Rummers

Thanks mate! Unfortunatly I’m off the Jew for a bit - need to find some day time fishing the next couple of months to work around work and childcare. Any ideas? thanks Pickles - I’ve loved this challenge even when the donuts got hard. A favourite fish of mine even if I’ve caught harder pulling ones.

Mate I hope so! It’s a good feeling to know hard work amounted to more than a fluke though!! keen to get a big one now!

Finally managed to get out again! After my last adventure where I finally nailed a Jew I’ve been itching to get out. The wind prediction changed dramatically on Friday (typical) but I decided to wait until Sunday night and head out to chase a Jewie. Got out around 4, got about 15 yakkas in the bait tank good to go. Figured I might fish around the bridge at tea gardens. Got up the river and noticed my baits not looking healthy in the tank! Rushed back out to the bay to discover 10 of them died in the fresh! Rookie error. I had a few hours until the tide change so I went to Corlette wreck to find more bait and maybe get a Jew on dark. Ended up with this 40cm model on a bait jig. No more bait - I can never catch it at night but I got a nice 38cm Tailor which I decided to put a hook in. No luck on that one. Moved spots to Middle island so I could position myself for the tide change. And right on the change of tide… Bam. Doubled up my Jew tally. 2 from 2 sessions (took me a year for 1….) but I am pretty stoked. Amazing what confidence does and happy I came up with a solid backup plan on the fly and still managed a fish after my plans changed.

That was the plan - hopefully I can get a break in the weather but time will tell. Thanks mate, I appreciate all your help trying to nut this fish out. - is there a spot in the bay you don’t know? 😂 hopefully quicker than the first one 🤞 thanks everybody - this fish means a lot to me so hopefully I can keep putting it all into practice.

Don’t take your missus on the boat… that’s what I’m hearing in this thread 😂

G’day Raiders, Those who have read my reports know that I have been chasing a Jew fish in Port Stephens for a long long time (1 year and 6 days since I set the goal). usually my reports are the same old donut, however I am pleased to announce I have finally had some success. Braved the wind on a hot tip from a mate, went and found a new bait spot and loaded up with 12 yakkas. After being smoked by something… thinking a rat king on my 2500 reel. Could t stop it. Headed to my spot (which I’ll only remain quiet on as it was given to me by a mate - PM and I’ll be more than happy to share) and laid some baits down just before last night. About an hour after last light I had a huge run on my rod and then bam - busted off clean on the leader… assuming a shark by the run. after that there were a couple of bent rods coming up with crushed bait and pin unsavoury characters in the skin - surely a Jew. Hooked up the last bait just before bottom of the low and sent it out. Waited… nothing. Oh well, time to call it a night and right as I went to grab the rod, it finally happened. A big run, head shake, fish up. Nervous wait while my mate netted this fish. After that, pure elation as I had caught the most satisfying fish of my life. it won’t be setting any records, but Geez it’s a good feeling. thanks to everybody who has given me advice or even just encouragement whilst I have been chasing this fish. next goal - a 1m Jew. Hopefully it’s not another 1 year and 6 days 😂

Thanks Frank, I might give that a go.

Thanks guys. Was thinking of an ice box or similar but you have given me some ideas. cheers

G’day Raiders, I have been grounded and sidelined with some health issues (non covid related) for a couple of weeks. So this means no boat. In between some quick land based sessions. anybody have some good ideas for a diy project? I would like to do some sort of fibreglassing if anybody had ideas. I have dreams of restoring a boat one day. thanks team

G’day Guys, Decided to go for a hunt of some kingfish this morning. Hit the water nice and early and got some live bait around cabbage tree island - they were hard work and all relatively small and skinny (that 10-12cm). Anyway I put 10 in the tank and headed around little island, did 2 passes around the bommie on the south west side for nothing so decided to go try around Fingal Island. First run past some white water and both my rods started peeling line at the same time so I drove out to some deeper water and started the fight. Sure did get the heart racing. landed both fish and was stoked to see they were both kings - although undersized. released them to fight another day. Found a big patch of bait so decided to see if I could upgrade some livies - which I did - all between 20-35cm yakkas and slimies. put the bigger baits on and had a troll around fingal/shark island and then back at tomaree for nothing. all in all I’m happy with my day out - thanks Scratchie for letting me bounce ideas off of you and hopefully I can find the bigger models soon. cheers Rummers

Second the Cast jackets. My boat is wet as a fishes pocket and it keeps me dry! Durable as well

Stonka whiting! That’s king George sized

Good to hear! I only use trumpeter whiting for live bait as they are pretty readily available. I hear ya! Karuah looks the goods. I however want to master (even if only slightly) this spot first as I know Jew are regularly caught there and once I know what I’m doing start to explore other areas. Otherwise I rekon I’ll not know what works etc.

So would my missus. She gets dirty when I tell her I use them as bait

Enjoy the addiction mate! It will drive you crazy!

Hey Raiders, Got an early mark from work and weather was good so I decided to give the Jew another go. Headed out a few hours before the tide and managed to pick up 2 whiting and a herring to put into the bait tank. Water was like chocolate and was hard picking through the undersized bream who were full of courage under cover! pulled up to my regular spot at middle island and dropped a whiting and the herring down. Herring didn’t last long and died on the hook so the other whiting went down. then a hit and the first whiting was cut in half, I’m suspecting tailor! Unfortunatly not much action after that and I left home again empty handed. my questions are; Is whiting a suitable bait when I can’t get some yakkas or slimys quickly? and I am fishing up on this ledge (marked with the x) mainly, should I be here or try and get into the deeper water off the ledge? I am struggling to really know exactly where to be and if the fish just come past or I’ve got to sound them up. Thanks! I’m feeling closer but still so very far from a Jew and any/all advice is appreciated.

Cheers Scratchie. I don’t think I can go past that. I’ll drop in on the weekend to have a look.

Hey Guys, After a new spin combo to target flatties and other bread and butter species. I usually fish using plastics but thinking something that can be a bit versatile (thinking squid, small metals or bait jigging). I am tossing up between a 7’2 Veritas 1-3kg or the 2-4kg. I am pretty open to reel suggestions, I currently have a good 2500 reel paired with a 1-3kg rod. Am happy to go smaller and move the 2500 over to the new rod or grab another in a similar size.

Get on those drag along trolleys from a shop. Mod a rod holder in and you’ll be apples

Good flattie!

Thanks guys. I’m definitely addicted to chasing the Jew. Be good when the results start to line up! looking forward to posting it on here one day!