Batemans Bay - Dual Destination 8/12/07

Introduction :

Some AKFF members say ( Hmm, probably just me ) Jason is half Squid, half man, after this weekends adventure I would just call him ‘loony’. His late to bed, early to rise antics have cost me plenty of Nanna naps before but I was determined this would not be the case this time. Organising a trip with Squidder is fairly easy, express your interest and he usually does the rest. This includes pre-tying plenty of live rigs for use on the wild blue yonder ( Maloney’s Beach to be exact ) and offering to clean and fillet your catch.

In exchange for his highly undercharged services, the catch is leaving Canberra around 4am – 5am and driving at excessive high speeds through fog, rain and mountain descents in order to arrive early enough to satisfy his craving of soaking live baits. Life has been made easier lately with the fact Akff member Craig 450 has moved very close to said destination and supplies Blend 43 on tap along with very colourful neighbours and one sook of a dog, the catch with Craig however is to include him in all South Coast trips.


Bateman's Bay ( Maloney's Beach - 7am till 2pm ) :

The fishing has been hot and cold lately around the Bateman’s Bay area mainly due to the slight water temperature drop ( 21 down to 18 ) and murky waters associated with stormy weather fronts pushing through the South Coast region. Maloney’s Beach really turned it on last weekend with Squidder securing a great Snapper and others enjoying enough action to feed their immediate families.

The wind on Saturday the 8th December was expected to be up before 9am ( Around 15 knots ) but abating in the late afternoon.Arriving at the launch site I stood puzzled at the lack of wind but strong range of the swell, pushing off we moved quickly towards the hole associated with Ooglies, Trevally, Snapper, Kingfish ( New find ) and the occasional School Shark / Bronze Whaler.

Maloney’s waters south of Yellow Rock were very confused in close, purging craft to drift one way while wind pushed the other. I deployed an anchor for the first time using nothing but enough rope and a cam cleat, Jason stood firm with his seasoned anchoring procedure while Craig used his Mirage Drive to hold the Revo in comfy fishing positions.

I was hoping this trip would provide me with some much needed new skills, this was the first attempt anchoring off the kayak, first attempt at berleying from a kayak and first attempt fishing with a Sabiki rig for live bait ( Think Yellowtail, Slimey Mackerel ). First drop of the Sabiki and a small Wrasse decided it was hungry enough to jump on the bottom rig and try to reef me ( Easy enough on my 1 – 3kg outfit ).

Second drop and a small Yakka hooked on only to flick free before lifting from the water ( A common occurance ) but on the lucky third drop a Yakka stuck fast and was rapidly deployed on the heavier live bait rod ( 20lb Braid, 20lb leader, 60lb twin rig ).Jason was next to catch some ‘Livies’ and moved on to targeting the big Snapper and anything else willing / able to grab hold of his bait ( Two words come to mind, tail rope ).

He quickly aroused a legal young nubile Pinky amid continuing to sit and wait patiently for his Wilson Live Fibre to come to life. Craig was casting plastics and got heavily involved in a mêlée with the usual suspects, catching his first Pike amongst hordes of Sgt. Baker. He was quickly offered a few Yellowtail once Squidder had enough spare / available, it wasn’t long before we all had one soaking in high anticipation.

My anchor seemed to holding great according to the GPS but after awhile I noticed the horizons features began to change ever so slowly. It was at this time I became aware the rope had gone slack and my anchor was gone, seems I was let down by dodgy knot skills.Drifting fast and dodging Crayfish pots I heard Craig scream out some garbled sentence ( Turns out he had a 1m + Shark on his ‘Livey’ ) just as I managed to score another Yakka on the Sabiki, decided to pin this one through the nose and send down on the other rod with a paternoster rig ( Size 00 Snapper sinker ) to see what would happen.

Starting to wonder if having two live baits out and a Sabiki would be asking for trouble, Mother Nature answered my question. Before I had a chance to react both ‘Livies’ went off simultaneously, having about 4 seconds delay on the first rod ( Weighted Yakka ) saw me reefed swiftly. While still attached to the reef I put the Sol in free spool and grabbed the other rod, I had something on and felt weight until, once again, I was reefed badly.In all the anger and confusion while trying to retrieve my rigs and possible fish, I administered a 1mm 20lb Braid cut to my finger after the line slipped ( Fingerless glove ).

Paddling back to beg the sea god for more ‘Livies’ I was greeted by a massive fickle school of them, milling around Jasons yak while he fed them Cat food. Mixed in amongst them were small and medium Garfish which responded well to Squiddly’s float rig, one of these fish ( Kindly donated by Jason ) was sent down deep with another Yakka I procured on the Paternoster dropper.

If you figured I would have learned my lesson the first time you would be wrong, I managed to get one strike away from the reef but pulled the hooks doing so. The Unweighted Garfish decided to go for a swim down deeper than the Yakkas would causing a predictable outcome ( Cue bent rod tip, quick tussle, reef ).I think the Shark kind of spooked Craig but he was hungry anyway and decided to head in, I was growing tired of meeting reef so waited for Jason to call it off ( Not long after ).

We all headed back to Craig’s house ( Via a staple Maloney’s burger with the lot ) and discussed the mornings events, pretty disappointed about the action today so far but was quietly confident that Durras Lake would produce the goods we craved so badly. The boys talked up surface lures and mighty goals, Craig wanted to catch Whiting on Poppers while Jason was aiming mainly for Bream on Poppers.


South Durras ( Durras Lake - 3pm till 9pm ) :

Poppers are a technique and way to fish I seem to find frustrating, perhaps I am an impatient man? ( I would say not given my preference for trolling ). Launching just after 3pm we headed straight for signs of life found on previous journeys, on the way Craig hooked a small Tailor about 20m from the boat ramp… Already things were looking up.

Dodging small tinned vessels traveling to fast I clipped on two Ecogear Ck40’s floating Bream lures ( Number 329 and 331 ) and began casting towards structure and weed beds. I began by dropping a few fish early on with some savage takes that failed to set the hook ( Most probably tiny Bream ). Meanwhile, just down from my location, Craig began landing Whiting after Whiting ( With a few Bream thrown in ) all on his Gold River 2 Sea Bubblepop 35.

Jason has had success on his T Pivot lures here before but quickly moved onto a Black Bubblepop 35 amongst others ( Im sure he was using other lures! ).By now I had moved away, up stream towards the mouth opening trolling the same lures in depth ranging from 2m down to 50cm. The rod tips jerked erratically as the lures scraped the sandy bottom, this was too much for Flathead to resist and braced for impact.

First Flathead was a corker ( Hooked on my 3kg light rod ), it went ballistic each time I brought it near the kayak. Scorching runs and big headshakes reminded me to take it slow and play the fish out, considering I was using 4lb Crystal Fireline and 8lb Vanish leader. Threw my tethered paddle in the water to concentrate on landing the fish, compared the size of the fish ( 70+ cm Flathead ) to my drip ring spacing and reached for the net fast. Cursing hard while casting death stares to onlookers stated the obvious,

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz wobble, gone…

This was the first time I had wept over a fish and would not be the last today ( Please, read on, if you dare ), vowing to redeem my self I moved over to the other side spooking lots of Flathead on the way in very shallow water.

ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz wobble, reaching for the light rod I put as much weight on the fish as I dared and moved it slowly toward an honest playable arrangement. ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz wobble wobble wobble, ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz, man this lizard was pulling, shaking hard like Latham pre election.This time another 70cm + Flathead, think Derek, think… What would other members do?

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz wobble, gone…

While cursing my damn luck after losing two good fish the Sol rod went off, this time I gave the fish plenty of stick and tightened the drag setting ever so slightly. A small undersized Flatchap lay in the net for hook removal, this time well and truly hooked.After releasing my first Durras fish for the day, a wry smile grew across my face, unfortunately my stomach still stirred with the whole ‘What could have been’ feature.This is were things ( As United Kingdom popstar Seal says ) get a little bit crazy!

What follows next is a spate of double hookups, my jaw was dropping in amazement as I proceeded to zig zag across the river mouth side to side, hooking up twice on every tac.‘You just have to grab the rod you see go off first, bugger the other’ I kept telling myself. Here is the correct captured and landed roll call ( In order of their initial appearance ), 42cm Flathead, 49cm flathead, 30cm Flathead, 53cm Flathead and a 45cm Flathead.

Tried to ring Jason to gloat ( Really to check our departure time ) but no reception, might try moving down the other end towards the ramp… Was that a bump?

ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzz...

First thoughts were of a Stingray but those tell tale headshakes eventually had me convinced otherwise. Unlike the other Flathead this one decided to swim at the yak, probably trying to suss out what the hell was going on. She actually swam past the yak and stopped close by ( Probably savouring my drool leaking through the scuppers ). Poor poor me, she was hooked on my light rod again which didn’t leave me with high hopes ( Considering the days track record ).

As I sighted her at 80cm + I did the drag up a setting and reached for the net early , hoping to get myself some HOF digital proof.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz wobble, gone…

The fish would have been released anyway but I was still upset, drifted into reception range and spoke to Jason who passed on news of Craig’s amazing Whiting on poppers haul ( 7 Whiting and 2 Bream guys? ). It was close to 9pm and some of us had still to drive home to Canberra ( Yeah Craig, without a Nanna Nap even ), I was one legal fish away from bagging out so opted for a very slow troll back to the cars. Bait fish were spooking everywhere ( And not by me this time ) as the Bream moved in for the kill, thought I had secured my bag limit but two 29cm Bream were caught in quick succession.

Met the others at the ramp along with the evenings Prawning crew, armed with there high powered lights and float boats. Jason did what he does best and cleaned up our catch while we loaded our gear into the cars. Redemption, revenga, call it what you will, even though I had lost BIG personal best fish I managed to turn a reel or 10 ( And a feed for Sunday dinner as requested by SWMBO ).

Jason’s fortune was down today but he mentioned ( While we had a quick coffee at Craig’s ) before departing back for Canberra he was ‘Pretty sure’ he had used up all his luck last weekend.

Batemans Bay - Dual Destination 2/12/07

Greatness Squidder, greatness...

Top weekend thanks mainly due to Craig's hospitality and Alf's BBQ skills, apart from Jason's monster Snapper the weekend belonged to Claire ( As predicted ). Outfished by about 10 -1 ratio, Claire managed to troll up some Silver Biddies on an SX 40 ( Durras Lake ), land heaps of small Bream up to 28cm ( Durras Lake ), captured 3 legal Snapper ranging from 33cm - 40cm ( Maloney's ) and a decent Tiger Flathead of 45cm ( Amongst the usual reef randoms ).

How did I go you may ask?

Managed to troll up a 43cm Flathead on a Ecogear CK ( Durras Lake ), a few Bream on bait with the largest measuring 27cm ( Durras Lake ), plenty of Sgt.Bakers on bait ( Maloney's ) and caught a few Snapper around 37cm ( Maloney's ). Best technique for us was paternoster rig with Prawns but Pilchards worked almost as good ( Almost, bloody smelly little things ).

A great weekend complete with the Hotel's resident Peacock.

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 24/11/07

Adapted from The Hunter by Fox Nekitsune

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-hunter-2/

Water still like a bath
I am the Angler
I troll a deadly path
I am Angling

Slipping through the weeds
I am the Angler
I do it all with ease
I am Angling

There gliding before me
Is the Redfin that I desire
A tremble running through me
Now I feel the Anglers fire

I paddle closer
Keeping her in sight
I paddle closer
Don’t want to give them a fright

Now I am behind them
So close now
I see the tell tale pilgrim
So close now

Quickly I cast
Offering up a meal for her
Quickly I cast
Now I will haunt her

I take my fill
I am the Angler
I leave them still
I am Angling

22 Redfin collected
I am the Angler
22 new spots prospected
I am Angling

Yerrabi Pond - Gungahlin 25/11/07

After my mates sucess on Golden Perch at this location ( 20 fish in 8 trips ) I just had to go along early and give the venue a decent shot, first trip was a donut but the second brought a 55cm Murray Cod ( Bycatch, out of season ). Third trip out and I managed to hook and release a lovely Yellowbelly while another mate ( Squidder ) caught his first natives since moving to Canberra a year ago.

I think I forgot to mention how keen Squidder was to get into the Goldens, I had to set my alarm for 3:30am which is way before my usual Sunday rise and shine. Good news is it paid off with some top fish including Jason's STONKER, no measuring was applied to any fish but they were of solid state...My Golden engulfed my Chubby, extraction was looking like it was going to be difficult especially when i freed the lure it fell further into the fishes gob, it spat it out in frustration and urged me to let it go with some solid headshakes.

These models sure now how to put up a fight and destroy my trebles, had some difficulty with the reel spooling line on during the fight and had to remove about 15m of Fireline + the leader ( I hate losing leaders in low light conditions ).

A small price to pay considering the smile on my dial!

Batemans Bay - Maloneys 19/11/07

Not much to add to my blog regarding this report apart from losing a big Couta who came along for a munch, getting reefed a few times by some ooglies and losing my leaders, got a few Flathead ( 1 x 3cm, 1 x 27cm ) and dropped a decent fish of some description at Durras Lake ( Most probably a Flathead ).

I am still unconvinced that I have what it takes to fish with plastics, I know patience is the key but with Squidder yelling out "There is a school of kingies!" every 5 minutes it made for some hectic shuffling and wayward casts. Managed about 6 Pike in a row and a few BIG female SGT.Bakers ( Dont they fight well ) plus ran into my first Shark around the bombie... Only a baby about 1.2m who didnt want to eat my plastics ( Or me, for a few years anyway ).

Nanna naps are very important, especially when you forget to apply sunscreen, wear shorts and get burnet to a crisp... Still, wonderfull trip all round ( Next time its bait for me ).

Camera and under waterhousing took its first dip, trying to take photos of the baby Squid lurking around the weeds, alas all I managed to capture was said weed and a flay hanging round the edge of the yak, even up to 1km offshore they can still smell the Gulp a mile away!

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 3/11/07

Set the alarm for an premature awakening around 5am but failed due to time spent the night before watching some rousing fishing DVD's ( Think 'Cod Almighty' & 'One Perfect Day' ), luckily for me the Wattle birds, Magpies and my early weekday body clock were still tuned to a strict 6am rise.

Packed the Forester hurriedly and soon arrived at Yarralumla Bay for the coordinated 7am launch, Craig and Koich ( Josh ) appeared on time and we all rigged up fairly swiftly. The Swan commotion has been fairly chaotic of late with strips of weed ripped up and disposed, littering the surface and making trolling an extremely intricate proposition. Lake Burley Griffin resembled an Airport departure / arrival lounge, Wetspot Watersports were out in force demoing goods while legions of rowers sculled the lakes width, girth and extensive surrounds.

Immediately Craig met a girl on the waterway, striking up a polite conversation on why it is important to look both ways before crossing the street ( Or should that be look both ways before sculling the lake? ). Sound travels well over water here, many rowers were commenting on our fishing activities and chosen location ( “They shouldn’t be allowed to fish here!” ). I was in a good mood after a productive week at work, rather than force the point via some plastic persuasion I recommended to Craig the other side of Spinnaker Island might be a prolific gamble ( Safety in numbers ).

Josh was developing a number of sounder tribulations, feeling confused and a little out of his depth ( Sorry, that pun was awesome! ) he moved out of the way and over towards identifiable Golden Perch bank territory. Craig and I continued to round the Islands weed bed confines while avoiding the floating shenanigans. Dropped a small English Perch before netting a 28cm model on the subsequent run ( Short 50m troll, turn around, repeat etc etc ), took a photo for this months AKFF fishing competition and started looking for decent trolling options.

Heading over towards Josh I coincidently swapped his exact location while pausing briefly to survey the weather, I went for a return trolling trip down memory lane, knocking on the many timber entrances of snag city along the way ( No one appeared to be home ). Upon revisiting the rowing populace I noticed Craig drifting slowly through the open gates of Redfin land, hoping to firmly slam the door on his topical freshwater kayak fishing curse.

Even in depths of around 4 – 6m the weed beds rise high around the peninsula, housing all matters of fish species while controlling a habitual feeding ground for all things great and small. This area has had small amounts of Redfin activity of late ( Almost unheard of the previous year ) so I don’t think any of us were expecting instant accomplishment. A tell tale series of small bumps resulted in a small 15cm Redfin midway athwart, releasing said fish I ventured on for a split second before life got a little awry.

My 1 – 3 kg outfit almost ripped out of the Scotty triple rod holder, braid commenced peeling off at a steady rate while the ‘Set and forget’ drag started a screaming rendition of an epic ‘Howling Furies’ ballad. I knew from the take this was not a Yellowbelly, Murray Cod or a Carp, big tail beats or violent head shaking was not immediately apparent nor was the Tuna like hullabaloo only a Carp can provide in such shallow water.Taking my time to repossess line I waited for the leader knot to pass through the top guide before reaching for the net, the fish took a few final runs next to the kayak before it was lucratively boated amid many hoots and hollers.

Luckily for me, Craig was once again ‘Johnny on the spot’ with his digital camera, eager to capture the image and preserve the moment in time. “What’s the biggest Redfin you have ever seen?” I yelled to Craig whilst removing the Lively Lure minnow ( In bleeding Mullet pattern ). Holding my prize catch aloft, I stopped chuckling long enough to look towards the lens during the photo shoot. We both were fairly impressed with the size of such a beast, its length easily exceeding the 40cm measuring device ( 43cm Redfin PB ).

By this stage Josh had headed over to the bank to meet some mutual acquaintances from FangACT ( Canberra Fishnet Anglers group ). I paddled over behind to relay the catch while leaving Craig to fend for himself amongst the rowing contingent, I did however offer to return the photography favour should he come blaring with news ( Thanks again mate ). After a small hiatus on the shoreline I phoned Craig announcing my plans to revisit the prior location, Craig eventually hooked onto a 30cm English Perch while I moved over to repay the framed goodwill.

Canberra’s forecasted weather moved in around 11am, It started to drizzle, rain and drop a few degrees ( Including a drop in water temperature ). The decision was made call it a day before the wind picked up a few knots, we headed back to the launch position at Yarralumla Bay passing a group of swimmers reveling in the inappropriate conditions ( Rowing regattas, storm like conditions, discoloured water ).

Overall it was a great day on the water minus the traditional hazards, over daylight savings and the warmer months the lake becomes clogged with traffic throughout the morning periods, pushing many anglers to fish the dusky epoch or relocate to another urban body of water ( Think Ginnenderra, Gungahlin, Yerrabi or Tuggeranong ).

Nelligen - Shallow Crossing 27/10/07

When I arrived and looked for a park I spied a ute with a KFDU sticker ( Kayak Fishing Down Under ), eventually bumped into KFDU / AKFF member Marty who faired a LOT better than I managed, the sun was well and truely above me by the time I got towards the 3rd and 4th pond and only got a few bumps and a follow in the first pond directly below the crossing ( Not sure it was a Bass ).

It was kind of confusing knowing I go left from the crossing when the river was flowing the wrong way, thankgod for Google maps otherwise I would have been fishing for Flathead ( Might have done better though, eh? ). After catching up with you around 8:30am - 9:00am I returned with the tide around noon with the small rapid runs and crossing flowing the opposite way again, got some good photos and had a blast sussing out the nice location before it pissed down.

Some huge fish on the sounder in those weed beds and loads of smaller models boofing around me, they ignored all my offerings except for the Jitterbug. Tried everything I could throw at them but left what probably would have got me a fish in the car, crap loads of Soft Plastics. The upper reaches could definately handle more than a few Kayakers on the water at the same time, heres hoping the Canberra lads organise a trip there soon ( Up for some guiding Marty? ).

PS - Funny you should mention vehicles having misfortunes on the crossing, when i returned I witnessed a Motorbike tip over at the end and a 4WD conk out half way over... Strangely enough I did it twice before I launched and twice when I returned, didnt seem to have any issues.

Packing up my gear has never been so much fun, free show to boot!

Moruya Airport - 12/10/07 to 14/10/07

Introduction:

The first week of the school holidays is frustrating for me, many moons have passed since I can remember them with such rejoice. To me they signal the start of the slow season, the days get longer, work becomes dull and uneventful apart from time spent directing small amounts of interstate and international tourists towards national monuments of significance ( “Which bus do I catch to the War memorial?” ).

From the above statement some would think I work for the local transport authority, to me its all in a days work owning and operating a small Café in the heart of Canberra city. Life is one big window just begging to be stared out of, it does however drive me somewhat bonkers to see hordes of populace enjoying themselves during business hours with such rich abandonment. Taxation costing has me working hard for the man five days a week, withdrawn thought helps bring me closer to my time… I am a weekend warrior.

Defeating the first week of holiday trade mentioned above deserved a reward, my friend Craig and I etched a plan to be off and devout some time to the art of Beach Fishing ( A past time handed down to us by our Fathers / Grandfathers ). I have not fished the surf in some time, without my Dad’s steely glare and stern words to add confidence I was definitely out of my league. Craig’s recent excursions to the South Coast added comfort and knowledge, many fish had been caught and lost with a few trips over and above expectations.

Friday 12th October 2007 :

I managed to conclude the week and collect Craig late Friday afternoon for our exodus, the Forester was packed, the anticipation high, our goal was set. Webs of tales were told and spun as we wound our way down through the small townships and onto the coastal plain. A small matter of sustenance ( Kentucky Fried Chicken ) provided the only hazard crossing our path, ultimately procuring Pilchards, Stripped Tuna and Ice was our numero uno policy. The departure felt like a termination before it even commenced, all we had to conquer was another 30km before we could amass the tents and plunder the Tasman Sea.

The destination was reached prior to 9pm in conjunction with the run out tide. Franticly, Craig pitched the shelters like a madman induced with saltwater fever while I helped where I could. Camping is another pastime I have neglected over numerous years, my itinerary was lacking but two tents and borrowed gear ( Thanks to Craig ) helped fashion the creature comforts I required to avoid searching for the back of the Subaru at the crack of dawn.

On this trip it was decided we would transport a quiver of 12’ / 10’ Beach rods for baiting the surf, 8’ general-purpose combos to cast metals / lures from the adjacent rock walls and two light / medium spinning sticks for any estuary employment we might encounter.
Tonight however, only the beach tackle was sorted and combined for the sandy walk through coastal scrub onto the small dunes of Bengello beach. Bearing a course west along the beach, looking for gutters, proved easy enough ( Even under a new moon phase ) with three holes not far off the beaten track behind the Moruya Airport runway.

Walking a small distance we set up for the next few hours, Craig recommended rigging a star sinker on a twin hook paternoster or ganged whole pilchard rig rather than a running sinker with a 50cm trace. Baiting up and deploying our offerings proved effortless but would our presentations be natural enough to entice the fish throughout the remainder of the high tide?. Our target species for this trip was indeed the iconic and sometimes loutish Australian Salmon, species such as Jewfish ( Mulloway ), large Tailor ( Greenbacks ) and Stingray’s also exist along this stretch of coast and would befall a welcome by-catch.

As previously mentioned it had been awhile since I had put line to gutter and struggled to index bites initially on lengthy rods and such profound line ( 20lb monofilament mainline, 30lb fluorocarbon leader ). Swell pounded in, investing weight on my line as the waves became insolvent. The star sinkers I purchased proved a great investment and held our baits firmly in the strike zone. Time seemed to roll at a snail's pace, our timing was off and apparently we missed our evening run. The seascape became superficially composed, calm and collected. We trudged back to base for a well-earned rest, watches were synchronized and alarms were set in eagerness to raise a morning scale.

Saturday 13th October 2007 :

On most Saturday mornings I lie dormant until gentlemen hours command a presence, but this one was fraught with differences. For the first occasion on record ( That I can recall ) I actually lay awake, staring intently at my mobile phone while the sun breached the tents surface area… With flourishing confidence I turned the alarm from snooze to off. “Beep, beep beep beep, beep beep, beep beep beep”, almost like clockwork ( Pun intended ) I hear Craig’s alarm go off in the distance a minute or so later. To complete this mornings waking ritual ( Sans coffee mind you ) all we had to do was don waders, gear and count dew coated rabbits whilst we walked 300m onward to the previous nights location.

Once again our gutter was empty of the likeminded, to the east and west of us though a few keen anglers made their presence felt early. Striped tuna strips were cut and left on the bait board ( An esky lid, what else? ), we hoped by adding a cocktail of Pilchards and oily Tuna into the mix we would bring on the bite as early as possible and maintain a solid fishing platform as we waited for the tide to turn. I wanted to be spooled, I needed to feel the strength of a renegade fish dreadfully seeking an open headland. We spoke to the other fisherman as they passed us on the way to the car park / campground, they complained of cold currents over the past few weeks and nothing of note had been caught recently apart from a few Sand Whiting.

We still held high hopes until low tide hit and depression set in, we had until late afternoon for optimal conditions to return. Breakfast in Moruya with a side of estuary became the order of the day. Upon returning to our gear-laden site we were given an opportunity to purchase firewood for the evening ahead. The total cost of $23, including the daily council accommodation fees for two, was quite reasonable given the facilities available at our disposal ( Bore water, drinking water, firewood, toilets and general camp site space ).

Wandering into the township of Moruya takes no more than a few minutes from either side of its river mouth. From the airport, North Head drive occupies the bank side cache as it flows towards its upper reaches and beyond the community’s local bridge.
Even on the last weekend of the school holidays, many shops were closed on the weekend. With a general district population of around 10,000, it must be hard running a small business for tourists that’s beyond the norm ( Newsagent, Supermarket, Bakery or Café ). Finding Woolworths was a godsend, after procuring a few chocolate muffins we scouted out some estuary commotion we noticed as we crossed the bridge.

My first thoughts were of Mullet and Tailor boiling there way across the flats, silver flashes lit up portions in the hidden weed. On closer inspection some large rogue Bream broke the beds and flowed past super sized Whiting, we were on tenterhooks returning to the car and grabbed our light gear and soft plastics in a flurry of expectation. My new TD Sol rod ( Light / Medium 7” Spinning rod matched to my TD 2500 Sol reel ) was eager to break its drought and head for the pool room early.

Tying on a 3” power minnow rigged on a 1/16th weight was my opening choice, the painted orange jighead induced a few follows from a small school of Bully Mullet.
Frustratingly I started switching plastics from Gulp jerk baits, Squidgy shads, all the way to Atomic grubs and prongs. We threw an arsenal of sizes, varying sink rates and retrieves, most attempts were approached but all the indicated species appeared spooked and vulnerable when swimming the lures through gin clear water at low tide ( Some Garlic or Aniseed scent additive may have helped ). The XO Whiting mooching slowly within arms reach were driving me insane, I would have killed for a cheap packet of frozen prawns and some red tubing!

Fearing a result similar to our preceding efforts we spent very little dynamic time here, opting to move south out of town towards Moruya Heads to fish from the prominent Break wall governing Shelley beach and Toragy Point. There have been strong reports that Salmon and Whiting inhabit the washy mouth, some large specimens had been sighted and caught recently over the past few months. Craig moved directly to the end of the rocks, casting large bibbed minnows and light metal slugs. We only had our light spinning gear in the Subaru ( Due to a lack of foreseeable circumstances ), the reach of our 8’ combos would have been a windfall acquisition while fishing the retreating current at the mouths edge.

This didn’t stop Craig hooking into a hefty school of honest Salmon almost immediately, they pursued his casts with vigor and he sporadically hooked up to a superior model before the hooks pulled. I clambered up to where he was standing to survey the scene, casting an Atomic 4” Shad beyond the rinse cycle brought followings of Salmon harassing the baitfish-like profile on retrieval. These Salmon were striking short of the hook point, lacking the destructive teeth of Tailor permitted my plastic to remain intact. Spooked by the falling tide and becoming accustomed to our lures, the fish went off the bite briefly so we discussed our options sanguinely.

Being of solid mind, but disturbed nether the less, I cut a small strip of Striped Tuna and fed it onto a ¼ oz yellow jighead for a bit of comic relief. Turning the reel handle slowly and hopping the arrangement back towards our podium drew the Salmon even closer ( Followed by small Flathead, Drummer and Bream ). Small tentative picks all the way through the wash were met with ravenous commotion at the edge of the jaggy structure. Craig and I switched to light sinkers / small hooks and commenced dropping a few small Drummer and Flathead ( In addition to snagging a few rigs ). The conclusion of our stoney foray resulted in christening the TD Sol rod with what must have been the tinniest lizard in the world, an entire girth of around two centimeters!

Returning from duty disenchanted, exhausted and hungry we headed back to our encampment for some rest and recuperation. The tide was predicted to be entirely turned by 6:30pm, this was our final chance to lock and load for the tour. Fishing two hours either side of the high should bring positive results, this time we also took our 8’ outfits to cast metals and sink bait for Mullet. The sunset vanished within half an hour of arriving and visibility became obsolete, minimal use of headlamps helped restore our faith. This weekend had been a bit of a pooch, there was no way we were going to risk spooking more fish and ruining our finale.

This time I detected some small bites early on, losing bait to pickers became the norm over the next hour or so. Sticking with mushy Pilchards, I threaded the head section on the bottom dropper while using the tail on the hook above, hurling the remainding pieces into the surf. A run of Salmon finally came through our area feeding, keeping a tight line I set the hook on an average size fish and walked backwards up the beach. Proudly displaying my catch, I hurried over to Craig to show him my prize. His bait was getting hit left, right and centre as the school passed, he kindly offered to relinquish his rod to its holder and capture an image before it was released ( Thanks again mate ).

The action halted, the cold set in and hunger struck once more. We were both grateful that a fish was caught, no matter which angler secured the prize. Talking about what could have been was a universal topic during the night’s conversations. We embarked on an hour-long return trip to Batemans Bay for a cheap meal ( Mc Donald’s ) before lighting the campfire and hitting the hay. I know Craig must have been disappointed with the weekend’s outcome considering his earlier hauls this month. I was hoping a Sunday sleep in would help ease the pain and lake of fish, we called off any further plans for fishing this weekend providing ease of packing up and returning to the land of responsibility ( And further more, reality ).

Conclusion:

The drive home was swift but somber, we left the campground early to insure missing the final School holiday traffic rush. Dropping Craig on his doorstep at around 12:30pm gave both of us a chance to unwind with loved ones and get ready for the ground hog days that lay ahead in the forthcoming weeks. I really benefited from this trip and would definitely recommend the area’s beaches as a worthwhile solid fishery, easily enjoyed by all ( Thanks to Craig and his willingness to share experiences ).

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 22/9/07

Nice clear day on the horizon, will I get a chance to wet a line?

With my parents in town for a few days up from the South Coast, running around like a mad man with them was the order for this Saturday ( Forecast for the entire weekend actually ), I still managed to get out for a swift afternoon session and meet a few mates on the water. Rushing to meet Craig turned out to be hazardous for my fishing health, I forgot to pack my trusty net ( Trebles caught in the net are better than in leg ), my homemade rear rod extenders ( Just for secure peace of mind ) and my fishing / paddling gloves ( Which I mainly use to avoid dish pan hands ).

Launched around 3:30pm from Yarralumla Bay into a calmish 10 knot breeze, my favourite weed patch ( Redfin Land ) was contaminated with small sized water craft in various formats from the YMCA A.C.T Sailing Club performing slapdash tacs left and right. After catching up with Craig around said area he mentioned he had a few close calls with these vessels and there blind sailors ( Lucky there were no rowers out, eh? ) so it was determined we venture east of them towards a quieter waterway.

Managed to bump into Leigh on route around the Peninsula, no positive reports of any species ( Including the feral populous ), opting to catch up for a yak later we bid Red farewell and commenced trolling once we exited the temporary marked out buoy course.Craig had arrived 3 hours previously looking to clock up some local fish and produce his first Lake Burley Griffin Golden Perch. Nobody that he spoke to before my arrival ( Including the local tin men ) confirmed fish of any portrayal.

After about half an hour the yacht brigade dismantled there field and left the arena, without delay we moved back into memorable waters, treading the path so well worn by our Canberra moderator ( Red Phoenix ). Craig lost battery power and in due course the use of depth gauged from his sounder, relaying the water temperature once ( Around 14 degrees ) seemed to be all he needed. Looking at the Mr. Squiggle trail of breadcrumbs on the GPS screen lead me to believe we were approaching the infamous 4m - 8m drop off.

Just beforehand I hooked a small Redfin around 15cm and lost in next to the yak ( Much to my disgust ), after retrieving the lure and casting it out yet again my supplementary combo bent with the tell tale sign of a Golden Perch. No screaming drag ( Unlike previous encounters over this area ) but nether the less the ominous tugging match began, turning the fish towards the yak early resulted in a small Yellowbelly in the region of 30cm gracing the kayaks deck for release ( Thanks again for the photographs Craig! ).

A few more trolling passes of Redfin Land produced not so much as a hit so we called it a day… Zilch, nada, nothing. Craig’s mammoth 5 hr effort had taken its toll hard, after ferrying passengers around our metropolitan centers all morning I was pretty keen to head home too, even after only managing an hour on the water ( Kayak fishing providing my only escape plan ).

On the way back we sighted Leigh once more and moved over to converse, He mentioned he had achieved a very poor result ( Any change on this Red? ) while relaying to us that Brad ( Mackrel ) was on the water and had caught only one 20cm English Perch.

Sydney - Hen & Chicken Bay 15/9/07

Had a great time, lasted till about 2:15pm after launching around 9:15am and got sunburned, entertained by Bazzoo, Ken and Steve and had a well deserved rest on the couch till about 5:30pm. After all that we didnt make the Flower / Vegie markets ( He he, just been advised were going next time ) and scored a few PB's and a new species off the yak for myself, a 39cm Whiting of some description ( Wouldnt stretch to 40, just shy with its tough skeletal structure ) caught on my Perch coloured Predatek Micro Min, a fish for the AKFF Saltwater HOF!

Didnt bring the USB cable ( Doh! ), oooo actually, transfering from camera via card through printer to parents PC ( Ahhh, the wonders of technology ), spent an hour looking for mini USB cords only to realise they would be overseas with them at the moment.Ripper day fish wise, I managed to catch 5 Bream ( A PB of 30cm, smallest 18cm ), 3 Flathead ( Largest 40cm, smallest 33cm ), 1 Whiting ( 39cm, elbow slapper ) and 2 Tailor ( Biggest 25cm, smallest about 12cm )... Claire did ok too with 2 Tailor ( Biggest 31cm, smallest 23cm ) and a nice Bream that went 25cm.

Dropped numerous fish left, right and centre but enjoyed every last second of it, damage was done on the Micro Min and Ecogear CK ( Chubby style ). Deployed the standard Sx 40's in various pattens ( 5 different ones all up ) for nothing, same with the Halco Scorpions and a few assorted Frenzy lures, the Micro touched the bottom in as deep as 3.5m and was a pleasure to use on my light 1- 3kg setup.

Finished the day by going to the local shops and indulging in a dozen steamed BBQ pork buns, steamed asian greens with soy and some BBQ Roast Pork / Roast Soy Duck... Claire just ate some noodles, NOT! ( PS - Bazz, your too smooth... Claire was blushing after your lovely comments, keep ya schlong to your self! ).

Thanks again all for showing us the ropes, hope to get offshore over the long weekend next time and fish a bit longer...

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 1/9/07 & 9/9/07

Just a few lines to inform you of recent efforts,

Spent the last few weekends out on Lake Burley griffin trying to replicate my feat of catching a decent Golden Perch, all reports I have read governing the Canberra region suggest the Yellowbelly are starting to fire up with a spritely spring feeling in the air. Craig, myself, Red Pheonix and his son Luke plus a fresh face ( Gibbo ) set out to land fish of any description ( Except Murray Cod due to the closed season coming into effect) hoping to find schools of Redfin keen to play, unfortunately for us the fish were few and far between.

Luke and Red managed a few sub 30cm Redfin including Lukes second ever fish from LBG, give this boy his own yak Red and we might all be in trouble, guess the Espri will come in handy when he assumes his growth spurts, eh?. Craig managed to get creamed by a monster fish ( Again ) and fought like all hell to catch sight of it before he was wrapped around one of the line marking buoys on the rowing course ( Cue broken treble and lost fish ).

Probably a good thing as the 1st of September marks Murray Cod closed season and judging by the bend in his rod he was hooked up to the motherload. The remaining five hours proved useless so Craig and I headed in after losing touch with Red and Gibbo after Luke had been dropped off to his mum... First weekend of the AKFF comp period was a dud, what would the following weekend hold?

After securing my 'P' plates and my freedom, I went for a solo journey on Sunday to LBG. Not expecting much I was blown away when I turned and saw my Daiwa Heartland bend almost on cue and drag start screaming from my Daiwa Sol reel in short, strong pulls ( Definite sign of a decent Golden Perch ), alas after a brief 10 second struggle and retrieve the fish broke contact with the lure and the fight was over... Even after upgrading the Bagley's Killer B1 with Owner 2x sharp trebles ( This lure is proving its worth! ).

Next few hours wasted with not even a baby Redfin wanting to play, the second AKFF comp period in a row I have registered a donut or tale of woe. Amazing how one can have such good luck on the fish front lately and then go hour long periods using the same technique or adapting to suit for nada. Most of the time was spent dreaming about my new Subaru Forester X and the exciting times I will get to share with you all in the future.

More trips to the coast, more kayaking, more photos with new camera ( Underwater salty ones too ) and basically more positive fishing experiences...

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 26/8/07

There was a call to arms put out on the Australian Kayak Fishing Forum, the English Perch were starting to invade the Capitalist motherland once again after a cold winters hibernation. Having infiltrated our home lands previously on a number of occasions, ravaging and destroying our once pristine waterways, it was up to a few baron troopers to thwart there movements and subdue rogue forces expanding towards and over the East, West and Southern basins.

After being dropped at the lakes edge around 9:45am on a gorgeous August Sunday, Craig and I set out to meet fellow members milling around the forsaken battlefield, the infamous Black Mountain Peninsula weed bed. Lake Burley Griffin was eerily calm with not a soul to disturb, graceful Swans hooted in the shallows, Cormorants scouted from beyond while the Gull of the sea took to the airborne flow in droves as we grew closer with suspicious but inattentive disregard.

With no friend nor foe joining us at such an early hour it was time to commence our initial attack runs, weaving back and forth amongst the weeds whilst trolling our dedicated weapons with reckless abandon. My weapons of choice ( Viking Talsiman / Killalure Pakrat ) have been engaged in war many a time and are scarred heavily with memories of the land, Craig had employed the services of a Halco Scorpion with a deadly new silver armoury and a few battle worn, trusted steeds from his lure stable ( Notably dual Poltergeists in notorious garb ).

Collectively we covered respectable ground and the seventh pass, on the seventh minute past the hour of eleven, Craig ( The seventh son of a seventh son ) was attacked mid flank by a large unknown assailant. Being caught off guard drew a costly outcome, the goon started smoking line off the light wand, making off with the corpse of the Scorpion ( No doubt to parade before the Perch King ). The lure had defended his trade well but paid the ultimate price with its life, a restless native was identified as the most plausible culprit. Beginning our second assault phase proved futile, it required the union of fellow members amping numbers beyond the straights towards the Dam wall.

One of Craig's Poltergeists sighted a solo enemy unit fleeing and managed to ensnare the now wailing individual, fearing for his safety he slipped through the lures piercing grasps, earning the passage of freedom and discounting his soul from a ruthless interrogation. Small gusts of wind drew breath from the overcast sky, begging to avenge its brothers death, Craig ordered the two Poltergeists to search the depths as we moved towards the small berth housing the local rowing population. I scrambled with animation, these rowers sculling blind were not to be trusted, keeping an eye open incase of wayward projectiles kept my senses keen and fresh, I could smell the blood of an Englishmen.

It turns out that the English had employed the rural services of the humble indigenous population in hope of early warnings and potential enemy fatalities, the contemplation of losing another soldier to the casualties of war drew frowns on my brow. An American bounty hunter by the name of Bagley mentioned he could speak in various dialects, recently upgraded with razor-sharp weaponry he was deployed on reconnaissance… In recent times he had served under another in the Orient attaining the martial art rank of 'Diving Killer B 1'.

While retreating with hopes of gathering affable numbers, Bagley was ambushed… Raging with torment I became betrothed in his anguish, the skirmish was protracted and fierce and in due course gratifying as a large, fat native announced surrender to the armada. Bagley spoke in tongues unheard of in the southern hemisphere but alas was unable to converse freely with the natives personage. Offering no optimism of locating the English, the Yellow-bellied inhabitant was liberated much to Bagley's consternation.

Adorning the tree lined banks upon return were strange poles, what was the purpose of such wonders? Was it a type of tribal art or expression? Perhaps it was meant to alert marauders as to what lay in wait? Signs of such led Craig and I to hastily recoil into the loving arms of the female advent party, anxiously awaiting our safe homecoming.The first phase of the war was over, during epic crusades such as this, we must constantly remind ones self that the English will return, stronger, faster and in larger numbers than previously encountered before.

It wont be long before they procure the help of the mighty Europeans.

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 18/8/07

Saturday, its a Saturday ( Five days of work, 2 more days to play )...

It had been a while since I had the gratification of paddling on Lake Burley Griffin due to cold and wild weather so when I awoke to a rather balmy Canberra morning ( A still, foggy 2 degrees ) I lept at the chance. Arriving around 11am to a calm bay at Yarralumla I set out in hope of a Redfin or two, bringing a minimal amount of light gear and three of my favourite English perch lures... I also took my new camera and waterproof housing for its Kayak debut, thinking if the fish were quiet I would cruise the shoreline in search of some amateur photography opportunities.

Pushing across the weed beds around Black Mountain Peninsula proved simple enough with no wind but fish were showing on the sounder few and far between and there was plenty of weed on the surface creating havoc with my early trolling runs, no Redfin were extracted from this location ( A first in a long time I might add, this is usually my rock ) so I headed towards the Yarralumla rowing platforms taking photos of bird life and moored boats a long the way.

After an hour of mooching around I moved over to the small Island's weed beds and finally hit pay dirt, trolling my lucky silver and red Viking Talisman in depth varying around 3.5m I saw a violent jerk of the rod tip out of the corner of my eye, turning my head I was pleasantly surprised to see the Daiwa Heartland arching with excitement. Putting up a spirited fight I finally landed my first Redfin of the day, a healthy looking model around 28cm in great winter condition... While handling the fish for release and operating my new camera at the same time I managed to get water on the lens housing, blurring small sections of the image.

Wiping dry the housing, I zig zagged to and fro hoping to replicate my actions and encounter more virulent Perca fluviatilis around the same area. Moving around the opposite side of the Island I managed to get some good photographs of a Cormorant while leaving my lure idling behind the Kayak, during the photo shoot of said bird I felt the familiar rap on the line through the hull and was promptly taken into the weeds and bamboozled by a small English Perch ( Estimated size approximately 20cm ), needless to say safe handling of the camera was at the time the number one priority and the fish was lost.

While Phoning Claire at 2pm when the wind slowly picked up, beckoning to be collected, I managed to ensnare another Perch while once again drifting the lure in the shallows with no motion or movement, this time a small Englishmen had engulfed both sets of trebles and subsequently was netted, losing the battle to regain his freedom ( Or so he had thought ). Eyes weary from a spate of X box gaming the night before I headed into shore, celebrating the cameras wonderful performance and the slight pre-spring capital weather...

A great day out on the water, I had the lake to myself.

Lake Jindabyne - Kalkite 21/7/07

Allan, Craig and myself (Team Darkside) packed Al’s Pathfinder the night before in preparation of an early departure to the shores of Kalkite, leaving Canberra around 4:15am the next day was tough but the capital city provided a rather mild morning compared with times of yesteryear. Many Kangaroos alive and dead littered the streets out and down the Monaro Highway as we headed towards Jindabyne, anticipation was high and from all reports gathered through the wonders of the Internet, magazines and tackle shops, the fish were well and truly on and ready to commit.

Andre and his diesel guzzling 4WD joined the procession just before Williamsdale so we all pulled into the first Cooma Petrol Station for some Red Bull and a general catch up. The traffic was building already with snow bunnies and assorted tourists making there way to the ski fields for there daily dose, by all accounts the predicted weather reports over the last week were fantastic and Saturday was set to be the pick of them.

The plan for Team Darkside was to find a beaten track somewhere before the town of Kalkite and tack our way west closer to the Snowy arm to launch, what we didn’t expect was how difficult this was to become due to darkness and some unfamiliarity within our surrounds (Even armed with detailed maps of the area) so after a few puzzling minutes traipsing round Kalkite we conceded defeat and decided to launch with Jason and Leigh (Team Mod Squad) at the boat ramp just outside of town.

Last weekend Funda and Squidder found the weather was most harsh with a wind chill factor that would have been close to –5, making for uncomfortable conditions. Even the most prepared Fisherman, whether Kayak, Boat, or land based, would have found the conditions difficult. Safety is paramount on Lake Jindabyne with 100km winds, waves of two meters occurring as the weather turns and a chilly water temperature of 4 degrees early morning (It reached 7 degrees around 3pm).

After removing the three Polyethylene platforms from the car rigging up our Kayaks was quick and easy compared to packing the night before. A couple of Hobie Adventures (Allan’s modified with a Minn Kota), Craig’s Hobie Revolution, Andre’s Hobie Outback, Jason’s Cobra Fish ‘n’ Dive and my Hobie Quest adorned the waters edge ready for the days trickery ahead. Spare UHF handsets were distributed to members and we pushed off pre dawn in search of some legendary Salmonidae (Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout and Atlantic Salmon).

Looking for structure was a relatively east task, submerged trees and boulders lined the shoreline in most directions governed by shallow and steep muddy banks. Our sounders started showing fish immediately but were holding low on the bottom around 12 meters. Moving slowly opposite the ramp whilst trolling a Predatek Micro min almost paid off in the first five minutes, my light rod setup went off and just as I was set to play the fish out it jumped 3 ft in the air behind the Kayak and threw the hook.

Muttering some choice words to Craig over the UHF I had not realised he was replicating the result about 100m behind me, ultimately voicing a similar response. About 300m in front we spied Allan heading for a rocky point enjoying the perfect trolling speed produced by his electric motor while to the east Team Mod Squad were working the other side of the lake for an instant result. Leigh had sight cast to a magnificent Atlantic Salmon which became tentatively hooked whilst striking at his lure, the offending 8 minute battle resulted in a new PB for Red Pheonix and the first fish of the day.

Trolling became tedious with many fish striking short or snapping at our presentations, after many hours a few members decided to have a rest and fish Powerbait from various locations along the banks, I lost sight of my team mates as I continued moving around the shallow weed beds so moved across and back down the opposite side of the lake towards the ramp. Rounding a shallow rocky point I spotted a fin protruding in what would have been as little as 15cm, the fish (Presumed a Brown Trout) moved in and out sojourning
the edge while I carefully evaluated my floating position.

Taking my time I cast my Micro Min as close as I dared landing my lure on a boulder close by, slowly working it back I covered the water in the exact same point I had seen the fish 15 seconds earlier for no result. Slightly gutted I had spooked the fish with my rocky antics I moved on in search of my teammates and found them bank side fishing Powerbait just east of the boat ramp. Allan had managed to previously troll up a whopping 55cm Brown Trout using a winged lure (Pink Tasmanian Devil) and was enjoying some lunch with Craig and some tame Kangaroos.

The peaceful speechless tranquility was to be short lived though, Allan noticed one of his lines going tight and set the hook on a lovely 50cm Rainbow amid hoots and hollers, his big Brown Trout had not only secured the fish of the day but his Rainbow was putting serious runs on the board for Team Darkside. The fish kept rising all around us but ignored the subsequent offerings of brightly coloured artificial bait so we moved on, by this stage I was desperate for a fish so decided to cruise solo trolling along the exact path I had followed this morning (Made slightly easier with the use of a GPS).

Frustration was setting in but confidence was still high, I passed Squidder on a bank who had fared well with two nice Rainbow Trout on Powerbait and had a quick chat before moving on in search of Leigh. Coming to a set of trees that showed high signs of life holding deep I managed to troll up somebody’s lost snagged rig with a Tasmanian Devil on the end, I removed the bonus lure and placed the old line in my pocket to discard later on, this water way contained many strands of monofilament dangling on exspoed branches due to wayward casts and perhaps previously high water levels.

Tying on a Jackal (Lipless Crank Bait) I cast between the sticks hoping to avoid the snags, counting down till it hit the bottom. From my first presentation a lift of the rod tip produced a hit and the fish was hooked, desperately trying to throw the hook the fish hit the surface early but I was ready and controlled it with a tight line into my net, I was unsure of the species so mentioned to Squidder I was joining him bank side to identify, secure and measure my catch. It was then recognised as a 46cm Brown Trout, a new species and a my first Salmonoid from a Kayak, thanking Jason for his help I rushed back hoping to produce another.

Finding the fish still in the exact same spot I cast the Jackal again allowing it to hit the bottom, the rod tip was lifted from my first cast but this time it was hit on the first flutter providing an exciting fight. This fish felt similar but slightly larger, playing the game dirtier than its counterpart with loads of darting and weaving before attempting to jump. With gin clear water I found myself at an advantage, spotting the fish rising quickly the line was kept tight and another Brown Trout was netted (I was now on a hat trick!).

‘You wont believe this Jason!’ I squealed into the UHF before bursting into fits of laughter and paddling frantically toward the shore, I may have had the fish in the net but it was going mental trying to avoid becoming my PB and another fish to Team Darkside’s tally. This Trout measured 51.5cm and was to be my fish of the day, by this stage my ranting on the UHF had brought fellow members in search of a trophy Brown.
I bid Jason farewell and hit the water in hope of my hat trick, unfortunately this ws not achieved but the fish were still there with some huge specimens appearing on the fish finder.

Leigh appeared around a point and joined us all for a rest and another Powerbait session on the edge just down from Jason, many stimulating tales were told and fish shown off and paraded like short-skirted girlfriends on a nightclub strip. Before most members had a chance to rig up there fake bait Allan was already on, landing another nice 50cm Rainbow Trout and bringing his total to three fish and a crushing five for Team Darkside. The sun started to set behind us so jackets were once again donned as the temperature started to drop, we all packed up and commenced one last troll over to the boat ramp arriving around 4:30pm.

Was a big, long day out, an impressive one and ultimately a rewarding experience for all (Fish or no fish) on the shores of Kalkite. We loaded the vehicles and said our goodbyes before driving home, collecting a bag of ice along the way. Thanks everyone for a truly awe inspiring day and the collective company only AKFF can provide, congratulations to Team Mod Squad for a commendable effort on the water.

Batemans Bay - Casey's Beach 8/7/07

The weather was foul, evil and obviously anticipated our arrival,

A small antipodal band of brothers ( Myself and Funda ) left Canberra around 6am bound for the southern coastal region of Bateman’s Bay, Gordon Schumway and Craig450 were camping somewhere near the Clyde and were eager to meet up and join in an offshore sortie hopefully at Maloney’s Beach or our plan b ( Casey’s Beach ).

Arriving before the other two members we quickly relayed our disappointment via mobile phone indicating Maloney’s was a no go zone, the beach was blown out completely ( Waves were even closed out ) so we moved on to plan b, an ominous storm was approaching with fierce lightning crashing in the distance making for some nervous moments while transporting our graphite rods to our yaks.

The rain was pelting, the wind picked up and the current streamed through the gap between Snapper Island and the mainland just as I was assuring Craig would be fine venturing out on his first offshore launch. Making our way behind the Island to the safe secluded area Funda managed to land four undersized Flathead before I could set my Pilchards adrift, the action was very slow with Craig and I lucking out on the fish front.

Craig headed back in to meet A.L.F and move to the Clyde under the main bridge into town while we persevered hoping to find out why the Island was named after the species we so desperately wanted to catch, the wind changed to its predicted southerly a little earlier than expected and at one stage I had drifted half way to maloneys, we both headed in exhausted and disappointed but happy to be giving it a go… Five minutes to get out and half an hour to return to the launch spot, both kayaks handling the conditions well.

Heading back into town we cruised into the Harry’s tackle shop to browse the merchandise before purchasing some disappointing local fare ( Least it was salty eh AL? ), spied the unmistakable colour of Craig’s Frenzy in the far car park locating them under the bridge in search of some legal Flathead, apparently they managed a few even after I hurled abuse on the way over the bridge catching Craig’s attention with my colourfull choice of words… Too harsh for this perfect forum!

Got home around 3pm looking forward to rest and relaxation, no keeper fish were heading for the freezer but tales of woe and participation will be entered into the AKFF monthly fishing comp, without the state vs. state event both our entry’s will effect each others in a negative fashion but its all good for Hobie? ( May the best yak win eh? ).

Captains Flat Dam - 30/6/07

Interesting day for bush bashing,

Meeting Allan and Craig at Captains Flat was the easy part, trying to find a way to access the Dam proved a little more difficult but thanks to Red and his Subaru we managed to ferry the kayak populous to within 200m of the waters edge ( Mind you it was a steep and rocky descent! ), I am looking forward to going back when the water temperature is above 6 degrees ( Yes it was very, very cold ) and the fish slightly more active, some decent arches appeared on sounders and great snags were found but alas no species was caught nor sighted in the dark, murky water.

Tried to get some photos on the water but paddling caused the dreaded cold hand syndrome, the Hobie Mirage crew seemed to get a few with the bonus of hands free operation and pocket warming capabilities, its times like these I wish my Quest was a Revolution but in saying that all the kayaks handled the extreme expedition well and we all made it home in one piece... This is the kind of adventure only read about in magazines from the safety of a couch or sofa accompanied by a nice heater ( Wall, floor, column or open fire will do ).

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 24/6/07

Having caught a sinus infection last week I wasn’t feeling the best but as the weather has been foul over the past few weekends I was keen to get onto a body of water and make up some ground,

After a few conversations mid week about the weather gnashing its teeth down the coast Craig450 and myself decided to hit Lake Burley Griffin on Sunday in hope of resurrecting the Redfin that had been so active over the warmer months, anything we normally catch in this lake should be well and truly shutdown by now so we met up a little later than usual, around 1:30pm when the sun would be high and at its warmest ( 11 degrees, god knows how cold in the shade ).

Following the unloading of the kayaks I spent the first few minutes checking out Craig’s new Revolution but my concentration quickly faded when I stepped into the waters edge to push off into the Lakes expanse, it was bloody cold… No wait, it was very, very cold hovering around 10 degrees in the shallows and 9 degrees when the depth hit the 4m + mark, luckily we were both prepared donning warm winter clothing, jackets and gloves to protect against Canberra’s harsh Winter element, In or on the water it was best to be safe ( Did I mention it was bloody cold?!? ).

As we headed out of Yarralumla Bay we decided to do a quick scout of Redfin land trolling along the edges of the infamous weed bed adjacent to the tip of Black Mountain Peninsula, I tied on a red and silver Viking Talisman which was deployed along with a green and yellow Craftmaster Merlin ( My two favourite English Perch lures ) while Craig trolled a larger Gold Talisman and a Storm Hot ‘n’ Tot.We covered plenty of ground but found no fortune or fame so we made a joint decision to head back via the GPS breadcrumb trail around the Peninsula and head across to Blue Gum Point, while we talked crap I felt a small hit on the Talisman as we hit the perimeter and pulled in a decent Redfin around 28cm, Craig took a couple of photographs before we moved on… Getting close to the smaller Island ( Spinnaker? ) I warned Craig that a weed bed was approaching as he had not brought his sounder, just as I reached round to grab my Heartland / Sol 2500 setup I felt an immediate take.

Not sure if it was the quick erratic dart of the lure before I hit the weed bed or not but another 28cm Redfin took the Viking with gusto, pretty happy with the days effort so far and was looking forward to Craig catching a fish or two ( He soon switched to a Storm Wiggle Wart and Daiwa Provibe to up the ante ), Blue Gum Point loomed in the distance so we instigated a paddling / pedaling technique along the ledge while once again talking crap, I was informed that Craig’s mate Alf had apparently pulled some decent Redfin from this bank and Craig himself had many tales of lost lures and unknown fish.

We fished the drop off for about 10 minutes and turned back towards Yarralumla Bay trolling the edge while trying to avoid the shallows around the 3m mark, hit a weed bed around 2.5m and tried to exit it peacefully when my rod bent in two… Was pretty sure it caught a snag but was pleasantly surprised to feel a struggle from the other end, a few small runs and some big tail beats later I saw the fish below the yak, this was the skinniest looking Yellowbelly I had ever seen! ( Or was it something else? ).

As it hit the surface I was heavily confused and it took me about 10 seconds to pick up my jaw off the kayak’s deck, ‘It’s a Murray Cod mate!‘ I said to Craig while I grabbed my Boga grips, I knew what to do and had been awaiting this day for a long time… Craig moved into position with the Camera and started firing away while encircling my Kayak, little did Craig know that his lure was still trailing behind him and I was quickly spun up in a web of braid, got some more photos and I released the fish perfectly amid a barrage of screams and excitement! ( I had finally done it, the apprentice scores a 55cm Murray Cod! ).

Nothing could top this so we pretty much called it a day, after a quick trip along the Eastern bank of BMP we both met Claire at the launch point at Yarralumla Bay and packed up our gear, helping Craig load his yak on the car I shook his hand and couldn’t thank him enough, if it wasn’t for Craig I would not have left the safety of my lounge room and ultimately not caught this cod ( Or have any digital images mind you, thanks again champ! ).

I am one happy camper folks… WOOOHOOO!

NEW TO KAYAK FISHING? (READ ON)

Introduction :

Having been involved solidly over the past few years in Kayak Fishing I have recently been given a chance to introduce myself to you all online through http://www.kfa.net.au, Outlining my plastic navy and my passion for one of the most pristine and pure sports available to the adventure angler today. Although I wish to educate the minority I will point out the sports rapid progression throughout the last few years with specific leaps and bounds credited to Kayak sales worldwide.

With the cost of fuel these days it’s not hard to see why Kayaks are eclipsing the traditional Canoe as a viable fishing alternative to a small boat with an outboard motor. I must say fishing from a Kayak is a very rewarding experience, I spent many years wandering the banks of local lakes and dams casting various types of lures in search of large schools of Redfin or Yellowbelly, often wondering how I would fare if I was given a mirror image opportunity (From the outside looking in).

It was about five years ago while my partner and I walked the banks of Googong Dam (Just outside of Australia’s national capital, Canberra) in search of these Perch that we noticed a lone figure trolling lures whilst pedaling a sleek looking contraption towards us (Hobie Outback). After returning home later that evening I used the Internet to Google ‘Kayak fishing’ and was pleasantly surprised at the result, the same search today uncovers 129,000 hits from Australia and about 4,240,000 from the world wide web in general.

There are two types of Kayaks that are commonly used to fish from, the S.O.T (Sit on top) and the S.I.K (Sit in Kayak) both available in either Polyethylene or Fiberglass, each offering ample opportunities to get yourself fishing on the water. Depending on what body of H20 you wish to fish there are models, makes and finishes to suit everyone. As I often visit Canberra’s local freshwater lakes and head coastal into the estuaries and offshore I chose to purchase the Polyethylene S.O.T style Kayak (Mainly for its light weight and durability).

After initially investing in a tandem Hobie Outfitter (Mirage Drive) I decided to expand my collection to include a Hobie Quest (Paddle Kayak) for use on solo expeditions. Both of these Kayaks came equipped with an optional extra fishing kit straight off the shelf (Or factory floor if you like) but there was and still is significant room to pimp my rides. Apart from flush mount, recessed and removable rod holders customizing your Kayak is all down to personal preference, some of the most popular after market add-ons are Fish Finders (Sounders/Sonar), GPS (Global Positioning System), additional storage hatches and the humble milk crate (Omitted on a S.I.K).

While a Fish Finder can show you structure, depth and fish lurking below, a GPS not only provides you with the ability to passively receive satellite signals indicating location, speed and current time, it also creates a highly accurate bread crumb trail you can reverse and safely follow home (And transfer to a computer later on). My Kayaks are rigged perfectly for the conditions I place myself in and the confidence I have at certain locations I fish, things can be as calm as you like though but can still turn really nasty at the drop of a dime.

As an example when I fish saltwater and head offshore I wear a type 3 PFD (Personal Flotation Device), carry a UHF handheld radio, don warm but light waterproof clothing and also carry spare fully charged batteries for my floating GPS. I have also installed a removable Scotty marine light which attaches at the rear of the Kayak so whenever I launch early or fish in low light conditions I can be seen before I am heard. Another very important piece of advice is to make sure you have plenty of water onboard for your excursions, a one and a half litre Camelbak Hydration pack attaches neatly behind my seat, but two to four 600ml bottles full of water should be enough (Depending on estimated duration of time when out and about).

Each trip brings additional reassurance and bonus time on the water all whilst allowing me to practice quality safety techniques offshore, but it is just as rewarding applying these inland on my home front. Once I started visiting Lake Burley Griffin more than a few times a month I immediately augmented my fishing ability and started producing results, Canberra’s urban lakes are stocked and contain a wide range of species including Murray Cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii), Golden Perch / Yellowbelly (Macquaria ambigua), English Perch / Redfin (Perca fluviatilis) and the dreaded European Carp (Cyprinus Carpio).

Most are perfect for targeting from a Kayak with a wide range of styles available to try for the concerning Kayak angler. Trolling a deep diving, hard-bodied lure with plenty of action is one of my favourite techniques while casting Spinnerbaits and LCB’s (Lipless Crank Baits) towards and into the tree line substructure has undone many quality fish. The quality of the rods and reels you use improves not only your ability to catch fish but your enjoyment while doing so, I have spent many hours researching the definitive Kayak fishing combo and in doing so have arrived at the conclusion it really is down to what you feel most comfortable using.

I have a propensity to use 6’6” graphite rods built on quality blanks coupled with high-end reels. If you plan to cast lures often while drifting consider upgrading the line on your reels from monofilament (Mono) to a braided/gel-spun line (Braid). There are many benefits of using braid, it is much thinner than mono (More line fitting on your reel), it has a zero stretch policy (Better sensitivity and control) and has less line memory once it leaves the spool. I could go on and on about using leaders with braid, what knots I prefer to tie and my favourite brand and colour I like to use, lets just say using 100% fluorocarbon Leaders with Braided lines is a must, just think of it as the invisible business end of your line.

Conclusion :

Hopefully from just reading this article you can tell I am very passionate about fishing from a Kayak safely and using premium gear at the same time. My friends and I venture out as often as we can enjoying the likeminded company and the gratification each adventure brings, after all its all about enjoying yourself. In the near future I hope to cover things with a more in depth approach, closely associated with my personal experiences like memorable trip reports, target species and associated harrowing events.

Canberra - Lake Burley Griffin 3/6/07

It is late so will keep this short and sweet,

Another freezing morning in the National Capital with the temperature around 0 degrees overnight which made for a slow late start to the day, the colder it gets the more my injuries from teenage life come back to haunt me, they say you can feel it in your bones and my back, knees, wrist and teeth ached from the moment my eyes opened... Had a dream about meeting the others at Googong and catching a monster Murray Cod ( Yes I know Funda, dream a little dream ) but could not drag myself out of bed to hassle Claire for a lift across the border.

Got up and watched some TV and felt slightly depressed when I learned the Socceroos lost 2 - 1 overnight but Claire lifted my spirits mentioning she wanted to visit her sister in a suburb just on the other side of lake Burley Griffin, before she had dried and straightened her hair the car was packed and I was honking the horn and screaming LETS GO!

Launched from Yarralumla Bay around 11am in pristine conditions with the whole lake to myself, headed over opposite the boat ramp dragging an assortment of lures on the way through and past Redfin Land for not much apart from the dreaded weedy monster, chucked on a Chatterbait I purchased on Saturday ( Yes I know Funda, Chatterbaits suck right? ) in search of anything that wanted to play pin the mouth on the lure, interesting action and enjoyable to cast.

Wind picked up around 1pm and water temp was stuck on 13 degrees solid, got a little wet paddling here so turned around and followed one of my previous GPS breadcrumbs from trips gone by back around Black Mountain Peninsula in hope of encountering the English defending the fortress, in 20 minutes drifting at 2.8kph I managed 3 English Perch ranging from the smallest at 29cm to the bigger model around 36cm ( With a 33cm fish in the middle ), all fish were taken on my fave reddie lure... The infamous silver and red striped Viking Talisman.

Tried to head behind the islands were Granpop has done so well before but the wind was getting stronger, rather than risk catching a cold I rang Claire and instructed her to pick me up at the launch point ( Ok so I begged her to come, it was freezing! ), all in all im glad I managed a few fish considering the conditions and think I may still be able to drag some fish ( Kicking and screaming ) from the cold, especially when its competition period time and I cant get to the Coast.

Maloneys Beach - 26/5/07

On this day let it be known that Squidder ( Jason ) embarked on a truly dope adventure taking in the seaside town of Longbeach and its sister beach named Maloneys, now before I begin to ramble on in the same fashion as yesteryear ( Previous trip reports ) I must elaborate on how truly magnificent the weather really was… Words wont do this justice but by comparing the 7:00am 2 degree start in Canberra to the 9:30am absolutely perfect launching condition and warm, still weather may help.

After arriving at Bateman’s Bay and heading to the local Marine dealer to pick up rubbers ( Nope, not some gay porn shoot ) we arrived at Maloneys and spied Itchyant ( Anthony ) and Caught2 ( Kim ) mooching around offshore anticipating our late but gentle start, quickly rigging up the yaks and tackle we headed off towards the duo who were working the local bombie closest to shore, Immediately Jasons Squid perception skill kicked in and rather than greet the invited guests he proceeded to try and level up on his brethren.

Anthony had already pulled in some decent Flathead including a ripper of an unknown documented size some 20m off the beach while Kim landed a legal Snapper as I arrived for a chat, the water was Gin clear even in 9m of water making structure easy to spot even without the aid of a fish finder so I eagerly threw a few plastics around hoping for a fish early in the day.

Got worked hard on the first cast of the day and lost half my plastic to some toothy critters but the good news was that the Leatherjacket plague were out for an extra long lunch and would not make an appearance today much to the pleasure of the locals and interstate guests alike, saving the Gulp and the Slick Rigs for later I switched to Pilchards and clipped on a Paternoster dropper… The wrasse hammered my offerings to the point that I got reefed many a time, I quickly learned once the snapper sinker had hit the bottom to turn the reel twice allowing the sinker and the angler ample time to stop the run towards home.

Squidder failed to raise a Squid but soon had a present fit for a Mother-in-law ( Red Bass? ) and a few wrasse to his name, conditions were that good he headed in to collect his dive gear and commence a dive of the yak hidden behind bombie section number 2 ( some 300m left of the first set ), I switched to Squid bait and hoped to hook an Ooglie or two but alas found myself dropping fish left, right and center mainly due to my oversized hooks and pickers struggling to get the mouths round my presentation, m and Anthony headed towards Yellow rock while I followed gingerly behind testing the depths further out.

Where are these so called Kingfish close to sure? What about these pan sized Snappers members seem to harvest from this fishing destination?

While watching Squidder disappear into the depths I moved on to Yellow rock while dragging a plastic way to fast, the big Hot Tomato Squidgy was smashed by something with a yellow tail, perhaps I had found the species I was looking for or PERHAPS it was the dreaded smelly toothy critters I had been doing so well to avoid over the past few years, a frown appeared quickly followed by a sigh of relief as the Pike was landed with the aid of a net and Boga grips, relief that I had finally boated my first fish for the trip some two and a bit hours after initially launching.

Met Kim and Itchyant behind Yellow rock as the wind picked up slightly and the swell rose an inch or two ( Was still an amazingly clear day ), spotted a Trevally following my Squid bait drift but failed to entice him, perhaps we wanted some Pilchard but keeping these away from the offending reef scum would be hard, moved back following the bread crumb trail on the GPS and set adrift again but this time I was smashed by a 33cm Silver Trevally who decided he didn’t want to become dinner and tried to bust me off on the reef below…

This model put up more of a fight that the 45cm Skippy I caught at Easter easily pulling drag on the Caldia Kix and bending the Heavy Procaster tip into the water, poor fish lost out to my 20lb braid and 20lb leader and was quickly bled inside my Hobie dry bag stowed securely inside the middle hatch on the Quest, checked the time on the Garmin and decided to troll various lures along the rocky edge back towards Squidder to see how his dive fared and to ask when the Hamburger Deluxe mission was scheduled for.

Squidder seemed pleased but a little miffed at conditions on the day, a few Leatherjackets ( Jealous Davey G? ) and a nice Black Drummer were speared but no Abalone or Crayfish were discovered, these conditions made for perfect sailing and boating weather but perhaps forced the fish into deeper water where conditions are murkier and safer for fish and crustaceans, Diving from the yak looked fun and the Fish ‘N’ Dive was used for its intended purpose for the first time since Jason moved from Melbourne to Canberra.

Itchyant had to head off and Kim seemed to never want to come in so it was burger time, a plan of packing up the gear and going for a shore based fish / dive was hatched but only after one of these so called super burgers was munched alongside a minimum chips and many a coke beverage, must say the burgers were quite nice and it was pleasant to taste a good, crisp flavour ( Sign read ‘ We use Soy Linseed oil in our cooking ‘ ) I have not experienced before.

Running out of time we headed back to the beach with bloated bellies just in time to meet Kim loading her yak on her roof racks, Jason offered assistance while I bludged about enjoying my ciggie and perplexed over when sunset would actually occur, Kim thought we had about 1 hr left so we bid farewell and went left along the shore towards a reefy point and Squidder entered the water immediately spooking a few monster Flathead in his first five minutes of diving, I cast plastics from the beach hoping to secure a fish of any species but found nothing but rocks and weed which claimed the life of a few Gulp laden jig heads.

Moving away I kept hoping plastics till I found a Stingray holding ground at my feet, I had not noticed this Ray before so was amused and took some photos before testing its response with plastics, It was interested but I was not going to hook this little beast so I just teased it on and off for a few minutes before I noticed Jason exiting the water empty handed exclaiming that once the sun had set behind the hills that eyesight had become extremely poor, he was pleased that he saw the big Flatheads and estimated a few close to 80cm in size.

Packing up we headed for home and arrived at my house for a feed prepared lovingly by my partner Claire, she made me proud cooking up her famous Lasagna & garlic Bread combo followed by Chocolate Pudding, Offering Jason free veggies and poultry plundered from her sisters rural property we sat down for a good feed and a tale or two… Thanks to Jason for his driving skills and invitation and to the others for spending time with me on a body of water I have not fished before.