GregOug

So what is the permit for on NPD? Fishing, skiing, both?

Hi Jaz44
A few things that I have experimented with may help you out, here they are - 
Letting the fish run - I do this a lot, I find it normally works but the key is to know when to strike. Tighten the drag but make sure you do not give it a hard yank. Once you have tightened the drag, then proceed to strike. 
Maybe resize your hooks to a smaller size, i.e. a 2/o or a 1/o.  This may sound silly but small hooks will catch everything, it is normally just about the size of your bait.
Also, are you holding your rod(s)? If not, maybe start holding them and them you can set the hook a bit easier.
Cheers Hamish 🙂 

Hi Geoff
I have crossed the bar at SWR  a few thousand times and you do need to treat it with the utmost of respect.
It is a very shallow bar these days so waves can stand up on it from out of no where, especially if there is any swell from the North East to Easterly directions.
It is well protected in a Southerly unless there is  big swell running and then it will curl around the Jail and hit the bar.
The main thing is to cross it on the run in tides or right on the change of tides if you are not terribly experienced on bar crossings.
Beware of the pressure waves inside the river on the bigger run out tides as these can be just as nasty as the bar itself.
Never go out south of the south wall as that is dead mans territory down there, generally the channel is straight out the middle or just to the side of the middle of the river.
Some times a small channel can open across the front of the North wall so you can get out by running along the beach for a couple of hundred meters and then pop out into clean water.
Coming back in, just sit on the back of a wave and follow it in and you will be fine.
Back Creek is fantastic for small boats but remember you will only have a foot of water at low tide so you will need to work the tides.
You can drive down to the creek entrance below the police station and have a good look before you even launch if you are worried about it.
I have not seen the new ramp at the Jail since it was built but I always launched off the beach there when the river and creek were too dangerous.
That corner of the bay is an awesome launch spot if you are familiar with beach launching and it is also a safe place to retrieve if you cannot get back in the river or creek.
You can pull up there and call a taxi to take you back to your car at one of the ramps where you launched earlier that morning.
I would also forget Forster for Mackeral as they do not get down there very often or in the massive numbers like you get off Grassy.
The close ground in 18m should be fishing well this time of the year but they could be there or on the Middle Ground in 29m, just look for good shows of bait and anchor up on them and get your live baits out.
If they don't bite early morning, they may bite in the afternoon so try both if you have the time.
Don't foret small live slimies are the best baits there.
If in doubt, don't go out !!!
 

Hi Old Scaley
Thanks for the advice 🙂 
I would not say AFO is interfering with my classroom work either, the only time I can go on it is when the teacher gives us free time between double lessons (a bit over five minutes max). 
Cheers Hamish 🙂 

G'day all,
I am hoping to get up to South West Rocks on the weekend and just looking for some info on the Bar crossing and/or other alternatives please. 
I've heard the Bar crossing at SWR is pretty dangerous and has claimed lives in the past. I have never ever been there before and I don't know if it is safe for a 5.2 metre Savage boat to cross at all, or at any particular time. I have been trying to search up info and cannot find a great deal, and some people have suggested other ramps like the back creek and Goal but some seem to think that they are dangerous also, and can only really be used at certain times. If anyone could please give me some info as if it is too dangerous I will give it a miss. I wanted to get up there this weekend and chase some Spanish and Spotted Mackerel. 
 
If SWR is best avoided, can anyone please suggest a safer area where I may still tangle with a few Spanyards or Spotties please. I've heard Spotties can be caught at Forster too which would be a lot closer to home, but I'm not 100% convinced or know much about when is roughly the best time/month to get them etc. 
 
Any info would be really appreciated,
Thanks 
Geoff 

Hi Rusty,
Hayden found me this one - Manta clamp on bait station. Available online from various resellers. Just do a google search.
cheers
Greg
 

Yep

Great day out there Andrew, well done. I'm one of 4 boys too, nothing better than all getting out for a fish together, something that we don't get to do too much either due to one living in Gracemere and one in Singleton.

Hi all
This weekend has been a busy one for me but I still managed to squeeze some fishing in. The tides were checked and it was decided we would go to the Green Bridge for a session targeting threadfin salmon, mulloway and sharks, live baiting. We left at about 6:40PM, after I had finished tennis (I lost 6-3 😞) and we were shocked to see the amount of lines and people there. I counted 20 people, all trying to squeeze on to this pontoon. What made matters even worse was when I discovered someone had kept a threadfin, left it lying on the jetty with scales everywhere and didn't even have the courtesy to clean up at the end! It looked undersize as well, but the tail was chopped off and I was told it was 72cm. 
After the initial 'Oh crap, I'm not going to be able to fish in this' thought, I managed to squeeze two out of five lines in. One at the end, and one bream line towards the mangroves. It didn't take long for some action to happen, but not for me. One of the larger groups had pulled up a nice big buck, in about 20 minutes of me getting there (7:00PM). It had wire wrapped all around it, and once they cleaned it up I don't think release was even thought of. Straight into their esky, but nothing wrong with that as it as legal and a feed 🙂 I'd caught one there myself a while back, so it does mean muddies hang around there. 
Just about the same time, those people pulled up a goliath of a cattie. I mean it was 60cm plus, and it was fat as. It also was kept, left laying on the jetty for a couple minutes before being chucked in their esky. These people must be a regular crowd, I'd say they go there a lot as they were the same people as last time. To be honest, I think it's a bit of a shame because they don't clean up and soon this destination will be known to the world and heavily fished (when it opened it had little to no fishing pressure of huge groups, now, not so much). 
For about the next hour, nothing happened. My dad and I got some bait (prawns, mullet, frogmouth pilchards, herring) and the only thing that proceeded to be caught was vermin (pike and catfish). Eventually, one of the groups left so I swooped in to get a spot and i did. I had my livie (well, deady) on the hook and i was praying for a hookup. Nothing happened except tangles though, and when I went to re-bait i was shocked by how rude this lady was who immediately casted her line right where I was seated when I walked two metres to get some bait - some people 😕 .
We called it quits at about 9:00PM, but the session was not a complete waste. My dad and brother sussed out the rock wall on the other side, so we will try this destination next time, most likely at day time - 

Here are the statistics of the trip for anyone's reference, I assume we were fishing the right tides/moons as every man and his dog was there but it may just be because this is their chosen time.
Statistics of Trip
Tackle Used: Penn 650, 30lb braid, 80lb leader and trace, size 6 ball sinker. Jarvis walker setup, 30lb braid, 100lb leader, 80lb trace. Diawa Shinobi 2500 20lb leader, size 4 ball sinker, 80lb trace, 4/o-6/0 circle hooks. Same on other setup except for bream gear, 20lb with size 2 ball and 2/o suicide hook. 1000 and 25000 Shimano Sienna and nasci, both with 14lb braid.
Tide: 3:45Pm low, .4m, 9:10PM high, 1.9m - we were fishing the rising tide
Moon: Waxing Gibbous - more than half but not quite full
Bait: Herring, Prawns, Mullet
Bait Caught: Frogmouth pilchards, mullet, herring, prawns
Fish Caught: Another donut, I'm starting a drought
Time fished: 6:40PM-9:00PM
Overall Success Rate: A solid 60% - no fish and crowds were there but a new spot sussed out.
Now, some of you may be wondering why I've got number #10 up there too. Well, I wasn't going to report another donut for everyone so I decided to go to the local park this afternoon with Declan. I also made a new investment to a fishing trolley ($50 Kmart trolley) so hopefully it serves me well (will post up some pictures on another topic).
I got down to the local park and chopped up some of our supermarket prawn (no frozen stuff in the freezer). Within two minutes of me casting out my line, I got a take. I managed to hook him pretty well, and from the great fight he put up on light gear I suspected he might've been a bigger catty. It certainly had some go in it, that's for sure, and here's the photo's Declan took - 


After that, the bite went a bit quiet. I had a flick with a prawn imitation plastic in the shallows to see if i could snag a flathead, but maybe it was just a fluke when I got that lizard. About 20 minutes later though, Declan's line went off again. I missed the hook up, but i think for a better hook up rate i should strate tightening the drag a bit more (I have the drag loose like you would when shark fishing). Declan's friend from down the road came and found him though, so off they went together. Now, it was up to me to catch a fair fish.
I had had about an hour of no fish and then my rod went off. I was not going to lose this fi- to late, already had. I waited patiently about another half hour, having the odd conversation with passers by. Eventually, my rod went off and I set the hook. I was on! After some aerobatics about 25m out, I landed a nice forkie, which was a bit smaller than the last- 

That was the last fish for the day because then my mum came and told me to pack up my stuff and get home!  Here are the stats of the trip-
Statistics of Trip-
Tide: I was fishing the run out, must've only been .3m (from a 2.5m high)
Moon Phase: Same as the last - a bit over 50% but no quite full
Bait used: Prawns, mullet, herring
Bait Caught: - 
Fish Caught: Forktail Catfish x2
Tackle Used: 650 Penn reel, 30lb braid, 80lb wire (shark rig), 14lb braid mainline, 20lb leader, 2/o-4/o suicide hook, size 2 sinkers, size 6 sinker
Time fished: 2:45PM-5:30PM
Overall success Rating: 70%, a nice afternoon out

Hi Greg, the first prop was the 3 blade (Eco Enteria 19P) - great prop but probably not as well suited to the boat as the Rev4. The prop I've got now is the 4 blade (Revolution 4 19P) which should the same as yours as I picked it up on Saturday and H mentioned he was supplying it for new customers with the same motor.
A pic of our boat anchored at Pelican Banks off Fraser at Xmas.
By the way, what are you doing for a bait board as have been looking around for one that will mount on the ski pole?

Another joke to hopefully lighten your weekend.
cheers
Greg
Neighbours light.pdf

Hi GregOug
That was hilarious, thanks for posting it. 🙂 
Cheers Hamish

Another joke to hopefully lighten your weekend.
cheers
Greg
Neighbours light.pdf

Another joke to hopefully lighten your weekend.
cheers
Greg
Neighbours light.pdf

Hi Junky,
A Stejcraft ss64 with a v8 Mercury 200 hp pro xs 

Another joke to hopefully lighten your weekend.
cheers
Greg
Neighbours light.pdf

Another joke to hopefully lighten your weekend.
cheers
Greg
Neighbours light.pdf

Hi Rusty,
Great to hear from another ss64 owner. I’m not sure which prop Hayden is putting on mine, just that it’s 19p. Was your first prop a 4 blade or 3? Hoping to get the boat next week. Just waiting for the canopy to be put on now.
cheers
 
Greg

Hi Greg, am a first time poster on this forum, but I've had the SS64 with the same motor (V8 200 Pro XS) since late last year and have done around 30 hours so far, mainly skiing and wake-boarding with fishing hopefully happening more once the weather gets better - you won't be disappointed in terms of performance and handling!
In terms of props, I started with an Enertia Eco 19P, but have just changed to the Rev 4 19P. I've also got the same radio although have yet to install it.

Welcome back

Welcome back

Welcome back

Me and my brothers did a morning charter with Smithy out of Mooloolaba yesterday. We’ve done a few over the years but never managed to get all 4 brothers together at the same time. My old man wasn’t into fishing but he loved hanging out with his boys and liked talking with Smithy so he used to come along for the ride. He passed away a year a go so it was nice to hang out with my brothers and Smithy a catch some fish in his memory. 

We started the morning trolling livies for Spanish and had 2 hits straight away but the sharks were too quick for us and we got toweled up. We went for a run looking for some tuna and came across a patch of spotties that were playing the game. It was mayhem and multiple hits per cast on slugs and stick baits. We boated 6 in a frenzy then moved on to where smithy had done well on the longtails the day before. We found them but they were their usual flighty selves so Smithy made the call to run to a fad for some dollies. 

Well the dollies were thick and we had a good hour catching them on livies, stickbaits and slugs. Back to the tuna where we left them and they started playing the game but pulled hooks, bite offs, equipment failure and a bit of inexperience costed us the 3 or 4 longies we hooked. Found a patch of mac tuna that were less flighty and caught a couple even keeping one for bait (great tailor bait off the beach!). Got a couple of small schoolies vertical jigging under the tuna schools and hooked something rather large that gave a good few strong runs before wearing thru the leader. Back at the pontoon for lunch at the pub and a beer with smithy before the trip back to Brisbane. 

Here are a couple of pics from yesterday - we didn’t take many due to the chaos! Also a pic of my dad with a nice AJ from a previous charter with Smithy.

And yes, Wyld by name, Wild by nature