VIC - WE ARE BOUND, MARLO BOUND

Had a great weekend away with Ronnie Sonter and his mate Dean fishing Marlo from end to end. Wish I could say the weather was better but it wasn't, so much fresh dumped in the system. Most days it blew gusts of over 30 knots easily and rained sporadically on and off. 

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GAMAKATSU HOBIE FISHING SERIES - GEORGES REPORT

Recently I partook in the last Gamakatsu Hobie Kayak Series round for the year, held on the Georges River in Sydney's South. Having never fished this venue before I wasn't too sure what to expect but was warned of gnarly structure doting the shorelines. With this in mind I came equipped with a few different tools in the rod arsenal, including shorter rack rods and deeper diving lures. After receiving an updated lowdown on the arena from good mate Carl Dubois I was happy with my game plan and hoped to execute it well.

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NSW - LAKE JINDABYNE 19/5/13 (TRAILER, ROO, RUDDER)

This time of year brings many a weak capital kayaker to their knees. Snapper down the coast, Trout in the mountains... It's a tough choice. Works been rather pressing so when the chance for a road trip came up on a Sunday with a few mates I offered up the kayak trailer and away we went. Was great to see the trailer full to the brim with kayaks once more with three on the bars and one on the Roof. It was a bit of a Hobie affair with a Pro Angler, a Quest, an Outback and even a Sport ready to rock a ruckus on Lake Jindabyne. 

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DAWIA HOBIE BREAK KAYAK SERIES - BURRILL LAKE

A strange location for some but a godsend for others, Burrill Lake captivated everyone's minds once the threat of major inclement weather wore off. A perfect waterway almost purpose built for kayaking played host to 27 brave souls ignoring glancing heavy winds and scattered showers. Reports on the area were slim to nill but this event had no prefish ban so I am assuming a few got out for some fish. 

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GAMAKATSU HOBIE TEAM SERIES - ST GEORGES BASIN

While still flying under the Hobie banner, and run in conjunction with, this event was executed by the Gamakatsu Team Series. It may normally be a division of boating tournaments up and down the east coast of Australia, this year however sees kayaks included filling voids left by the now defunkt SSBS. The weigh in was different, some of the faces were new hat (Both boater and kayaker) but the venue was still clearly a classic favourite. 

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DAIWA HOBIE BREAM KAYAK SERIES - THE BEMM REPORT

After a long sortie down through Cooma and Bombala I arrived at Cann River late Friday afternoon. It was a surreal feeling, being alone in this neck of the woods. You see this region is normally frequented by myself and my associative families, all 12 of us (Plus ring ins). Year after year we make the pilgrimage to Bemm for our annual family holidays, some from Melbourne, some from Canberra. This time though this was my getaway, back to a tournament location I fell in love with many moons ago.

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TOURNAMENT TRAVELS - THE ROAD TO BEMM RIVER

The first of many, hoping to start on a good note...

This weekend sees my first road trip for the year, all the way to the Bemm River Victorian round of the Daiwa Hobie ABT Kayak Bream Series. The event is sure to be well attended with guesses on turn estimated between low 50's to high 80's. I heard a rumour a couple of other tournaments are also on this weekend (Local clubs) so it will be busy, especially with close to 100 kayakers on the water.

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POLYETHYLENE WELDING FOR BEGINNERS (TAKE 2)

Amazing what some snooping round will find... The Quest needed attention.

With the upcoming Daiwa Hobie ABT round at Bemm in a few weeks I thought I would get my shit in a pile and organise a few things. Been awhile since I entered a comp and without the Pro Angler rig it was my original trusty rig that craved all the attention. I have used the Quest in tournaments before and it's actually a superb kayak to fish from, albeit without excess space and huge capacity.

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TROLLING OUT THE CRAZY YEAR THAT WAS 2012

Another year rolls around, still were kicking on strong and loving this sport, right?

Reflecting on another year enjoying the sport seems a little difficult this new year's message. What it really boils down to is some commitment issues revolving work and life (And all that jazz). Right from the start of 2012 I knew my attendance at fishing tournaments would be slim to nil this year, after rolling the dice for many years it was time for a break. Looking back I can see why I loved entering in as many as I could, and funnily enough it wasn’t always about winning either. The thing is, even though they cost you good coin to enter they forced me to fish, and think about fishing on a whole new level.

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ACT - TOPWATER COD CLOSE TO HOME 8/12/12

Seems like its been forever since I posted a good old trip report with a nice fish. Dont get me wrong I have had a ball over the last few months fishing from the kayak and the bank but the species results have been a little so so. After witnessing a few super implosions off the surface I decided enough was enough, its past December 1st and there is Cod about. A night session was in order and with no takers I headed out after dark in search of a Goodoo off the surface.

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NSW - SOUTH COAST SERGEANT SICKNESS 14/7/12

Ever had your arms pulled off by a Sergeant Baker?

Went Snapper fishing in the usual spot (Search is your friend) recently in between cold and flu symptoms and found the going pretty tough. Met a mate already down there who had a couple of small ones and a 50cm model who indicated an unknown kayaker on the horizon had a decent model. Hopes were high for some great fishing but alas no matter what people tell you it was pretty quiet on the fishing front (Unless catching Wrasse is your thing, then it was extraordinary).

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SOUTH COAST - WASP ISLAND, NSW 16/6/12

Big Saturday, widening swell patterns and confused seas...

We experienced it all at Wasp Island with some great fish landed but unfortunately it was a little hit and miss. Arriving early we scouted the swell and it was up a little higher than expected, 2 metres and a strange current. Wind was slim so we made our way out through the channel carefully and prospected for Snapper. Some used Plastics, others used Octo jigs while I decided snatchers and bait would be the key. Somebody must of told the fish as do you think I could land some sort of lively?

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2012 PIRTEK FISHING CHALLENGE - DAY ON THE WATER

On Sunday the 17th of April myself and a mate took part in the Pirtek Fishing Challenge to help raise awareness for prostate cancer. Over 6,500 anglers Australia wide took part in the competition with CPR (Catch, photo, release) the name of the game, subject to pest species conditions. The night before all anglers were informed of their angler numbers and their states fish species to be caught.

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BLAST FROM THE PAST - MALLACOOTA TRIP 2008

Been browsing through the hundred + trip reports and found some real doozies, you know those memories that set your mind adrift remembering times gone by. Some had me daydreaming for hours and hours on end, many posted long ago. I will start bringing these to light in hope it inspires many to visit said destination/s, that or get people out and about writing about there experiences (Colourful or not).

The first one I would like to 'Bump' is a particular trip I made with family to Mallacoota back in 2008. While we have been frequently visiting areas close by I haven't had a chance to return. Its an amazing place and more often than not an amazing fishery. It was the trip that made me fall in love with Black Bream, since then I need a fix a few times a year (Brutish big blue bad boys).

To catch up the flashback, please click here.

VIC - THE BIG BEMM THEORY 20/1/2012 - 27/1/2012

Just returned from seven days kayak fishing Bemm River and its surrounds, great company and an even better campsite. The angling was tougher than expected with the inlet well over nominal water levels. Apparently in November 2011 there were massive periods of inclement weather resulting in the mouth shutting/filling. Water clarity was murky at best and those 90cm weed beds were well over 2m deep.

I witnessed some pretty cool stuff with some apex fish absolutely smashing the smaller residents, hooking and losing a few in the process. I also caught a couple of cracking Bream and some decent E.P's but other species didn't want to play lure ball. Chasing mainly Tailor proved difficult compared to last year's rewards but the ones I did land weren't kept for the table. Most had bite marks almost clean through and as savage as it seems I'm not quite sure they were bigger specimens of the same genus.

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NSW/ACT - 2011 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY PERIOD REPORTS

This is the first Christmas break I haven't owned my old coffee shop (Bless its soul), so my time off differed from past Xmas periods. Recieving the token couple of days shy of a fortnight I managed to get away to the far South Coast of NSW for a few days and then a local jaunt. With Pambula/Merimbula buzzing with Mexicans fishing the lakes was going to be a little testing, even if they only just managed to open up the new and improved boat ramp (2 days before Xmas, cutting it fine council!).

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2012 DAIWA HOBIE KAYAK SERIES - FORSTER, NSW

Round 1 of the Daiwa Kayak Series kicks off in Forster on the NSW Mid North Coast. With anticipation building since the announcement of the series anglers have been preparing to do battle within the racks and find that tournament winning bag. Some of the most notable fishing tournaments on any calender are held here and this will be no exception. Will the racks hold the boss hog or will top water techniques prevail? (Please note: This event is being organised by GTS)



For more information on any of these rounds, please click here.

LUCKY CONJOLA, LAKE CRAFT - SAMMY 65 VS NW PENCIL

A couple of weekends ago I experienced one of the best surface bites, to put it midly the experience was insane. As it was happening I announced to a mate fishing less than five metres away from me that this was easily the best top water session I had ever had. Craig looked at me like 'Really? this happens all the time', that in itself probably blew me away more. Sure I have had someone blinding sessions on Whiting and Bream before but the way this all unfolded was pretty special.

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NSW - LAKE JINDABYNE (KALKITE) 28/8/11

Jason's Brown on a soft plastic, dont know how he does it...

Was indeed great to vacate the house and conditions were superb (for humans anyway). If I was to reflect on the day we arrived about an hour late, so missed out on succesfull jointed lure flatlining. Switched to tassies/cobras and had a solid hit straight away on brown bomber, cycled colours to yellow winged brown rebel indigenous lofty (Yellow Winged Corroboree - Thanks Geoff) and purple clown and rigged up heathy hooks (oppossed).

Snuck into a rocky bay and trolled over a near surface sip and sure enough, bend and big run. Great fish earning it's great freedom, forgot I had tightened drag to retrieve lure earlier (video footage will not be released!). Needless to say apart from a hit on the clown that was it, fish rose till roughly 11am then stayed deep till around 2pm.

Couldn't believe squidder was on a grand slam roll (Atlantic, Brown & Brook - Just needed Rainbow), so i stole his profitable brown bank. Jase had cleaned the fish here earlier and as karma would have it the seagulls flocked in and wouldn't leave the shallows. Climbing a boulder for a good look around I found I was fishing a relative underwater forest, meaning I was bound to fail (hooking up would have cost me dearly).

I could see the ramp in the distance and hear bells every 20 minutes so made the pedal over to our usual possie. Bumped into a fellow kayaker Alan (from CAA), using a sinking fly line and wooly buggers (couple of hits). Set up shop and started off well with a school of bows moving in, hooking one and seeing it's mate cutting a rug as the fish came in. Next fish took line like a, erm, line thief and launched itself skywards numerous times. Ended up a great fish, top 5 rainbows of my jindabyne experiences (went 56cm on the glad wrap). Soon as I rebaited other rod shook violently, no weight unfortunately.

Couple of things I did different this trip, trolled with fluoro straight through (famell and vanish) and forgot the GPS. The line returned a couple of seriously snagged lures and worked well with the tassies but didn't rate it with the minnows, jointeds and crawdads (braid provides better feel, lacks abrasion resistance though).

GPS really gives me the confidence to troll effectively at speeds conducive to lure action, rod tip action and fluoro didn't cut the mustad.when I troll I'm interested in covering ground, not covering landmarks counting trees to gauge walking speeds. To those that don't know, the difference between 3kmph and 5kmph is pretty critical, especially when flatlining away from the bank (in my experience anyway).

Top stuff Jase, sorry the truly remarkable feat of the jindy grand slam on plastics didn't occur. Man, all four fish on one of the hardest techniques to master on trout would have been truely regal. New issue of yak fisher is out and I couldn't help but think while I like McGoverns articles on trout on plastic (in freshwater fishing/SFA) I think you could do a better one from the kayak. You definately have a skill mastered that needs to be shared, I know your far to humble to admit it but you do... Man.

NSW - BRAVING THE COLD OF WINTER 16/7/11

It is often hard to drag yourself out of bed before the dawn to go fishing in winter - but in many locations the winter action can be better than in the warmer months, and you will often have the place to yourself. And the reward of a fish you've battled the elements for is priceless.

I headed to a favorite winter spot recently to target snapper offshore. Seabreeze told me to expect about 2 metres of swell and a light breeze. It was spot on. The swell however was a bit unusual in the way it was forming curling waves close to shore, and the normally safe passage out to deeper water was a bit iffy. I managed to get out without incident, and fished for over an hour without a sniff from anything except an unlucky but welcome squid who was hooked on a plastic right on the tip of the candle. I cleaned him immediately, stowed the hood in the cooler and saved the tentacles – I haven’t used bait offshore for ages, but when times are tough it can make the difference.

A call to a friend in the know gave me hope for the coming tide change, and I’d barely stowed the phone in the dry bag when the rod I’d rigged with a squid tentacle on a jighead showed signs of life, and in came a small but legal snapper. Things were looking up when I dropped what felt like a better snapper the next cast. A local kayak fisherman John, who I’d seen launch a little after, paddled over and we exchanged theories on snapper this season – it has been a bit of strange one and the normally reliable plastics have not been producing with the same regularity as normal.

I repositioned myself about where I thought I'd picked up the last fish, threw out a plastic and set about rigging another squid tentacle on the other rod. I don’t think the plastic even hit the bottom, the reel started screaming and it felt like a monster. After 3 or 4 minutes I knew it must be getting close, but the colour I was seeing down below didn’t look quite right……Sure enough it was a fighting blue morwong. They would pull a snapper backwards in a tug of war. He went 48cm and was stowed in the cooler bag.

Over the next hour or so I managed a couple more barely legal snapper, and one good one on a 5” jerk shad which went 50cm on the nose. The journey back in through the ‘safe’ channel was seriously dodgy and I almost came unstuck a few times as the swells picked up the back of the yak and slewed it sideways almost onto the rocks. This was quite amusing to some of the young grommets standing nearby. To say it was a relief to stand on dry land is an understatement.