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NovocastriPom

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Everything posted by NovocastriPom

  1. I log on using the app but have recently had issues in the Newcastle area. I’ve tried the listed telephone number once for Newcastle MR but it actually takes you through to the local Marine Rescue leaders personal phone.....didn’t go down too well at 4.45am....whoops and sorry. At other busy times I’ve had a similar response from MRNSW when calling to log on by phone, many people had been having problems. The volunteers put it down to a higher demand on the system at peak times. Two weeks ago, I realised that the problem logging on with the App was due to my iPhone automatically linking to my Lowrance Eliite Ti2. For some reason my phone would link to wifi on the Lowrance, consequently overriding the phone App being able to use mobile data to log on. I’ll need to change the settings in the Lowrance at some point, when I remember. I now log on whilst waiting at the boat ramp. Previously I would use the time in the 4 knot zone to log on....whist also sorting the sounder, drinking coffee etc and usually trying to wake up at silly o’clock.
  2. Have a great weekend Raiders, sounds like the option of heading west and east is now on the cards. Can’t wait for the reports.
  3. Thanks for your comments guys. When we moved out here from the UK, I’m sure one of the visa demands were socks and thongs, especially for Newy! Plus I can’t wear Ugg boots because my six toes won’t fit😉
  4. Hi Raiders, As the weather was looking good last Sunday and Monday, my BiL and I decided to take my boat outside and try a bit of bottom bashing. Our last few trips on the lake have been really trying with only a handful of legal Flathead between us. On Saturday the plans changed as his mate was up for a flick too. We decided to take my BiL boat as it’s easier when three of us are flicking SP’s. So, alarm set for 4am on Sunday, meet up at his house at 5am so that we could hopefully be on the water by 5.45am. We put in at Balmoral boat ramp on Lake Mac. All went smooth as we were first there apart from me forgetting that I’d left my full thermos coffee cup on the rear bar of the ute pre launch. A quick search with my phone torch proved fruitless so we’d search for that later when there was more light. We charged north to Fennel bay, still dark, chilly with a head-on norwester, the bumpy ride took charge of the lost coffee and I was soon feeling wide awake. We arrived at our spot east of the bridge in about 8m of water, temp 14.5 degrees. As soon as we set our drift the wind dropped off and we became virtually static. 3rd cast and my BiL’s mate is on, up comes the first Flathead around the mid 50’s and straight into the esky. Things were starting off good and within minutes my BiL is on too, he calls it another good fish and in the net is the next at 62cm. By this point I’m starting to get hopeful and think that it’s my turn next. Well obviously the banter starts, mostly in my direction and then I feel a knock, miss the hook up, leave the retrieve and feel weight again. Great, now we’re all equal I think but I know it’s nothing to brag about at only 38cm. We were now about an hour in and another couple of bites were missed. Still on our first drift it felt like we’d only gone a couple of hundred metres when I feel a weight on the drop. I’m thinking that this has to be the biggest of the day so far and everyone calls it a good flatly when this thing wakes up and makes a run. Again, calls go out for a big girl when the second run happens....Jewy calls my BiL. Well I’ve targeted Jews from the beach for over a year now and only landed one 50cm on my beach set up. This was another ball game, 1-4 kg rod with 10lb braid and 12lb leader, take your time I’m told. After the third run I made some ground and soon in the net was my PB Jewy at 82cm. High fives all round! Zman MinnowZ in opening night did the trick here. note the obligatory socks and thongs! After a little while to compose myself, we reset our drift and began again. We’d obviously found a hot spot because another 2 Flathead were netted around the 50-60cm mark. It was now about 8am and the bite seemed to drop off as quick as it came on. It was now just before slack tide. We moved further east towards Valentine with only one more touch between the three of us in over a couple of hours. Still on a high we nearly called it a day but decided to give it one more bash near the boat ramp in Secret bay. The water temp was a little warmer at 15.5 degrees. First cast and my BiL’s mate is on to a 65cm followed by a high 50’s, his weapon of the day was a 4” Gulp curly tail in pumpkin seed. Again, minutes later my BiL is on, big girl is called again and netted is a 70cm on a 5” Zman streakZ curly tail in red and green. This was his most productive SP of the day. One more drift and a few more were caught, released or dropped. All in all it was a very memorable and productive day for us all. Between the three of us we kept 8 Flathead, one flounder and my first Jew fish. The biggest Flathead kept was the first of the day at 62cm, all the bigger fish were released. Friends and family have shared in the feed and I’ve now got my first Jewy jewels as a reminder of good times with great guys. Needless to say, the banter, for now is in my hands! And just to top off a cracker of a day was when I found my full coffee cup one metre from the edge of the ramp nestled in the weed!!
  5. Hello fellow Raiders, My name is Kevin, I’m an Englishman married to a wonderful Australian. We decided to move back to her home town of Newcastle (hence the username) 2 years ago, our rescue dog came too. 15 years of hard graft owning a classic car restoration company in London, no down time to enjoy hobbies and the knowledge of the better lifestyle here in Oz made it an easy decision. Three generations of my family before me were all seafarers and I spent many of my younger years sailing and exploring the south coast of England on a yacht. I grew up in Southampton which has a very nautical history. Fresh water fishing was a passion of mine and spent valuable time with my grandfather learning the ropes. In my mid twenties I became converted to salt water fishing through a friend of a friend. He was looking for a buddy with a bit of sea knowledge to accompany him on his new 16ft cuddly. Over the years and many missions later we tried to raise our game towards fishing but trying to catch fish in English waters is like looking for a needle in a haystack! The amount of time trolling just for slimies for crab/lobster pot bait and fuel burnt now seems crazy. Twice we ventured out into the Atlantic to the Isles of Scilly for a two week fishing break. Towing the boat through the night for 8 hours to Penzance followed by a 60km sea crossing built special memories for us both, 18 months ago he was my best man and we relived these adventurous missions of past by renting a boat and trying our hand around Port Stephens and Broughton. Not too many fish but whales and calfs breaching just metres from the boat is something we will both cherish. I’ve learnt so much and many new fishing techniques since moving here through friends, family and this wonderful forum. I enjoy all types of fishing, from bass in Lostock or Glenbawn to beach fishing Stockton and Blacksmiths. I’ve spent many an hour with my brother in law around PS and lake Mac flicking plastics in his tinny. Last winter and after much research, I bit the bullet and treated myself to a Seafarer Vsea. (Thanks @rickmarlin62) we’ve been out in some horrible seas and I have to forget my English mentality that there are too many good weather days here to brave the elements ‘pommy’ style even though the boat is very capable.My BiL and I have now spent time going further afield from Swansea down past Norah head and up to Broughton. Slowly we are gaining confidence in our techniques and knowledge and reaping the rewards, hence I now feel that I have something to contribute to you fellow Raiders! Reports to follow, Kev aka NovocastriPom
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