Juzza

You'll need a bigger tank for the cod if you want it to grow a decent size, aquarium fish tend to get stunted if you dont give them suitable space to swim. For food, brine shrimp, blood worms, mysis, you might even be able to wean them onto pellet food. Maybe farming your own crickets would be good too. Justin

Sounds like theres some fish there where you need to up your gear with. Nice session you had today, if only i could get out! Its always fun to explore and use different techniques on new spots and be sucessful with them. Justin

Wow! Great fish you have there peter! A 43cm one Can imagine that one stripping line off, giving your light trace a work out! Justin

Went to monavale yesterday to try for a few blackies, caught my first blackie off the rocks!!! How differently do they fight off the rocks compared to narrabeen lakes! you feel the tap tap tap and then a bit of weight, you strike! and the weight it still there...once its realised its been hooked it bolts to deeper water stripping line off as you hear the drag clicking. Your rod is pointed towards the water, almost parallel to it. You bring the fish in towards you tilting your rod to the side to guide it, once it sees you it goes for another run (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....). Then finally it complies and you land it. Fish were caught in kneedeep water, and they run like mad when they are in the swallow water. Came best out of 3 , not including the other guy fishing from the beach I broke 3 PBs in that session: 35,36,37cm Only managed 34cm from all my previous sessions! Very happy with the results! Also, i bought a new reel (centrepin) online. It came on monday, its quite smooth, the backplate and spool are made with high grade aluminimum and stainless steel, with two double sealed stainless steel ball races. To take the spool out, you use the assessory shown in the pic and unscrew the middle knob out. The other pic shows all the different components, backplate+spool. The drag? is tightened by a knob on the backplate. All in all im pretty happy with this reel (besides the blue colour he gave me, instead of black) but i guess its good to be different + though ill be sanding out big time (the guy with the bright blue reel)...Hope i get to practise with it soon at the lake. Justin

Id assume all sizes are good for eating and bait! Keep the bigger ones for you to eat and smaller ones for kiggie/jewie baits Justin

I agree with A.dawg..i catch a few of those while rock fishing at long reef...when they come in all the fish go Justin

Went there on saturday and anchored up for a bit there, theres people jumping from their boats about 30mrt from the wharf. Crazy Justin

Fished monavale today close to the peak of the tide. Peter kindly offered to take me out for mainly blackie fishing off the rocks to teach me the ropes! There didnt seem to be too many blackies there today, Peter managed a 33cm blackie caught in about 2-3ft of water. Blackies actually have a completely different nature on the rocks, compared with say narrabeen lakes!!! We did have a fall back plan, and we manage 5 bream that averaged at 28cm (i only caught one of those). All in all, a great session with loads of learning oppotunities and alot to improve on. Hopefully i can practise what iv learnt when im down at newcastle and maybe catch my first ocean blackfish! I would like to say thanks to Peter for taking me out! Justin

Just wondering...is there anything i can do at newcastle in terms of landbased fishing within the harbour? Any blackies over there.....??? You dont get many reports from up there. Justin

If you want pictures...i have them! Stupid little bite like sores (though they're not). Takes forever to go away, had them for about two weeks and it takes approximatly 1 day to develop the sore like things. I had them not too long ago contracted from narrabeen lagoon Guess ill use waders next time =D Justin

I guess the technique would vary depending on the location and type of fish. Generally the reefy areas that iv been fishing for years have been good for wrasse and groper. I just lock the star drag tight as possible and if i get something i usually skull drag the fish out. Somehow using an eggbeater i was reefed by the fish less, this has now increased with the use of the alvey. But! the distance i get is GREAT, i can fish new territory, especially in reef spots. Justin

Hi, im having problems fishing off the rocks with an alvey. right now i have a 13ft rod matched with a 6500BCVRR alvey spooled with 25lb mono. I use a patenoster rig with a decent sized sinker so i can get some casting distance. So far, i think i have pretty much mastered casting without problems and retrieving line without tangles. But catching fish seems to be a problem! I GOT REEFED 5-6 TIMES TODAY BY DECENT FISH! lost quite a few sinkers....Whats the reason? Hooking the fish isnt a problem =D i feel good weight and a run...Anyway, when i strike i like to retrieve quite fast to get it off the bottom (as im fishing less than 3m of water). If there is some delay in retrieving line...ie a delay of 1 sec after striking theres a good chance to getting reefed! This delay is probably due to line burns on my finger when i just start retrieving really fast, as the line isnt moist (does anyone have a solution to this problem?), i got a double burn on the same spot today...OUCH!!!!! Im targeting reef fish =], and the odd drummer/rockblackfish and snapper Justin

I saw you guys when you packed up and left !!! Justin

I would say Blackies (luderick), nice catch! Justin

Something im most scared/aware of whilist rocking fishing (being washed in by a wave)! sad new indeed

Id have to say BLACKFISH THE DARK SIDE Justin

I better take the middle picture out, because i might find a bunch of fishraiders fishing in my backyard on the weekend Thanks for the info, ill have a think about the ones so far. 1. Buy a Dog 2. Stand outside nude and they'll eventualy leave... 3. Ask them to leave??? Call water police etc if it gets out of hand 4. Build something to deter them coming in: abiding by maritime rules and stuff (lots of paper work) 3 sounds great, possibly 4, not sure about 1, probably not 2 =D Justin

If they would have asked, it would have been a different story (even better if it was in advance). Its most unerving when you're washing the dishes and you look outside and someone is walking around at the back of your house. That being said, for the people that have asked we have allowed them to use it as a pickup point. Even so, we'd prefer people not to take advantage of this. Anyway, heres a few pics taken from today: Heres the back of my house and the beggining of the jetty Heres where people acess the jetty, by walking along the bank usually crossing everyone elses backyard. just to get to the jetty. Right now its a really big high tide, taken at the peak (1.78). Private property?!!! Ahahah Justin

Mmm well, this has happened to our jetty a few times...its the one that sticks out the most in the bay (so i think it happens more to us). Its accessible via land at low tide, but its connected to our backyard. We pay the maintence/fees etc etc, so its kinda annoys us (especially my parents) when people use it as a pick up point/ fishing/....even have a few people drinking a few beers at night! Using it as a pickup point is reasonable...except they walk in our backyard to get there!!! Just today someone walk onto the jetty while i was there studying. They were acting as if they owned the place or had the right to be there, they didnt even ask . Didnt know if i should of said anything, but it kinda bugs me, so i just wanted to make sure whats my 'rights'. Anymore comments would be great, Justin

Just wondering if there is a jetty coming off someone's property and it is acessable by land ie walking along the rocks. Are you allowed to use it to park your boat on it/fish off it/do 'stuff' on it, particularly if its not yours. I recall that you can, but does anyone have articles/the legislation on this? Thanks, Justin

ahahah, i was tricked/shocked untill i read Peter's post..then i looked at the ruler! Was this pussyfooting at monavale? Sound like you had a good time! I want to try off the rocks sometime soon and have a go at a few pigs too. Justin

Hey Cam! Great read and a great catch!!! imagine getting bags like those at narra!! Hope to catch up with you at narra! I just started taking on the 'art of beachworming' and got 4 in the first 2 hour session.!!! Justin

Dont forget about some fresh prawns, blue tailed ones (cheaper, generally buy this one) or tiger prawns (more expensive but tougher). Fresh live baits...BEST. I use to buy squid 'servo quality' it deterioated really quickly/it was already deterioated and i got less bites/no compared to using prawns. About yabbies..dont think you need an airpump just a bucket with a little bit of water, and just keep them cool (ice pack/shade)!!! Especially with the hot weather coming up Justin

Cant put it better than gary's advice Justin

Nice fish! Have still to land my first!