A week in Forster

[stormy]

Just bought a new caravan, so decided to head off to Forster/Tuncurry for a couple of weeks with the Hobie on the roof racks and high hopes for a few fish. Well, I wasn't disappointed, catching between 3 and 10 flathead every single day. Went out at 6am each morning and was back by 10am on most days. Glorious weather although the wind did come up early most days, making for a hard peddle back to base. The Hobie is a really stable, made for fishing set up and was verymanageable amongst the oyster racks. It is a very quiet way of fishing and you can fish on shallow flats and oyster rubble, where there are a surprising numberof very big fish lurking. All the fish were caught in less than 1m of water. Gota few big flounder on soft plastics as well. One set of racks where I will concentrate on bream, next year, had huge fish crunching on oysters, but the wind made it difficult to cast accurately. Paddling through the racks, I could hear them from 30m away and then saw them laying on their sides on top of the oysters in only a couple of centimetres of water. I will be floating a bait downthere next time, as my casting skills are 8 good ones and two bad. The bad ones end up in lost lures and some of them cost upwards of $10 each. I hooked a 58cm flathead in a particularly narrow set of racks and she gave me some excitement before I managed to get it on board. Got spiked on the legs a few times but eventually managed to get her into the keeper net and then get the kayak off the top of the racks, where the wind had driven me. I mostly release bigger flathead like this, but kept her for the table this time. Anyway, we are booked in againnext year, same place same time.

[dynabolt]

Now that is good fishing and a good read.

Can I ask for some tips with landing a fish in a hobie? Specifically, what would you do differently to avoid leg cuts from the fish?

I'm a new Hobie owner and last night was trying to work out the safest way to land an angry fish that is in close proximity.... I was thinking to line my lap/legs with a brag mat or plastic apron... but looking for other suggestions.

[stormy]

Well, the big girl tore through the landing net, but if you can get a hold of the fish with grips or pliers, then you can control them pretty well. When they do get loose in the bottom of the kayak, then they can fly forwards in the direction they are facing. I had a 50cm fish actually scoot up the leg of my board shorts and that wasn't fun, trying to keep it from doing headshakes. The gill spikes tore holes in my shorts, but luckily not in any other precious places. Overall though, it isn't much of a problem. I also wear MENS swimming tights to protect me from sun and spikes.

[Paikea]

"I had a 50cm fish actually scoot up the leg of my board shorts and that wasn't fun, trying to keep it from doing headshakes."

I think that anyone reading this would have an instant mental picture of the situation and potential outcome. Ouch!

Great post Stormy, good to see you getting about.

Cheers

Paikea

[dynabolt]

Thanks stormy - will try and remember to ensure that the head is always facing away

Hadn't heard of swimming tights before - will have a look for them. Probably beats having to apply sunscreen (and to remember to re-apply sunscreen) - would still need to on hands and face obviously....

[GreyNurse]

Hey Stormy,

Thanks for the great report. I'm heading up to Forster for a week in March. I plan to explore the oyster beds as well. I hope I do half as well as you. Do you think shallow diving hard bodies might be better over the leases to minimise snags and bust offs?

[stormy]

Sure, but the top of the leases are only 30cm or so covered at high tide, so you aim to cast beside the racks, not on top of them. There are countless locations for good fish in the racks, over rubble beds, sand flats etc etc. Good luck when you go. Hope to see a report.

[brad_tate]

I would suggest an Environet or similar to land the fish - that should stop any breakthroughs or sharp bits gouging you from within the net. You may have to stow it flat so it doesn't end up acting as a sail though!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Scratchie]

Awesome read stormy! It's definitely a great way to chase fish at their level and you get some really good fish in a 1m of water! Might have to dust the cobwebs off the old yak and get out there!

Well done

Cheers scratchie!!!

[Yowie]

That's the problem with kayaks, an angry flattie on the loose can result in a few punctures in the legs, usually on the more tender inside parts, and as for the jatz crackers, that's the last place you want them to be stabbing with those head spikes.

Up the shorts must have had you thinking of some serious holes in the vital parts.

[GreyNurse]

Adds new meaning to the term "lizard" lol.

[macman]

Great post mate. I love fishing up there but have found it hard to crack the code entirely. Certainly I have found that lower tides work well, especially in the tinny and that the run out works well again in the tinny. Certainly would be easier in a Yak. I have fished a lot of the areas you recommended from last year and similar spots. What lures do you reckon work the best? I seem to have a lot of success with the bigger ecooda live shrimps but not much else. Although one of the kids caught a ripper on a squidge silver fox or similar On another note, I spotted some huge blackfish in between the racks up there this year and we caught heaps of crabs at the back of the lake.

Matt

[stormy]

Matt. I have good success on the Zerek live shrimps and the squidgy pro shads and the zman shrimps in white colour. Tried a few hard bodies last time up there and got hammered by big flathead as I was trolling them behind the yak as I peddled to other locations.

Lots of big blackfish around but I haven't targeted them specifically. Caught a couple on sp's, as a by-catch