Disastrous Outing

Went to a new place and give luring a try at Putney. 1st stop was this place called putney park and it was a fine looking stretch that could see the main parramatta river clearly. The thing about this place is that the park has a big playground with challenging play equipments and barbeque pits and tables and chairs. I went over to the bank and could see clearly it was a sandy bottom. Anyway, gave the sandworm the go first and 1st cast I got bites already. Persisted with the bites but just couldn't hookup until one point I dropped a smallish whiting before the worm was totally eaten up by toads. Moved to a funny looking structure and started casting like those tournament anglers, hehe. Instantly I got a hookup on a small bream using the 2inch watermelon hawg. Threw back the fish and continue with a pseed grub near the main-event tentage. Felt some solid bites on my fireline crystal and instantly strike. This fish gave quite a nice fight but was only a 26cm bream.

Took a pic of this great looking stretch but turns out that fishing here isn't that spectacular. But a good spot for picnic and family gathering that's for sure.

Looking at my watch, I thought it was already half hour into the running out tide. Quickly got back into the car and manouvre my way to the nearby Morrison Bay park. Found a nearby street parking spot and got to the water stretch in a jiffy. It's quite a small little bay with a rather huge canal running into the bay. There was a cricket ground just behind the spot and a rather quiet bicycle track. Began casting a small Mojo grub near the drain and instantly I could feel bites. Not long later I scored a 45cm flattie which was pretty good stuff.

Soon after, I continued hammering near the drain mouth. I got a few smallish flatties with one very particular hookup that the hook got lodged on the fish body! It was so small around the size of my small plier! Poor little fellow I quickly remove the hook gently and sent it off.

One good thing about this drain is that as compared to other drains I've fished before, this one is not that snaggy, though there were a few scary occurrances.

Soon the Mojo plastic was badly damaged from the flatties constant biting and thrashing and I moved onto a new piece of the sandworm. Still within the vicinity I kept getting flatties, but it was getting bigger and bigger. Eventually I scored another good size at 46cm.

Thereafter, the bites and hookup slows down. I was still discontented not scoring a bream at this fishy place. So I continued with a newly rigged pseed bm only to get it snagged on the first cast! Then, the most stupidiest thing eventuate. I gave hardbody lure a go and tied on my beloved pinkie. I tried casting away from the previous snagged area and it was fine in the 1st 2 casts. On the 3rd cast, I don't know why I try to cast around the snagged area in the mindset that using a bib lure probably won't snag whatever is in the bottom. But to my shock, it did snag and it was pretty far out! So I pulled out my lure retriever Tackleback and tried to use it. Last time it managed to save Chen's 2 SX40 and I thought it was a great little tool. But this time round, the snag was further than Chen's. The first few times of retrieving didn't work and so I persisted by twitching my main line. The tackleback sink in further and soon, it was snagged as well! Argh! I tried to yank it out with force thinking that it's ok with the strong line it had been attached. Alas, the strong line broke and in desperation, I yank the lure out from my fireline and it broke the leader. I lost both the lure and retriever. My beloved pinkie R.I.P. I was devastated, because this pinkie caught many good fish and it even had its bib repaired when I accidentally broke it once. That's fishing man...

Ronald