queensland 2 nights, 5.38m of Jew. New PB and lucky shirt

[rathabfishin2]

Friday night: My son decides he will give this trip a miss so I am flying solo. I decided to wear a new canterbury polo which my son put into the wash with a new red shirt and turned pink. I made a comment to Caine saying that if I got a jewie that it would be my new lucky shirt.

It took ages to hit the ramp due to friday evening traffic but finally launched at 7:30. Went and grabbed some poddy mullet with only a few casts (cheers Ellicat for the location), and in no time I was on my way to Clara's rock area. Sounded up for a while until I found a nice drop off with plenty of fish showing on the sounder. After taking my time to make sure I was anchored right with the wind directions, tide and distance from the area I wanted to fish out goes bait number one. As I am casting rig number two off goes the first rod. After a short fight in comes a little bull shark measuring about 90cm. While dealing with him rod number two goes off so back in the drink for the bully and in no time another bull shark comes aboard. I begin to think that I may need to move but persist. Thirty minutes later on slack tide off goes the drag in a screaming run. I pick it up, wait, and clicked the baitrunner into gear. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ stop bang bang bang and I know it's a jew fish but shortly after the line goes slack. Bugger has spat the hook. Re-bait and out she goes. 5 mins later and my large rod set up with a 20cm mullet goes off like a bat out of hell! I pick it up, let it run for another 5 seconds and apply pressure. And thats when it really went off. ZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZ, bang bang bang, zzzzzzzzzzzzz etc etc. After a good solid first run I start winding in the other rig to clear the water while fighting the fish. Very happy that I bought the full open walkaround style as I did four laps of the boat before seeing him. :woohoo: New PB from 82cm to 97cm

Managed to get him into the net which I need to upsize for future trips, quick photo and into the esky. Rebait the rig and out she goes. Cracked myself a goldie in celebration and was putting it on facebook when my lighter rig goes off. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and I am thinking (I wish I put the float on my anchor tonight ). I start thumbing the spool which is rapidly running out of line and slack...... Pulled it in looked on the bright side as my rig did not break, I just pulled the hooks. By this time it 11:15. Bait up and out, sip of the beer and successful post to FB. Put the phone down and off goes the light rig again in a blistering run. I let it go, let it go and stayed patient. Managed to turn the fish and after about 25 mins in comes a 94cm model.

Woohoo! I am now a very happy camper as jew are one of mine and my families favourites and I have never bagged out before. Just caught the odd one, very occasionally once every few years. Now I am thinking...I want a 1metre plus model!

I stayed for another hour to no avail and back to the ramp.

So the next day, although being a little broke off to buy a vacuum sealer on 2 hours sleep after dropping my son off to see his mother for the night. Quick nap at 4 and I wake feeling like death but keen to hit the river again. And glad I did.

Hit POB at 7:30 again and go through the same routine. Head to last nights spot and there was not much showing on the sounder so I start moving and drifting looking for the fish. Find some good solid shows anchor up at about 8:30, bait out. Not long after slack tide off goes my lighter rig. 2 laps of the boat and an almighty tangle with the other rig and a nice little 84 cm jew is on board.

Sweet. Humanely dispatched and into the esky. Just after closing the lid my tangled up rod goes off and fortunately untangles itself in the process! On the heavier rig I made short work of this one which measured in at 83.5cm.

I decide to put him back as I want a metre model upgrade, and the turn of the tide was just starting, so back in the drink he goes still very fresh after a short fight. And I did not have to wait for long before my heavy rig with the biggest livies I had went off....and stops. Hhmmm. I leave it in the rod holder and wait. ZZ ZZ ZZ. Wait...ZZ ZZ Zz. Nothing happened for about a minute before line started screaming out!

I load up so the circles can do their job and off like a freight train he goes. Wind in the other rod while he is running. The first run went for a good 2 minutes with the occasional tell tale stop and shake of a mulloway. I know I have plenty of line so play it very patiently. Two more big runs and after 5 mins from the hook up I turn him. The fight was a series of gain line, lose line, gain line and lose line. After 30 mins I am stoked to see this pop up beside the boat.

Onto the brag mat and :woohoo: . New PB 102cm! Quickly dispatched and into the slurry which took alot of work to fit. Kept fishing for another hour and after hooking two catfish I start packing up. Pulled the first rod in and off goes the second rod as I pick it up. Not long later in comes a 77.5 model.

Quick photo and swim and off he goes to grow bigger. Finish packing and back to the ramp where I got another fisho to take a photo.

What a weekend! I had the worst week at work and this therapy session has left me feeling tired but ready to face the challenges next week.

Thank you to everyone on AFO who has given me tips on rigs, bait presentation, how to avoid the catfish and spots to get livies. It was a combination of this knowledge, patience, persistence and time that put this night together. Oh and lets not forget the new lucky pink tinged shirt my son made for me

Cheers Andrew

[Bill_V]

You are killing me Cuz, you do know I am stuck out here at work and can't fish right now……I will be back next week so make sure you keep the Jewy mojo running. Congrats on new PB.

[rathabfishin2]

You are killing me Cuz, you do know I am stuck out here at work and can't fish right now……I will be back next week so make sure you keep the Jewy mojo running. Congrats on new PB.

Cheers Bill. I will have my lucky shirt ready and waiting....the question is do I wash it?

[jon]

Nice work , nice size jewies

[Bill_V]

I am gonna say no…….haha

[kmcrosby78]

WOW!!!!!!! I read the title, thought back to one of your posts from a week or so ago mentioning you were going to hit up Bill V to chase them with his sounder and assumed that's what this report was going to be about - but it wasn't .......... unluckily for Bill!!!!!

What a sensational weekends fishing, especially for a spot 2 minutes from the boat ramp. I've never fished that area (cause I don't really know where to sound around) but am going to have to give it a go. Will also have to try Brians mullet spot as that is one very handy location to get bait.

Great work on the metre-plus model - very brave decision to let the 2nd one go in hopes of an upgrade but as they say fortune favours the brave!! You'll be eating like a king for a while now - enjoy.

[rathabfishin2]

Thanks mate. Its just a case of finding the bait and bigger fish on the sounder and rigging up to keep your Livies off the bottom and well away from the hoards of catfish. I did some experimentation with rigs to work this out along with info from here. Happy to take you out and show you sometime. We are still yet to team up.

[Binder]

That is brilliant, love to hear how a plan came off and resulted in some great fish!

[ellicat]

Ha. Great river report. Felt like I was in the boat with you. Congrats on some great fish :woohoo: :woohoo:

oh, and the pink shirt

[rathabfishin2]

Yep it's now my go to shirt. I should say that it is only a very light tinge of pink ;-)

[sehrguht]

Nice fish mate, remember to right down the tide date moon water temp etc so you can remember how it went for the future.

25mins is a long fight for a river fish, not too many metre models in the river, plenty up to 70cm though.

How do they taste? I think i have kept one jew out of the river but it was a long time ago.

[rathabfishin2]

Nice fish mate, remember to right down the tide date moon water temp etc so you can remember how it went for the future.

25mins is a long fight for a river fish, not too many metre models in the river, plenty up to 70cm though.

How do they taste? I think i have kept one jew out of the river but it was a long time ago.

I probably could have muscled him in quicker but wanted to make sure that I didn't pull any hooks based on the night before so had a little less drag. In saying that he took heaps of line on the first few runs.

I have eaten one from the river and tasted great. Given that they move around I am not worried about eating them.

[Damien2Rad]

Hell yeah mate well done!

[tazzy.]

awesome report mate, well done!! how far off the bottom do you keep the bait. I was out thursday night near the end of the docks. The blokes next to me left got a couple of jewies and thready and the guy on the right got a couple of snaps but me nothing! i had my livies rigged up about a meter off the bottom, is this close to where you want them??

Cheers

[kmcrosby78]

Thanks mate. Its just a case of finding the bait and bigger fish on the sounder and rigging up to keep your Livies off the bottom and well away from the hoards of catfish. I did some experimentation with rigs to work this out along with info from here. Happy to take you out and show you sometime. We are still yet to team up.

Was going to ask earlier what sort of sounder you are running? Think I need to upgrade mine (more money ......). Do you reckon the new moon had anything to do with your success? Definitely keen for a session, just say when. My brother in Rocky is bringing down my old man's 21ft glass boat in two weeks time (at last!!) so once we work out how to fish offshore I can repay the favour.

Oh and Jeremy, I can concur, river jewies taste fantastic.

[sehrguht]

I think im getting too picky with fish i keep now haha, hopefully they continue to show up in good numbers so i can chase them on plastics.

[kmcrosby78]

I think im getting too picky with fish i keep now haha, hopefully they continue to show up in good numbers so i can chase them on plastics.

In that case feel free to 'release' some of your unwanted fish into my freezer Jeremy ...........

Oh and Andrew I am surprised Brian hasn't hit you up for his 'share' after putting you onto the (bait) fish ..............

[rathabfishin2]

awesome report mate, well done!! how far off the bottom do you keep the bait. I was out thursday night near the end of the docks. The blokes next to me left got a couple of jewies and thready and the guy on the right got a couple of snaps but me nothing! i had my livies rigged up about a meter off the bottom, is this close to where you want them??

Cheers

Thanks Tazzy. It is a matter of finding them and making sure you set anchor so your boat and lines are in the right position. It has ta k en me ages to work out a system to do this by myself. Now before I look I get into neutral and work out my drift and let myself drift for about 50m to make sure I have an accurate line on the gps. Then I find them. Mark the spot where they are and move about 50 to 70m depending on wind and current speed up from the line I will drift back onto them. I cut the engine and quietly feed the anchor. I believe that dropping anchor without a thought can scare the fish off.. Once on the bottom I move back and feed anchor line out until I am over the spot and can see the fish/ structure. Then pull the boat back up towards the anchor so my lines will be in the right zone.

With rigs I use a running sinker rig attached to a swivel smaller than the swivel that joins the leader and mainline. This allows the fish to pick it up and run with less resistance from the weight of the swivel. It has to be smaller otherwise it will go over the eye of the leader-mainline swivel and tangle. Tie between 30-80mm of light old line to the sinker and "running swivel". It depends on the depth that the big arches are showing as to how long I make it. . I use about two metres of fluorocarbon leader which helps as I fish with braid. Double snelled circle hooks are a must and I also have rod holders that allow me to point the rod flat and pretty much straight at the bait. This further reduces resistance as a fish picks up the bait for a run. Don't bother with dead bait and look after your livies. Top hook pinned through the nose and the other through the tail. All things I have picked up from AFO and through my own trial and error.

Good luck with your next trip!

Andrew

[rathabfishin2]

Was going to ask earlier what sort of sounder you are running? Think I need to upgrade mine (more money ......). Do you reckon the new moon had anything to do with your success? Definitely keen for a session, just say when. My brother in Rocky is bringing down my old man's 21ft glass boat in two weeks time (at last!!) so once we work out how to fish offshore I can repay the favour.

Oh and Jeremy, I can concur, river jewies taste fantastic.

I agree. Just had a big feed of thick grilled jew fillets with white wine sauce and it was awesome. My son said it was the best fish he has ever eaten!

In regard to sounder I only have a lowrance elite 4 combo that came with the boat. It took me a while but now I understand better how to use it in different conditions and adjust accordingly. Happy to take you out and show you what I have found to work. If you still have my number send me a text as I lost yours with my last phone :pinch:

[rathabfishin2]

I think im getting too picky with fish i keep now haha, hopefully they continue to show up in good numbers so i can chase them on plastics.

that's the challenge for next week with my cousin BillV when he is back from bludging and getting paid far too much more than I do. We have the same boat but he has the I pilot, down scan and side scan.

[rathabfishin2]

I think im getting too picky with fish i keep now haha, hopefully they continue to show up in good numbers so i can chase them on plastics.

In that case feel free to 'release' some of your unwanted fish into my freezer Jeremy ...........

Oh and Andrew I am surprised Brian hasn't hit you up for his 'share' after putting you onto the (bait) fish ..............

lol it is a great spot. Even with the wind howling I got good numbers quickly. Cheers for the heads up Brian!

[samsteele115]

That is epic. Well deserved

[Dinodadog]

Good show you are on fire.

Dino

[Bill_V]

...that's the challenge for next week with my cousin BillV when he is back from bludging and getting paid far too much more than I do. We have the same boat but he has the I pilot, down scan and side scan.

Yep, I am hoping to try a few Shads Jew Candy soft vibes that I just got online in the same area………haven't had much of a chance to put the HDS7 Gen2 touch through its paces yet so it will be a good exercise……just got my flight details, head home tomorrow so hopefully get out again in the next week.

Judging by how you have been going mate, I am not sure you need the extra toys, I might go out in your boat instead. But it would be good to suss the area out with the sidscan.

[Luvit]

Magnificent effort Andrew,

The small attention to detail is critical and the set up before you put a line is the key.

Well done and good to see you getting some use of the boat in between the work load.

Cheers

Wayne

[Hein]

Some cracker fish there mate!!! Well done!!!

[rathabfishin2]

Yep, I am hoping to try a few Shads Jew Candy soft vibes that I just got online in the same area………haven't had much of a chance to put the HDS7 Gen2 touch through its paces yet so it will be a good exercise……just got my flight details, head home tomorrow so hopefully get out again in the next week.

Judging by how you have been going mate, I am not sure you need the extra toys, I might go out in your boat instead. But it would be good to suss the area out with the sidscan.

Good stuff. Caine came down ill so a weeknight this week will depend on him getting better. If we are going to aim with lures we'll have to take yours for the boat bling. If you want to sink livies I have already put my boat through a little bit of hell and a few scratches by cast netting and a few more hours on it so happy to take mine if thats the case.

[rathabfishin2]

Magnificent effort Andrew,

The small attention to detail is critical and the set up before you put a line is the key.

Well done and good to see you getting some use of the boat in between the work load.

Cheers

Wayne

Cheers Wayne. I have made a point of not letting my career absorb my life like it did last year which is why I went for a second dip despite having no real sleep. I am just glad that all the bits and peices fell into place last weekend. We will have to get together for that fish sometime and chase a few river jew and snapper over the coming winter!

[tazzy.]

Thanks so much for the tips mate. I've been using a 3way swivel but after your advice i'll definitely be switching over to the running swivel and letting them run. The tips on anchoring on the right spot will come in handy for sure. I always find it difficult to place the boat right over the fish.

Good luck with the plastics, the guys that were getting them near me the other night were giving them 5 or 6 good aggressive hops between long pauses. Don't forget the pink shirt!! let us know how you get on.

[rathabfishin2]

Thanks so much for the tips mate. I've been using a 3way swivel but after your advice i'll definitely be switching over to the running swivel and letting them run. The tips on anchoring on the right spot will come in handy for sure. I always find it difficult to place the boat right over the fish.

Good luck with the plastics, the guys that were getting them near me the other night were giving them 5 or 6 good aggressive hops between long pauses. Don't forget the pink shirt!! let us know how you get on.

No worries mate. That rig I got from the forum here and with the anchoring I looked at how my boat was set up and practised. After many fails I thought duh....use the gps technology to assist! Hope you get a few next time you are out!

[Luvit]

Yes mate

Sorry missed your last post.

Live prawns do alright on the Jews to. Let me know when you have the time.

[kmcrosby78]

Am going out to give it a try tonight Andrew, not totally sure what time yet, have the inlaws staying so depends how early I can get to bed although hopefully at the ramp by 2am to fish the 3:30am high tide change. Looks like not much tidal flow which from what I've read should extend the jewie bite (in theory).

Would you mind buzzing me (or text and I can call you back) on 0411619837 as I'd like to pick your brain on the rough location of Clara's Rocks as haven't fished that area before. Also, at this stage I'm going solo (given the time and my brother is unavailable) so feel free to come if you want. Cheers.

[rathabfishin2]

Am going out to give it a try tonight Andrew, not totally sure what time yet, have the inlaws staying so depends how early I can get to bed although hopefully at the ramp by 2am to fish the 3:30am high tide change. Looks like not much tidal flow which from what I've read should extend the jewie bite (in theory).

Would you mind buzzing me (or text and I can call you back) on 0411619837 as I'd like to pick your brain on the rough location of Clara's Rocks as haven't fished that area before. Also, at this stage I'm going solo (given the time and my brother is unavailable) so feel free to come if you want. Cheers.

sorry mate I missed you as I did not get online. Once that first gin and tonic was had I was done for the night! How did you go?

[kmcrosby78]

Am going out to give it a try tonight Andrew, not totally sure what time yet, have the inlaws staying so depends how early I can get to bed although hopefully at the ramp by 2am to fish the 3:30am high tide change. Looks like not much tidal flow which from what I've read should extend the jewie bite (in theory).

Would you mind buzzing me (or text and I can call you back) on 0411619837 as I'd like to pick your brain on the rough location of Clara's Rocks as haven't fished that area before. Also, at this stage I'm going solo (given the time and my brother is unavailable) so feel free to come if you want. Cheers.

sorry mate I missed you as I did not get online. Once that first gin and tonic was had I was done for the night! How did you go?

Was going to be tonight that I was going out but pulled the pin as was feeling pretty tired this arvo - had friends over for the arvo/evening so between a couple of beers, a big week at work (Interschool Sport started yesterday so big week for me preparing everyone) and then the realisation after dark that the box trailer in front of the tinny still had a bit of gravel in it all conspired to make me think I'll catch up on sleep and hit them next weekend.

Know what you mean about a post work drink on a Friday - fell asleep on the couch after the footy last night!!!

[Do$tylz]

nice work on putting it all together and nailing them

It's great when the collective help from AFO really does get people results on the water and it's awesome to see you feeding your newly found info back in as well.