arpie Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 (edited) Hi all I was out on the water for an hour or so yesterday whilst Keith had a swim & managed to land 2 'just legal' flatties, a kiddie's blow up boat that was flip-flopping across the channel & a lady's hat that had blown off!!! An eventful session on the water! Up early this morning, to get the last of the in tide & on the water by 6.30am. I was concentrating on top water lures & had a few follows & takes on my poppers, but no hookups! I pedalled around the back of the islands & saw 2 blokes (obviously good!) luring out of their boat with a leccie, getting fish on every other cast! They didn't want to swap boats, so suggested I try top water lures 'walk the dog' style & see how I go! Up till now, I hadn't really mastered the 'walk the dog' style from the yak (easier standing up in a boat!) ..... but thought, what the heck!! give it another go! WHACK!! Nice 32cm whiting! 32cm whiting This was followed by another 9 whiting to an average size of 30cm! All fish were put back. 31cm whiting One little sucker drove a hook into my hand as I was releasing him, right into the muscle!! I know ..... it looks like my foot!! But it isn't! before It took a bit of tugging, but I finally got it out, as it was in virtually up to the bend! Ouch! It is still a bit sore, now! after All up, a good morning on the water .... hope it keeps up Somehow, methinks it will become MAYHEM in a very short time! Cheerio for now Roberta Edited December 24, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luderick59 Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 10 whiting on lures good size as well top catch peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjneville Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 You're a star Roberta! I reckon those whiting would be staying in my live well with a firm dinner invitation though...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 That's a very interesting day indeed! Hope the hand isn't too sore Roberta. Well done on a great session. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 hehe Thanks Peter & Qwyjibo (very interesting name .... bet there is a story behind it! ) It is the first time I have had that much fun with them! I have been trying for them frequently & may get one or two ...... I dropped heaps & had even more following! Usually they chase my lure & I don't catch them! One even climbed up the back of the lure .... looked like a shark's head They must have been really hungry! .... those whiting would be staying in my live well .... I usually can't be bothered trying to get all the bones out of them .... much prefer meatier fish like flatties & blackies! Cheers ROberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewgaffer Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Nice little session Roberta! You're certainly getting consistent results with your lure fishing Take care when taking your hooks out, fish have a habit of trying to jump out of your hands when you least expect it. Cheers jewgaffer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.dawg Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Ouch~ that looks very painful But thats some nice fish all on lures Wish i can get that many whitting on lures CHeers A.dawg~~~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glennmreid Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Great report Roberta. Sounds like you had a great session. That hook in the hand looked painful. You are braver than most to remove it yourself. I can imagine how painful it must have been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jewhunter Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 G'day Roberta. I just spoke to Bubba & he was impressed with your efforts. He told me they fished for 7 hrs & landed over 70 fish. Good bloke to follow I reckon!!!!! Once again well done. That's a great effort in the yak. Cheers, Grant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jahajo Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 ouch that must have hurt Nice haul of fish there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 (edited) Hi Grant .....they fished for 7 hrs & landed over 70 fish....... OMG!! And I thought I was addicted!!! I headed home after 4hrs! They already had caught & released about 50 when I left! The tide had turned & it went quiet for a while. That was nice of him to stop & give me some tips - nice bloke ..... I have my pencil lures in the yak, but had never had success with them in the past, so threw them out somewhat reluctantly! Glad I did tho!! Instantly got into fish! Mind you, they had found them for me! I'll be keeping an eye out for them ...... I reckon they'll be trying that spot again! Having the wind behind me made a big difference to the distance I could cast, too. Hi Glenn & Hazza ...... it looked worse than it felt. Sure, I balked a few times when I was pulling it out & that probably made it hurt more! I shoulda just ripped it out quickly! Instead I sort of just worked it out slowly & I could almost 'hear it' clicking thru the muscle! I have done it once before, removing it on my own & another time when a buddy got it out! Cheers Roberta Edited December 23, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roosterman Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 (edited) OUCH that looked real painfull roberta... looks like the fish are trying to fight back against the queen of forster eh.... next it will be kamikazi black trevally launching out at ya next blacky hunt that sounded like a good session you had and for the guys to help out like that is great to hear... 70 fish is something special and i bet they wish it could be replicated between 28th - 29th March at the ABT eh... cheers...steve... Edited December 23, 2008 by roosterman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
micksfishn Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 sounds like a nice day out and thats exactly why i crush all barbs on all hooks easier to get out of fingers and and alot better for the fish that get released mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawksburydave Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Good job with the whiting and flatties, keep up the good work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robeebee Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 great effort Roberta shame about the hook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 23, 2008 Author Share Posted December 23, 2008 Hi Eddie I was using a Sammy, but any of the pencil type 'topwater' lures should work, as the guys were using totally different ones to me!! The 'clear ones' work better, apparantly. Check this set of vids out for how to 'walk the dog'! It is more difficult from the yak, much easier standing up doing it! http://au.youtube.com/results?search_query...alk+the+dog%22+ I am keen to get out & try again, tho! Cheers Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Great report Roberta! Congrats on an outstanding effort with the surface lures. A totally different commotion between poppers and 'walk the dog' types lures. I have been having some great success over the last couple of days on the NW pencils as well, pinning 2 nice whiting around the 38-41cm mark, and a shedload of bream. You'll be pleased to know that Hodgey.snr has now caught his first bream on surface lures ... and is champing at the bit to get back out there after them It's got me beat how you manage to work the lure corerctly, when you are so close to the water's surface in a yak! Just makes your success that much more impressive! Chat soon ... Regards Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendong Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 Ouch!!! But well done....70 fish that's unbeliveable....were they mainly whiting or a few breambo's thrown in there too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hot_rolls Posted December 23, 2008 Share Posted December 23, 2008 good report Roberta, seem like you can catch anything you have a crack at. only wish that was the same for me! your one tought woman in regards to the hook. had a friend hooked himself once, when all pale like a ghost after he had removed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 24, 2008 Author Share Posted December 24, 2008 (edited) Hi Hodgey ..... 2 nice whiting around the 38-41cm mark....... here I was about to say how excited I am about my new PB 37cm whiting! AMAZING!! Yours are monsters! Well done & to your Dad also for his first bream on surface lure! Yeah - the 'walk the dog' is quite a bit more difficult from a yak ...... try sitting on the floor & doing it! However, with the Starlo Stix rod & a bigger lure, it seems to be working better for me now!! Hi Hot rolls - I really do have to work at it tho! Sometimes I come back with zippo, I just don't always admit to that tho! The hook removal hurt, but wasn't too bad! Hi poddy Trapper - the 70 were mainly whiting with some very nice bream thrown in too (at least till I left anyway!!) Well, I Went out again today, a good 2hrs later, so probably missed the 'best bite time' - the wind was stronger & coming from the opposite direction & I thought it was going to rain on me ..... but it held off! The whiting weren't where they were yesterday, but I got a nice bream on a chubby on my way to Spot X, which got off at the yak! He had about 4 goes at it before he got it! Then got a small flattie when I went into one of the leases & chanced my chubby. Got a small whiting & watched a few bream show a bit of interest in it! THen started working my way back to shore & got hit by what I assume is a bream on popper, but it also got off! Looking at the hooks, I am not surprised! I am replacing them today! Went to a small bubble pop & got another whiting pretty quickly, but no real size to it. The wind was a pain & I had the drogue out all the morning. Stopped in my usual Breck Channel spot & spooked some flatties, then had a bite on the chubby again. Didn't hook up (even tho it has better hooks! ) I think I yanked it after the bite instead of letting it sit there for a while ! Called the other half to come & pick me up & of course, then, wouldn't you know it, the fish came on the chew!! I got a really nice whiting that went 37cm!! It was so big around the neck that my fingers did not meet! A new PB! Yaaaay! I thought it was a big pike, as it went ballistic & was jumping all round the place! So that was what I caught next, after missing another couple of whiting! I should have stayed in the Channel all along, given the wind! So, from a 'not very promising start' I was pleased with how it turned out! Will be out on the water again tomorrow with Keith (assuming it isn't raining ..... like the last 2-3 Christmas Days!) We plan on paddling the lake till we find a nice quiet island & will have a picnic lunch! and possibly a fish, but I haven't told Keith that yet! I gave it to my neighbour, who wouldn't believe that the whiting I got yesterday had taken my lure! CHeerio Roberta Edited December 24, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke K Posted December 24, 2008 Share Posted December 24, 2008 Hi Roberta, That is as quite an eventful session you has there. How about those whiting hey, that's awesome. I've just started buying some hard bodies to target whiting but I'm not having a lot of success so far. I would love some advice. That looks like a very painful injury, one that I would not wish upon my worst enemy. I would have probably fainted with that one. Well done on a great session. Bye Luke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Hi Eddie & Luke That was one really thick, dark whiting! He must have been in the lake over the weed beds, pigging out on prawns! Any of the better quality pencil lures (eg lucky craft Sammy smaller or larger) seem to work well once you have found a patch of whiting - they will also catch bream & flatties too. I am new to it & do it from a yak - much easier doing it standing up on a boat or from a jetty or shore. Hodgey has put up some terrific posts on popping for bream, whiting & flatties - check this one out http://fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?showtopic=28395 For whiting, you usually just speed it up a bit - they prefer to chase stuff down. You can still put in the odd pause, but keep it moving. If a flattie takes a liking to it, it will take it down, no worries! Just keep practising at it, & it will come. Use heavier leader (about 12lb) incase a flattie does take a liking to it! Cheerio & good luck Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich P Posted December 25, 2008 Share Posted December 25, 2008 (edited) Guys and Gals Walking the dog is not that hard.you just have to get the right lift and get in sync with your retrieval of the line. It doesnt matter if you are standing or sitting. Just get your timing right and you will be braining them. The other thing to consider is your rod.If it is to stiff in the tip it is a little harder to work but it can be done. Youy really need a rod with a sensitive tip. A good quality 1-3kg or even the 2- 4 kg will do. i.e, Loomis SR842 or the Shimano T curve or even the Berkley pro tactic. Poppering for Whiting is like fishing in a barrel so take consideration on what you keep.I know there is limits but hey you want to do it next year dont you. Anyway have a good holiday and stay safe. Side note : When chasing anything on the surface dont be scared to throw into 3inches of water its amazing what can be caught there.The same goes for depth ive caught bream and whiting from 10ft of water and even had flatties come to the surface lure from the depths. Rich Edited December 25, 2008 by Rich P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted December 25, 2008 Author Share Posted December 25, 2008 Thanks for that Rich - forgot to put up some Youtube footage that has some good ideas on how to do it - the Zara Spook video one is a partcilularly good example, but he is using a baitcaster not a spin reel, for 'walking the dog' I thought (6th one down.) http://au.youtube.com/results?search_query..._type=&aq=f Check some of the other footage that is indicated on the right hand side when you choose one. Well done Eddie - it really is whiting season now - I see lots around the leases that I fish for flatties inn But have only recently started targetting them! ROberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sails Posted December 26, 2008 Share Posted December 26, 2008 Hi Roberta, once again well done on the yak fishing, and thanks for the good news about whiting and lures. Pity about the hook!! That must have hurt. Do you carry a set of pliers that can be used to cut the hook once you push it all the way through. It hurts a lot less than trying to work the hook back out ; I know from experience!! talk with you soon, Cam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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