Last Ditch Efforts Before Big Storms

The weather is forecasted to be the shit-iest ever next week due to the seasonal change in weather patterns. We (fishos of sydney) all know that once this shit hits, there's gonna be crazy winds (30+ knots) and thunderstorms (or never ending rains). With that excuse, meself ducked out for some quickies. Lately I've been having this bad run-off of decision making for spots and it has always been frustrating before the setting-off. On Thursday, made the move to Le Montage in the mid afternoon to catch the incoming tide after serious hesitations in deciding the arena. The wind was moderately blowing from behind but I stayed up close and personal to the canal targeting the pylons as tightly as possible. Casting lightly weighted 1grammer heads rigged with a powerbait grub in the pseed colour. Within a few casts later, a small flattie was caught. This was followed by another bigger flattie of legal size after a few more casts near the pylons. But with the expected dangers of casting near these structures, it snagged. Crazy shits growing underneath these pylons are what attract fishes to lay ambush for their preys, effective hunting ground, deadly on tackles.. KNNBCCB!!!

Next up, changed to bigger stickbaits and used the berkley dropshot minnow in watermelon rigged onto another modded berkley head. Employed the normal twitching method and right on the outgoing tide, the lure was taken on a drop. Didn't put up an impressive fight but it sure put a good looking bend on the Loomis. As the water there is renowned to be quite high even on a low-ish tide, I could easily manage to cradle the fish up from the water.

Measured 33cm and now quite obsessed with taking 'cradle' shots. kekeke... (bloody hell, i didn't smile) Easily released the bugger and continued for awhile more. Few casts later, a flattie took the lure and decided to headshake all the way to the bank. Quite a good size flattie easily over the 40 mark but 5lb Nitlon leader don't mix well with their teeths. Pop'ed goes the leader! Called it quits after trying out the Cultiva Mira Shad with no takers at all. Packed up early knowing that Myer is on later to torture me.

With an off day on Friday, I was determined to get my fix before this impending crap weather. Was contemplating whether to try for blackfish at Greenwich as I'm kinda sick of chasing breams (or more likely lure fishing). Well, with serious considerations and too much deliberation, I still think a lure bag and rod is after all a much easier and quick way for fishing. With a cloudy day and a northerly blowing, I thought I'll give it a go at five dock bay. My intentions was to try surface poppering. Casted out the Strikepro Rack popper and after a few popping actions, the only recorded missed strike was quite splashy! Bugger it that it didn't get connected. That was it, and being quite a tiring thing to do, I switched to softies instead. Whacked on the watermelon Gulp jiggin' grub and what do you, another eye-hooking experience again!

Luckily it missed the eyeball. What an odd shaped bream, isn't it?! Released the poor bugger immediately and continued but it didn't take quite long before I was connected again and this time round, a respectable fight was earned.

Measured only a mere 30cm but what a hoot it has given me. Did the 'cradle' thing again! hehe.. Kept seeing mullets teasing me near the water surface even though there were heaps of rubbish around. The wind started to pick up in strength and I thought I'll changed to hardbodies. The tide was getting low but still a good size flattie wouldn't mind jumping onto my SX40.

Managed another smallish whiting on the sx before moving over to the starting point where I did the poppering. Bloody hell... snagged the sx I was using and for a brief moment I thought I couldn't get it out even with the TackleBack lure retriever! But after some persistence, it managed to come out, phew! Called it quits and headed home looking more and more like an Indian kid! Tamade!

Ronald