hookerbruce

Yesterday I was thinking I should go and have a late arvo fish for reds off Cronulla. Used to do exactly what you did, by catch was always interesting some huge red rock cod big coloured reef jacket odd gummy shark squid and even one trip a blue swimmer up at the Berley bucket in 20 m of water. Nice reds and nice report. I used to fish in about 17-20 m of water. What depth were you in ? Tuesday night is looking good for me to give it a try.

Just a standard paternoster rig two 3/0 suicide hooks 20lb fluorocarbon trace fished on 20lb braid and a 6 ounce sinker. Used bonito strips for bait because this is what I had. Any tough fish bait will do. I quite often use sweep fillets or mahi belly flaps Bruce

All my fish go straight into an ice slurry with salt water. Six fish were perfect one when I went to fillet it the same day the flesh was like jelly/Ousey. Have had a couple like this over the years. Bruce

The fish that dreams are made of

I’ve had the odd Dollie with soft flesh before. Also back in the 80s had a few kings from the Peak that were inedible. Probably good to get the diseased fish out of the water. The carcass is going in the bin not back through the barley bucket. Thanks Dave I was quite pleased as it was a short trip

South west arm looks interesting I have only caught a few good bream and some tailor there. At least it’s got some protection from southerlies. A day of exploring is always good. If you hadn’t gone out you would have wondered what the day would have brought.

Thanks for the replies Had fish for dinner last night with the grandkids, gave some to couple of neighbours who keep an eye on the place when we’re away and froze 4 meals. With 1 Dollie the flesh was inedible soft like jelly. Nice getting to the fad first doesn’t happen often not even midweek. Maybe the approaching southerly deterred some. Had first flatly drift in 35m for all throwbacks. Started next drift in 40m and there were plenty of fish. It is nice midweek on the water Can actually say hello to. The boat next door even if you don’t know he is a raider. Bruce

The weather and family commitments aligned on tues and I made my first Dollie trip for the year. Went and caught my live bait on Monday arvo to save time on tues morning. Got to the FAD at 6:45 good conditions and first boat there. Didn’t see or catch any big fish but content with a steady stream of fish 55cm to 67cm. Kept 7 then left the FAD at 9:15 and headed in to fish for some flathead. Caught 10 keepers in an hour and headed for the ramp at 11:00 after an on water safety check by water police (all in order). While at the Fad said hello to the next boat that arrived and went over before I left he had kept 3 thought a quick flat tie fish on the way back in sounded ok. Never know who you will bump into out on the water.

Nice blue boat you have.

As Ash has said it’s what you get used to , the young kids have been using 1kg since they were 3yrs old so have developed the skills to use the light lines. The light lines allow you to use little or no sinkers which does appear to catch more fish. We also fish areas where we have a good chance of landing the fish. Try to avoid extra rocky areas. Legal kingfish on 1kg line is possible. Our best flathead on 1kg was 5.9 kgs by my son, fish was put in a large live tank weighed measured and released a few minutes later and swam off strongly. You can visit the ansansw web site and see the line class records

Most reds I’ve caught in the Hacking. I think I may have caught the chinamen jackets where you caught them mouth of yowie bay up in the shallower water. There were no proper fish in the deep water. We were planning to take the van to SA this time next year, but grandkids are going to Disneyland next year now and someone wants to go with them.

Nice photos show the dirty water and areas fished. Sounds like great fishing Were you on a live aboard or shore based accom. when I was up there in the dry season last year there were lots and lots of crocs

May used to be the best month for the jackets close in to wall. I used to target them about 40 years ago. Dropped an anchor out wide clear of the concrete blocks then run in close and use a couple of plastic bottles thrown up in the blocks as a back anchor. When it was time to go just start the motor and pull the bottles out then retrieve the front anchor. Used the same method to fish the wall for blackfish. Anchor with boats bow facing out. Only on days without a big swell. Nice jackets might try it again. Also used to get odd groper bream etc

Caught the crabs on a line with a sweep head for bait. Would normally expect a few more this time of the year Caught the reddies about 9:30-10:30 when I had already tried several spots for no result. Caught on bonito fillets.

Only came across them at one location. Lost couple of hooks I find them very nice eating so caught a few before moving

As the Hacking fished okay on the weekend I decided to have a go yesterday. Went and fished the same areas for zero. Had to explore a bit and found some fish. in the deeper water out from Lilli Pllli. Also caught and released a 62cm king. Reds were 32-36 cm

Weather forecast for last weekend was not good but there were windows of opportunity. Took the grandsons out on Port Hacking after school on Friday till dark. Both caught caught fish. One a nice flathead the other his first ever legal snapper. Out again sat 9:30 when the weather had a settled back at the ramp at 2:30before the wind. Another first with a legal king 2.44 kg on 4kg. Plus bream, tailor and a 62cm king released. The flathead won the junior section .96 on 1kg

Got a solution to your boat storage problem. You buy a boat, register, insure it and fill it with fuel and you can leave it in my back yard. I will take it out 4 or 5 time's a week for you to make sure everything is going okay

I like to think of here as home. Amazing how many times I have to come up here to cut the grass do a bit of painting pick the tomatoes and check out the fish Bruce

Went out today same place with a variation. Cast a small lure around for a while caught two whiting on lure then went back to casting nippers. Caught a lot of whiting kept 4 and 4 flathead kept one about 50cm. thanks for your comments.

Decided to take advantage of the good conditions today and headed to the river to try my luck. Found a nipper flat I could access from the shore. Pumped some nippers and started fishing, few throwback whiting and flathead then landed a 40cm flathead. Over the next 2 hours landed a steady stream of whiting about 1 in 4 legal. Also kept 3 flathead to 54cm. Really good session with a bite almost every throw. The wind was behind me which made casting easy.

Normally anchored in shallow water near the edge of a channel. Use 1 or 2 kg mono on a very light rod with 6 or 8 lb fluorocarbon leader. Sometimes l get out of the boat and wade the flats.

Always nice to catch a different species especially when they taste so good

Nice bream The drift out there this morning was very slow. Only a few boats out there today I did notice a couple of tinny's one of them might have been you. Bruce

Had a fish in the Hacking this morning hoping for one of Yowie's reddies or jew. All I managed was a tailor. So had a go for crabs but they didn't want to play. Headed outside east of the Bommie and had a slow drift around for blue spot flathead. Fishing was slow, kept 8 35-40 cm then headed back inside and tried a few spots and managed 4 nice crabs. Back at Grays point ramp by 12 Didn't notice Yowie go past have to keep my eyes open. Bruce