Pickles

Greatfeedback @jaybez, 30 is solid Redfin (and good eating) and that is a solid looking Bass - well done. Keep the reports coming.

Awesome job Whisky - they are massive Hairtail - well done my friend.

A fisho (not a Raider), sent me a pic of him with a $500 fine for fishing within the 200m “prohibited zone” at Green Island at South West Rocks. the pic was taken from a drone that was apparently several hundred feet in the air, but the shot was clear. He received the fine notice and pic several weeks after he got back to Sydney and was given the right to appeal. He knew he was doing the wrong thing and knew “one day I’ll caught”, but a young guy with several kids and a wife who doesn’t work -$500 must have hurt. But you make decisions, then have to be prepared to accept the consequences.

Correct, it’s in the middle of the harbour heads (there’s a reef there), - I’m anal about keeping to bag limits, Nav rules and fishing zones. (It’d be pretty unwise to publicly post a pic holding a squid in a prohibited area😳

Hey Raymar - I’m always happy to take folks out - any time you want to head out, I’m happy to take you (only issue for me is you’d need to pick me up (Nth Richmond), pull the boat (5m Tinnie) and drop me home - I’ve had a few “adventures” and don’t drive, although I do have a licence. I can’t guarantee we’ll get Kingies, but usually do. The BIG reason most people don’t find them is they don’t get the right bait, or don’t look in the right place (“Seek and you will find, Ask and you will receive, knock and the door will be opened”) Bob

Yep, absolutely correct

Well done Isaac- 56 is a really good flathead. Must have been frustrating for your mate only getting the puffer 😆

Another nice feed Dave 👏👏👏

In a recent conversation with @whiskey299, I referred to the no1 bait for Kingies being live squid or cuttlefish (even better). HOWEVER Raiders need to be aware that North Harbour, from Grotto point to North Head is an aquatic reserve and squid may NOT be caught here. I’ve been checked by fisheries (happens often given the fact I’m out 3-4 times a week) and the noticed my rods with jigs attached and instructed me that it is actually an offence to have a jig attached to a line in the area. I think this “sucks” big time, but as a stickler for doing the right thing - I comply. map attached for reference.

Way to go @Robbo from Sydney, a meritorious catch - well done.. Now you’ve achieved your first, you’ll be hooked on top water “flicking”. Looking forward to your future reports.

It’s a joy to see folks hook up to a big Kingies and feel the arm wrenching drive of a solid Kingie and they’re not that hard to find - a whole different story to bring them to the boat.

Cheers Robbo, I reckon there’s something special about fishing, given Jesus 4 closest mates started out as fishermen and he used them to change the world - I’m always happy to take folks out if they’re happy to drive and pull my boat.

God is good.

A view of the weather (Dekee of course), suggested pretty good conditions for fishing until about 10.30am. Buddy Nick (a student from many moons ago) had a few spare days and checking his diary, it was about this time a year ago we got some good Kingies and he was keen to repeat the adventure. I caught up with @Roseville21 (Lelio) yesterday and we planned to meet at the ramp at 5amish today and catch a feed. We loaded up quickly with live Yakkas, had a box of squid, some pillies and a full heart. The plan was to go deep and long and hit the FAD’s or 12 mile. However the conditions were less than favourable, so after trying to repeat last weeks blessing of Trags off shore, we decided to head back inside to calmer water and try a few spots around the heads - so glad we did. Total for the day was 17 Kingies. We kept a few over 75 and released all the others and we’re back at the ramp by 10.30 to beat the weekend warriors. A great way th start the year with the aim of 100 kings over 75cms (I reached my target of 900 for 2023). God is good and Rosie the retriever was impressed when we got home as she loves to munch on a kingfish head.l

Mike - you lucky duck, I can assure you a full belt from a numb ray is a lot worse than a tens machine (still not fun - hope it didn’t hurt too much)

Nice bag f fish Basil - I’ll look to checkout reports from @Mrs Groper. That Trag is a beauty. I’ve been around WC island and like north - all rats, but good fun.

Lovely bag of healthy Lud’s @Burger, there’s been such a fantastic run of fish so far - hope it continues and you continue to get into them - love reading your reports.

Great report Mike, so good when the rod / reel are so well matched - great you nailed target species. Have you tried a small surf candy - I’ve found they work great, even though more a pelagic fly.

Still a new species for me Chris, only caught a few dozen over the years and mostly only happened upon them, but like to target them - seem to be like Jewies and very moon sensitive.

Took a newbie out for his first fishing trip in Sydney (had only been fishing once in Auckland 15 years before) and thought it’d be fun for him to hook into some kings. Although I knew there was plenty of live bait around, I was pretty sure squid from the day before would produce the goods and based on the surface action, I was confident we’d get into some salmon, tailor or mackerel on metal slugs, if all else failed, (reports of bust ups in the harbour were pretty numerous from the charter boys). I’d been talking with my buddy- @The Rev the day before and we planned to meet up and head off shore. Ian & had 13 kings (all rats - as the pic shows), when Bruce turned up and as so often happens, they turned off 😳. I suggested we go to a reef towards Long reef where we bagged some really good Trag the day before. I marked this on the sounder (I thought) so getting on top of the fish would not be hard, HOWEVER, I don’t know how, but I didn’t “save” it and couldn’t find the spot. Even though I followed the trail I just could not get on to them again. @The Rev suggested we go to a reef he knew of and target some Trag and snapper - he headed off, but weaknesses are strengths taken too far and I wanted to find the spot and persevered - to our detriment as I could not get onto fish. Bruce called us over when he’d bagged several nice Trag, but when we turned up (to see he and his buddy landing a nice Trag), by the time we were set up - they turned off. He kindly gave us some Yakkas and salted bonito and we got a few reef fish (not target species), but only one Trag. They day finished off well though, as we flicked some slugs into a diving flock of gulls and bagged some slimies feeding on the surface. Ian had a good day and took home a feed of Trag - one of the best eating fish in the sea, even nicer than flathead, Jew, Barra or Kingies (and way ahead of snapper or bream - in my opinion). I'm not sure how many Trag @The Rev boated but it was many more than us and his buddy Dave had a day to remember.

Well done @Jo5hC the great results were a result of you being perceptive and well prepared with gear and tackle. Family time is always a good investment in the future.

We’ll give you a cm mate - anything over the magic meter is a solid fish and 1 cm is negligible.

Another brilliant day Chris - go you good thing. Some nice Flatties. Isn’t it fn to hit a patch of Kingies that are hungry (even if there under legal).

Thanks Bill. Just about every reef off the heads is producing at the moment. I tried 3 spots yesterday and Trag on every one. Used Yakka strips and livies as well as squid - every thing seems to work.

Got to agree Basil, there have been so many coming in at so many spots, hope it keeps up.