Why so many sharks?

[josmo99]

Just a real quick report for anyone interested in some fresh flake. Plenty of little sharks around the metre plus mark about at the moment. We had a heap of fun today hooking several small hammerheads at the mouth of Lota Creek. Then in the afternoon it was the whalers' turn at the inshore reef. Kept one for fish and chips.

Oh yeah, and this has gotta be the fish of the day.

It was the biggest, bloody catfish I've seen outside the fish ponds in Bangkok. The 30lb flurocarbon leader broke while we were trying to lift the thing up for me to take a shot with perspective. I'm guessing it's about 80-90cm in length, I didn't think fork-tail catfish grew that big. It put up a helluva fight on 25lb mono, far more than any shark we hooked today on the lighter gear.

[Seiran]

That catfish is a monster!

Mate, where is the inside reef?

[pancakes_and_haggis]

i believe its half way between the mouth of lake cootharaba and boreen point boat ramp,, ooo whoops that might be a newly constructed arti reef! :woohoo:

[tiotony]

Catfish slime on your leader, eewwwww gross :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick:

[josmo99]

Catfish slime on your leader, eewwwww gross :sick: :sick: :sick: :sick:

Yeaaaaaah, hence why I didn't wanna stick the landing net under it. I'll never get rid of that disgusting slime.

[josmo99]

That catfish is a monster!

Mate, where is the inside reef?

Between Green and King Islands. It's more broken down rock than a real reef. I've caught some nice lippers and squire from that spot in the past. DISCLAIMER: in between LOTS and LOTS of babies and the grey/brown brigade.

[rob316]

The sharks come in to breed just before Christmas and the young ones are learning now to fish for themselves in the shelter of the creeks , there is usually jumping models at christmas and a great sight to see - although not so fun when it happens close to the yak !!!...but they will disperse a bit as it gets colder , the bronzies are a bit further out also...

[jeff f]

josmo, did that catfish stink? i got a couple of huge ones out in the bay last week and the smell was disgusting.

[josmo99]

josmo, did that catfish stink? i got a couple of huge ones out in the bay last week and the smell was disgusting.

Can't say we noticed but then again we didn't bring it (and another slightly smaller compatriot that also broke off) into the boat. The hammerheads on the other hand really really stank of ammonia while being unhooked and released.

When I first glimpsed the catfsh on the surface wide of the boat, I thought it was a cobe or bull shark.

I wonder why they stink. I once kept a much smaller one we caught from Cleveland to try. It was a clean looking fish. Tasted alright, if somewhat on the bland side like basa. I also caught a grassy from the same spot that day. That fish was inedible with mushy flesh and a strong weed taint.

[Greenmachine]

We caught 3 of these big catties off the Urangan pier last weekend

[josmo99]

Did you eat them?

[Greenmachine]

not my cup of tea

[josmo99]

SO what did you do with them? Judging by the way you're holding 'em, they've gone to fishy heaven. The spikes on those fish would be at least 6 inches, plenty long to go through the hand with some to spare.

[Greenmachine]

We used the fillets for shark bait

[josmo99]

Out we went again, this time in the tandem kayak. We started off trolling minnows out from Manly. There were surface bust-ups about 800m from the harbour but we didn't hook up to them. What we did get on the lures were grinners, one after another.

Just one whaler shark this time but it was the largest at 1.2m. After much pandemonium (and a broken rod), we managed to subdue it in the kayak, first time ever! I wish I remembered to take a photo. Guess it was chaotic enough as it was.

Apart from the shark, we hooked and released heaps of solid catfish (50-60cm). They really are good fun on light gear. I finally kept one that swallowed a whole set of gangs to see how it tasted. I checked the flesh for worms, all good. Marinated in teriyaki sauce for a few hours then pan fried with a light coating of cornflour, I have to say fork tailed catfish are tasty, at least ones caught from open water.

[dave45]

I have to say fork tailed catfish are tasty, at least ones caught from open water.

Nice to know.

[JarrydA]

Marinated in teriyaki sauce for a few hours then pan fried with a light coating of cornflour, I have to say fork tailed catfish are tasty, at least ones caught from open water.

A rubber boot would probably taste good marinated as well :woohoo:

But on a serious note, i have heard that the forkies from open water are pretty decent. Same as sea mullet.