Gary Brown's Weekly Reports

SYDNEY REPORTS

FISHING CLASSES FOR 2009.

WATTO’S TACKLE SHOP

The next Fishing class will start on Wednesday the 22nd of July and will run on 3 conconsective Wednesday nights. The class will start at 7.00pm and finish at 10.00pm.

For further information you will need to ring or pay them a visit at the shop.
The cost will be $80.00 per person.

For further information and to book in and pay you can contact Sean at
Email: wattosfishing@gmail.com

Address: shop 1 & 2 LOT 9 KURRAJOMG AVE ST MARYS NORTH
Phone: 0416 203 507
Contact Shaun

And while you are at it you could go to their web site and see what special they have on at the moment http://www.wattosfishing.com.au/

WINDYBANKS BAIT AND TACKLE

The next Fishing class will start on Thursday the 23rd of July 2009. It starts at 6.30pm and will run for 3 consecutive Thursday nights. The cost of $95.00 includes a fish barbeque and the class. To book in and pay you will need to either ring the shop or pay them a visit.

Windybanks Bait and Tackle
523 Pacific Hwy Mt Colah NSW 2079
Ph (02) 9477 1501
Contact Annette and John.

DVD REVIEWS.

Strikezone – Yellowtail Kingfish by Alistar McGlashan
Length: Just over 2 hours long

If you have always been longing to catch a kingfish this DVD will help you to be well on your way to getting that fish of a life time. Alistar McGlashan takes you through how to target kingfish while using soft plastics, surface poppers, jigs, live baiting and much more. His use of the underwater camera will give you a great insight on to how the kingfish behave when they have located a live bait that is been trolled behind your boat.

There are also special features on Tackle talk, fillet a fish, the new Strike Zone boat, VideoRay, kingfish facts with Julian Pepperell and a few bloopers. The kingfish actions takes place in Sydney and Middle Harbours and out at Long Reef.

Fishing for Whiting with Lee Rayner
Length: 72 minutes

Even though that this DVD is about chasing King George Whiting it is one of the best that I have review that is about targeting whiting in general. The information that Lee Rayner gives you throughout the DVD will give you a great and through insight in to targeting whiting.

There are segments on have to anchor your boat, what rigs and baits to use, what types of rods and reels to use, how to rig your baits, techniques on berleying and hooking your your fish. There is even a small segment on how to fillet your catch at the end of the day.

Snapper Fishing Tactics with Lee Rayner
Length: 2 hours 15 minutes

Lee Rayner runs through all the techniques required to catch snapper in our bays and estuaries. Along the way he catches snapper on bait and you will learn step by step on how to set up your rigs, what are the best baits as well as where and when to fish for snapper.

He also demonstrates how to anchor your boat, how to read your sounder and suggested ways to fit out your boat. Lee is joined by Adam Royter and they both take you through the ins and outs of how to use soft plastics to catch snapper.

Carl Dubois reports that with all the bream comps out of the way (except for one coming up in 2 weeks), it was time to give the bream a rest and chase after a much more elusive quarry. Carl has been wanting to nail a few jewfish the last few years and haven't really had much success but that's because he don't really target them specifically very often.Well, it was time to change all that and this week, with a little help from Andrew and Stewart, they hit the usual spots in the Georges River, which are well known to most anglers - Captain Cook Bridge, Tom Ugly’s Bridge, Como Bridge as well as a couple of the deeper holes off headlands, such as just outside of Oatley Bay. Funny fish these Jewfish, one day you'll catch them at one spot and the next day there's not a scale to be raised.


They would always manage some by catch of flathead, but they weren't what we were after so whenever anyone landed one you'd hear, "Aargghh, it's a bloody flattie!" This was quickly followed by chuckles and smart R's comments from the two who hadn't landed it.The lures we used varied and at times they all seemed to work. I'd had most hits using a Squidgy Slick Rig 110mm Black and Gold Fish but when Carl ran out of these and switched to the Evil Minnow colour (light purple and silver) it didn't seem to make any difference. Andrew and Stewart were getting their fish on a prawn imitation SP that was rigged on a TT Revhead. The tackle Carl is using is a Daiwa Advantage 2500 on a matching Daiwa rod. The TD Sensor braid is only 8lb, tipped with 20lb fluoro leader but the fish aren't that big at the moment, so the heavier gear can wait a little longer.


The technique he used was one he read in an article in Modern fishing a while back (think Phil Bennet was the author. If so, thanks Phil!) on catching jewfish on lures. I was casting up current and giving the lure a sharp lift and would then let the current carry it back towards me. The secret (well, Phil’s secret) to this was keeping contact with the lure as it fell back to the seabed. Carl reckons that 90% of the hits came on the drop and you had to have that tension on your line to be able to feel the bites and react quickly with a strike.On one of the sessions Carl lost a real thumper of a fish that done me over on some piece of submerged structure. He had just flicked my bail arm over after letting the lure sink to the bottom when I felt an almighty whack. Instinctively Carl set the hooks and this thing took off like a train.


Carl plans to concentrate on these magnificent fish over the next few months and I know that Port Hacking has some beauties within its system too, so it'll be just a matter of getting out and giving it a go.


Great read as usual Carl. Keep those reports coming

Billy Durgutovski and his mate Duncan targeted groper on the far south coast. The main bait that they used was red crabs, but you could also try using those green and brown crabs that you see crawling over the rocks, even though they are not as good as the red ones. The gear they used was 15kg torture line and 25kg platypus mono on an old 15kg Penn and Shimano rods. Both were mounted with Alvey’s.

Scotty Lyons from Southern Sydney Fishing Tours http://www.fishingsydney.com.au/ reports that Botany Bay has been fishing great over the past couple of weeks reports that even though there has been a little rain on Sunday with sunny breaks on Monday but no wind well only 10knots or so from the west but top weather for fishing the Bay. Sunday saw us catching Trevally early at Trevally Alley but no Bream this week. Trolling also produced the goods with solid Tailor in Yarra Bay and still a few Kingies around, young angler Nathan landed his first Kingie of 68cms on Sunday trolling. Later that day spinning for Flathead just wide from Sans Souci we boated four nice fish all on Squidges.

Monday started much the same as Sunday but all seem to stop it was like the tap had been turned off, worked hard the rest of the day for only the odd fish but still a rather good day on the water.

Scotty reports that last Saturday morning was the coolest start so far this year but tucked in behind the wall at Trevally Alley was the spot to be, Trevally are now about the Bay in good numbers and the Bream have to move off still the odd one mix in with the Trevally, Sunday proved much the same.
Trolling turned up nothing on Saturday but Sunday we scored a few solid Tailor.
There are still the odd Kingie hanging around we picked one up on Sunday and I saw two others landed, the one we caught was 68cms.
So it might be cool starts but the fishing is at its best and should continue.

WHATS COMING UP

*Thursday the 18th spots open.
*Singles Trip Sunday the 21st.

*Mid Week Singles Trip 24th spots open.

*Singles Trip Sunday 28th 1pm to 7pm.

*4th and 5th of July open.

*July Fishing School only two spots open be quick.

For a booking call Scotty Lyons on 0418 168 439.

Paul Martin from Rock Marine Bait and Tackle (rocksmarine@tsn.cc) reports that a week of cold westerly winds kept the ocean down and the blue water fisho’s out on the water. The fishing has definitely picked up a notch both outside and estuary. Cobia are on the bite with a good number hooked just off the Gaol and a couple from around Fish Rock. Most of these fish caught are around the 12 kilo mark jumping all over live slimies if you lucky enough to find them. It looks like the Snapper are hungry again with some nice fish coming in. There were plenty of units around 2 or 3 kilo and the odd cracker about like young Gary Lackenby picking up an 8 kilo monster on a hand line. Fish Rock strong currents made it tough to fish but there were a few Kings about. Leather Jackets are everywhere so make sure you rig for them.

The river is fishing the best it has for months with Bream all over the place taking just about anything you throw at them. School Jew fish are coming in with most around 60cm in a number of locations along the Break Wall as well as upriver from Jerseyville to Kinchella. Blackfish are being caught but not in big numbers yet. If you are visiting the Rocks to fish for these fish bring your own weed, there’s none here at the moment. Look for Flathead in the shallows sunning themselves in the cooler water.

The beaches were a mixed bag last week with Smoky producing some nice Bream amongst the Dart while there were a few small Jew off the Hat Head end of the beach taking live worms. Gap Beach is fishing well for Bream and Flathead. Rock hoppers are doing well with good Drummer, Bream the odd Tailor and Salmon. Under the Light house has been the hot spot for Tailor.

Jason and Virginia Isaac from Ned Kelly’s Bait and Tackle jasned@ozemail.com.au reports that in the estuaries, blackfish numbers are slowly beginning to pick up with the south wall producing a few nice fish early in the week. The best of the season however is still some time off. Bream numbers remain reasonable although the big moon made them a little shy during the evening tides. Look for a significant improvement over the next week or so, particularly from the break walls and Limeburners. If we get a break from any significant rainfall, look for a similar improvement further upstream in latter part of this moon phase. Best baits will be either yabbies, mullet strips or gut baits of pretty well any description. On the flattie front, there are still plenty of lizards active in the lower reaches. Best results have been achieved on soft plastics, with both around Pelican Island and the Dennis Bridge producing consistent results.

On the beaches, bream numbers continue to solid with both Lighthouse and North beach firing well. Best baits have been either mullet strips, pipis or beach worms. Tailor numbers remain better around Laurieton and the beaches further south, although some improvement locally is beginning to be seen. Expect this trend to continue as the water clarity slowly improves. School mulloway numbers were also solid around the full moon, with most stretches of sand holding plenty of juvenile models. If you are keen to tangle with a better class of fish however, best bet is to leave the worms behind in preference to throwing larger slab baits. With a few tailor beginning to show up, you need look no further for the premier bait for the better class of fish. We have also begun to receive a few reports of salmon, indicating the annual winter inundation is not far off. Whilst most rate their culinary qualities as somewhere between poor and dreadful, there is no doubting their sport fishing qualities. Pound for pound, you will not find better from the sand.

Off the rocks, bream numbers remain solid and should further improve once the current full moon begins to wane. Most ledges around Plommer and Big Hill have been producing fish, as has Lighthouse and Miners locally. As with the beaches, the better tailor at present are south of Port, but will pick up over the coming weeks. The big improver however has been drummer, with last weekend seeing some top pigs taken from many parts of the Mid North Coast. In the absence of abalone gut, cunjevoi and prawns have both yielded good results, as have both cabbage and bread fished under a float or bobby corks. With plenty of locations well washed out by the heavy seas endured this year, a terrific drummer season is likely in the months ahead.

On the offshore scene, the seas last weekend were excellent with plenty of vessels venturing out for both morning and evening sessions. Close in, some solid snapper were on offer, with the reefs close off Plommer producing well. Wider out, pearl perch have been quite common, whilst those dropping livies or jigs have encountered the odd king to around 8 kilos. Plenty of jackets now out there though, so be prepared to sacrifice a bit of tackle if you plan on heading wider than about 60 meters.

Josh Lambert from Tackle World in Goulburn fns@tpg.com.au reports that Pejar dam has heated up again and is firing on all fronts. There have been some great fish caught using Celta spinners and powerbait.

LocationsWyangla DamWyangla has been a great area to fish for me for many years.It offers plenty of options with different fish-holding structures to explore and when the dam levels are high the fishing area is massive.In recent times Wyangla has struggled with water levels due to the drought and irrigation needs downriver.In saying that, like everything it's what you make of it that makes the difference between catching fish and just drowning worms. If you're planning a trip to Wyangla here's a few tips to keep in mind.

Always try to launch your boat from a designated ramp. You can get yourself in some trouble launching from a bank as the ground can look hard but can be very soft just under the surface and if I'd had a dollar for every person I've seen bogged down I'd be a rich man by now!
Do your research on the current water levels - this will determine where you can fish. Wyangla has been a little patchy as of late due to a lack of water movement but if you're fishing around the steep banks bobbing a few yabbies, you will pick up a few nice Golden perch.

Trolling deep diving lures like Predatek & Oar-gee in 80 to 100mm sizes will get you into cod country and at this time of year you will generally get the big guys moving around. Always remember, if you're fishing for cod and you're not getting snagged, you're not in the right area.
When fishing from the banks, yabbies or scrub worms will be your best bet. Unfortunately you will always catch a few carp. They're just a fact of life but please do not return them to the water but instead send them up the bank with humane head trauma.