dlo2

Great effort, Royce. Thanks for the report and photo.

I caught 5 blackfish in the wash at the southern entrance to the Clovelly baths one rainy, cold day about the middle of last year with a rising tide and swell about 2 metres (and wind) from the south. One stoic old boy in the water doing longitudinal laps who swam close to where I was fishing, yelled over to me with some enthusiasm while treading water, "well, I'll be !@#$%^, it's been many a long year since I seen anybody catch blackfish here". Later, when I had finished fishing, I asked someone who worked at the club if fishing was permitted and was told, "only when there's nobody swimming and/or we are not around".

Looking almost due west. This is the wash where I have caught 26 luderick recently. Very shallow water (only fish between 2-3 feet below the float) and you usually need a decent bump to get the fish to shelter here around from the front of the point. This spot is about 10 minutes south of Ulladulla. Bagged out, this particular day. Fantastic conditions.

Nice one, Royce. Haven't been back fishing in Sydney for a while (caught another nice bag of fish at Kurnell about 2 months ago, thanks to you), but that's about to change. Got three days fishing planned with my uncle around Ulladulla next Monday to Wednesday, then a week long tour with the jazz band on the Murray but after that I'll be heading your way shortly thereafter. I'll let you know when I'm up and see how you're situated to wet a line.

Have been down to the Ulladulla area twice in the last week or so for four productive sessions off the stones for a total of 32 fish. First day was a late afternoon tide and upon arrival at 2pm was greeted by sunny, warm weather and a light ne breeze and a small ne swell. Not much wash but I could see quite a few fish sitting close to the rocks in the clearer water. I burleyed up a bit but could only register the occasional timid down. As luck would have it, a lot of dark cloud was amassing to the south and west as the water darkened and light rain started to fall. This change coupled with the run in tide put the fish on the bite and I managed to land 4 nice fish before a monster southerly hit accompanied by torrential rain, lightning and thunder. It was really a case of get out of there yesterday and I grabbed my pack with phone, wallet and keys and bolted back to the car. Sat it out for about an hour until the worst of it passed, and then ventured back down to rocks. Thought I'd have a throw or two and bang, bang .... two more fish before losing my hook on a third and with a now gale force wind making fishing virtually impossible, cleaned the fish and headed off. Next morning dawned overcast, raining and bleak as, so I decided to wait for the afternoon run in tide at a north facing location a bit further south. Arriving there just after lunch, I was surprised to jag a big (42 cm) fish first cast in very shallow water. Boy, did he go! Conditions were close to ideal; dark and overcast, moderate swell from the south, incoming tide, first class bait and hungry fish. A few hours later I had bagged out. The amount of fish I hooked was amazing. The only problem was the huge number of pathetically small drummer that were around on the day. Probably caught six and threw them back, let alone the massive number of sharp bites I missed, too. Also dropped quite a few luderick over the course of the afternoon. Once I reached my bag limit, I replaced some small luderick (under 30cm) with a few thumpers and called it quits shortly therafter with the fish biting their heads off. The swell was close to 3 or 4 meters by mid afternoon and a pod of dolphins were having a field day doing figure 8's as the swell rolled around the point. Great day's fishing. Decided to stay on that night and returned to the same spot, fishing the run out for a few hours next morning. Fish were still there and again I had no trouble bagging eight good sized fish. Hooked a big fish, that took me on a run of all runs along the edge of the weed beds to the next point (perhaps a hundred plus metres away). I finally managed to retrieve about 50 metres back in with the fish still giving me a burst of resistance from time to time until it bit me off after a marathon fight (over 10 minutes). Thought it was a drummer but maybe it was something else? Caught a 3 and a half pound pig in the same area that fought exactly the same many moons ago. Decided to go back to the same area again Sunday just gone, just for the day and in bright conditions with intermittent wash, caught another eight fish, mostly +/- 30cm in size. Couldn't believe how well the fish bit in such mercurial conditions. Autumn is certainly a great time to fish off the rocks down south.

Excellent going, Cossie. I got a reco from a top bloke on this forum to fish Little Bay. Went there a a few weeks ago. South side towards the front where all the stakes are. What a death trap! 4 blokes fishing with their backs to the ocean, all with vests and cleats who knew what they were doing. 2 on the safe higher rocks who were casting east. No downs, no fish. Left after watching the water crash over the rocks and almost take one of the "backs to the ocean" guys with it into the gutter. Nice walk. Did me some good. Exercise and learnt something about the spot.

Unfortunately it was overcast and raining late Monday afternoon on the run up tide. Otherwise, I will upload pics in future if the conditions are conjusive to doing so.

Went there recently. Terrific spot for blackfish, IMHO.

Returned yesterday from a quick trip down to the south coast where it all started for me in the early seventies. Good news is the nearby lake (Burrill) is wide open at high tide and the big luderick population that frequents these parts can move out to the ocean rocks (as they (try to) do each summer, but were lake locked for many years to pathetic local council decisions, or should I say, lack of them). Saw plenty of fish sitting close in against the rock shelves and in near perfect conditions made an absolute ass of myself dropping a dozen fish and landing five plump but smallish blackfish and a two pound drummer that went like gang buster for 5 minutes or more, which is unusual for a pig. The drummer made up, a little, for all the fished I missed. Ate the drummer fillets last night. Flour, salt and pepper in a buttered medium pan .... perfection with crunchy straight cuts and a nice salad.

Have gone 50cm, many moons ago, weighed close to 4 and a half pounds, 15 minutes to land. Could not pick it up in one hand. Not braggin', but was fishing 2 foot deep!, on a protected south facing ledge adjoining a beach in a black nor'easter with all the many schools of luderick that normally sit on the long flat east facing ledges deciding to congregate 'round the corner from the blow and raging sea (as they often do). Also caught a nice bream and a "poddy" mullet that day. Both thrown back. 17 blackfish landed (20 bag limit at the time). Guy fishing next to me got 16.

Bloody big run of fish there guys .... good job.

well done guys .... a noble gesture.

.... for a bloke who was having his last fish for the year days ago and has been several times since, I reckon you did very well indeed. hehehehe

Thanks to Luderick Angler and Mike for their help. Caught15 fish for the time I was in Sydney. Met with my parents in Gerringong on Monday morning .... fished a ledge nearby and found a huge school of luderick sitting in clear, shallow water. One fish went 45 cms and over 3lb. As soon as I started catching the buggers, they pissed off to who knows where. Cheers guys, have a good Christmas. I'm off touring for a few weeks. Will be back in January. Forgot to thank the other people who offered assistance above. Sorry about that ....

Perhaps someone could message me with some places .... it seems difficult to get specific "spots" reco's. I don't semi absail down cliffs but I have fished for the blighters for many years and have all the right gear including safety vest and cleats. Just don't know the good spots except the Doughboys area, which has not produced due to dead calm or monstrous conditions for me the last few times I've been in Sydney.