Hitting The Hawkesbury This Weekend

[Y2kGoofball]

Hello all

Sorry to make my first post a really stupid question thats been asked several times over.

Its rare that me and dad get the same weekend off, so we've decided to take the boat out to the hawkesbury this weekend, assuming we can get to it past the spider webs!

Now on previous outings ive tried my best to search forums and websites for suggestions and everytime I print a topic or an article I get excited that it tells us where to look, what bait to use etc etc, so we buy the bait suggested and head out, only to not catch a thing (or even get a nibble) because that topic was posted 4 months ago when the water was cooler/hotter/wetter/bluer and the fish were biting/swimming/in the area!

So I thought rather then stuffing this outing too I'd give up and ask some guys with ideas for some current advice for this weekend!

We fish around the freeway and railway bridges, or the otherside of the island.

Can someone please guide a couple of knobheads in the right direction ... what bait or lures should we try? Where should we look? We've got a sounder / fish finder but dont really know what to look for, can anyone guide me on how to get this thing to help us (or is there a topic around that might be helpful?) What rod techniques can we use? Is burley any use?

Ive heard the Jewfish are supposed to be bighting around this area ... is this true? Are we better off trying to just focus on, and research jewies this weekend?

Obviously we'd be better off doing a fishing class but with the little time we both get off we try to hit the water and see how we go, but its aq dissapointment when we keep coming back without even the slightest of nibbles.

Any help is greatly appreciated. I'll be wrapped the day I land anything

[Guest iain]

Welcome to the site mate. Many of us are inept fishos as well so you're in consistent company!!!

I'm sure a few of the boys will help you out. That's what this site is about, helping others get onto a few fish.

[Guest Jewel]

The "Jewfish Secrets" DVD has heaps of good info on the area you are talking about.

[Y2kGoofball]

hmm I might have to hang around here a bit more often and become less of a stranger! Thanks for the quick replies, its good to see people willing to jump in and give a hand

I'll look into getting the DVD Jewel, it sounds like what I need to watch. Anythings better then nothing.

[Guest Jewel]

Its a good place in here mate, a lot of people who take fishing seriously but still have the time to be social.

There are moments though!!!!!!

[Guest Jocool]

--------------------

Currently sponsored by Fishrunner.

(you will get your boat back soon mate!!!!!!)

This is an absolute crack up!

Hey Goof ball...sorry I can't help you personally with tips for the Hawkesbury, but I'm sure some of the guys that fish it more than me will throw up some ideas.

Have you ever tried catching your bait rather than buying it?

[Guest bluecod]

Have you ever tried catching your bait rather than buying it?

Ahhh, one of the secrets to success

Goofball - get yourself a kingsize yabby pump and pump up some nippers from the ends of the bays in Cowan at low tide and either throw them unweighted at structure, rocks, bridge pylons, weed beds, corners of beaches etc on a 1/0 suicide hook, or drift them around the flats, Juno to F & S, the cockle beds etc with just enough weight to keep them down on the bottom using a trace of about 1 metre.

Alternatively anchor, at dusk, perpendicular to the shoreline one boat length out at the Vines or Long island and fish them back through a light burley trail - again with a size "0" ball sinker running straight to the hook [1/0 suicide]. As the tide drops off, fish them without sinker and let line out slowly keeping in touch with the bait. You'll almost always feel the first tap of a bream and in this event feed out another five or so feet of line if he runs with it. When he's run five feet or so, gently strike and hopefully you'll be on.

[jewnut]

if its jewies you want they are definately around at the moment. I have had some great sessions on the schoolies at the road bridge. Get your boat in about 35-40 ft of water and fish back to the pylons with the tide, i.e runout-anchor upstream of bridge and fish back to it and vice versa on the run in. I like to anchor in line with the end of the beach(bridge side) on the upstream side on a small run out. If its big jew you want you could try to join the masses that will no doubt be at Juno.

As for bait, you must use FRESH squid(or live of course) as well as fresh slabs of fish(tailor, mullet etc) but you cant go past squid.

Best of luck.

[Y2kGoofball]

guy sorry for the barage of questions now ...

anthony, sounds like we need to talk

We've decided this weekend to target the Jewies so I'm going to cram as much info down my throat as I can between tonight and Saturday morning!

As for bait, you must use FRESH squid(or live of course) as well as fresh slabs of fish(tailor, mullet etc) but you cant go past squid.

yep we're up for it. In the process of organising a live bait tank! Do you mind if I ask some questions ...

-Is there anywhere close to brooklyn boat ramp that sells live squid?

-What size hook to use, and how do you acctually rig them? Weve tried squid before but as soon as we cast out we see the hook hit the water over here and the bait goes flying over there! Obviously not securing to the hook right!

-Is there a rod technique to use?

TelcoBroker we'll give that a shot as well

Another ripper bait for flatties is tailor - fillet them up and slice them into long strips leaving the skin on. Feed the strip onto a baitkeeper hook and leave a long tail like strip trailing off the hook. THis will work a treat I promise.

is there any rod technique to this? Throw it in the water and wait for a bight?

Alternatively if you catch a few squid then take them home for calamari.

mmmm calamari! Whats the chances of catching some squid in the hawkesbury? Is there any bait their more attracted to? (youve got me going on this now!!!) Is there any suggestions for landing a squid if we do get lucky?

Sorry for the questions, but its best to ask them now before we hit the water and think "hmm should've asked ..."

[robthefisherman]

to the site y2kgoofball.

I'm fishing the hawkesbury this weekend from fri-sun so if ya get on to some wave your arms madly about so I can muscle in on your action.

Run a red flag (or undies) on ya boat so If we see ya we can say G'day also check out my other post hawkesbury fisho's drop by for a beer. You and ya dad are more than welcome to stop by for a cold one

[jewnut]

squid can be caught up the ends of most of the bays in the Cowan system as well as in Pittwater.

the convenience store in Brooklyn (next to the pub) sell squid that have been frozen fresh and will score fish so dont be too concerned about getting live squid.

as for rigs, i use a two hook rig ranging from 6/0's to 10/0's depending on the size of the bait.

do yourself a favour and take up Jewel's sugestion and grab a copy of Jewfish Secrets from most tackle stores. it has everything youll need to know and will be much easier for you to follow and learn as you can see the rigs, how to bait up properly etc and its made by Greg Joyes who is the guru when it comes to Jew.

[Y2kGoofball]

yep I've got Thursday planned, knock off work and head straight for the tackle shop to pick up the DVD, and spend Thursday night watching it and Friday night reviewing it (after we've attached the boat to the car and the gear to the boat!)

When you say its been frozen fresh would frozen fresh bait have the same effect if I were to buy it from a local bait shop (in Penrith) or are we best off stopping at the store in Brooklyn and getting their bait? I dont know if theyve got different squid to whats availiable here or if its all the same just the freshness that differs?

[youon?]

yep I've got Thursday planned, knock off work and head straight for the tackle shop to pick up the DVD, and spend Thursday night watching it and Friday night reviewing it (after we've attached the boat to the car and the gear to the boat!)

When you say its been frozen fresh would frozen fresh bait have the same effect if I were to buy it from a local bait shop (in Penrith) or are we best off stopping at the store in Brooklyn and getting their bait? I dont know if theyve got different squid to whats availiable here or if its all the same just the freshness that differs?

hey goofball,

the dvd is great and relevent to all the places you fish....... they are all featured in the dvd and a pretty good watch. As for bait, if you live in penrith, you probably best of going to a fishing store in st marys. He has great fresh frozen hawkesbury squid. Its the only frozen squid baits ive seen where the eyes are still greenish/blue......i've also caught kings on said bait............ the bloke who owns the place made the jewfish dvd with greg joyes so he should be able to give you even more pointers. pm me if you want the web address.......good luck

[agkelly]

Hey goofball,

I'm new to this forum myself!

I live in the penrith area,if you want fresh hawkesbury squid, you can get it from St. Marys Bait and Tackle. They have fresh squid usually on a friday morning which hasn't been frozen. Also you can grab a copy of the DVD it's about $35

When there talk to the guys about takle, there all jew nuts.

good luck!

[Kingy]

Has anyone had any experience with Narrabeen bait and tackle store (nth of the bridge). They sell fresh squid but it always seems too pink and limp/old. Does anybody get there squid from here and use it on jewies or kingies?? Wondering if it's worth still buying this or catching my own (caught 5 squid, 2 cuttlefish near palmy wharf on Sunday night, yeah!!!! but don't think i'll be able to consistantly produce them)

[youon?]

i'm the jewie man. you can ask HAL, i'm just as good as grey joyce and i've even met the guy. if you want a jewie i can tell you where you'll get one

Ahh, the art of one handed typing.....

With the work i do i here that all the time......"And i've even met the bloke".......

Edited November 9, 2005 by youon?

[Martin]

Has anyone had any experience with Narrabeen bait and tackle store (nth of the bridge). They sell fresh squid but it always seems too pink and limp/old. Does anybody get there squid from here and use it on jewies or kingies?? Wondering if it's worth still buying this or catching my own (caught 5 squid, 2 cuttlefish near palmy wharf on Sunday night, yeah!!!! but don't think i'll be able to consistantly produce them)

Kingy, I buy all my bait from there and have bought the frozen and fresh suqid they sell. No problems, have caught a few jew, nothing huge, but I have had some solid runs bust offs and no hook up.

If I get a chane I will go to the fish markets at Ultimo and look around for the hawkesbury squid and buy some whitebait.

There is a great video on the Hawkesbury called Fishing the Hawkesbury. Shows a heap of places to fish, Good buying at $25

Try the mouth of the Hawkesburyon the western side of the channel markers and drift in about 10 to 12 feet of water. You will get a feed of flathead. Keep a big bait out because there is always a hore in there somewhere.

Drift along any of the rock shore lines and float peeled prawn or whitebait for bread and use some burley like pellets.

[blackant]

I normally buy my bait there as well though I do try and catch my own squid. I usually try the wharfs around Scotland island, Taylors point, Sand point, The Basin and the West Head. If i still can't get any, I catch a couple of Yakkas and throw them out. So far my success rate this year is a big fat 0 but persistence pays off. That's what I keep telling myself .

Can also vouch with the "Fishing the Hawkesbury" video, pretty good although it mainly shows the Hawkesbury/Broken Bay, nothing on Pittwater.

Edited November 9, 2005 by blackant

[Y2kGoofball]

hmm so I need to look at buying 2 DVD's tomorrow

[agkelly]

Hey goofball,

I'm in the penrth area, so if you want a copy of "jewfish secrets" send me an email with ph# and I will give you a copy for free

[Y2kGoofball]

Tony will do, of course to all those reading this forum its a legitimate backup

Well I got my bait and lures. We went to the St Marys store but they were a bit busy with a few customers so we got the bait which appears fresh and headed back home.

We stopped into our usual bait and tackle place and I decided this time to stop and have a good chat with the bloke. He explained a few different lure choices and set me up with a more generic middle of the crop setup, obviously you need to setup to the conditions, and as he said he understands we're not going to have the different sized weights or the different coloured lures all at once. but this setupo should lie somewhere in the middle, not spot on perfect but it leaves a chance to catch something. I'll duck back in tomorrow and pick up a few different types of lures like he explained, just so ive got some choice.

We're also going to setup a small live bait tank and get some live squid and prawns in brooklyn before we launch so I think we're pretty much set for the weekend.

Thanks for all your help, we're now on track a bit better, have some idea to rod technique and lure/baits and cant wait for the weekend

[Kingy]

Thanks guys for your help on the bait at Narrabeen Bait & Tackle (sorry for partially hijacking this thread, but I'm sure it's useful to Y2K too)

[Littledinghy]

No secrets for a hot spot here but I've found the best "no brainer" that will usually get you some fish and without too much bother or precision is to do a drift between Juno and Lion Island. This works best with little or no wind and just enough lead to keep your bait bouncing along on the bottom. I have had reasonable success on SP's and various fresh and frozen baits.

If you haven't been out in ages it is nice to come home with something and I reckon drifting is far more relaxing than sitting on anchor.

Hope all goes well whatever you end up doing.

I'm the same as goofball, trying to get jewie but no luck or no knowledge. Is my 4m Stacer big enough to drift between Lyons Isaland and Juno Point?

Littledinghy