Regular readers know that over the past six weeks I’ve been chasing blackfish regularly. Why? So many reasons, with the main one being I like to fish for what’s around. I’ve started free fishing classes - with stacks of blokes (and often, their children too) signing on:
With last weekend the most successful result so far:
But one thing that’s blown me away is what I call the tragedy of low expectations. This was the third class in three weekends and by far the most successful. At one point we had three hooked blackfish queued up to be netted:
And I’ve been receiving some much appreciated feedback:
We’ve been fishing some of the most popular spots on the lower north shore of Sydney Harbour. And while we’ve been hooking up and landing these tough and tasty little fighters, other fishos nearby are catching nothing. Sometimes I give them my rod to try fishing for blackies. Here’s Geoff at Middle Head with his first:
I’ve been politely asking those blokes some questions:
The response has been a bit depressing – especially when they’ve got kids:
Good timing! Great kid’s fishing story in today’s paper:
Meantime – not bragging – our little crew (some of whom had never even seen a blackfish) caught 25 in three hours, and kept 17 for dinner:
And turned them into delicious meals the same night:
Each to his own and don’t want to sound like a know it all. But wouldn’t the day be better if you went home with some fish? Anyway, I’m getting a huge buzz out of watching how happy everyone gets when they’ve got a few to take home. Keeping the classes going for as long as people are interested and thinking about some bream sessions too. But I have to make one change to the arrangement.
I’ve been bringing along six or seven used blackfish combos for everyone to use. Most blokes don’t have their own gear anyway. And even if they did we are just too busy fishing for me to adjust their floats, add correct weight split shots and the like. Plus it takes a lot of time cleaning and prepping the gear afterwards - as well as driving to Curl Curl or Mona Vale before, to collect our burley and bait. After a hot session they often want to buy a combo so they can do it on their own. But the rod is an 8 feet long 2-piece and expensive to deliver because it can’t be shipped by Australia Post. So for future classes, I’m asking that those attending buy a combo in advance which I will bring along on the day. Big saving on delivery that way, so the combo is only $125. With one of these, all you need is the bait:
Send me an email if you want to join us next weekend? Note that it’s filling up pretty fast. Or a PM on the Facebook page (which is where most of this is being organised). Thanks for reading
Andrew Hestelow