queensland Nice Day on the Nerang

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hi all

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to be invited out as a decky on the Nerang River, with Brian ( @ellicat ), and Steve ( @Old Scaley ). The game plan was to fish for the iconic Sand Whiting, and hopefully land a 40CM whopper. It was a very enjoyable day on the water, and we all caught at least one legal fish each. I met Brian and Steve at about 8:30AM, and after a quick stop in at Gem Bait and Tackle to pick up live worms, we were at a boat ramp on the Nerang River. After going back to grab my life jacket (which I left in the car), we anchored up at the first spot near the ramp.

Live worms were deployed, and our hopes were high. Unfortunately, after about a half hour fishing here, we had not yet managed to pull up any fish. Steve had gotten one small bite and that was it. The call was made to move to the next spot, so we motored along in hope of a whiting. The next spot was somewhat more successful, and after a quick toilet stop on the way there, and a wrong turn, we were anchored up in front of a sandy park. Brian was kind (or trusting) enough to let me drive the boat a little bit, so for a while I got to drive the boat at 5 knots! Woohoo!

Driving is fun!

This spot was slightly more successful than the first, and Steve was some fish to begin with. After a of couple bites, he had pulled up a small bream. I missed some bites and then Steve got another little fish, which was a Moses Perch with stripes and a darker skin colour. Steve hooked another bream here that would've been just legal, and I hooked a small one too. Seeing as though we were being plagued by small stuff here, we moved down the river to another likely looking spot. 

Straight away at this spot, there were bites. After a little while, I was onto a fish. This was a bit bigger than the pickers which were constantly biting our lines, and it was a just legal bream. Seeing as though he was gut hooked we kept this one. Brian eventually jagged a bream as well, which was good as it meant we were all off the donut. At this location, Steve managed a legal tarwhine - or at least I think so. I was looking forward to eating some fish so I asked if I could take him and no one minded. We managed a couple more small bream here but after that the call was made to move back to the first spot. The tide had changed now so the theory was the whiting would be on the bite. It was getting a bit later in the day and surprisingly the wind had not picked up, but it was still quiet on the whiting front.

We decided to cross under a bridge to fish one of Brian's spots on the other side. At first, we anchored quite close to the bank, near a sandbar. In a matter of minutes, the first fish for this spot was boated - an undersize bream that Steve had hooked. I then proceeded to get a couple of bites, but I did not hook any fish. After a little while longer, Brian's rod bent over in the rod holder. There were tense moments as the fish was coming up, and when it was landed we were all happy to see a 32CM whiting! 

The best whiting for the day

After that whiting, we decided to move along to slightly deeper water (in front of a sand bar). We were hoping the fish would be here. I got some surging bites, which we predicted to be a flathead, but now I think back it was probably just my sinker on the bottom. While we were sitting down, the wind kicked up. This was only in the last hour, so we didn't really complain. It had been pretty calm for most of the day! Steve then hooked up to something large, which was either a flathead or stingray. It ended up spitting the hook, which was a bummer. Someone in a speedy boat came zipping by yelling something at us (none of us knew why - if we had not been there and he followed where we were he would've hit a sandbar, and we weren't anywhere near the channel), but just after Brian hooked up to another fish. It was putting up an OK tussle, and the biggest bream for the day came aboard the boat. 

With this, we gave it a little longer, but then it was time to reel in our lines and head off. I clumsily and accidentally tipped out the remaining worms and water instead of just the water from the bucket, which was embarrassing. We motored back the ramp and pulled up. At home, I filleted the fish (Brian and Steve were kind enough to give them all to me), and they will be tonight's dinner.

I will scale, gut, and head the next bream I catch - cooking them whole would be easier!

Thanks again for taking me out @ellicat and @Old Scaley. I had a great time!!!

Here are the stats of the trip for anyone interested - 

Stats of Trip - 

Tide: 6:40AM, .2M, Low, 12:00PM, 1.0M, High, 6:50PM, .2M, Low

Moon Phase: Waning Crescent

Bait Caught: - 

Bait Used: Live Bloodworms

Fish Caught: Many undersize bream, 1 x Moses Perch, 2 x Legal Bream, 1 x Legal Tarwhine, 1 x Whiting

Tackle Used: Size 2 and 4 ball sinkers, small long shank hooks, small swivels, 6 and 10 pound traces, light mainline. I had an Ugly Stik 2-5KG with a 2500 Diawa Shinobi with 12LB Braid - I'm not sure what Brian and Steve were using. 

Humidity: 54-57 percent

Air Pressure: 1015-1020

Location: Nerang River, Gold Coast

Overall Success Rate: 70% - while the target species were scarce it was still a fun day with some keepers!

Cheers Hamish

[Angry51]

Looks like you had a good day Hamish.

Got a feed and a day on the water.

You want to have a little drive every chance you get and

before long you will get the knack of it.

Good onya Steve/ Brian.

[ellicat]

Nice to have you out there, Hamish.

It was a good day despite the numbers being a bit low. Next time we'll nail some beauties, I'm sure.

[Old Scaley]

Shame we didn’t get into a patch of fish @AUS-BNE-FISHO, but that’s fishing. Always a pleasure to fish with you Hamish. Your manners are as impeccable as your written expression. You are a human sponge and take everything in and store it away for next time. Looks like your next lesson will be filleting. Thanks for doing the report.

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

2 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Looks like you had a good day Hamish.

Got a feed and a day on the water.

You want to have a little drive every chance you get and

before long you will get the knack of it.

Good onya Steve/ Brian.

Thanks Angry. Hopefully I get alright at it soon. 

1 hour ago, ellicat said:

Nice to have you out there, Hamish.

It was a good day despite the numbers being a bit low. Next time we'll nail some beauties, I'm sure.

Cheers Brian, that would be good!

1 hour ago, Old Scaley said:

Shame we didn’t get into a patch of fish @AUS-BNE-FISHO, but that’s fishing. Always a pleasure to fish with you Hamish. Your manners are as impeccable as your written expression. You are a human sponge and take everything in and store it away for next time. Looks like your next lesson will be filleting. Thanks for doing the report.

Thank you Steve. My filleting definitely needs improving. I am very slow at it too. Practise makes perfect, I guess!  

Cheers Hamish

[Jono4500]

Nice day fellas and hamish good work particularly on your record keeping and stats you put up on your trip reports. 

[kmcrosby78]

Looks like a fun day out fellas and a few keepers for a feed is better than none . 

[benno573]

4 hours ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Thanks Angry. Hopefully I get alright at it soon. 

Cheers Brian, that would be good!

Thank you Steve. My filleting definitely needs improving. I am very slow at it too. Practise makes perfect, I guess!  

Cheers Hamish

Catch more fish mate. Easiest way to get more practice! my offer from some time ago still stands in this regard.

[Kat]

Sounds and looks like a great day.  The summer whiting will be more plentiful soon!  

Sorry, I have to laugh about the very expensive live bloodworms being tossed overboard lol.  Yes it would have been embarrassing but sounds like you were trying to help out so good on ya.

Hamish, have you watched many YouTube videos on filleting and skinning fish?  Try it, that is how I taught myself.  I am by no means quick, but don't leave much flesh behind (usually) and very occasional bones.  When I first started I would watch the video through, then play it again while filleting, pausing as necessary.  Good knives and regularly sharpening them properly are also key to success.  I think you have enough fishing gear now.  Ask for filleting, boning or skinning knives for Christmas

[Kat]

On my next whiting trip I am tempted (despite my reluctance to pay for bait) to buy some live blood worms and take my usual free yabbies and see which bait is more successful.....

I know @Daryl McPheehas alot of success on bloodworms so maybe I should experiment

[ellicat]

Benefit of worms - you get more than one go at a bite; don't have to pump.

Benefit of yabbies - Free; Attract anything.

[Andrew_P]

Hamish it doesn’t matter if you leave some flesh behind when filleting. Use a teaspoon to scoop up the remaining flesh from the frame and put it into a clip lock bag (free of blood and scales if possible). By the time you’ve finished a few fish there should be enough fish mince for some fish cakes or sang choy bow (Thai mince dish). It works better with larger fish but the best thing is the poorer you are at filleting the richer your fish mince bag will be!

[Kat]

2 hours ago, ellicat said:

Benefit of worms - you get more than one go at a bite; don't have to pump.

Benefit of yabbies - Free; Attract anything.

Yeah well maybe we will argue the above points on Friday morning!

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

On 26/09/2021 at 7:03 PM, Jono4500 said:

Nice day fellas and hamish good work particularly on your record keeping and stats you put up on your trip reports. 

Thanks Jono. It's always helpful to try and find a pattern in the stats.

On 26/09/2021 at 7:34 PM, kmcrosby78 said:

Looks like a fun day out fellas and a few keepers for a feed is better than none . 

Cheers KM, sure is!

21 hours ago, benno573 said:

Catch more fish mate. Easiest way to get more practice! my offer from some time ago still stands in this regard.

Thanks a heap Benno. I will take you up on the offer if I catch a lot of fish one day. 

4 hours ago, Kat said:

Sounds and looks like a great day.  The summer whiting will be more plentiful soon!  

Sorry, I have to laugh about the very expensive live bloodworms being tossed overboard lol.  Yes it would have been embarrassing but sounds like you were trying to help out so good on ya.

Hamish, have you watched many YouTube videos on filleting and skinning fish?  Try it, that is how I taught myself.  I am by no means quick, but don't leave much flesh behind (usually) and very occasional bones.  When I first started I would watch the video through, then play it again while filleting, pausing as necessary.  Good knives and regularly sharpening them properly are also key to success.  I think you have enough fishing gear now.  Ask for filleting, boning or skinning knives for Christmas

Cheers Kat, it sure was. I'm still embarrassed about those worms  

I never knew there were so many different knifes. I just have one sharp Rapala one.

2 hours ago, Andrew_P said:

Hamish it doesn’t matter if you leave some flesh behind when filleting. Use a teaspoon to scoop up the remaining flesh from the frame and put it into a clip lock bag (free of blood and scales if possible). By the time you’ve finished a few fish there should be enough fish mince for some fish cakes or sang choy bow (Thai mince dish). It works better with larger fish but the best thing is the poorer you are at filleting the richer your fish mince bag will be!

Thanks Andrew. That's a really good idea. I'll definitely try it.

Cheers Hamish

 

[Drop Bear]

Yum. Well done mate. 

[Drop Bear]

When are you getting a boat? 

[fishingnut]

There are some big whiting getting about

[ellicat]

7 minutes ago, fishingnut said:

There are some big whiting getting about

I didn't know you liked whiting sashimi, mate. Looks like you were a bit hungry.

[fishingnut]

I just like the tails mate too many bones around the head ….

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

On 01/10/2021 at 12:35 PM, Drop Bear said:

Yum. Well done mate. 

Thanks Robbie.

On 01/10/2021 at 12:35 PM, Drop Bear said:

When are you getting a boat? 

Hopefully when I'm sixteen! Lol. That reminds me - I should start learning more theory about the boating license so I can get it quicker when I'm sixteen. 

On 01/10/2021 at 10:35 PM, fishingnut said:

There are some big whiting getting about

That's huge fishingnut. Wouldn't of minded catching that one! 

Cheers Hamish

P.S. Sorry for the late reply all. I managed to miss these replies.