Team St Michaels Did It Again

Catch Report 28/07/2006

During the last team outing, Phillip was not involved while his elder brother, Jeff, caught quite a lot of fishes and had heaps of fun. This time, Phil was determined not to stay out of it. The plan for this week boating was for the weekend. But due to Chen's commitment to his girlfriend, Jenny, I pushed it to friday so the whole team could go. With that, I've had to play truant on a working friday, hehe.. bad boy I know..

Jialiang had went out on the day before. And he called me saying that the wind in the harbour was unbearable and one of his crew had to bail out and so he couldn't stay long at the wedding cakes. They went to Clifton Gardens and luckily caught 5-6 trevallies to help save the day.

However, our day turns out quite good. The weather was kind though I couldn't understand why the water was choppy when there is much current and wind. Anyway, the anchoring had not much drama. The bread berley was deployed by Chen and it works a treat. The yellowtails were everywhere and anytime. As usual, when I sent down my livies, it was always raped by unknown fish, and there was an instant when my 30lb line was snipped clean with the 3/0 hook gone as well as the livie. Unbelievable. Also, the guys had the leatherjacket hooks snipped as well, almost everyone would have lost 4-5 hooks. Re-rigging is definitely a pain-in-the-ass!

Highlight of the day was again our team mate Jeff. He amazed us by pulling fish after fish with guts. His brother had a fair share too, which he enjoyed getting trevally and leatherjackets and the non-stop yellowtails. Chen of course, had perfected his art of angling, no more Mr Nice Guy when cranking fish, he knows his drag setting and controlling his catch, a Master now.

Forgot to bring camera so had to make do with my old Sony Ericsson. Total tally for the day:

10 x Silver Trevallies, 17 x Chinamen LJs, 1 x Fan-bellied LJ, 1 x Six Spined LJ, 15 Yellowtails.

Ronald

Biggest Whiting I Ever Saw

Catch Report 24/07/2006

This morning I reached the office not long, a phone call came. It was my fishing buddy Jialiang. He came back to Sydney for his final semester of studies here after a winter holiday back in Singapore. He was itching to go out fishing just like when I was back in Singapore for a break. The weather wasn't perfect, as the loomy skies tells it all. Nearing the late afternoon, he called again for confirmation and I said let's go. He came pick me up in his Skyline and we proceed to Hen and Chicken Bay, the place which I had frequent the last two days.

Along the way, we had a fun conversation. He was telling me all about his fishing activities in Singapore, including a fish he had always wanted to land, a Tarpon. Suddenly, he had a natures call. So a quick stop at a 7-Eleven service station was needed. While I was waiting in the Skyline, it suddenly vibrates and died while I was in it! I told Jialiang about it and he tried to start his car up. It didn't respond. In the end, he had to go to the service station and buy a fuel container and 5litres of petrol to put into his car. Luckily no more dramas and then we proceed to the spot.

While we were there, it started to drizzle. We were the only 2 guys fishing along a busy road of cars passing by us. They must have thought these 2 guys are crazy! Indeed, we were feeling low when there wasn't any bites or surface action at all. It quickly went dark and we were practically still persisting. Finally I broke the duck by hauling in a 37cm flathead, though the fight was no more than a few head shakes. Jialiang suddenly told me he had a fish, and the reel drag sound was going mad! First he told me it's probably a flathead as he confessed he had loosened the drag, but I was skeptical. When he lifted the fish out of the water, it was the biggest whiting I've ever seen in my life! It went 39cm and very very fat! And he caught it on a pink colour bm! Well done brudder! After some happy shots, we left satisfied, well, he certainly was most!

Ronald

Fishing Is Poisonous!!!

Catch Report 23/07/2006

The withdrawals were cured on 22nd when I went to find a new spot as well as getting to see flatheads after a long absence. But, I was not contented. Chen chatted on msn with me and I forgot what we were talking and suddenly I suggested luring on sunday morning and he of course agreed as it was also a week of no fishing for him. We went out on the wee hours of a foggy sunday morning. It was quite cold but luckily the winds did not come out to irritate us further. However, nothing was caught on a relatively low-high tide morning. A disaster happened when my beloved pinkie broke his bib in half! It was my mistake I reckon, as I was trying to clear the weed and goo from the lure, I slammed the lure on the water to get rid of it. It must have been the force that broke it. Sad sad... but I glued it back with a super-glue from kmart. Hope it still performs.

Then, we went to macdonalds for breakfast and proceed to the kmart in Ashfield where Chen bought a few packs of soft plastics Squidgies for a mere $3 each.

I went back to St Michaels for a nap as I've only had 3 hours sleep the night before the morning activities. Woke up at mid afternoon and saw that the weather was so good and so I went back again. This time, I tried parking my car near the drain and fished the opposite. Caught a small tailor on a ginger beer colour berkley grub. This was the 1st fish on this lure.

After staying there for like 45 minutes, I proceed to my usual haunt. Saw a lot of surface activities but still, no hookup, though had a small burst on the same grub. Finally, almost towards the dark, I landed a 30.5cm bream on the pseed bm to help save the day. Phew!

Ronald

I Found A Spot!

Catch Report 22/07/2006

Saw a report in Fishraider and sort of scramble out how the spot looks like so off I went to cure my fishing itch. Upon reaching there, had a few casts near where I parked my car and my last usual fire-spot but alas nothing. Though did see a lot of surface action. Then instantly I know I don't have any luck. Then, decide to quickly walk to the spot and it was to bash through a golf course! I can tell you it's damn dangerous to walk there let alone standing on the water's edge to be "luckily" hit by a kamikaze golf ball!! I can even hear the 'swoosh' sound of the ball travelling in the air! Anyway, hit that spot and I got it right! Thanks Google Earth!

Tried with pinkie on the 1st cast and couple of cranks later I felt a pull! Damn, it did not auto hook and my reaction not fast enough to strike it. So sad..

After awhile no action, went back to my usual fire-spot again. Using a watermelon bass minnow I caught a flathead of 38cm. Finally saw a flathead after a super long absence.

After releasing her, the bloody bm was not staying on the hook well. So grab a new bm in pumpkinseed colour and got another flathead of 36cm. Yes, pathetic right? 2 flatties for the whole session. But at least I'm not eating eggs. Sianz...

Ronald

Withdrawal Symptons

**Singlish used**

KNNBCCB!!! Lim peh cannot tahan liao, today saturday finally see the weather looks a bit alright I need to chiong pancing! (melayu for fishing) Almost 1 week since I go wet a line, if I still can't go later for the high tide at 6+pm, I think I'm gonna wet my pants liao! Si mi la% jia# weather make my ga% pu$ dull man! Pwee!!!

Sorry about my ranting, I have to, it's my blog what! Neh!

Loland

Paintball Sniping Game

Oh my goodness, I felt so sleepy at work after having a good feed of chicken rice. The chilli was still burning in my stomach! Then, after having a mini nap on my table, I woke to a sore neck, damn! Feeling groggy and shitty, had another shot at a web game of Paintball. Go try it, it sort of help me pumped up a bit. If you have any amazing scores, do send in a comment. Cheers!

Ronald

Paintball

Team St Michaels Boat Trip

Catch Report for 16/07/2006

Went out on a hired boat trip with St Michael boys Chen and Jeff. It was Jeff's first time on a boat fishing trip. Sunday morning was so foggy, but nevertheless we made it to Rose Bay to be greeted by what will be looking into a great day ahead. I bought the baits on saturday at Kyeemagh tackle shop and was surprised to find that a pack of 400g frozen prawns over there cost $5 while service station's ones would be about doubled. Couldn't resist to buy somemore lures and end up getting some Strike Pros crazy charlie flies. My usual skipper Jialiang is happily enjoying his time in Singapore and so I had to be the skipper for the day. It was my 1st time motoring the dinghy but it was actually very easy and I don't understand why I screwed up the very 1st time when we discovered boat fishing. Got to the wedding cakes and by then, Chen had finished preparing the berley (my usual duty). It was Chen's 1st time anchoring duty though had some difficulties but we still managed to get some sweet spots. Best part of the day was looking at the excited Jeff pulling in fish after fish and he certainly looked like a pro but not without some funny moments when he didn't tightened his drag and he just kept cranking?! Haha.. Anyway, let the picture do the talking and not forgetting the pain-in-the-ass thing to do when back at St Michael was the degutting of Leatherjackets!

Total tally for the day:

10 Chinamen LJs, 9 Six-spined LJs, 1 lone Slimey and couple of yellowtails.

My 1st Lucky Craft Lure From Japan

Haha, yesterday I came back to my room and saw a parcel on my doorstep. 1st thing I noticed was a sticker which says that this parcel had been opened by Customs! What the??!! Then I opened and indeed there was a Quarantine brochure from AQIS stating all the bloody rules. I reckon it was because the sender wrote "Fishing Lure" on the declaration form. Anyway, the lure packaging was not tempered with so I'm fine with it. It was a Staysee 60SP.

I ordered from ebay for a total of AU$19. My most expensive lure to date. Crazy! But this colour is unique and not sold anywhere except in Japan. I think I'm addicted to funky coloured lure!

A Revisit With A New Approach

Catch Report for 13/07/2006

It's been a long time since I've fished at Woolloomooloo. It was high tide at night for this week. My usual luring hangouts at sunrise and sunset would be totally dead low which made luring near impossible. On MSN, Chen was suggesting fishing at late afternoon. I told him it will be low tide. Then, I suggested how about trying Woolloomooloo. I've been meaning to go there for luring. He said ok and asked if Phillip can join because his brother Jeff went to Brisbane with his girlfriend and might be bored. I said of course. Then, at night, I remembered I had to watch 24, so I sms Chen and told him we'll have to go a bit later.

Then, Chen knocked on my door and asked whether we're still going. I said let's go then. While in the car on the way there, heavens opened and drizzled a bit. It didn't detered us. Upon reaching there, we made a long walk down the wharf on the restaurants side. That walk triggered back the memories of the past when me, Dylan, Gerald and Kenny used to fished hard-out at the wharf end. The laughters, the ever-lucky Dylan landing one bream after another, the fish that took off with Kenny's rod unsuspectingly and Gerald's funny catches with his handline such as a pike! Sigh, those were the days, which I still cherished deeply.

Anyway, here comes the catch report. I saw a school of fishes yet to be identified swimming around a brightly lit lamp. First thought was yellowtails or small tailors. Tied one berkley power minnow in watermelon colour and lightly casted out. Did a little jiggedy-jig and slam! There was a take. Quickly enough, it was a bream! But unfortunately the fish dropped out when I was lifting it. Guess the hook-up was not good. Couple of casts later I still had fish following it but not interested in it. Then Chen had a hook up on his Silver Fox Squidgy. Up came a healthy looking 30cm bream and I was so happy for him as it was his 1st bream on soft plastics!

He was so shy to take this photo but after much persuasion, he agreed. Well done brudder! Then, came my turn. I was tempted to use a hardbody lure and knowing the fact I don't have many sinking ones, I tried with the Halco Scorpion 35 in a chrome gold colour. That colour was so obvious in the dark and fairly true, there were follows! It was so exhilarating that a particular bream followed the lure and when I stopped it, it was looking to be in attack-mode. A couple of twitch ensued and the bream did a u-turn and took the lure. My rod tip buckled down and I was instantly on! A short fight and I brought up my 1st fish on this lure, yes, it was de-virginised.

It was a totally new experience in "sight-fishing". We were so pumped after landing these 2 but that was about it. I still had the odd takes but somehow always missed. The drizzles came back to irritate us but we stayed on for a little while more before calling quits. We then headed to the Harrys Cafe de Wheels for a normal hotdog and headed back to St Michaels.

A good and nice revisit to this place, and a totally new approach by luring instead of using bait in the past. A great way to spend an evening.

Ronald

My First Time Blogging

Hi all,

This is my first time blogging and I have been meaning to do it to publish some of my thoughts since everyone's been doing it. Anyway, this blog is created so that I can share my fishing chronicles with my friends as it's my current passion and I really love this sport. You'll noticed most are fishy stories and I hope it'll not bored you too much. However, enjoy the photos and if you'll like to post some comments just feel free to shoot!

Cheers

Ronald