anthman Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 (edited) Hi all, looking to anchor and Burley for snapper at sow and pig reef this weekend. In the early morning it will be a run out tide, switching over to a run in tide for the most part of time there. I've got some questions I'm hoping a helpful raider can share their experience to answer! 1. Is it a good spot for drifting baits and catching snapper? 2. Is it just the area inside the cardinal markers or does it include the big area South of it? 3. To fish the incoming tide, I was thinking of anchoring (a little bit away from the cardinal marker perimeter) on the side closest to the heads opening - thinking being that the incoming tide will carry Burley over the reef and attract fish - is that the right thinking ? 4. Regardless of anchoring spot, what's the safest way to anchor? I have a 4.3m tinny, bow anchor only, both sand and reef pick anchors. How close can you safely get to the perimeter to maximise results? 5. I use a combination of chicken pellets, tuna oil and some bags of premixed Burley pellets (aniseed infused). Sometimes mix some old frames and a tin of fishy cat food. What do you all use in places like the sow and pig reef? Edited July 30, 2018 by anthman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, anthman said: Hi all, looking to anchor and Burley for snapper at sow and pig reef this weekend. In the early morning it will be a run out tide, switching over to a run in tide for the most part of time there. I've got some questions I'm hoping a helpful raider can share their experience to answer! 1. Is it a good spot for drifting baits and catching snapper? 2. Is it just the area inside the cardinal markers or does it include the big area South of it? 3. To fish the incoming tide, I was thinking of anchoring (a little bit away from the cardinal marker perimeter) on the side closest to the heads opening - thinking being that the incoming tide will carry Burley over the reef and attract fish - is that the right thinking ? 4. Regardless of anchoring spot, what's the safest way to anchor? I have a 4.3m tinny, bow anchor only, both sand and reef pick anchors. How close can you safely get to the perimeter to maximise results? 5. I use a combination of chicken pellets, tuna oil and some bags of premixed Burley pellets (aniseed infused). Sometimes mix some old frames and a tin of fishy cat food. What do you all use in places like the sow and pig reef? 1. You can catch Snapper there but it is not a prime spot. Depending on the season Bream, Trevally, Sweep, Tailor , Small Kings, Salmon are your most likely catch. Jews and squid are there, Port Jackson Sharks on the bottom and ..well just about everything really at times. 2. The big area south is part of the same reef but to most people it's just the area within the cardinal markers 3. Spot on! That's the way to do it. Very productive too. Usually, within 10 minutes, you will be on to some fish. If you burley with pilchards then just send a cube on unweighted hook down the burley trail. That's always an effective strategy. At the moment, you will find a lot of trevallies there, once they are all excited by the burley try a small white soft plastic for a bit of fun - they will nail them. 4. The anchoring spots are far enough off the reef so that you are in sand . I've highlighted the spots I use ...your sand anchor is the one to use obviously. In the pic below these are the places people generally anchor - Incoming tide at the top and outgoing at the bottom. It's not hard to hold bottom with the anchor so you can just let rope out to position yourself. The reef is well known so I have no qualms about pointing out the exact spots. The big mistake people make is fishing the wrong side on the tide. I see this all the time. 5. I like to burley with the same bait I am using as a general rule- I think that the more finicky fish (often the bigger fish) are less cautious if they see a larger piece of food (my bait) that smells like the stuff I am burleying with. This is personal preference and I am just as likely to break that rule and still catch plenty of fish. So, I often burley with pilchards and fish with salted pilchards because they are more robust. Particularly in summer you can expect to see a few rat kings in the burley trail right at the burly bucket... for a bit of fun, completely hide a hook in a pillie cube and drop it in the burley trail - (if you don't hide the hook they will see it and avoid it). Good Luck! Cheers Jim Edited July 31, 2018 by fragmeister 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthman Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 21 minutes ago, fragmeister said: 1. You can catch Snapper there but it is not a prime spot. Depending on the season Bream, Trevally, Sweep, Tailor , Small Kings, Salmon are your most likely catch. Jews and squid are there, Port Jackson Sharks on the bottom and ..well just about everything really at times. 2. The big area south is part of the same reef but to most people it's just the area within the cardinal markers 3. Spot on! That's the way to do it. Very productive too. Usually, within 10 minutes, you will be on to some fish. If you burley with pilchards then just send a cube on unweighted hook down the burley trail. That's always an effective strategy. At the moment, you will find a lot of trevallies there, once they are all excited by the burley try a small white soft plastic for a bit of fun - they will nail them. 4. The anchoring spots are far enough off the reef so that you are in sand . I've highlighted the spots I use ...your sand anchor is the one to use obviously. In the pic below these are the places people generally anchor - Incoming tide at the top and outgoing at the bottom. It's not hard to hold bottom with the anchor so you can just let rope out to position yourself. The reef is well known so I have no qualms about pointing out the exact spots. The big mistake people make is fishing the wrong side on the tide. I see this all the time. 5. I like to burley with the same bait I am using as a general rule- I think that the more finicky fish (often the bigger fish) are less cautious if they see a larger piece of food (my bait) that smells like the stuff I am burleying with. This is personal preference and I am just as likely to break that rule and still catch plenty of fish. So, I often burley with pilchards and fish with salted pilchards because they are more robust. Particularly in summer you can expect to see a few rat kings in the burley trail right at the burly bucket... for a bit of fun, completely hide a hook in a pillie cube and drop it in the burley trail - (if you don't hide the hook they will see it and avoid it). Good Luck! Cheers Jim Thanks Jim, you legend! That is such a helpful and informative response, really appreciate the time you've put into responding. Question on the diagram, what are the icons for where you anchor at the top aswell as at the bottom? And how close would you get to the cardinal marker perimeter when at anchor? Last question - is it worth casting big lures or heavy metal lures into the exposed reef area ? Not sure if the fish are cruising the top or around... Thanks again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 The spots I anchor are in yellow. On the southern side ... so you are sort of just outside a line drawn between the southern and western cardinal markets on the outgoing tide and a little further outside the line drawn between the eastern and northern cardinal markers. You will be able to see the sandy bottom around the reef. It's not that critical really the burley will bring them out. Certainly casting surface lures at the reef has resulted in a few kings for me over the years but most have been lost .. you don't have too much of a chance with a decent king in over a meter or two of water directly over the reef especially when you are casting from 30 meters or so back... unless they run back at you and that's not what they will generally do. You will get salmon and tailer on lures but you will get just as many on your baits tossed back at the reef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthman Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 1 hour ago, fragmeister said: The spots I anchor are in yellow. On the southern side ... so you are sort of just outside a line drawn between the southern and western cardinal markets on the outgoing tide and a little further outside the line drawn between the eastern and northern cardinal markers. You will be able to see the sandy bottom around the reef. It's not that critical really the burley will bring them out. Certainly casting surface lures at the reef has resulted in a few kings for me over the years but most have been lost .. you don't have too much of a chance with a decent king in over a meter or two of water directly over the reef especially when you are casting from 30 meters or so back... unless they run back at you and that's not what they will generally do. You will get salmon and tailer on lures but you will get just as many on your baits tossed back at the reef. Oh right, sorry I think I get it now - the four green shaded areas - yellow on blue = green! Thanks again Jim! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fragmeister Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Sorry mate... I am sure it was yellow in the paint program! ... maybe it took time for the colours to bleed together! lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 I always use RMS maps when looking at a fishing area. This may also help http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/documents/maritime/usingwaterways/maps/boating-maps/9d-port-jackson.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthman Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 thanks all! Does anyone have any suggestions for good spots anchor in the harbour (or middle harbour, where i launch from)? i enjoy fishing with my father where we can find a spot, anchor up, get the berley going and soak some baits for good eating fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 10 minutes ago, anthman said: thanks all! Does anyone have any suggestions for good spots anchor in the harbour (or middle harbour, where i launch from)? i enjoy fishing with my father where we can find a spot, anchor up, get the berley going and soak some baits for good eating fish! Is your boat capable of heading outside and back around into the eastern side of Manly? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthman Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 Just now, GoingFishing said: Is your boat capable of heading outside and back around into the eastern side of Manly? dont think so - not equipped for open water, so would have to be inshore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 The northern side of Shark Island can be productive at times. You can also try rose bay flats for whiting and flathead but your best off drifting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Ive also fished around Kurraba Wharf in neutral bay for bream tailor and the occassional whiting but the ferry traffic is not ideal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthman Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 thanks mate - will ad Shark Island to the list! gonna try sow and pigs this weekend first and see how it goes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raging Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 (edited) Enjoy - make sure you anchor sets well, can get plenty of water flowing there (sow & pigs) Edited July 31, 2018 by raging Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now