jamesds

Hi Jim77, That's an awesome reply I'm fishing with BigKing tomorrow, and your tips are most welcome. I'll take some photos tomorrow and whether we catch anything or not I'll post a full report. Thanks again

I nearly choked on my sandwich

I'd love to join you if you don't mind an extra novice on the outing. PM me. James.

Hi Steve, I'm pretty much a novice at the shore fishing myself, but if you'd like a buddy for weekend fishing sessions I'd be more than happy to join you. I'll PM you my contact details. James.

The lady at my local corner shop kept a lure for me because she knows I go fishing. She said for 40-odd papers she only got 8 lures - to be fair most people don't care (I know - weirdos!) so she was just giving them out to people that were interested.

Hi Geoff, I'm between jobs at the moment, although I start a new job next week. So all this week is fair game for me. A bit about me: I'm a 32 year old fisho. I usually fish land-based around Balmain, but get out to Middle Harbour occasionally, and various spots in the main harbour. I have a boat license (but no boat yet). I have all my own gear, and happy to contribute bait & costs. As for preferred locations - I don't really have any. Sydney Harbour is easy for me as it's on my doorstep, but I'm happy to make my way down to Botany or up to Pitt Water should the need arise. I'll DM you my mobile number. Regards, James.

And now it turns out I'm jobless so have plenty of free time on my hands. So any day of the week is good for me right now

Hi there, I realised that I haven't been fishing for absolutely ages, and I'm going to sort that out by going fishing tomorrow. Woo! Problem is, my usual fishing buddy has gone on a bloody road trip with his missus and left me all by myself! How selfish is THAT?! I have found myself in need of a replacement fishing buddy. I usually fish around Balmain and Birchgrove, but I'm happy to travel further east to meet up with someone. Not sure what I plan on chasing - I'm up for anything. High tide is about 10am tomorrow, so ideally I'll have a line in the water by 8:30 or 9:00. Any takers?! Come on, it's gonna be a nice and sunny day and the weather is showing signs of warming up again! Cheers, James

Hi BillyD, I'm a keen fisho (land-based) and would love to get out on the boat with you. I can bring my own gear and donate some bait & plastics & fuel costs. I may even make us some bacon and egg muffins for brekkie I'm free most Saturdays, (and some Sundays) even at short notice. If you're interested, send me a message. James. P.S. Weather looks awesome all this weekend!

Glad you're on the road to a speedy recovery, Donna!

Hi Ritchie, I ended up with a legal bream, a legal tailor and a tons of small stuff. Everything was released. My biggest issue was that I couldn't catch live bait - there were hundreds of yakkas at my feet but I couldn't convince any of them to take my small long shank (tried pillie skin, bread, squid & prawn). They loved the bread whenI berleyed with it - just wouldn't take it from anything sharp and pointy ! I was there for the kings, so I was fairly disappointed that I couldn't get past the first step. It wasn't crowded on the rocks on the north-east side where I was, but I was fairly lucky I think. I'll let you know when I'm next out for a session - usually every Saturday from early til late. James.

On my way there now. SMS me if you would like to join me.

Hi All, I'll be fishing at a spot close to the Spit Bridge tomorrow, hoping for some kingies. I plan on being there before 8am to catch some livies, in time for the 9am high tide. I'd love to have some company - if anyone would like to join me that'd be great. Novices or pros, both welcome I'm pretty amateur myself, but like getting out and giving it a go! Oh, I'll be fishing landbased. SMS me if you're interested: 0410634485 Cheers, James.

Simmons Point on Google Maps: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&sou...s+2041&z=16

Hi Harry, I had a quick go in Balmain - tried for Yakkas off Thames Street Wharf in Mort Bay but could't get any, then tried fishing off the far end of Ballast Point for whatever I could raise. I had three outfits out: really light gear with small long shank for yakkas using bread and pillie pieces, a heavyish rod with ganged pillie hanging 1.5m under a float (for hopefully kings or tailor) and another heavyish rod rigged paternoster style with pillie or prawn. All I could raise were small snapper on my lightest gear. I was berleying hard too. Anyway, I've yet to land a kingie (hooked up to a few in the past) and don't have a boat so if you'd like to join me land-based, PM me and we'll sort something out. Cheers, James.

Hi evilborris, I was fishing off ballast point today as it happens. Couldn't raise anything except for ultra-small snapper. I was tried for Yakkas around Thames Street Wharf first, but couldn't get any. I've never had much luck with Yakkas in that area though. The Yeend Street Wharf is well locked up at the moment. Last year it would be locked and the next day some fisho would have broken in. Can't say I condone it, but it IS a great wharf to fish from -I've done pretty well there in the past. I just wish they'd get rid of it OR make it safe so that fishos can use it without getting into trouble / breaking the law / potentially hurting themselves. The second option is obviously preferable. If you'd like to join me for a kingie session from there PM and me and we'll give it a go Cheers, James.

Hi Kalw, I'm not sure what you mean by the northern side of the channel. The inlet runs north-south so surely you mean the west side? Is that only workable from a boat? http://maps.google.com.au/maps?sourceid=ch...ved=0CBMQ8gEwAA Cheers, James.

I was there last week. I mostly fished off the small pier next to the church. The most exciting thing I caught was a reef shark (which went back in) which gave me a tough battle. If you don't take your own gear, you can rent rods from the chandlery about 2 minutes walk from the pier, for 12 bucks/day. The locals say you can get mangrove jack and barramundi off the pier. You need to cast out pretty far to the left where the water is deeper. All the locals say pillie is the best bought bait for the area. I hired a boat with my dad and took it up the inlet for the arvo for two small bream. While the scenery was beautiful, I don't think it's worth paying for a boat unless you have a guide or you have experience fishing among mangroves (I don't so it was totally down to pot luck for me). I didn't try a charter there, so can't give you any advice in that department. - James.

Hi Jewgaffer, I was fishing in Birchgrove from 5am to 12pm today (28th December). It was spitting with rain and drizzly until about 8am and then there were heavier showers punctuated with drizzle periods. It was never what I would call heavy rain, but it was pretty much constantly raining the whole time. I was thoroughly soaked (and cold! I didn't move to Australia for this weather ) and had nothing except a barely legal bream to show for it! James.

Hi there Mike, Which wharf were you fishing at - Balmain East or Thames Street? I've been seeing kings in Mort Bay cruising along around the edge of the Bay but still haven't managed to get one yet. I've never caught anything at Balmain East (not anything worth keeping anyway!) but Mort Bay often produces the goods (Bream / Whiting / Snapper / Flatties). If you're in the area and would like a fishing buddy, PM me and we'll sort something out. James.

Thanks! Tasted fantastic too More Bay fishes OK if you put the hours in. I'd say I catch legal fish about 60% of the time, which sounds rubbish but it's much better odds for me personally than any other place I fish, but I think it's just because I'm getting to know Mort Bay. Most of the generic advice that applies to other fishing spots also applies to Mort Bay: i.e. an hour either side of high tide fishes well, dawn + dusk fish well, around structure fishes well, use berley etc. Combine those factors and you boost your odds, e.g. dawn high tide. Also further outside the bay - towards the harbour - berley becomes more important as the water is deeper and much more expansive. If you know how to catch mullet (I haven't really tried in earnest) there are always mullet along the back wall, regardless of tide any time of day. Just sit on one of the benches with some polaroids on and you are bound to see them. There are often a heap of garfish in the mornings at the back of the bay in the shallows on the playground side. They are fun to catch, and make great live bait. Also, if you see a heap of bait fish in the area, stick around for a while and watch for any surface action. There could be kings in the area chasing them. I've witnessed some massive surface activity a couple of times in the last 2 weeks - never managed to bag the kings though, only tailor. Just my 2 cents worth, hope you find that all useful! James.

Hi FaCE, I'm down there a couple of times a week. Sometimes I go farther afield with a mate of mine (has a car, I don't) but usually I just head to Mort Bay as it's walking distance from where I live, and the fishing can be pretty good at times. In fact, I'd say that I catch fish more reliably there than anywhere else, but I think that's more just because I know the area quite well, and when the fish are firing, what structure is good to fish etc. PM me whenever you are heading down there. Always good to have more fishing buddies. James.

Hi All, Spent a few hours at Mort Bay yesterday arvo. After one undersize luderick, a cuttle fish (which I kept for bait, but the line snapped as I cast it!) I managed to back this lovely chappy on a live yabbie. I didn't measure him, but it was a fat whiting, the photo doesn't do it justice! And turned him into this: And it went down nicely with a cold - James

I'll be all sour and bitter while you're out in your tinnie this afternoon while I'm stuck inside working... Good luck mate, make sure you take you camera

Anyone who was in Mort Bay from 3pm on Saturday afternoon was treated to an awesome spectacle (at least as far as landbased fishing goes). The bay was full of whitebait, and the kings, tailor and bonito (yes, bonito!) were hot on their tail. About every ten minutes there was utter chaos as the predators were herding up the whitebait from below and gorging themselves. You could not be sure where they would pop up next - you just wanted it to be within casting distance. Eventually they popped up right at my feet and on my second cast with a 40 gram slug, I pulled in a 50cm tailor. I had my polaroids sunnies on and could see there were kings and tailor schooling together, and there was even some bonito, which really surprised me. It was adrenalin fueled fun. I couldn't interest the kingies, but have been told by a local to change my tactics and let the lure sink before jigging it up as the kings tend to stay below the tailor. Hopefully I'll get a chance to see if this works. Talking to a couple of locals, it turns out that this action has been happening most late afternoons / early evenings for about two weeks. I'll be making sure I knock off work early this week and get down there. What fun!