Fishing for the Fridge
In the past year I’ve probably released 90 – 95% of fish caught - mainly because we live in a small unit with a small fridge - and an even smaller freezer. But being close to the water means that, if I catch something perfect for dinner, it’s a short distance from the hook to the kitchen. And this welcome development worked great this week, when I was lucky enough to fish three days straight:
Got the ball rolling on Thursday with a kayak session at Mosman. Facebook readers will remember my search for Little Jack lures – a tiny prawn lure with a mini spoon on the tail, which I predicted would make a great jelly prawn imitation. Good call, Andy:
Into the yak and working the Gulps. Flathead have been a little hot and cold lately but on Thursday, they were hungry:
Kept a 49cm – and the bream – for dinner. Everything else went back in to fight another day:
Friday I was out with Fitz in his Quintrex 4.9. Picture perfect day. We started off downrigging around the barges on the western side of Scotland Island. Those have been very productive in the past. But no strikes received and no kings marked on the sounder. They weren’t there. We moved up to the Basin and that’s where the magic happened. Fitz wants to take something home for the table! And there’s nothing wrong with that. On Friday, Pittwater delivered the goods. Fitz is a bait guy - not a lure guy, unless he's jigging. So this was his first flathead on an SP:
I was working the Little Jack through the burley trail. This fantail leatherjacket grabbed it. Note that in my opinion, they’re the most tasty of all flathead species:
Heading back to the ramp with a full esky after lunch and saw some bust ups happening at the mouth of The Basin, on the western side of Pittwater. Off with the SPs and on with our 10 gram metal jigs. That worked:
If I had to nominate the one piece of tackle in our lineup I’m most proud of it would be the Lesson 3000 reel. I used that reel only, on all three fishing trips last week. Mine’s seen a lot of hard work:
Carbontex washers make the drag run super smooth. Your choice of 3 or 6 kilo colour change braid. Light - but strong and very well built. Most importantly – a full sized comfortable handle. You don’t have to hold the reel handle like a teaspoon. Price is amazing. Check it out here:
Got a suitable rod and only need the reel? Fine. Just send $58 and let me know whether you want 3 or 6 kilo line. Price includes delivery:
Saturday was a family and friends fishing trip at Mosman. Target, blackfish. Slow at the start, but eventually heavy burleying got the bite going:
Son Chris took the fish of the day, a solid 41cm:
Just kept one for dinner and once again, the Lesson 3000 reel delivered results:
Readers know how much I love offshore deep dropping and jigging, and there’s plenty of that planned for this winter. But how good is it to hop in the kayak, or stop by your local park for a couple of hours, and bring home dinner for the whole family? I say, very good. Thanks for reading
Andrew Hestelow
Also in Tackle News
Target: Kingfish
Two Sydney offshore sessions targeting kingfish with live yellowtail and heavy knife jigs, including fish to one metre, sharks and an amberjack.
Mackerel, Kingfish and Sharks
TUESDAY! Wanted to downrig small live bonito around Long Reef for a stud kingfish. Our purple trolling lures accepted the challenge:
