FISHING

[beeroclock]

Got a dozen salmon between us last week at locks and also got a whiting and some smaller salmon at conventions. Will post some photos when i work out how. Must say awesome whether and awesome places, waves not to bad either

Im staying in Elliston for two weeks from the 16th of April. Does that make you a little jealous RITA?

[beeroclock]

Any goss on the local scene lads.

[Mickyj]

OK I've been having major life changes as of late .wont bore the world with them.

Going to change my way of fishing .Deciding to try lure fishing hardbodies first.

I'm looking for a cheapish new reel and rod any clues !!
I had a look this afternoon at my local DohDohDoh( a few steps around my corner i will be looking everywhere) .Nice chap suggested 1000 to 2000 weight reel showed me a couple of nice rods .One being a Pflugger just like my fly rod .

Of course I'll be chasing Bream in the lake and more likely the Pat .As I now live very close to the Pat.
Braid what weight do I need and he said to use a Flurocarbon leader again what weight and no way will i buy vanish .Or is fluro like the mono I have been using as in 6lbs.

Now I like the 1000 size which is small without using google can we get smaller lighter reels .

PS
I drive over brown hill creek to go shopping anything live down the western end of this creek?

[Goat Herder]

OK I've been having major life changes as of late .wont bore the world with them.

Going to change my way of fishing .Deciding to try lure fishing hardbodies first.

I'm looking for a cheapish new reel and rod any clues !!
I had a look this afternoon at my local DohDohDoh( a few steps around my corner i will be looking everywhere) .Nice chap suggested 1000 to 2000 weight reel showed me a couple of nice rods .One being a Pflugger just like my fly rod .

Of course I'll be chasing Bream in the lake and more likely the Pat .As I now live very close to the Pat.
Braid what weight do I need and he said to use a Flurocarbon leader again what weight and no way will i buy vanish .Or is fluro like the mono I have been using as in 6lbs.

Now I like the 1000 size which is small without using google can we get smaller lighter reels .

PS
I drive over brown hill creek to go shopping anything live down the western end of this creek?

G'day Mickyj, long time no hear mate!?!

What's your budget? Most 2-4kg graphite sticks these days in the cheaper range are pretty much the same. Eg; a 2-4kg Shimano Catana would probably only set you back $60 or so and a 1000 Shimano Sedona (5-6bb) about $70. I have a Sedona 2500 that the kids use and it's a great little reel for the price tag.

4-6lb braid is the go, with 6-8lb flurocarbon leader. Flurocarbon can resist abrasiveness better than your old mono and harder for the fish to spy it. 50m of Suffix flurocarbon is fairly inexpensive, but a decent product all the same. I use 6lb Suffix on my 4lb braid. The lighter the better, but obviously you'll get busted up at times. Fireline has also come a long way since the good old days, but obviously still at the budget end of the scale. If you were to use Fireline, make sure you lop a few metres off every few sessions and re-tie your leader. Last thing you need is for the salt-affected braid to let go when a big blue-lipped monster runs for cover.

Interesting you use the word 'cheap' when talking about fishing hard bodies.. Not a word I'd use when describing that sorta fishing. So many brands, types, so much bling to resist! Blades, poppers, deep divers, suspending, stickbait hard bodies.. $$$$$$'s..

And as for small reels, I've got one on my keyring that would hold about 2m of 4lb mono..

Good luck with it all mate!


Regards,
Wino

[Mickyj]

G'day Mickyj, long time no hear mate!?!

What's your budget? Most 2-4kg graphite sticks these days in the cheaper range are pretty much the same. Eg; a 2-4kg Shimano Catana would probably only set you back $60 or so and a 1000 Shimano Sedona (5-6bb) about $70. I have a Sedona 2500 that the kids use and it's a great little reel for the price tag.

4-6lb braid is the go, with 6-8lb flurocarbon leader. Flurocarbon can resist abrasiveness better than your old mono and harder for the fish to spy it. 50m of Suffix flurocarbon is fairly inexpensive, but a decent product all the same. I use 6lb Suffix on my 4lb braid. The lighter the better, but obviously you'll get busted up at times. Fireline has also come a long way since the good old days, but obviously still at the budget end of the scale. If you were to use Fireline, make sure you lop a few metres off every few sessions and re-tie your leader. Last thing you need is for the salt-affected braid to let go when a big blue-lipped monster runs for cover.

Interesting you use the word 'cheap' when talking about fishing hard bodies.. Not a word I'd use when describing that sorta fishing. So many brands, types, so much bling to resist! Blades, poppers, deep divers, suspending, stickbait hard bodies.. $$$$$$'s..

And as for small reels, I've got one on my keyring that would hold about 2m of 4lb mono..

Good luck with it all mate!


Regards,
Wino

Cheers Wino
Cheap was the wrong word .Mates have advised a shinamo sienna 2500.and i think the spoton near work has them packaged up with a 7ft rod at a reasonable price .Braid seems slightly less $$$ than fly line
Lures yes I've seen the Prices on the little ones i like the look of.Mind u the spot on guy wasn't very impressed with bream on poppers .Said they dont take them in the lake .I said is that so and told him the last two years I've been catching my fair share on surface popping flies .
He did looked stunned lol had a jap popper i may buy along with your normal tiny forgtten the brand lure with a yellow underbody .
The braid he showed me is like cotton thread !!!a wee bit different .

Cheers
Mick

anyone tried the Pat or done any good ?

[Mickyj]

OK wino firstly thanks for all the info .
I went into the tackle shop full intentions of buying the Sienna combo .
But I ended up getting sold the SEDONA OUTFIT
Sedona 2500 reel Shimano extreme stix 7ft .
Also bought 4lb Power Pro braid and 6lb SureCatch Fluoro carbon.
Stretched the finances and bought 2 lures
1 StrikePro Pygmy model no EG-073sp color code sx880.
1 japanese sinking popper .
I was under the impression you just used braid and fluoro .Tackleshop guy told me to fill the reel a 3rd with mono then the braid and fluoro .Is this what everyone does ?
Cheers and thanks

[Goat Herder]

OK wino firstly thanks for all the info .
I went into the tackle shop full intentions of buying the Sienna combo .
But I ended up getting sold the SEDONA OUTFIT
Sedona 2500 reel Shimano extreme stix 7ft .
Also bought 4lb Power Pro braid and 6lb SureCatch Fluoro carbon.
Stretched the finances and bought 2 lures
1 StrikePro Pygmy model no EG-073sp color code sx880.
1 japanese sinking popper .
I was under the impression you just used braid and fluoro .Tackleshop guy told me to fill the reel a 3rd with mono then the braid and fluoro .Is this what everyone does ?
Cheers and thanks

No worries mate. The Sedona is a great little reel value vs money and a notch or two better than the Sienna IMO (got one of those too on a 7ft Catana for my youngest).

Filling the reel with mono is termed 'backing' (as ya probably would with your fly reels), as most 125m spools of braid won't fill the reel spool. By adding the mono first, you'll be able to wind on the braid so it sits nicely about 1mm from the lip. I've got a 3000 Certate which fits 300m of 30lb Daiwa Tournament braid perfectly, but the stuff is like cotton. So there's no need for backing on a threadline if you can fill the spool with braid. With overheads, backing is essential, otherwise you'll get 'slippage' - ie; the wound on braid will just rotate around the spool shaft.

Few bream getting around in the Lake at the minute mate, you'll have to let us know how you go. Just remember, slow retrieval and don't be scared to pause..

[Mickyj]

OK wino firstly thanks for all the info .
I went into the tackle shop full intentions of buying the Sienna combo .
But I ended up getting sold the SEDONA OUTFIT
Sedona 2500 reel Shimano extreme stix 7ft .
Also bought 4lb Power Pro braid and 6lb SureCatch Fluoro carbon.
Stretched the finances and bought 2 lures
1 StrikePro Pygmy model no EG-073sp color code sx880.
1 japanese sinking popper .
I was under the impression you just used braid and fluoro .Tackleshop guy told me to fill the reel a 3rd with mono then the braid and fluoro .Is this what everyone does ?
Cheers and thanks

No worries mate. The Sedona is a great little reel value vs money and a notch or two better than the Sienna IMO (got one of those too on a 7ft Catana for my youngest).

Filling the reel with mono is termed 'backing' (as ya probably would with your fly reels), as most 125m spools of braid won't fill the reel spool. By adding the mono first, you'll be able to wind on the braid so it sits nicely about 1mm from the lip. I've got a 3000 Certate which fits 300m of 30lb Daiwa Tournament braid perfectly, but the stuff is like cotton. So there's no need for backing on a threadline if you can fill the spool with braid. With overheads, backing is essential, otherwise you'll get 'slippage' - ie; the wound on braid will just rotate around the spool shaft.

Few bream getting around in the Lake at the minute mate, you'll have to let us know how you go. Just remember, slow retrieval and don't be scared to pause..

I may not have put enough braid on used most of it lol.should be fine was nice and tight .and i hate joining knots at least they are tiny in braid

[Mickyj]

Well almost I had tried lures way back in my teens for trout.And before the lure craze had hit in yak .Neither had produced fish.
Let me say first since I have moved .I have discovered I have left behind or lost the cord for my camera, my clippers, and the cord for my phone to connect to my comp plus my tape measure:o.
So with all that in mind .I headed off to the lake this morning.Well twice actually:o was driving along and thought gee its blurry .Had to drive back home and get my glasses :eek::D.
Anyway got to the lake and there was a strong wind a blowing !!!
What to do well why not follow a trend and try that sinking popper out in the choppy conditions:D .Let me tell you my casting has gotten rather rusty but i carried on.
First beach well to say the only interest was from some tiny bream was spot on .While it didnt feel me with confidence .Neither did that awful weed that grows in the lake during winter .That was halfway along .
So first beach nothing had decided to try 3 beaches .Got to the Second beach and thought if nothing else I will practice my aim casting with the wind .
By the first cast on this beach. I had decided the best way to use this popper .Was to cast count 5-10.fast wind in to about 10 .let it sink count to 4 and repeat until the lure was back to me.
Second cast fast retrieve stop BANG I am on .This fish didnt take line and proved only to be a a small Bream of around 12 to 15cms.The trebles on that Japanese lure had done their job right in the corner of its mouth.
So after taking its picture on my phone(well i can look at them lol) and released it I was back in the water.
Two casts latter and BANG I'm on felt bigger and it was jumping out the water.Taking line everything went into auto and I landed this little fish .Once again not huge but fatter .And somewhere around 22 to 25 cms .Was a great rush seeing the new rod bend here the line leave the spool.
So once again I took a picture on my phone and returned the fish after removing the trebles from the corner of the mouth.
Thinking how easy is this you dont lose fish with trebles like in fly fishing.Wading and casting I moved up the beach got halfway and you bet .Lost a tiny little fish oh well pride before the fall:D.
So nothing more along this stretch and I decided not to try the third beach.The plan was to try the second lure out well I was having fun so left the crystal sinking popper on .And lost a tiny tiny tiny Bream at my feet back at the first beach .
Avoiding that awful weed . I noticed some un Bream like shapes following the lure .Finally I could see they were Garfish.The fatter ones staying out and the pencil ones coming in near me .Couldnt hook one .

So that was it first real time at HB lures .Loved it so much went to big W and picked up a couple more cheap lures.
And i my stop by that tackle shop and suggest he get some more of those sinking poppers in before the summer as they do catch bream .

[Mickyj]

This Trip is dedicated to The Sleeping Giant (I'm certain he'll read this if he is a he )
Well the morning came that I decided to go to The Patawalonga lake instead of West Lakes.
So I got out my car and was greeted with early morning mist and fish jumping .All good omens I thought.
First difference I noticed straight away were no undersize Bream near the edges of this lake.
So what to do out i cast .Now it took a few casts and bit of walking .And you'd think after 5 yrs of Fly fishing for bream .I could retrieve my spin reel and lure slowly!!!
Anyway once I slowed my retrieves right down .I started to notice tiny bream following in my lure .
Came along to a stretch of sandy beach and the water was shallower here .Out i cast and bang I'm on .This Bream (the largest for the morning) was stripping line like mad .It was swimming and taking line as fast as I was walking and trying to tighten up my drag.At one point I thought it was a massive fish all due to the fact that my drag wasn't on .Not to worry he was hooked through the top lip and wasn't going anywhere.Next time I hope to have found or bought a measure lol.


and another shot of it


So with heart pumping and thinking all my Christmases (or should that be Easter) have come at once .I was off again still having problems getting my retrieve slow enough.Come along another section with steps and realising the fish were near the rocks .This tiny little Bream caught itself on the step in the water .I did nothing thought it was foul hooked but turned out it was hooked lip and side of body .Funny little thing was swimming at 1000k's an hour .and yes it was slightly bigger than that lure


So what else could happen move a bit further along this stretch of water and bang I'm on again.
Bigger than the second fish but smaller than the first

and in this shot its well and truly hooked


At this stage one of the locals came up to me and was chatting .I couldn't get away from them so I kept walking talking and casting .Missed a few small Bream and then with a cast as I approached the end of the steps.the lure hit the water and I hadnt closed the bail arm and I was on .But this time it was a ST got it to the shore but the lost it .
So by this time I had almost walked one side of this lake and it was 8am .The fish seemed to have gone home . I swapped lures but that was it off home for me .
And I enjoyed my trip will I be trying The Patawalonga sure will .Funny that tackle shop guy said it wasn't worth trying

[Brodlach]

Hey Mickyj

Nice fish there. Ever go down to the Onkaparinga River to chase bream? I take my two young boys down there (were we go its nice and safe) and my 7 year old caught a 800g Black Bream on a shrimp....he was very happy.


I noticed on IFISH on channel 10 yesterday they were using soft plastics, I have never tried them on Bream, have you?

[Mickyj]

Hey Mickyj

Nice fish there. Ever go down to the Onkaparinga River to chase bream? I take my two young boys down there (were we go its nice and safe) and my 7 year old caught a 800g Black Bream on a shrimp....he was very happy.


I noticed on IFISH on channel 10 yesterday they were using soft plastics, I have never tried them on Bream, have you?

Well done to your lad
I have just started using hard-bodies and haven't tried soft plastics just yet.
Give me a little bit longer before I branch out so far its been easier than fly fishing for bream

[Mickyj]

Well what a rainy night we had here awoke about 2.50 am .To a rather large shower of rain .And that made my mind up down to West lakes for me .
Thursday night I bought a new strike pro pygmy lure golden with an orange belly.Thought I'd give it a whirl.
So first beach I walked the entire length of this beach with only little tackers following this lure.
One last cast and a flurry of orange underbelly as a fish jumped and took hold of this lure .Before it had a chance of sinking .
And a nice little 22cm Bream

released it had one more cast and I ended up with a massive tangle .After some surgery I moved to beach number 2
Where I decided to try the kokoda(pretty sure it wasn't the other strike pro lure) lure that worked well in the pat last week.Nothing a few follows halfway along I thought lets change it .Went for the look alike strike pro then though nah put on the gold one
again .
It took awhile but I landed this little 19cm Bream

Then something weird and funny happened what's this weight on the lure it cant be another fish can it .

how I managed to land it and keep it hooked until dry land I have no idea.Talk about eyes bigger than its stomach .
And that was my good firday morning rained on twice tangled line and fish landed .not a bad morning .
Cheers

[best on hill]

hey everyone, has anyone got an upto date leaderboard for the whyalla snapper comp. last i heard there was a fish boated at about 12.5kgs.

regards BOH

[Mickyj]

Got down to the pat pre dawn .I could actually here the bag pipes from the dawn service down at the bay !!
Wasn't a great start lost my cheap kokoda lure to a snag .Another lost lure oh well lesson learnt .But I did drop 2 tiny bream on it funny it worked really well in the pat and not west lakes . Watch-out Big W I'll be back lol.
I did a heap of walking today both sides of the Pat .But not long after the lure loss and put on my 1 remaining strike pro pgymy bam I'm on .

A small 20 cm Bream foul hooked but he took the lure .
Bit more walking and I'm on again a tiny 14cm Bream

After losing that lure I decided just to hit the sandy flats (or beach sections of the pat).While I didnt land another fish I am certain by 8 - 8.30 the pat goes to sleep .

Saying that there were groups of small hungry fish St's or something else .I did on one of my last casts manage to hook one but couldn't land it !!
Anyway 2 1/2 hours latter I made it back to my car .
Can't think of a better way to spend an autumn morning in Adelaide !!

Cheers

[Mickyj]

Well decided to head back to where this long weekend fishing start. Back to my old fishing haunt of West lakes .I was very interested to see how much of that awful weed that was present three weeks back had spread.
So I headed to some of the northern beaches .Found that weed widespread over one of the beaches.And the water level very low .I walked to the next beach very low water level lots of tiny fish .But once again no action .Headed back to my car but decided to have a quick flick along some nearby steps but nothing !!! Saw Bream but nothing hungry .
So off to beach number 3 .and once again very very low water level.Lots of small bream sighted nothing hungry .Beach number four it was .And once again I was having the same luck .But I kept the rod tip to the water .And really slowed down my retrieve .I mean if I went any slower it would Easter 2012 and bang I was on .

That tiny 19cm bream had taken me 2 hours and 5 different spots to land !!
I continued doing the same thing but had to call it a day .Nothing was playing anymore !!
So that was the end of my easter long weekend of which four wonderful mornings to catch Bream.all be the first one soaked me twice with rain !!
What did I learn .
A I like lure fishing
B dont lure fish near rocks $$$
C Strike Pro pgymy lures work
D cheap BIG W ie kokoda work as in the pat very well.
E I'd rather be fishing than working lol
Cheers

[beeroclock]

I must say i was pleasently surprised to catch some very meaty blueys on a yorkes jetty the other day,didn't have to measure them either.There will be no devolging of which one.Squid were monsters also, although they were very touchy and were only taking fish baits.Back for more Friday.

[The Sleeping Giant]

This Trip is dedicated to The Sleeping Giant (I'm certain he'll read this if he is a he )

Glad to see you caught some better bream. Bigger the hook, the bigger the fish. Here's the result of my first trip out in my boat from Darwin.

[Mickyj]

This Trip is dedicated to The Sleeping Giant (I'm certain he'll read this if he is a he )

Glad to see you caught some better bream. Bigger the hook, the bigger the fish. Here's the result of my first trip out in my boat from Darwin.

well done TSG
But if you ever watch fishing shows Large Trout are caught on tiny hooks(not certain how that works) .
I wish you posted that picture earlier I've been unable to fish with a work injury .
I'm hanging out to go fishing again .

[The Sleeping Giant]

That was the 3 we kept for tea. Caught 13 in all. Gave the rest to friends who are having a pre wedding show in a couple of weeks.

My point about bigger hooks was for bream.