Tough Xmas Eve

Came xmas eve, when I was supposed to be working my ass off to prepare the boxing day sale for Myer, but instead, I called in sick for a marathon with Chen. I'm so done with working that place, as I know the days of being in Sydney is drawing to a close soon. Ok, I shall not dwell on too much in that area. We were supposed to plan a morning boat trip but as I was too overly buggered for Sunday's shift and so we couldn't make it for the morning call. Instead, we rucked up for a morning flick at Iron Cove. Did the usual stretch which both of us haven't been doing for quite sometime. The start was super slow, with me having a good hit-n-run take but failed the hookup department, sianz... Moved along and was really dull till we decided to hit the small drain. Stopped at my 'little window' and the watermelon bm was taken fairly good with a few short runs from this 29cm bream.

Tried the small drain soon after and Chen's new Daiwa Def Bass fluoro let him down by breaking at the knot when he casted. He was also using his new toy for luring now which is a new Shimano Ultegra Advance, quite a pimped up reel. Time to move back and I suggested one last try at the canal. We then saw that VC scooper still destroying the local shrimp population, which really by this time, had pissed us more! Really on the verge of calling the Fisheries to report him! Anyway, sick of what we saw and then Chen suggested this place called the 'tennis courts' and so we went downstream of the canal and virtually felt like luring in Cooks. This place hold true to its claim by some locals there when Chen landed a good size flattie, which was almost the same size as the one I landed a little later on that 2inch camo worm.

Later on, I scored a small bream also and we thought that's enough for the day as our marathon continues to the fresh! Went back to HQ and as usual, I passed out instantly. Got woken up by Chen when he came back from the city and we rucked up again for the long haul to the Nepean. Chen had bought the rod holders that could be hammered into the soil which was to be used when we were baiting the floaters. Got there and already a few fishos lining up the pockets of available spots near the weir. Luckily our usual spot was ok and we quickly set up camp. First up, the surface bread berley was deployed. Rigged up my unweighted blackhole and had a good take from a bass that peeled good line from the Stradic but lost the fish due to throw hooks. Later on, the fishes wised up and it was difficult to get a decent hookup. Then we did the corn baits and waited. Long story short, it was pathetic... Not a single 'down' for a long time and we were just getting tired on the waiting. Chen did score a small bass on his reliable R2S bubble pop. Then, things got interesting when an old Aussie uncle walked to our spot and talked to us. He was asking if we were Chinese but we told him we were not from China. Well, he then told us his wife's from Tienjin and he brought his brother-in-law to fish. Not much of a friendly guy but that aussie uncle was cool. He gave us a tip on using the buggi pop and pointed me to a nearby spot where he was successful with that lure. So I took his word and gave it a try. First cast, there was nothing. But on the second cast when I gutsily flick the lure which almost could snag onto a nearby structure, that's when the most exciting top water action happened. A big splash ensued and the next thing I know, Stradic went off already. This has got to be my best fight on light gear and what a way to top it off with a spectacular top water action! It still managed to brick me briefly at the nearby weeds but finally I could gain some ground and landed a good size bass on the buggi.

Bugger it, as it didn't beat my previous pb but equals it at 32cm! Tamade, but at least this was caught on lure than on corns! Lol.. As Chen had the intention to keep a baby bass in his aquarium, we took a bucket with us and had a 'not-so' baby bass inside it with the weeds giving the oxygen it needed. I temporarily chucked the bass in the pail and took a pic in amongst the weeds.

But in the end, as a thankful gesture to the uncle, I offered him if he wanted it and he obliged, asking his bro-in-law to collect it. Passed to that PRC guy and he instantly brightened up, DIU lah... that's really an extreme attitude change! Continued luring for nothing else at that top-water spot. Changed to my yozuri aile goby and it has now been classified as a productive lure. A small bass hit the lure pretty hard which had me thinking australian bass are really a pound-for-pound fighting fish!

Technically speaking, it was indeed a really tough xmas eve fishing both at salt and fresh. Chen did however manage the only bait caught fish which was a small size carp. Packed up earlier than usual and headed to the chinese joint at Burwood to grab a feed.

Interestingly, we both gave each other fishing lures as xmas gifts. Got him a LC tango as it has been my signature lure to date whilst he got me this Megabass Pagani Siglett top water cicada lure.

Thanks bro! The both of us did try this lure out and frankly, it does make quite a noisy paddle across the surface. But, nothing seemed to work out on that tough day. Oh well, better luck next time I guess.

Ronald