spotties...nice story mate and some cool fish gives us a bell if you fancy a blackfish session and a catch up...I've dug out the float rod this arvo and respooled Cheers Martin

Yea...I spoke to soon ...the Baggy Greens had a great day in the field...it's now game on ! Still at least there's the fishing

Thanks Guys You are right it is gonna be bloody hard to leave this place come July ! Mind you there will be some decent cricket to look forward to back home rather than this one sided nonsense that is happening over here at the moment....only teasing guys..I'm sure Ponting's Posers will come good in the end !!

Sorry it's been a while since I posted. Been busy trying to get to grips with the crazy world of fishing politics out here. Anyway...having been in Oz since May and been told to wait for the water to warm up and the Harbour would fire...well it clearly has...and with a vengance. Is there normally this amount of bonnito, salmon and tailor about ? I've even been catching them on livebaits intended for Kingies...crazy stuff !!

With due respect I think you are missing the point. Angling is allowed in most areas of the Marine Parks but not in the Sanctuary Zones. These zones often contain the prime fishing grounds. We will not be able to unscramble the Marine Parks ( remember it was Abbott's mob who introduced the Marine Parks Act ) but we might be able to change how they are managed providing we can put forward a considered and well researched case. This is what I have tried to do and in it I challenge the 'dodgy science' that is used to exclude anglers from the majority of Sanctuary Zones. Most of the recreational fishos and fishery scientists I have spoken to in preparing this submission believe that there would be considerable value in anglers providing catch return data from these zones in a properly managed form. Given that we often spend more than the cost of our current annual licence fee on fuel, bait and tackle for a single trip out to fish near these Sanctuary Zones there is a danger that we could make ourselves look a bit ridiculous if we reject the notion of paying a few bucks extra a year to fish in them in a controlled and sustainable manner. I hope all Fishraiders will take the time to read through the submission and make their views known to the committee. We are running out of time as it is due to report in November. Best Wishes Martin

It's bloody tough at the moment - I had a complete blank on Friday at Mosman which I didn't think possible !

Hi Steve Ignore my PM - I forgot i had sent you an earlier msg, I blame the beer.! I'm landbased but can't make this weekend but hey, another time, perhaps when I get back from my trip to Cairns in a couple of weeks ?

Bagga We fished between cathedral and indian head and camped at Dundubara. The jewfish and the shark came from the gutter by the creek just up from cathedral. I also had whiting and tarwhine. No one was catching tailor until the wind changed on the thursday then it kicked off big time for those who stayed ! Martin

Go watch this on your computer - All Raiders will be familiar with the general idea - but will it catch on in Oz ? Only in Iceland !

Hi Steve I'm a relatively new boy too and would love to hook up with you and have my first go on those Northern Beaches and perhaps a afterwards ! Cheers martin

Would have loved to stay but had a barge to catch then a 4 hour drive and then a plane ride - besides my host and driver had to go to work ! Thanks to my shit internet connection, courtesy of those morons at Optus, uploading pics at the moment is tricky but I will sort it out soon Can anyone help me re the rules for bait collecting in the Harbour ?

The Blackfish seem to be prolific throughout the Harbour this winter with the bigger fish inside the bridge but I have not found Drummer west of Bradley's Head. However I'm still feeling my way at the moment.

Well I just got back from my trip to Fraser Island where I caught heaps of hard fighting Swallowtailed Dart in the pounding surf while watching whales crash out of the water just a few hundred yards offshore , sea eagles circling overhead and dingoes waiting behind me in the sand dunes hoping for a free meal . Truely amazing experience even if the expected Tailor run didn't materialize while we were there. One of the guys caught a bronze whaler shark and a bigish jewfish from the beach which was great to see. I think I've finally learned how to start read a surf beach to know where the fish might be which will be useful now I'm back in Sydney. Also discovered the joys of beachworming and pipi hunting which i dont think we are allowed to do in the Harbour right.? Obviously, the weather changed the day we left and the tailor moved back inshore ! I got this message from one of the guys who stayed on.. " Hi Martin, Well as you drove down the beach the tailor started to come in and on the bite!!!!!. I caught 16 that day but Friday morning it was on for young and old all most a fish every cast, 30 to 40 guy's shoulder to shoulder. The fish ranged from 36 cm to 45 cm. One gentleman next to me catch one at 55 cm. The Fisheries came and checked our fish for size and bag limit...". Will just have to go back and try again !

Thanks Guys Good tips and I'll let you know what occurs Martin

As a nice change from the superb Blackfish sport that around at the moment in the Harbour I'm off to Fraser Island tomorrow for a few days camping and fishing Done a bit of homework and it seems as if the main species in the surf this time of year will be Tailor with a chance of a Mackerel or two. However, I hear there's some quality Whiting in the pools at low tide and over in the flats on the Western side some Golden Trevally to be caught on the fly. I was planning to take two 12ft beach outfits rigged with 30lb braid to a 60lb leader carrying a surf popper and a pilchard rig on either wire or 40lb mono traces. Never done this type of fishing before so wondered if anyone can tell me if this sounds about right or suggest alternatives ? In addition I planned to pack a 9wt fly outfit and a 6kgs spinning rod , some metals and a few SPs to be fished on 25lb braid. Anyone in the know out there ? Thanks Martin

Nice comments people. Slinky, I will certainly promote The Raiders when, and if , I return to the Old Dart. Believe me there's alot more secrecy back there. Why ? more anglers and less fish I guess. Greg, next on the list is a big Kingie. I'm going out with Al McGlash shortly to catch a couple and do a bit of filming about my impressions of fishing in Oz and how things are organised over here. I then want that Aussie salmon followed by a big Jewy - can you help ? In return I will get you that big carp if we can pick a frost free day ! Andy,thanks again mate and you deserve your mentor badge and yes we'll find some more monster rocks to fish off.

What a bloody marvellous thing this site is - you come to Oz, you know bugger all about how to fish out here, you join Fishraiders and post an appeal for a bit of a steer to get that first drummer, then this top bloke Andy takes me to a cliff top near Coogee and Bingo, JOB DONE Most of my fish go back but not when I've winched a near kilo beauty half way up a bloody mountain, and anyway don't those Pigs taste good ! Can't wait to try again for a real lump from some of the other spots you Raiders have kindly suggested. So Thanks Andy - I owe you one

Thanks guys - very helpful

Drummer are next on my list in the 9 month fishin adventure that I'm enjoying out here. I mainly fish midweek and often on my own so I'm a bit nervous about trying some of the ocean rock marks around Sydney for them like South Head or Clovelly. Anyone fancy showing me the ropes or suggesting a couple of spots inside the Heads where I could try for my first Pig without getting washed in ?

Great catch Dagz Drummer are next on my list in the 9 month fishin adventure that I'm enjoying out here. I mainly fish midweek and often on my own so I'm a bit nervous about trying some of the ocean rock marks around Sydney for them like South Head or Clovelly. Anyone fancy showing me the ropes or suggesting a couple of spots inside the Heads where I could try for my first Pig without getting washed in ?

Had a cracking session on the Blackfish on a cold, grey, Friday arvo with 8 fish in the first 11 casts before a couple of hookpulls slowed them down. Ended with 15 fish including several kilo + specimens all caught on cabbage just off the bottom on the run out tide. There is cabbage in the harbour west of the bridge and the Blackfish are usually nearby !

Dunno cos I put it back without weighing or measuring but there were two of them and both seemed around 55cms but i was too excited to notice or care ! I'll try and post some pics shortly but having technical hassle at the moment. Not sure if I prefer rating fish by weight or length, we get pretty obsessed about pounds and ounces in the Old Dart and hanging big fish in weigh slings aint that good for them. Btw are there State or Commonwealth records for the individual species as I never seen them mentioned ?

Jim ...It was barbel sized which in Ozspeak is about 3 kegs max. And yes I now want a bigger one!

So now I see what all the fuss is about as after two months in this wonderful country a couple of those beautiful, beautiful kingfish , which I've seen but been unable catch ,finally decided to pay me a visit. Thanks to my new fishing buddy Greg I was able to get out beyond the heads on a lovely calm afternoon this week. Instead of the hoped for Snapper a modest but very angry kingie took a liking to my jerk shad and boy don't they pull some on lightish tackle !? Can't wait to do it again and again and.......... Greg...I owe you one mate. I'll get you that big Grayling you crave next time you visit the Nortern Hemisphere. Until then